Dean Teaches Second-Graders

White had the students negotiate over several colored M&M figures that they believed were filled with candies of that color. After negotiating for the color of their choice, they opened the figurines. Most were filled with the candy as expected, but one contained only a few candies and another only paper clips.

White asked them if it they thought the trade was fair, and whether they wanted a judge to decide what to do. One student was designated the judge and decided that the candy should be distributed equally as well as the paper clips.

The lesson was part of Teach for America Week, which brings professionals into the classroom for an hour.

Teach for America is a national corps of recent college graduates who commit two years to teach in urban and rural public schools and become leaders in the effort to expand educational opportunity.