to Great Thinking
one student said. We talked about
Augustine’s definition of reason—not
“cause” but “thinking clearly.”
Today, thoughtful, reflective readings
and discussions like these appear to be
on the decline. They are now in a
Sisyphean battle against the unmediated
forces of Twittering, Facebooking, and
You Tubing. As society transitions from
the physicality of print to the endless
horizon of digital dissemination, educa-
tors have an obligation to sustain
balancing elements in students’ lives.
Conversations about great texts can
yield important compass bearings,
pointing students toward deeper reflec-
tion and greater humanity.
Cultivating Wonder
How can teachers build sophisticated
thinking—such as inference, critical
Use primary texts,
not textbook copy—
it’s the difference
between fresh
and canned peas.
analysis, and insight—while introducing
the younger generation to the legacy of
ideas that illuminate our understanding
of the world? How can we enable
students to take control of their
learning? How can we lead them to see
that true learning is not about satisfying
the test maker but about satisfying their
own wondering?
An answer lies in giving students a
forum for conversation. One program
I’ve found valuable is the Touchstones
Discussion Project (see www.touch
stones.org). As librarian and Touch-
stones discussion leader at St. Martin’s-
in-the-Field Day School, I have used
this program in our middle school
library curriculum for the past five
years. St Martin’s is a coeducational
Episcopal K– 8 school in Maryland
serving some 350 students.
