R.E.A.L. Discussion

“In giving names to the tasks and skills that students practice in the healthiest discussions, R.E.A.L. not only empowers and unites but also draws teachers together around a clear center. In pursuit of greater equity, rigor, and community, schools today strive to make curriculum coherent and practice intentional across departments and grade levels: R.E.A.L. offers teachers a tangible shared language through which to structure that effort.”

Katherine Burd, The Chapin School (New York, NY)

“R.E.A.L. helps us engage with each other and everyone gets a better understanding of the text when they look at it from different points of view. Personally, I have an issue with shutting down the ideas of others without considering them, but R.E.A.L. helps with the life skill of of realizing there are multiple correct answers, multiple ways to solve a problem.”

10th Grader

“At the beginning of the year, you can tell your students that they are going to learn ‘discussion skills.’ To them, that is an abstract idea and can seem daunting. R.E.A.L makes the intangible tangible and gives students concrete methods to improve discussion and conversation skills. It has been wonderful to see their confidence and ability grow this year.”

Francisco Simbana, The Westminster Schools (Atlanta, GA)