> Then they continued to have to figure out what to say to get the Lego back.
No, they were made to write new rules together this time. Nothing in the article stood out to me as coercive. The teachers made the kids actually think about what they were doing and discuss openly, instead of each kid blindly indulging their own self-interest.
the kids who had control of the Lego had a set of rules. other kids didn't have a say. the Lego was taken away so it wouldn't distract from the discussion, and then all the children developed rules they were happy with.
Then they continued to have to figure out what to say to get the Lego back.