---
title: "Tell Me Something Good"
description: "Participants take turns sharing brief positive personal or work updates, answer a peer follow-up question, and receive three synchronized group claps."
last_updated: "2026-09-07"
canonical: "https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/tell-me-something-good-the-teacher-toolkit/"
---

# Tell Me Something Good

Participants take turns sharing brief positive personal or work updates, answer a peer follow-up question, and receive three synchronized group claps.

**Time:** 8 minutes. Based on the 5 to 15 minute range observed in The Teacher Toolkit, structured for an 8-minute check-in.
**People:** 4 to 24. Whole-group sharing limited to 3 volunteers, with remaining members asking questions and clapping.

## Choose this exercise

**Purpose:** Acknowledge recent positive events or small wins to mark the start or close of a session.
**Use it when:** At the start of a meeting, workshop, or class period to check in before diving into agenda topics.
**Skip it when:** During acute organizational crises, critical retrospectives, or solemn discussions where personal cheer feels out of place.

## Materials and tools

- A whiteboard or slide showing sample open-ended follow-up questions

## Before participants arrive

1. Display the sample follow-up questions where everyone can read them.
2. Ensure everyone understands that sharing is voluntary.

## Say this to open

We are going to start with Tell Me Something Good. I will invite three people to share a quick highlight from life, work, or family. After each person shares, one other person will ask a short open-ended follow-up question. Once all three have shared, we will give three synchronized claps together.

## How to run it

### 1. Frame expectations (2 minutes)

Explain the boundary: share a brief highlight, not a long story. Emphasize that good things do not need to be purchased achievements; everyday wins work best. For example: 'My garden tomatoes finally ripened' or 'I finished drafting a tough project proposal.' Point out the sample follow-up questions.

### 2. Hear three highlights and questions (4 minutes)

Ask for three volunteers or call on participants who agreed in advance. Speaker 1 shares their highlight in under 30 seconds. One peer asks an open-ended follow-up question from the board (or one of their own), and Speaker 1 answers briefly. Repeat for Speaker 2 and Speaker 3. If someone is called on and prefers not to share, let them say 'Pass' without explanation and ask another person.

### 3. Execute three group claps (1 minutes)

Lead the room in three unison claps to acknowledge the contributions. Say: 'Three claps for good news. Ready: one, two, three.' Everyone claps sharply three times together.

### 4. Transition debrief (1 minutes)

Ask one brief closing question to transition into the main agenda, inviting one or two quick spoken reactions from the room.


## Debrief questions

- What is one positive detail you heard today that stuck with you?
- How does hearing small daily wins affect your readiness to work together?

**Finished output:** Three brief shared highlights heard by the group and closed with shared applause.

## Remote

Run via video meeting. Invite three volunteers using raised digital hands or chat. Speakers unmute to share. One peer types or unmutes a follow-up question. For the applause, have everyone unmute or show hands on camera for the three synchronized claps.

## Hybrid

Alternate turns between in-person and remote participants (e.g., two in-person, one online). Ensure remote voices project through room speakers so peers can ask follow-up questions directly. Remote participants clap visually on camera or unmute together.

## Access and participation choices

- Volunteers only: participants may decline to speak without giving a reason.
- Non-vocal clapping alternatives: participants may snap, use digital applause reactions, or wave jazz hands if clapping causes discomfort.

## If the session gets stuck

**A speaker begins telling a long, meandering story.**

Politely jump in: 'Thank you! Let us pause right there so we can hear an open-ended question about that highlight.'

**No one raises a hand to volunteer.**

Provide 30 seconds of silent thinking time, offer a prompt like 'something you ate or watched recently,' or share a facilitator example first.


## Terms used here

- Open-ended question: A question that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no, prompting more detail.

## Participant material: Sample Follow-Up Questions

Use one of these or invent your own:
- What was your favorite part of that?
- How did that come about?
- What made that stand out to you?
- Who was there with you to celebrate?
- What did that feel like when it happened?

## Sources and adaptation

Observed on The Teacher Toolkit website as a classroom opening routine.

Retained the exact protocol from The Teacher Toolkit: three volunteer speakers, open-ended peer follow-up questions, and three synchronized claps. Added explicit timing, an opening script, hybrid adjustments, and access accommodations.

[The Teacher Toolkit](https://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/print-tool/tell-me-something-good)

[The Teacher Toolkit](https://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/tell-me-something-good)

Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/tell-me-something-good-the-teacher-toolkit/