Help me get the teachers talking. What are some ways you get a discussion after a classroom modeling. No one wants to say much. I don't know what they are thinking. I would like to get more conversation out of them. They take notes during the lesson, but they don't really share their thoughts. Any suggestions out there?

Back to teambuilders. Here are some teambuilders. Maybe someone can use them at some point this year.

Literacy Timelines (for times when you have all day, this takes some time)
Teachers will create a timeline of friends, colleagues and family members who have
influenced their literacy development. These timelines will then be used as a catalyst for discussion about what is meaningful and memorable in influencing the literacy of others.
Begin by asking everyone to draw a line across a blank sheet of paper (providing a stack of blank
oversized sheets of paper and baskets of markers is helpful). On this line, ask everyone to mark a starting point with a vertical line labeled “Birth” on the left-hand side, and another labeled “Present Day” on the right-hand side.

Ask participants to think of at least five people who influenced their development as readers and writers during their lives. Participants should then map out on the continuum when they met each person. Below the timeline, everyone should list the names of these mentors with a one-sentence description of how and why that person affected his or her literacy.
This task should take no more than 10-15 minutes. Ask everyone to write silently. Often it takes at least a few minutes for participants to clear their heads and begin remembering names (especially those of distant mentors).
After everyone has completed their timelines, meet in small groups or collectively discuss the following questions:
· What did your literacy mentors have in common?
· What are some striking differences?
· What connections do you make to how you mentor students?
· What connections do you make to how you influence the literacy teaching and learning of your
colleagues?

Where I Draw the Line

Prepare some statements on the blackboard, whiteboard or chart paper before participants arrive (see examples below).
Once everyone arrives, draw an imaginary line across the front of the room. Tell everyone that this line is a continuum, with one end designated for those who “strongly agree” with the first statement, and the other end of the line reserved for those who “strongly disagree.” The middle territory is for those who are neutral or ambivalent. Ask participants to place themselves on the line based upon their response to the statement.
Statements to post might include:
· Teachers must know and use research findings to inform their practice.
· Reading comprehension strategy instruction is a fad that will pass in time.
· Every teacher in the same grade in our school should teach reading in the same way.
· There is enough phonics instruction in our school.
· My experiences as a writer influence the way I teach writing.
· My experiences as a reader influence the way I teach reading.
· Research is only valid if it is objective.
· Not enough attention is paid to grammar and spelling skills in our school.
· Boys’ literacy is of greater concern to me at the moment than girls’ literacy.
· I have never experienced as much pressure as a teacher as I do now in the classroom.
· The standards movement has been a positive force in schools over the past decade.
· Parents are becoming more involved in our school.
After each person has lined up for the first statement, have people share why they feel strongly or are
ambivalent about the statement. Take no more than five minutes to discuss each statement. After the
discussion of a statement is completed, read aloud the next statement, have everyone rearrange
themselves on the continuum, and discuss the new topic.
Ideally, you don’t want to post any statements that lead to a herd of teachers at one end of the continuum.
Sometimes the statements that are the most fun are those that are most polarizing, or lead to a chain of participants all along the line. You can easily adapt these statements to reflect current literacy initiatives in your building.

Now for a fun teambuilder. List the desserts on cards and have them go to the card of their favorite dessert. Then read the traits for each dessert.

Angel Food Cake - Sweet, loving, cuddly. You love all warm and fuzzy items. A little nutty at times. Sometimes you need an ice cream cone at the end of the day. Others perceive you as being childlike and immature at times.

Brownies - You are adventurous, love new ideas, and are a champion of underdogs and a slayer of dragons. When tempers flare up you whip out your saber. You are always the oddball with a unique sense of humor and direction. You tend to be very loyal.

Lemon Meringue - Smooth, sexy and articulate with your hands. You are an excellent after-dinner speaker and a good teacher, and also a great leader. You are very loyal, but a bit of a diva at times. You are a very outgoing, loving person and have loads and loads of friends.

Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Icing - Fun-loving, sassy, humorous, very grounded in life; very decisive and motivated. Everyone enjoys being around you, you are a practical joker. Others should be cautious in making you mad. However, you are a friend for life.

Strawberry Shortcake - Romantic, warm, loving. You care about other people, can be counted on in a pinch and expect the same in return. Intuitively keen. Can be very emotional.

Chocolate on Chocolate - Sexy; always ready to give and receive. Very creative, adventurous, ambitious, and passionate. You can appear to have a cold exterior but are warm on the inside. Not afraid to take chances. Will not settle for anything average in life. Love to laugh.

Ice Cream - You like sports, whether it be baseball, football, basketball, or soccer. If you could, you would like to participate, but you enjoy watching sports. you don't like to give up the remote control. You tend to be self-centered and high maintenance.

Carrot Cake - You are a very fun-loving person, who likes to laugh. You are fun to be with. People like to hang out with you. You are a very warmhearted person and a little quirky at times. You have many loyal friends.