Ms.

Fillingham
American History Upper School

EdCafes:
What They Are & How it Works

Definition: An EdCafe is a way to structure class that promotes student choice and
ownership over learning. Students will build the schedule and choose what sessions
to attend. This bottom-up approach shifts energy, engagement, and opportunity for
exploration to the students, and transforms the teacher into expert facilitator
instead of gatekeeper/manager.

How do YOU as a student benefit as a student from EdCafes?
You get to practice your presentation skills in a low-risk setting.
YOU (students) generate the topic.
YOU (students) run discussion groups.
YOU (students) will get to practice authentic note-taking.

Every week during the one-hour block (Tuesdays for B block and Wednesdays for E
block), we will have an EdCafe. I will slowly immerse you in this activity. We will go
over the process extensively. For the first three EdCafes, the topic discussions will
be teacher-generated but students will lead the discussions in pairs (first EdCafe
begins on September 2 for B block and September 3 for E block). After feedback
from those three EdCafes, students will generate their own topics of discussion and
lead their own sessions (starting the week of September 22).

How it works:

1. There will be three different corners in the classroom where each session
will take place.
2. These discussions will center around readings from the textbook, primary
sources, and/or other secondary sources.
3. Each week, each student will run one discussion session. With the exception
of the first three EdCafes (where the teacher will generate discussion topics
and students will lead discussions in pairs), each discussion leader will be
generate one discussion question from that weeks text and post their
questions on the master EdCafe schedule online the night before class.
4. Before a session, each discussion will stand up, briefly explain what their
discussion is about to get interest from other students. Those attending
sessions will go to the discussion that theyre interested in.
5. Discussions will last for about 10 minutes (teacher will give a five minute and
one minute warning, and then call Time!).
6. After the discussions finish, each discussion leader will stand up and explain
a take away from their conversation with the whole class.
7. This process will repeat two other times.

Ground rules:
To be determined by the class as a whole.

Ideas for student-generated questionsthese are all related to the TEXT:
First questions in a text: What comes to mind when you first read this text?
Comparisons: How does it compare to ___________________ (insert text)?
Meanings of quotes: What does the author mean when she says, ?
Philosophical/provocative questions: What would have happened if slavery
was not included in the U.S. Constitution?
Relating to current events: How do states voter ID requirements relate to the
founding fathers idea that only men who owned property could vote?
Do not use factual questions as discussion questions (what color was
Columbus scarf when he sailed to North America for the first time?)
Always read and re-read your notes. Discussion leaders and student
participants are expected to read.

ADVICE FOR DISCUSSION LEADERS

Before the discussion:
Prepare, prepare, prepare! Read the text at least two days before the EdCafe
and take notes while reading the text. You will use these notes when
facilitating the discussion.
Create Your Topic: You will come up with three topics for three different
sessions. You will consider a text, theme, question, idea, thesis, etc, and make
sure you take notes on why you want to explore it. Come up with a catchy title
for your session to drum up interest. Post your session title on the class
schedule available online.
Make sure you have an idea of how you will convince students to join your
discussion.

During the discussion:
1. Stand Up: As a discussion leader, you will briefly explain what your session
will be about and why people should come and discuss with you.
2. Lay the Foundation: During the first minute of the discussion, speak from
your notes giving the group ideas, questions, and focus before the
conversation starts (go to Facilitating a great discussion for details).
3. Lead a Great Discussion: Draw upon the strengths of your group members!
Keep the discussion on topic, but use the different perspectives of your group
members to make connections and to come to new understandings.
4. Take Away: Stand up and give the class an idea from your conversation, a
question that youre still considering, or something they should think about.


Facilitating a great discussion: tips of discussion leaders
Think about what kinds of classroom discussions you enjoy and why.
Continue to move the conversation forward, while also practice active
listening skills.
You can keep the discussion going about a particular topic by asking follow-
up questions. Examples of these include:
o Clarify their answers: Tell me more about that.
o Support their answers: What about the reading made you think that
___?
o Argue: Convince us that __.
o Examine their responses more fully: In what other context does that
idea play out?
o Consider different perspectives: What would you say to someone who
thought ___?
o Predict: What do you think that we will discover in the next chapter?
o Hypothesize: How would handle a situation like ___?
o Decide: So, this leads to you to what conclusions?
o Compare: How is your answer different or the same from others
o Generalize: What did you discover?
In addition to the questions indicated above, it is okay to repeat or clarify
someones thought. It is also okay to attempt to bring someone into the
conversation:
o "Could you tell me more about why ___?"
o "Let me explain why I see that differently."
o "Have you considered ___?"
o "What we both agree on is ___."
Avoid the following:
o Trick questions
o Inadequate wait time (less than 3-5 seconds)
o Lectures disguised as questions
o Sarcasm
o Questions with obvious answers
o Asking multiple questions before allowing response
o Rhetorical questions
o Yes or no questions

