Loading...
High School Programs2023-10-11T23:10:57-04:00

The Touchstones Classroom

Our programs democratize education to prepare your students for academic success and civic engagement in our increasingly globalized society.

Why Touchstones?

  • Take a Systematic Approach – Touchstones intentionally builds your students’ discussion skills as they move through The Four Stages.

  • Support Social-Emotional Learning – Touchstones builds self-awareness, self-regulation, and confidence as your students learn to navigate and take responsibility for group dynamics.

  • Foster an Inclusive Culture – In Touchstones, your students’ experiences and voices take center stage as the group explores diverse ideas and works toward shared leadership. Each text is adapted for grade level accessibility and read aloud by the teacher.

  • Personalized Support Our approach is responsive to your needs and rooted in relationships. Custom training, coaching, and feedback is always available from Touchstones’ highly experienced staff.

How Touchstones Works

Touchstones uses a systematic and intentional approach to help your students build high level speaking, listening, and critical thinking skills. Lessons happen once a week alongside your existing curricula and programs and build skills that your students can apply anywhere in school or in life.

1. Ground Rules

Five ground rules anchor your students in respectful discussion, and are referred back to throughout the lesson.

2. Text for Discussion

Texts serve as tools to support inclusive group dynamics and raise ideas that all your students can explore.

3. Individual Work

Individual activities provide space for your students to connect their own experiences and opinions to the ideas in the text.

4. Small Group Work

Small groups provides a safer space for sharing ideas, and help your students practice collaborative learning.

5. Whole Group Discussion

Students share and explore ideas together, while learning to recognize their own strengths and make space for others.

6. Discussion Evaluation

Our evaluation tools help your students reflect, recognize and take responsibility for group dynamics, and set goals for the next week.

What can I expect from Touchstones?

Touchstones strengthens the work you’re already doing to build your students’ discourse skills, enhancing the outcomes of programs and strategies like Socratic seminar, restorative practices, International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, and AVID. Our essential skills align with many states’ English Language Arts speaking and listening standards, as well as civics skills standards and social-emotional learning frameworks, including 21st Century Skills.


Touchstones Essential Skills

Confidence

Speaking

Active Listening

Leadership

Reflective Thinking

Analytical Reasoning

Cooperative Learning

Evidenced-Based Results

Touchstones is research-based and refined by over 38 years of teacher feedback – so we know how powerful it can be. Here’s what schools report about student growth across grade levels after just one year using the program.


↑ 87%

of students improved critical thinking skills


↑ 77%

of students learned to listen more attentively to peers


85%

of students took more responsibility for the discussion over time


21%

reduction in school-wide instances of bullying

What Schools Are Saying About Touchstones

“Before I used Touchstones…I thought that I was teaching students how to discuss issues effectively. The Touchstones process showed me that I had really been teaching them to respond to questions, not to generate their own questions, not to generate their own thinking. Touchstones gave students a real voice in my classroomThe thinking is on them, and in a democratic society, nothing matters more.”

Sharon Thomas, MEd

High School ELA Teacher, Cecil County, MD

“[Through Touchstones], I have learned to listen and understand views other than my own. I love the way we have started to trust each other enough to actually voice our original thoughts.”

12th Grade Student

Centennial High School, Tennessee

“Touchstones’ emphasis on democratic and structured discussion where all perspectives are aired gives students a chance to examine issues from other perspectives and helps them reflect on their own thinking, developing more critical and open habits of discussion.

Miriam Nightengale

Principal, Columbia Secondary School, NY

What makes Touchstones different?

In a Touchstones class, teachers take on the role of learner, students become leaders, and the text for discussion strategically builds skills.

The Role of the Students

  • Engage in multiple ways – through speaking, listening, writing and individual, small group, and large group activities.

  • Break old habits – your students learn to recognize and change the role they typically play in a group discussion.

  • Take ownership – your students take increasing responsibility for recognizing and addressing issues in group dynamics.

  • No outside preparation – Touchstones does not require students to prepare before class, allowing everyone to participate in the discussion.

The Role of the Teacher

  • Facilitator – teachers support students’ exploration of ideas, rather than guiding them from point A to predetermined point B.

  • No longer the “sage on the stage” freed from being “the expert,” teachers leave room for students to take initiative.

  • Intervene strategically teachers learn what they can do to improve the flow and dynamics of the discussion.

  • Know when to let go Teachers also decide when not to intervene, allowing students to recognize and take responsibility for solving problems.

The Role of the Texts

  • Texts are short and do not require additional context or background information.

  • Touchstones’ texts emphasize building discussion skills over delivering content.

  • Ideas in the texts are meant to be explored and questioned collaboratively, rather than simply accepted.

  • Texts are ordered intentionally to raise issues the group will encounter as it progresses through The Four Stages.

Explore More Touchstones Tools and Resources

Go to Top