1. What: Discuss Richhart’s ideas surrounding Interactions (Chapter 8) .
Why: “Do not think that because a child cannot read a text, he cannot read you. Children can tell right off those people who believe in them and those who patronize them. They can tell once you come into the room.”
How: Analyze a description of an activity in light of what we have already learned from Richhart, as well as our own experiences.
Explore methods to improve/ deepen interactions in the classroom

2. Building Culture Through Affect and Actions (p 218)
Affective attributes researchers identify as facilitating learning:
Empathetic
Warm
Caring
Genuine
Authentic
Positive
Respectful
Trusting
Sense of Humor

3. Building Culture Through Affect and Actions (p 218)
Actions you can take
Being nondirective (Meaning that you are not controlling. This isn’t a push to have no direction or take no role in directing the class)
Pressing for Thinking
Supporting Student Autonomy

4. Shaping Interactions Through Roles (p 220)
This is where all of the Thinking Routines, Literature Circles, Reciprocal Teaching and Norm Setting come in
Be open to new roles
Original Thinker
Johnny Opposite
Reliability Cop
Mind Reader
Cleaning Crew
Theorizing
Summarizing Results
Relating results to theory
Biggest learning effects occurred when students took on these roles not only as they engaged in building scientific explanations but also when listening as audience members to other groups.

5. Asking “Good” Questions (p 221)
Review Questions- Ask students to recall previous knowledge or procedures
Procedural Questions- Direct classroom activity and behavior rather than content “Does everybody have a pencil?”
Generative Questions- Spark inquiry.
Essential Questions- Direct long-term exploration
Authentic Questions- Content questions you don’t know the answer to.
Constructive Questions- advance understanding. Ask students to connect ideas, make interpretations, focus on big ideas, etc.
Facilitative Questions- Ask students to explain or elaborate thinking, to make it visible.

6. Creating New Patterns of Discourse (p 223)
Traditional Interaction in classroom is QRE/ IRE- Looks like Ping-Pong
If classes look more like basketball, more students are engaged.
Some ideas for moving from ping-pong to basketball
Sentence Starters (Talk Tips)
Pop Corn/ Building Ice Cream Cone
Reflective Toss – Teacher’s first goal is to “catch” the students’ meaning and understand the comments. If meaning isn’t caught, clarify with follow up questions. Once meaning is understood, “toss” back a question that will force student to further elaborate/ justify their idea.

7. What roles are students currently filling in your class?
What roles would you like them to fill?
What subject specific skills/ abilities do they need to use to be proficient in your content? Can you create roles out of these?