Reply to comment

When I think about my experiences in book groups, critical friends groups (meeting to discuss classroom practice), other classes, staff meetings, social situations, my own family, my own classroom---what occurs to me is that I don't get energized or experience shifts in my perspective by the people I agree with (sure it can be nice to find a kindred spirit)---but the people who excite me to think, the students who motivate me to be an even better teacher---are the ones who share ideas or behaviors that challenge me to think in new ways.

For me what matters, what I realize I am drawn to in any of the above listed situations, is the energy that I feel from people who are whole heartedly participating in the process. They are present, they are participating in the process of emergent learning...I need to think, as I head back to my own classroom----about how to extend that social contract for learning to all students----how to make sure that everyone in the class knows that they are responsible for everyone else's learning.