Thought Grenades

Thought grenades? Word wars? The power of an idea! Reflecting on Andrew Clements' Frindle got me wondering…

In our schools today, students and teachers are wrestling with the new Common Core State Standards.  The purpose of these new standards is to have children be career and college ready.  Ironically, career ready for those careers that do not yet exist. In the fictional book by Andrew Clements, “frindles” didn’t exist either.  That didn’t stop the main character, student Nick Allen, from wondering.

Andrew Clements wrote, “Wondering and thinking are not the same things.”  Of course we want our students “to think like detectives, and read like investigative reporters” as per NY commissioner John King.  However, we want them “wondering” too.  There is a beauty that is intangible in thinking about students’ ability to wonder, to question, and to act on that inquiry.  Isn’t that the premise behind all really great ideas?  A curiosity or a passion exists that is so powerful, that it causes our students to act – to want to act: to read the next book by an author, explore a theme or to further investigate an idea, to read more, to write and in turn to think more deeply.

When we provide text sets (a string of texts around a theme, concept or idea of different genres, levels, media and resources) we provide a wider lens to spark deeper thinking.  Layering texts  encourage investigations and thought grenades happen that enable us to reach our students’ diverse interests and learning styles. We can ignite their passions and allow for personalization and differentiation to meet the needs of all learners.  As facilitators of our students’ learning we need to encourage their conversations and collaborations around ideas.   Likewise, as teachers, when we talk with one another, attend conferences, book swap, connect as part of a Professional Learning Network like Twitter  (thanks Nerdy Book Club), our thinking grows and impacts our work with students.

In terms of the power of “thought grenades,” I will leave you with a “wonder-ful”  example.  There has been a gigantic explosion around the book Wonder, by R.J. Palaccio.  Teachers and students all over have reading the book Wonder.  It is also a great opportunity to create a text set around empathy:  Trudy Ludwig’s picture books My Secret Bully,Confessions of a Former Bully, Just Kidding; poetry from Baseball Snakes and Summer Squash, by Donald Graves; nonfiction short stories from Bullying & Me: School Yard Stories; videos from www.stopbullying.gov; or Bully, Patricia Polacco’s newest picture book that explores cyber bullying – to name a few.

We were given the gift of Wonder from R.J. Palacio.  Her idea was triggered as a result of an experience, followed by the encounter of the song Wonder by Natalie Merchant. A thought grenade happened.  Now, all over our country, thanks to R.J. Palacio, she has given us the “choose kind” mantra to wonder about…and hopefully act upon!  

Deep connections across texts and around ideas increase understandings. Text sets and thought grenades both speak to the power of collaboration and connected ideas.  Be connected. Stay curious. Believe. Keep wondering. 

Wonder with us. 

Join the #WonderChat happening Monday night 12/1 at 8pm EST.