One Mississippi, Two Mississippi

“During conversations, she is given to taking lengthy pauses,” a New Yorker profile of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg notes.

“This can be unnerving, especially at the Supreme Court, where silence only amplifies the sound of ticking clocks. Therefore, her clerks came up with what they call the two-Mississippi rule: after speaking, wait two beats before you say anything else. Ginsburg’s pauses have nothing to do with her age. It’s just the way she is.”

Every school would benefit immensely from the application of the two-Mississippi rule in classrooms, meetings for learning and decision making, and one-to-one conversations.

The two-Mississippi rule would slow down conversations in ways that would allow both speakers and listeners to more thoughtfully consider what was said and to explore more fully the chain of associations and ideas that are evoked.

In my experience, important professional learning often occurs in an unlikely place—the space between the conclusion of one person speaking and another person responding, a space in which speakers may choose to revise or extend what they said and listeners can ponder the implications of what was said for the topic at hand.

In the classroom this pause is known as “wait time.” Teachers who regularly practice it report that it produces greater engagement and higher-quality responses from a larger number of students.

When the two-Mississippi rule is in place listeners can give their full attention to what is being said rather than rehearsing their responses while the person is still speaking, which means they will comprehend at a deeper level. If the subject matter is particularly important or evokes strong emotion, it might be desirable to upgrade the two-Mississippi rule to the four-Mississippi or even six-Mississippi rule.

One consequence of applying the two-Mississippi rule would be more frequent and profound conversation-based professional learning.

Another consequence would be stronger, more respectful relationships as educators slowed down the fast-paced, often less-than-satisfying exchanges that fill their busy days.

Like wait-time in classrooms, the two-Mississippi rule a simple, yet powerful strategy whose only cost is the effort required to establish it as a habit.

Applying the two-Mississippi rule is a “small action” that can have a profound effect on learning, relationships, and the overall effectiveness of the school community.

I encourage you to give it a try at the very next opportunity.