Domino is a game in which large flat, square pieces with a line or ridge on one side are stacked end to end in long lines. When the first domino is tipped over, it sets off a chain reaction in which the next piece in line tips over and so on until the entire set has fallen over. It’s a fun and mesmerizing activity that teaches children about cause and effect. It also gives rise to the common phrase “domino effect,” which refers to a simple action that causes a series of much greater and sometimes catastrophic consequences.
In writing, domino can be used to describe a sequence of events that advance the plot or a theme. Scenes that are insufficiently developed or not connected to the preceding scenes can leave readers feeling lost and disconnected. This is why it’s important to make sure that every scene in a story connects to the one that follows it, forming an intricately linked domino effect that leads to the final conclusion of the narrative.
Traditionally, European-style domino sets were made of bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl or MOP), ivory, or dark hardwood such as ebony. Some sets were designed to look like dice, so they were often painted with a contrasting color to make them more easily identifiable. More recently, sets have been manufactured from a variety of natural materials such as stone (e.g., marble or soapstone); wood (e.g., ash or oak); metals (e.g., brass or pewter); ceramic clay; and even frosted glass.
When creating her domino setups, Hevesh uses a variation of the engineering-design process. She starts by considering the overall concept of her creation and brainstorming images or words that can represent it. From there, she breaks down the project into several tasks. She then completes each task in a domino-like order, starting with the most difficult to accomplish and moving toward less challenging ones.
She also explains that she thinks of each scene as a domino, and considers the logical connection between that scene and the scenes that precede it. She pays special attention to how the emotional beats progress and shift in each scene, making sure that her story’s characters move closer to their goal and that the actions of one character impact those of another.
Like a domino, some learning challenges can impact the whole class or school in ways that are mesmerizing at first but quickly become problematic. For example, compensating for a learning challenge can result in students overexerting and becoming frustrated and overwhelmed. As they become more overexerted, students can quickly burn out and begin to shut down.
To avoid this, teachers must be attentive to how they approach each student in their classrooms. They must remember that, just as a single domino can change the course of a game, so can a small, positive interaction between two learners. Keeping this in mind, teachers can help their students build confidence and independence by providing them with a safe environment where they are encouraged to take risks and to persevere in the face of challenge.