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5. Creating or Adding Challenge
Teachers create or add challenge so that a task goes a bit beyond what the children can already do. In other cases, teachers reduce challenge to meet children
where they are. Sheila never did any task that was given by Torey. Whereas, the other children were excited when they were given a task or did math. Torey tried
to have math test for Sheila. They sat down on the floor and spilled out the blocks. Sheila showed that she was capable in doing the math. Torey tried to increase the
number. Surprisingly, Sheila did it well. ... “Show me three blocks.”
Cautiously she picked out three. “Show me ten.” Again ten cubes were lined up on the rug before me. ...
“I’m going to make it harder. Count me out twenty-seven.” Within
seconds twenty-seven blocks appeared p. 70.
Torey could not tell if she actually knew the answers or was solving them as she went along. She continued the test and switched it to subtraction. Sheila
showed her smile to the others that almost never appeared before. Sheila increased her capability and her confidence to do the task given by Torey.
6. Asking Questions that Provoke Children Thinking
The class began with morning discussion. The discussion was based on the “topic” of the day. Usually the topic explored feelings, such as talking about
things that made someone happy, or topic was a roundtable for solving problems, such as what would one do if he saw someone else hurt himself. At first, Torey
gave a topic to the children to be explored. After a few months, the topic
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discussion came from the children’s suggestion. Torey always made sure that everybody in the class had a chance to participate in the discussion. She wanted
something would stimulate communication and develop verbal understanding. In the beginning I had brought all the topics in, but after the first month or
two the children had their own suggestions and I had not started the discussion in ages p. 19.
On that day, the students did not have a topic to be shared. Torey came with a topic based on children’s feeling. It was about somebody who wanted to
join a group but no one accepted him or her. Then one by one the students raised their hand and answered the question based on their feelings.
“No one has a topic? Well then, I’ve got one: what do you suppose it feels like when you’re new and don’t know anyone, or maybe you just want to
be part of a group and no one wants you? How’s that feel inside?” p. 20.
7. Giving Assistance Such as Cue or Hint to Help Children Work on the Edge of Their Current Competence
In Torey’s class, the students learned what they wanted to learn. It was based on their desire. They liked to write freely and creatively. The function of the
writing was to express their feelings. The children had learned that one place for expression was in the journal.
I encouraged a great amount of creative writing in class. The children kept journals in which they recorded what they felt, things that happened to
them and other important events in their lives p. 154.
The method of the teaching helped the teachers to observe the children feelings. Torey left notes or comments to the children about what they had
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