A "Talking Stick" for English Corner

I introduced the concept of the "talking stick" to our English Corner students this week, trying to get them to see the importance of one person speaking at a time and respect for the person holding the stick. Rather than carve something out of a deciduous or conifer, I hiked to a bamboo forest in the nearby mountains to fetch a length of bamboo for the talking stick. I nearly amputated my index finger trying to cut the bamboo, although I was saved by a dull Swiss Army knife. Now we have a talking stick to use during our weekly "circle talks". And at the end of the year, I'll be able to carry away the stick as a memento of these fun experiences with the students. The stick will hold their communal energy and the accumulated dirt and oils from their hands. And I'll have the memories.