BACK TO BACK THINKING

FACE TO FACE CONVERSING

1. Assign each person a partner. Participants designate roles with one person being an "O" and the other being a "K". (Seeking OK pairs.)
2. Pairs discuss the following questions:

"What are reflective conversations and why are they valuable for enhancing thinking?"

Share ideas with the large group.

3. Develop and display thoughtful questions about the topic on a chart or overhead.
4. Show the first question on the chart to the group. Read it aloud. Ask pairs to stand "Back to Back to Think" about their own answer to the question. After they have each developed a response (approximately 30 seconds) they turn "Face to Face to Converse."

O’s = sharing their response to the question.

K’s = listening, restating, and inquiring.

Allow the O’s to share 2-3 minutes, signal and ask the pairs to reverse roles with the K’s sharing 2-3 minutes.

5. After each person has reflected on the first question ask each pair to discuss how the conversation pushed their thinking.
6. For best results, model this process with a participant before pairs begin to share. Ask one participant to be the "O" and share ideas to the first question with the teacher listening, restating, and inquiring. Invite the observers to jot down ideas, verbal and nonverbal, that push the thinking of "O" person. After a brief conversation, ask pairs to compare notes and then discuss their ideas with the large group.
7. Continue the process with each question listed.
8. End with a large group share about their learnings. Discuss benefits of the strategy.

Benefits of the strategy

• Involves all participants
• Promotes critical thinking about the topic
• Causes participants to be reflective
• Promotes active listening
• Focuses on the use of effective communication skills.