Week 3 Reading: The Art Of Possibilites: The White Sheet

As I read this weeks reading in The Art of Possibilities, I was struck by the reflective piece in the chapter called Leading From Any Chair. The author, Benjamin Zander, talks about how he relies on the reflections of others he is working with to help him become a better conductor.  I thought this idea was brilliant. I am always looking for ways to better reach my students.  In the book Zander puts a piece of blank white paper on the stand of each musician he is orchestrating.  After each rehearsal he asks his musicians to write down any suggestion they can think of that he could do to make their performance better. 

I liked this approach for two reasons. First, it makes him look at what he is doing with honest eyes. He has not relied on himself to try to find what it is that is needed so much as he has brought his community together. This has shown real leadership. Second, He gets feedback that he probably hadn’t even thought of.  He openly received feedback from the vary people he was relying on to make him look good. In a sense his success was based on their success to perform the best they could.

The thing that I love about this approach is that I can see it working in my class. There is no one in my life more honest those fourth graders. Well, except my wife.  My fourth graders however tell me when I am talking to much, have bad breath, need to take a break or when they have learned something in a meaningful way. I think putting a blank piece of white paper on my student’s desks is a great idea. I am going to try it tomorrow.