I have hosted Cafes with teachers with great success. This year I am embarking on a plan to teach my 8th grades to use Cafes in our English/Language Arts classes. I know that I will need to bring them along slowly... emphasizing deep listening and pausing between responses and what it means to make connections and links.
They are on the verge of making use of their new found abstract thought abilities, so I'm thinking that the Cafe model would be of great value to them, both as an avenue to dig into the literature that we study and for their own personal development.
Is there anyone out there who has experience using Cafes with young students?
What have you learned about how to do it well?
What a wonderful idea and I believe it will work. I don't know where you are located but I'd be interesting in keeping in touch regarding your design. I would add that you may want to integrate the Cafe with elements of appreciative intelligence. you'll need to move it along and incorporate some technology tools + social media. I'm in Minneapolis but working with a school in Livermore, CA. Your idea sparked an idea for me , which is to do the WC with 8th graders and then have them assist with a Parents Cafe regarding the schools strategic plan.
Reynolds-Anthony Harris
Sep 5, 2009