Let’s consider the power of continuums!
Like summer rainbows, continuums show us the gradations of life
If you have been keeping up with my emails this summer ☀️, you know that for me, this is the Summer of Continuums! Over the past several years, I have been on a deep dive into continuums – sort of like my journey into MSV during COVID – the more I look, the more amazing info I find! And the more continuums make sense for the students with whom I work. Let’s explore three basic reasons for my excitement (and, I hope, yours!)
Continuums are visual!! As such, continuums allow students to keep abstract information more easily in working memory, resulting in longer and richer discussions. Many of the social ideas we discuss with students, like social engagement, are intangible. Our job is to find ways to make the complex clear, more accessible and engaging.
Continuums are perfect for exploring the relative nature and step-wise progression of many social concepts. Think about competitiveness, cooperation, flexibility – all of these abstract ideas are not binary – they are not either “happening” or “not happening.” Rather, we can talk about varying degrees of cooperation, or flexibility. While the points on a continuum are arbitrarily defined, by concretizing the range of our definitions we can look at aspects of social behavior in more nuanced ways.
Continuums support conversation, self-reflection and goal setting. Continuums provide a common reference for discussion. Developing and examining continuums encourages our students to think about where they currently stand, whether they would prefer to be at a different point (or not) and what change might look like. That view allows them to make informed choices.
I will very soon be embarking on my six week Fly on the Wall Continuum Build! Until then, keep collecting your happy summer memories! Best wishes to you and all those you hold dear!!