ADVICE FOR THOSE ATTENDING EDCAFES
Listen closely to the choices you have available: Consider what the
presenter says and their session title and what insights it could offer.
Choose the session youre most interested in, that sounds thought
provoking, or that you think you will learn a lot from (avoid just sticking
with your friendsthe session will only be a few minutes, theyll be there
after). Because our class is so small, I may ask you to move to another session
to make sure that each discussion leader has one person in their discussion
group.
Take good notes! You never know when youll come back to them for other
sessions, for a paper, or because you forgot something. Since youre taking so
many notes, youll find yourself getting more efficient consider organization,
shorthand, visual layout, etc. as you develop your notetaking style.
Jot down your takeaway: When the presenter gives the whole class theirs,
write one too it will give you a quick summary to refer back to later.

ASSESSMENT

I will collect all the notes you took to prepare for the EdCafe, and all notes written during the EdCafe.
While I keep track of time and other logistics, I will also go around and make observations about the following criteria, both
as a discussion leader and as a participant. The rubrics are listed in detail on the next two pages.
Every week, you will also write a one-paragraph reflection as a comment on our blog about the EdCafea lingering
thought or more questions that came out of an EdCafe session.
I will leave thoughts and notes in your manila EdCafe folder in the classroom that will help you improve your EdCafe
participation and leadership from week to week. There will also be a sheet that will keep track of the reflections you made
from week to week, and whether they were completed on time.
About one week before the end of each quarter, I will review everything in the manila folder and fill out an Evaluation form
(see below). This EdCafe grade that will be worth 100 points towards your class participation grade.

4 = Exceeding Expectations 3 = Meeting Expectations

2 = Approaching Expectations 1 = Beginning Expectations



Discussion Leader Criteria Participant Criteria
Student
Name/A
ssessme
nts
Discussion
Questions Overview of Topic Takeaway Leadership Notes
Quality of
Comment
s
Resource/
Document
Reference
Active
Listening Notes

EdCafe Participant Rubric
Exceeding (4) Meeting (3) Approaching (2) Beginning (1) 0
Quality of Comments Timely and
appropriate
comments,
thoughtful and
reflective, responds
respectfully to other
student's remarks,
provokes questions
and comments from
the group
Volunteers comments,
most are appropriate and
reflect some
thoughtfulness, leads to
other questions or
remarks from student
and/or others
Volunteers comments
but lacks depth, may or
may not lead to other
questions from students
Struggles but
participates,
occasionally offers a
comment when directly
questioned, may simply
restate questions or
points previously
raised, may add
nothing new to the
discussion or provoke
no responses or
question
Does not
participate and/or
only makes
negative or
disruptive
remarks,
comments are
inappropriate or
off topic
Resource/Document
Reference
Clear reference to
text being discussed
and connects to it to
other text or
reference points
from previous
readings and
discussions
Has done the reading
with some thoroughness,
may lack some detail or
critical insight
Has done the reading;
lacks thoroughness of
understanding or insight
Has not read the entire
text and cannot sustain
any reference to it in
the course of discussion
Unable to refer to
text for evidence or
support of remarks
Active Listening Posture, demeanor
and behavior clearly
demonstrate
respect and
attentiveness to
others
Listens to others most of
the time, does not stay
focused on other's
comments (too busy
formulating own) or
loses continuity of
discussion. Shows
consistency in
responding to the
comments of others
Listens to others some of
the time, does not stay
focused on other's
comments (too busy
formulating own) or
loses continuity of
discussion. Shows some
consistency in
responding to the
comments of others
Drifts in and out of
discussion, listening to
some remarks while
clearly missing or
ignoring others
Disrespectful of
others when they
are speaking;
behavior indicates
total non-
involvement with
group or
discussion
EdCafe Discussion Leader Rubric

Exceeding (4) Meeting (3) Approaching (2) Beginning (1)
Discussion
Questions
7-10 effective
discussion questions
developed
7 discussion
questions developed
5-6 effective
discussion questions
developed
Less than 5 effective
discussion questions
Overview
of topic
30 second
presentation to the
class about your topic
that shows topic
development and
presents interesting
details to encourage
attendance at your Ed
Caf.
30 second
presentation to the
class. Shows some
topic development
and presents some
details that
encourages
attendance at your
Ed Caf.
Presentation is brief,
and lacks topic
development.
Presentation
provides little to no
detail, or topic
development.
Takeaway 1 meaningful take
away from the
discussion that would
encourage further
concern about the
topic
Takeaway is
simplistic and would
not further concern
about the topic
Leadership Effectively leads a
discussion by
engaging all group
members.
Leads a discussion
by engaging most
group members.
Leads a discussion
but does not engage
most of the group.
Is ineffective in
leading a discussion.





















