The Talking Stick

Entry #14–  February 11, 2011

The Tool:  The Talking Stick 

Reflection: Native Americans use a talking stick to discuss important matters at their councils. The person who holds the stick holds the floor. It is a reminder to all to listen carefully to the speaker and to respect each other’s viewpoints. It is also a mechanism to ensure that everyone, from a small child to a one-hundred year old elder, has a voice within the circle. ​

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About five years ago, I asked a Native American friend if he would be comfortable if I used a talking stick in my teaching. His response was “Of course!” (I realize that he spoke for himself, but I hope and trust that other Native Americans will be comfortable with this use of the talking stick so long as we are respectful in the process.) I set out to find my own talking stick, and I quickly found the perfect item: a stick painted by my daughter when she was a a pre-schooler. Since then, the talking stick pictured here has been in the hands of at least 1,000 people, including my students as well as people who have participated in my workshops, even as far away as Coventry, England and Nicaragua.  

The stick is integral to my teaching, because I am trying to help students create a learning community in each of our classes.  The talking stick ensures that we hear each voice in our classroom, even the voices of those who are ordinarily shy and do not volunteer for class discussions. These discussions make our classes special: we listen to and learn from each other.  

  

Copyright© 2011 by Paulette L. Stenzel for text and photo.