Speaking out of Turn

Everyone was excited to chime in during our class discussion on the Renaissance! It seemed like students had a lot to say about whether art or science had a bigger impact during this time. I don’t usually do this, but I decided to set a speaking order based on the first few hands raised to keep the conversation organized. Jack was up first, and he enthusiastically said science had a bigger impact because it made people understand the world in new ways. Thomas, the second student in the order, was about to speak when Morgan jumped in. “Wait, I know I’m not supposed to go yet, but I need to respond. I get what Jack is saying, but art made those ideas easier to understand, especially for people who couldn’t read,” she shared. 

Discussion norms are a core part of my goal for our student-centered class, and Morgan’s interruption violated our listening norm, which includes not interrupting or speaking out of turn. On the other hand, Morgan was clearly adding depth and nuance to the conversation, and was supporting my goal of orienting students to each other in the discussion. I had to decide which of my goals was more relevant at this moment: enforcing the norm by telling Morgan it wasn’t her turn, or promoting student crosstalk by allowing her to speak out of turn.