EdCafe Evaluation Sheet
Name: __________________________________________
Teacher will check all that apply. Read comments below.
Turned in all EdCafe Notes
__________YES
__________NO (You are missing notes from the following dates:
________________________________________________________________________________________________)

Turned in all EdCafe Reflections
__________YES
__________NO (You are missing reflections from the following dates:
________________________________________________________________________________________________)

Leading Discussions in EdCafes: Teacher will check all that apply.
Exemplary
effectively leads a discussion by engaging all group members
prepares to lead the discussion through close reading of text(s) and detailed
note-taking and questions to ask during the discussion
moves the conversation forward
listens actively
demonstrates patience and respect toward others opinions/ideas
considers all opinions
provides meaningful takeaways from the discussion that would encourage
further concern about the topic
writes evocative reflections post-EdCafe that exhibit higher-level thinking
and includes lingering thoughts and questions
Competent
comes prepared with marked text, notes, and discussion questions
contributes to the dialogue and shows some analysis of the topic
provides participants with accurate information to engage discussion
responds to questions
refers to text
offers interesting ideas
asks questions
takes notes
pays attention
is respectful of others ideas
writes interesting reflections post-EdCafe that include lingering thoughts
Developing
comes with some text preparation; other group members have to lead the
discussion
emphasizes own ideas; may lean toward debate rather than dialogue
ideas not always connected
refers to text
repeats some ideas
asks a few questions and/or questions are lower level
takes some notes
loses track of conversation
judges others ideas
writes reflections post-EdCafe
Needs Improvement
repeats same ideas
few or no notes taken
no questions asked
seems lost/overwhelmed with the EdCafe
written reflections post-EdCafes seem to be off-topic or do not have meaning

Participating in EdCafes: Teacher will check all that apply.

Exemplary
reads closely, takes notes, and develops lingering questions before the
EdCafe
uses prepared text, notes, and questions to contribute to the discussion
asks for clarification when needed
asks probing questions for higher level thinking
speaks to all participants and is heard clearly
thinks before answering
refers directly to the text
makes connections to other speakers
builds on others comments
considers all opinions
writes down thoughts and questions
listens actively
demonstrates patience and respect toward others opinions/ideas
Competent
comes prepared with marked text, notes, and questions
contributes to the dialogue
responds to questions
refers to text
offers interesting ideas
asks questions
takes notes
pays attention
is respectful of others ideas
Developing
comes with some text preparation
emphasizes own ideas; may lean toward debate rather than dialogue
ideas not always connected
refers to text
repeats some ideas
asks a few questions and/or questions are lower level
takes some notes
loses track of conversation
judges others ideas
Needs Improvement
does not participate or participation is inappropriate
repeats same ideas
few or no notes taken
no questions asked
seems lost/overwhelmed with the EdCafe


How this student has improved in the EdCafe process throughout this quarter:





How this student can improve in the EdCafe process for the next quarter:






Other comments/suggestions:











GRADE SCALE:
A
All EdCafe assignments turned in & all checks under exemplary: A (95/100)
All EdCafe assignments turned in & all but one check under exemplary: A-
(90/100)
Missing 1 EdCafe assignment & all checks under exemplary: A- (90/100)

B
All EdCafe assignments turned in & most checks under competent or above: B
(85/100)
Missing 2-3 EdCafe assignments & all checks under exemplary: B (85/100)
Missing 1 EdCafe assignment & all checks under competent or above: B-
(80/100)
C
Missing 2-3 EdCafe assignments & all checks under competent or above: C
(75/100)
Missing 4 EdCafe assignments and most checks under developing C- (70/100)
D
All EdCafe assignments turned in & most checks under developing, with one or
two in the competent category D (65/100)
F
Missing 5 or more assignments (doesnt matter how many checks there are) F
(50/100)
All checks under developing category (doesnt matter how many assignments
are turned in) F (50/100)