As time goes new methods of learning have been invented which are helping to improve our skills needed for daily life. During one of our classes, we participated in an activity based on the articles we read to get a clearer and bigger understanding of them. We had to be divided into groups and select reporters and facilitators. The reporters would write ideas of the articles. Meanwhile, the facilitator would have to connect ideas that connected and circled ideas that needed explanation. Using this activity is great for many things especially for find out who read and who didn't read. Another use of this is, we are able to see the different ideas every reporter comes up with from the three articles. Of course the ideas were different, but the great part was that we all saw how we viewed the articles and how other viewed the articles. Some ideas were closely related and there were the others that were not. What I noticed was that the ideas that were not related were the ones that showed our different perspective towards understanding the articles. This showed us that not everyone is alike, everyone thinks differently and does everything differently. 
The most amazing part of this activity was doing it in silence. There has been no activity back in high school, middle school or even at an elementary school that was done in silence, talking was always permitted. This happens because as time goes on new tactics to adapt to current times are develop. This activity shows how we can collaborate, develop our creativity, think more critically and help out communication not just talking, but silent communication as well. Working together is key because when a facilitator indicates an idea needs more explanation others can pitch in an expand it. If I wrote that idea, someone else could expand it and make it have a whole different meaning than what I wanted it to have. Explaining the ideas circled causes everyone to think more critically. We cannot just say something, we need to expand it proving our point and answering someone's questions. 
There are some people that in a regular discussion will not talk because they are shy, like me, or because they are scared that what they are going say something that is wrong or not related to the topic. These people will prefer to stay quiet and not talk, but this activity is where these people can take part in and pitch in more than a regular discussion. These people will feel more comfortable, and you will be amazed at what they are capable of accomplishing. In my case, I felt like I participated more in this activity as a reporter than I would have done in a discussion. In a discussion I might not say a lot of things because I might have been nervous, I might have been scared that what I was going to say was not related to the conversation, etc. I know that for the future I cannot stay silent, I need to speak up because that is what jobs and careers are looking for. 
A problem from this activity is that those that like to talk in a discussion might feel uncomfortable performing this task. They might not want to write down their thoughts, or they don't know what to write because they can't pick what to write due to all of the ideas they want to say. Something that can help this activity is maybe to both things do the silent part, and then have a discussion in the groups. Everyone should explain their explanation of why they wrote their ideas for the articles. Both the talkative and the shy ones will take part of this activity that can increase areas in their lives are very useful.
