By Cindy Adams
At enCircle's Lynchburg Minnick School, a group of 7th and 8th grade students recently tackled a Sudoku puzzle together. The real challenge wasn't the puzzle projected on the view board. The students had to talk through every move as a group, weighing ideas, catching each other's mistakes, and agreeing on a single answer before moving forward. That was the challenge. It's harder than it sounds. One puzzle, no individual control, and a room full of different opinions on what square to fill next. Yet, it went beautifully.
"What was remarkable was how much these students have grown since last year, not just academically but socially," said teacher Tammy Case. "They were friendly and supportive. They listened to each other respectfully and suggested ideas."
It was a picture of compromise. No one got frustrated and walked away. No one checked out in apathy. Instead, for a full hour, the group stayed fully locked in. They negotiated, adjusted and worked through the puzzle together.
"They worked so hard for the entire class period," Tammy said. "I was really proud of them."
Solving a puzzle as a team turned out to be a lesson in give-and-take and a little patience sprinkled in as well. Growth isn't always proven on a test. Sometimes it shows up in how well a group can work through a problem together. It was an A+ kind of day.
