Teaching is a Listening Profession

We listen to hear what our students understand. We listen to hear our students’ emerging understandings. We listen to hear how students are doing. We listen to decide where to steer the discussion next. We design lessons to open up opportunities to hear our students’ thinking and for students to hear one another’s thinking. We ask questions to uncover students’ ideas and to build on what we hear. We listen to let students know they are heard.