Baby Steps

Getting started with consensus meetings can seem very overwhelming, but here are a few basic steps to start implementing this strategy right away.


  1. Set the tone of your classroom. I can't emphasize enough how important this baby step is! Before you can do anything you need to create an environment of mutual respect. Consensus meetings work when students feel safe and supported. I start talking about our classroom environment on day one. Here are some of the examples, statements and ideas I use to set the tone in my classroom:
    • Ask students to consider a time they have felt safe? Unsafe? Reflect on what made them feel safe in those situations.
    • Ask students to consider who they feel safe telling their secrets to. Why do they feel safe with that person?
    • Students brainstorm why asking questions and explaining their thinking out loud is important.
    • Introduce students to Growth Mindset messages, such as the idea that failing is part of learning.
    • Have students raise their hands if they have ever felt uncomfortable or unsafe in front of their peers.
    • Talk about what we are looking for in a safe classroom environment. (It needs to be OK for students to ask questions that might seem 'silly' or 'dumb'. We need to allow other people the room to grow in their understanding. We need to accept the fact that none of us are perfect, and all of us will make mistakes. I often run students through something I call the "pink sky people" activity to help with this concept, plus it also leads into showing students how to talk during a consensus meeting. The pink sky person is assigned in each group. This person is convinced the sky is pink, no matter what. The rest of the group has the responsibility of changing their mind - or reaching consensus as a group - that the sky is blue. It's silly, it's funny, but more than anything - it's frustrating. We use this experience to really dig deep into why we need to both use evidence to support our thinking, but also consider the evidence of others.)
  2. Give students the language needed in a scientific discussion. When students are new to consensus meetings I make a large display on my classroom wall with the following sentence stems/statements, then give many examples of how to use them. I continue to coach and refine their use of these statements over the course of many weeks until using these statements becomes automatic. Depending on the experience level of your students you may only give one or two sentence stems to start, then slowly add them with each consecutive consensus meeting.
    • I agree/disagree because... (This is my favorite and most useful sentence stem. Not only does it increase engagement but it also makes misconceptions come to light quickly.)
    • What do you mean by that?
    • Does anyone want to respond to that idea?
    • What's your evidence?
    • Can you give me an example?
    • Why do you think that?
    • What do we need to find out in order to answer our question(s)?
  3. Set a purpose. How often have we all heard 'why do I need to know this'? The trick is helping students see how a skill or content will help them in their lives. When students are new to consensus meetings coach them on the connection they have to their future lives. Here are a few of my favorites:
    • In the real world scientists collaborate on a project
    • Within a household family members must be able to discuss problems and look for possible solutions
    • In their future career they will need to be able to work with their colleagues
  4. Classroom management: Teach students how to quickly get into/out of a consensus meeting. Depending on the shape, size and layout of your room consensus meetings may look very different in your classroom than it does mine. Students need to know where they are going when you give them the cue to begin. In my classroom I say "time to head to a consensus meeting" or something similar. Students know this means to grab their chair and move to the spot of their choice around the exterior of my classroom. Whether or not you assign spots is entirely up to you and your students.
  5. Set your expectations for today's consensus meeting. Once students get to their consensus meeting I always like to provide them with the following information, then I ask if anyone has questions before starting the timer.
    • What is the topic of the consensus meeting?
    • How long is today's consensus meeting? (The majority of the time I set a timer, but occasionally I tell students they can have unlimited time.)
    • What is the maximum number of times they are allowed to participate?
    • Whether or not today's consensus meeting is graded, a competition or for a prize? (See FAQ for more details)
  6. Trust your students - sink or swim. Releasing students to talk without your interjections is scary at first! Grit your teeth, pinch your legs or tighten every muscle in your body, but no matter what you do don't take control of the meeting. The students need to learn to depend on themselves and their peers rather than the teacher. Traditionally we see the teacher as the "giver of information" - but in a consensus meeting students learn to gain confidence in their own ideas and wondering ideas, but also depend on their peers to help them through their misconceptions.
  7. Provide Feedback. Once the consensus meeting ends make sure you provide feedback, this is especially important when first starting consensus meetings. Praise students for what they did well and then remind them of growth mindset - they will get better at consensus meetings. Give them a clear picture of where they are headed - eventually consensus meetings will help them to solidify their understanding, develop new claims with evidence and reasoning to support & clarify any misconceptions they have, but it takes time.