The 'Tipping Point' of the Semester

We are at the midpoint of the semester. This is when I can see a very positive classroom community forming. Students are settled into the semester and my class. I can tell that they are really enjoying the Wall Street Journal. We have reached our “tipping point.”

Have you read the book “The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference” by Malcolm Gladwell? It is a quick, light, and enjoyable read. While reading it recently, I frequently thought of how it applied to my use of the Journal in class. Now the book is not always completely on point (some just does not apply), but I see a lot of application to success in my classroom.

Gladwell discusses what it takes for an idea or product to take hold. In other words, how do small things or ideas grow to become an epidemic? How when a few people begin to act differently, that behavior can cause a big ripple effect.

A tipping point is the place where an idea or trend goes from being small to having a wide impact. We have reached that point this semester. The atmosphere with the current events discussions has become lively and interactive as the students have lead and participated in Journal-related discussions throughout the semester.

I don't ever presume that every student in my class enjoys discussions on current events. You can't please everyone, and that should never be our goal. Additionally, we will always have some interested students who jump in and want to absorb everything possible. They will likely read the Journal at our mere recommendation of its value. The students affected by the 'tipping point' phenomenon are included in that large group in the middle - not particularly aggressive, but also not wanting to just slide by. That is the group most positively impacted by the integration of current events into the curriculum. As the class 'tips' over to enjoying the discussions and appreciating the real world applications in the Journal to the course material, the classroom environment becomes so positive: the sense of community forms and grows as individuals add to a presentation, and the learning experience improves.

As you use the Journal, you will notice the changes. Next week, I will continue this discussion. What can we do to facilitate and accelerate the tipping? What do you do? If you have some ideas, please email WSJProfBlog@hotmail.com.