First of all apologies for the background noise at the start of the call. That was me! This was my first time dialing in, and I didn’t know how to Mute myself. Now, I do. It won’t happen again.

Several things struck me in this passage and the resulting discussion:

1. How important it is to be candid with children — and treat them like people, not children. Preteens and teenagers are particularly responsive to this and usually rise to the occasion when treated with respect and high expectations.

2. I was unfamiliar with the leveraging technique of forced teaming before this call. It’s something I’ll have to learn more about! One must be aware of it when it happens, but it could also be a useful tool to use!

3. Which brings us to the importance to teach critical thinking. That’s what’s at the heart of p. 114: “teaching them to have a mind of their own.” A mind of your own only really matters if you have a clear and critical mind.

Thank you to all who read — and who dialed in!