Morning Meeting

"Who do you think is the worst learner in the Winnie the Pooh story?"  I throw a question to my students. 
"Tigger.   He never stop bouncing.  He is distracting himself from learning and other people.  Too hyper is not appropriate as a good learner," one student replies.  Everyone agreed.  "Eeyore is always depressed and tired.  If you are sick, you cannot learn well," one student makes a comment.  I elaborate, "Do you remember when you are sick?  You had no energy to do anything.  No wonder why you have to stay at home when you are sick."

Another student shares, "Pooh Bear is not so smart because he always puts his head in the honey hole.  He should think about something else."  A laughter fills up in the classroom.  Another hand is up.  A student starts, "I think Pooh Bear could be a good learner because he asks lots of questions."  With several nods, a girl adds, "But he can't be a good learner as long as he is thinking about honey."  "Yeah, his focus is always on honey, not his good questions."  I jump in, "Tell me more about it."  He continues, "Well, if you think about your dinner while a teacher is giving an instruction, you will miss the important information.  Pooh Bear is losing his learning opportunity by thinking about honey."  Wow.  What an amazing discussion in the third grade. 

I facilitate, "So if he gets a "honey" thought off from his mind, could Pooh Bear be a great learner?"  "YES!"  All of us pretend to pick up the extra meat from the imaginary plate and put them on our cheeks and bellies.  We are in unison, "I am Pooh Bear, the best learner.  I will ask a lot of questions.  But I will never think about honey today."