The students were having small-group discussions today based on the read-aloud we started, A Long Walk to Water. One of the questions they addressed was “How does girls’ lack of access to education affect the global community?” I knew it was a meaty question, but they have some experience with the issue from our previous unit. I was curious to see what would come out of it.
Some groups needed a little support – they were focused only on how the lack of access directly affects the girls. I was jumping into the breakout rooms online, and also catching snippets of conversation from my in-person group, who happened to have one particular student who has been extremely quiet this year.
I was about to jump into the next breakout room when I caught part of what the quiet student was saying. Hold up.
“Can you repeat that a little louder, please?” I said in a very encouraging voice, crossing my fingers that she wouldn’t retreat back into her shell.
“Okay…well…when that many people are not able to get an education, we are missing out on a lot good ideas. Also, governments would probably be run better.”
There you have it: proof of why we need to keep drawing them out.
My Corner of the Village 