“Wolf me!”

It is an odd imperative, but it is a surprisingly common one in my Honors Latin 4 class. They are a particularly talkative bunch of Juniors, and it is often hard for me to get one group of students to talk long enough to hear another student. Indeed, I often have had the same conversation twice, with two different groups of students, even though I’ve been addressing the entire class.  Enter the wolf.

Imitating another participant at the Southern Association of Independent Schools‘ New Teacher Institute this summer, I acquired a small plush wolf (above). When a student has the wolf, they can talk or answer a question. After their turn is over, they can pass the wolf onto someone else, who either volunteers or is volunteered. If they do not have the wolf, they are not supposed to talk (unless they raise their hand to ask a question, of course).

Students LOVE the wolf! For the Honors Latin 4 students, they are usually more respectful of other people talking with the wolf. The more talkative students attempt to police how little the quieter students talk, and quieter students are more willing to speak, both with and without the wolf. When they have the wolf, many students hold the cute little guy carefully as if it gives them more confidence or relieves the stress of talking in front of a group.

It also works well with other classes. It encourages movement, a momentary release of energy, and social bonding within a class community. It also is a good way to ensure that everyone participates–“Who hasn’t had the wolf yet?” is kinder than “Who hasn’t answered a question yet?” It also can inject energy into a class–even if 7th graders need that energy boost less than 9th or 11th graders.  I’m very happy to have used this technique, especially when students show their more playful side: resting the wolf on their shoulder during presentations, making it a hat, or insisting that we cannot have class without the wolf.

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