The complete set of 198 Hints are available in paperback from the CYC-Net Press store.
Listen
Ralph came in and asked "Who knows where I can buy a compass? We’re going on a hike with the school this weekend and I have to get one for the group." Jake was the child care worker who was getting the day group ready to go home or be fetched by parents. He knew that the Town & Country store in the village had a department with torches, fishing tackle, camping gear and things – and that they sold compasses – but he said nothing.
Tony asked "What’s a compass?"
Two or three of the others turned on Tony and demanded: "Don’t you know what a compass is?!"
David, the oldest (and the most difficult) in the group offered: "It tells you the direction."
"To where?" This was Tony again.
With a sigh of superiority, David replied: "Well it has a needle, like a speedometer, which always points to the north."
"So?" questioned Tony. "How does it tell you where you want to go?"
This was beyond most of the kids, or at least nobody answered.
Jake asked: "Does anyone know where Ralph can buy a compass?"
General uncertainty.
Pip, one of the smaller kids, said: "Sammy’s bike and skateboard shop sells things like gas stoves and trainers and backpacks. Maybe they sell compasses?"
"I still want to know how it tells you where to go," whined Tony. "How could something do that?"
Ralph said thank you to Pip. He would try Sammy’s.
It was home time and Jake herded the kids down to the center’s parking lot.
* * *
Right at the beginning of this scenario, Jake could have replied "The Town & Country store" and there the matter would have rested. Instead, by letting it ride, he allowed a co-operative and effective exchange to take place. Ralph’s question was answered from within the group – a prototype of sensible problem-solving and information gathering. Then Jake had a rare opportunity to thank David by saying "That was a neat definition of a compass." He also discovered an interesting subject about which the kids could learn one afternoon in the program – he could even show them how to make their own compass – and maybe a hike might be slotted in some time for those who didn’t get such an opportunity.
Small, knowing intervention. Big gains.
