I gave my recorder to two teachers who carpool together and had them answer one question. What I learned from their response had nothing to do with their answer to the question...because, and I might have to listen again, they did not really answer it. The question was "What was the most important lesson you have ever learned from your students?" While they stayed on the question for the first minute or two, they quickly went off into another realm. They made connection after connection until they were no longer on the origional topic. Points off? That's what I would do for my kids. Wouldn't you? The next time I get an off topic response from a student I am going to pause and ask them how they got there. Their answer might be a lot deeper, meaningful, and important than the answer that I was expecting. On a piece of paper or during a class conversation you might not get the entire stream of consciousness that led to their answer. You hear the last thought, which doesn't an
