Choice Words: Notice & Name
Have you read Choice Words by Peter Johnston? Peter is one of my idols, and I got to meet him and hear him speak at a conference recently. When I first read his book, Choice Words, more than a decade ago, it raised my awareness of the power of the words I was using with children. Now, as I reflect on Peter’s wisdom, I apply it to the work I am doing with teachers. The same principles apply. One of my lasting take-aways from Choice Words is the practice of noticing and naming. Noticing and naming raises awareness; it involves an explicitness, an intentionality, and an opportunity to articulate developing understandings. Noticing draws to consciousness something that otherwise would have slipped away. Pausing to Notice When we notice, we recognize when something is present so we can decide what to do with it. Initially, the coach may be the noticer and namer. We sense there is something going on that we need to pay attention to. We ...