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Chapter 1053 min read

Wisdom from Another

By Vivek M Agarwal•About the Author

Activity illustration

At a Glance

  • Time: 3-5 minutes
  • Prep: None
  • Group: Pairs, then whole class sharing
  • Setting: Any classroom
  • Subjects: Universal - any activity
  • Energy: Low to Medium

Purpose

Wisdom from Another reduces sharing anxiety by having students share something impressive from their PARTNER's work rather than their own. Students are often more willing to praise peers than self-promote, and this structure highlights diverse quality work while building community appreciation.

How It Works

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. PAIR WORK (Variable) - Students complete an individual or paired activity.

  2. PEER OBSERVATION (2 minutes) - Partners share their work with each other. Each person notes something strong, interesting, or clever in their partner's work.

  3. WHOLE-CLASS SHARE (3-5 minutes) - Teacher asks: "Who saw something interesting or impressive in your partner's work?" Students volunteer to share what they noticed in their partner's work.

  4. HIGHLIGHT DIVERSITY - Multiple students share, revealing the range of quality approaches taken by the class.

What to Say

After Pair Work: "Take 2 minutes. Show your work to your partner. Partners, look for something strong, interesting, or clever in what your partner did."

Whole-Class Share: "Now I want to hear from you—but not about your own work. Who saw something in your PARTNER's work that you want to share with the class? What did they do that was impressive or interesting?"

Calling on Volunteers: "Maria, what did you notice in your partner's work?"

Affirming Shares: "Excellent observation. That IS a strong approach. Who else saw something worth sharing?"

Why It Works

Students often resist sharing their own work due to fear of bragging or being wrong. Sharing a partner's work lowers that barrier while still bringing quality examples to light. It also teaches students to observe and appreciate peers' strengths.

Teacher Tip

This activity builds a culture of noticing and celebrating others. Use it frequently. Over time, students become better at recognizing quality in peers' work and more comfortable having their work recognized.

Variations

For Different Subjects

  • Any Activity: Works after problem-solving, writing, discussions, creative tasks.

For Different Settings

  • Online: Partners view each other's work in breakout rooms, then return to main room for sharing.

Online Adaptation

Tools: Breakout rooms, then main room Process: Same—share partner's insight in main room

Troubleshooting

Challenge: No one volunteers to share. Solution: Call on specific students: "Jamie, what did your partner do well?"

Extension Ideas

  • Deepen: Have students write a note to their partner highlighting what they appreciated.

Related Activities: Peer Review Writing, Teacher and Student