Take a Stand
Take a stand is a participation and engagement strategy that incorporates movement and requires students to take a position.
Purpose: Participants articulate and reflect on their opinions about controversial questions.
Procedure:
- Post two signs at either end of an imaginary line that goes across the classroom. At one end of the line, post “Strongly Agree.” At the other end, post “Strongly Disagree.”
- Tell participants that today they will be using the Take a Stand protocol, which will allow them to share and explain their opinions. After they hear a statement, they will move to a place on an imaginary line that best reflects their beliefs.
- Explain the steps of the protocol
- The facilitator will make a statement and then participants will move, depending on whether they agree or disagree with that statement, to a place on the imaginary line that goes across the room. Point out that one side of the room is labeled “Strongly Disagree” and the other side labeled “Strongly Agree,” and this means that the middle of the line is undecided.
- After the facilitator makes a statement, she will pause for participants to think and then ask all participants to move to the place on the imaginary line that best reflects their opinions.
- The facilitator will ask participants to share and justify their opinions, making sure to hear from people on different parts of the line.
- If a participant hears an opinion that changes his mind, he can move quietly to a different part of the line.
- Model how the protocol will work. Make a statement (such as, “Chocolate ice cream is delicious) and show students how you would move to reflect your opinion. The modeling helps participants internalize how to use the invisible line.
- As you use the protocol, repeat each statement twice. Note that you can have participants stand up or sit down in their places.
Source: EL Education: