Who to call on next

I remember the quiet tension after a question hangs in the air. Everyone is looking down, or pretending to be very interested in their notes. You can feel the collective hope to not be seen.

The glance around the room

My eyes would sweep across the desks. I wasn't looking for the raised hand, not always. Sometimes I was looking for the person who seemed almost there, on the edge of an idea.It was about the energy in the room. Calling on the same eager students just made the quiet ones retreat further. The goal wasn't to catch someone out. It was to gently include them.

A different kind of fairness

Fair didn't mean random, not exactly. It meant mindful. It meant noticing who hadn't spoken yet in that discussion. It meant giving space for a different voice.There was a student who always knew the answer. Letting him answer every time felt efficient, but it wasn't right. The classroom belonged to everyone. The silence from others needed a door held open.

The weight of a name

Saying a name could either be a spotlight or an invitation. I tried to make it the latter.

After the choice

You could see the relief sometimes, when they got it. Or the shared breath when someone helped them find the words. That was the point.