WHAT IT IS:

Conver-stations, as developed by 2010 national teacher of the year Sarah Brown Wessling, is a fluid grouping discussion strategy to help keep conversations from stagnating.

HOW IT WORKS:

The teacher groups students in moderate to larger size groups (4-6). Over the course of the discussion, the teacher periodically instructs 1 or 2 students from each group to rotate to the next group. After each rotation, the teacher indicates a shift in the conversation (another related question or a new focus). Groups share insights from the previous group as well as discussing the new topic.

With each rotation, the teacher selects new students to rotate to a new location so that group composition is different with each move.