The slithery, sneaky, skid of a basilisk can appear from nowhere and wriggle its way across a table of students in moments. Infecting engagement like a venom, deteriorating with a calmness and arrogance. These students elude cool composure an attractive quality, naturally drawing other students under their gaze. They have finesse and charm and anyone who happens to fall within their line of sight is immediately summoned to their confabulation. They are slow and methodical rarely bringing adult attention to themselves but rather deflecting it on to others who inevitably do. They answer questions with the flick of their tongue, surmising, speculating and solving with sass and sophistication. They are smart and cunning but often a little lazy only because they can be. They are the tricksters, folding the tone of the classroom as they see fit, controlling behind the scenes, the stage manager. They are necessary in order for the community to run effectively so rather than isolate I urge them to be front and center, they are sitting at the enrichment circle, urging a panel of experts on or helping to decide the next activity they are always present so I make sure they have a large role in determining design and implementation of student-led activities. Letting them tamper and tinker tames them and keeps them charged.
Being part human and part horse gives centaurs an edge. They are fast witted and comedic but also warriors and will charge into any battle. They are outspoken and gregarious. Their conversations are loud and when they are in the mood to converse and collaborate everyone know its. Often a crowd forms near them as they are unpredictable and will try anything causing others to dare and tempt them to be silly. Yet, when it counts they are centered and generally acquire good grades because deep down they are dedicated and determined, yet their outward facade is created from a free-spirit and an affable personality. Often they are a "teacher's pet" while other times their spontaneity causes them to be the student who is misunderstood. These students need more one-on-one conversations and in my class are often having one-minute check-ins with me several times a week. Not because their behavior is bad but because they need to be heard and if I give them the opportunity to have my full attention multiple times throughout the week, they seem to ease more into their role of leader rather than "class clown."
Fiery Dragons, scaled and thick-skinned are often fearless, taking-risks, failing fast and never looking back. They are adventurous and jovial one moment and hyper focused the next. They are the most powerful and vital spirit in the classroom. They are dominant and ambitious leading the flow of the class with ease. They have a sharp tongue like their basilisk friends and are often found leading the pack. But because they have a controlling nature others tend to follow them down the rabbit hole whenever approached. They, unlike their basilisk counter-parts, would never except a role backstage but are more comfortable center-stage, leading the dialogue and controlling the audience with their presence and charm. These are the students who get things done, lead the charge, remind their collaborative groups that they need to stay on task and if you watch them from a far, you will see that the conversation does in fact get redirected and assignments do get completed. All in a days work for these high flying beasts who can become fiery and destructive if provoked but also are protective and endearing when it matters. They are tamed easily by the thought of finishing an assignment and having an opportunity to get mobile and walk around the room helping others. These are the leaders and everyone knows it. They also need to be tamed every now and then and this occurs when they step back from a leadership role and let others have the lime-light, a challenge for many of them but their kinds hearts always lead them down the right path. Unlike most dragons of course who are greedy and contemptuous, classroom dragons are of a kind nature unless provoked.
Together basilisk, centaurs and dragons are the loudest most influential voices in the classroom. They may need tamed at times but they are the momentum and resonance needed for a student-centered classroom to ebb and flow as needed. They appear to be in conflict with one another, each possessing a strong voice and outgoing spirit, but somehow in a student-centered classroom they mesh and collaborate well together because of the flexibility and mobility this type of atmosphere allows. While the class is not complete without all the magical creatures: Hobbits who are hard-workers but rather private individuals, Trolls who simply want to be distracting generally because of boredom, and even the Fairies and Pixies who are artistic and perfectionist but prefer to stay on the edges, all students have a role in the magic. Every student has a voice and choice whether they want to stay in the shadows or stand among giants, they all at some point interact and cohesively create the fantastic, imaginative, whimsical, enchanting, spellbinding world of a student-centered classroom.
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