Secret Number

Momentum alone is powerful. Try something new. Add mentorship and feedback. Feel the flow that results from the balance of knowing and new learning. Welcome to the stretch zone.

Chip Conley

This week, a friend gave me the gift of previewing her presentation she will share at an education conference.

Her area of teaching is technology. Her specialty is teaching and learning with people.

When I arrived, she was at her computer, working with a class of second graders

and their homeroom teacher. The students were excited and connected. Each student, their teacher and my friend had a half-sheet of paper. On it was written a 1-100 grid number chart. My friend chose a “secret number” and the class chose a “secret number. The second graders had to figure out my friend’s secret number by asking questions and watching for patterns and clues. In the same way, my friend had to figure out the “secret number” chosen by the class, also by asking questions and watching for patterns and clues.

The second graders and their teacher were across town.

Working with modest microphones and cameras, the two places were connected and communicating. Before speaking a student introduced himself or herself, then asked a question.

For example, “Hello, my name is Sally. Does your number end in a zero?”

To which my friend replied, “No, the number does not end in a zero.”

After saying thank you, the student sat down.

The second graders busily marked out the numbers on their cards ending in zero.

Next, my friend asked the class, “Is your secret number larger than 51?”

The teacher asked the students to think carefully. Then, the class responded with a resounding “No”.

My friend replied, “Okay, thank you for that clue.”

The process continued until both secret numbers were shared.

It was a great experience! I am so grateful to my friend, the students and their teacher for allowing me to watch this learning happen! It was awesome!

The momentum of learning math facts and math vocabulary set the stage. The students and their teacher tried something new with their reasoning skills and good ideas. My friend, the students and their teacher were brave and helpful and patient and encouraging. They took turns. They were polite. They encouraged each other. They encouraged themselves.

They solved the problems!

Everybody celebrated with cheers when my friend figured out their “secret number”. And everybody celebrated with cheers when the second graders and their teacher figured out my friend’s “secret number”!

My friend, the students, and their teacher were all in “the stretch zone”.

I was so excited to see this great lesson in learning and life.

I made up my own stretch zone:

My stretch zone for March is setting my phone alarm at 1234. When it goes off in the early afternoon, I think of 4 things I am grateful for. This habit of gratitude is a way for me to stay positive and to stretch stronger into the beauty of each day!

Try it! Let me know what you think.

And thanks to my friend, the students and the teacher who let me share in their celebration!