I gave the SW Charter kids the non-verbal class today.  They did great.  I love how disturbing it is to some students when the teacher simply doesn't speak.  They all figured it out pretty quick and played along as best they could.  Inevitably a couple of them got frustrated and lashed out at one another a bit - nothing too serious.

The one comment I heard during one of the relay races was "Oh my gosh, weren't you WATCHING?!"  It was a bit harsh but it certainly hit the nail on the head.  When the teacher isn't talking, you've got to keep your eyes on them the whole time.

In the past I've ended silent classes with a ki-ai drill but this time I just ended with a little speech about the value of sometimes ignoring the world of words we surround ourselves with and just examining the way people communicate with their bodies.  What can you tell about a person just by the way they walk, by their posture or by how patiently they wait for the bus?

- Wally.