The goal of this Compass Points Thinking Routine was to create a discussion on how and why the students will be designing the classroom. Prior to this routine, students completed a See, Think, Wonder to introduce the design process. (See the activity here) Through the Compass Points routine, students analyzed various aspects of the design process and their role in the collaborative process. Here is what we learned:
Compass Points Questions: Modified Questions for Activity:
- E = Excited
What excites you about this idea or proposition? What’s the upside? - W = Worrisome
What do you find worrisome about this idea or proposition? What’s the downside? - N = Need to Know
What else do you need to know or find out about this idea or proposition? What additional information would help you to evaluate things? - S = Stance
What is your current stance or opinion on the idea or proposition?
Starting with the "E", the students were given three minutes per compass point to discuss their responses as a group. After the time, the class discussed each point as a whole group. Many of the students shared the same worries and were excited about similar aspects of the process. One of the many great results of this routine was the discussion of "stance on learning". From this discussion, the students were able to reflect on their learning styles and how to create a learning space that best suites each type of learner. Here are some the students' responses:
Next step... creating blueprints for the classroom!
This lesson was developed by Alice Parker, Kim Trefz, and Jillian Hinesley.