Murray and Silence

We have to create an environment in which our students can become authors--authorities--on a subject by writing about it. Then they may learn to write by teaching us their subject, listening to our reaction to it, and revising their text until we are taught.

It isn't easy for me to be a student to my students' writing. I want to be the authority, to initiate learning, to do something--anything--first, to be a good old American take-charge guy. I keep having to re-educate myself to get out of the way, be patient, wait, listen, behave ("First Silence, Then Paper" p. 155).