Classroom Discussions (school, requirements, exam, teachers)

[ottertc]

How many different ways do you have students discuss a topic in class? And, what different methods do you use to present new information?

[Charles Wallace]

Originally Posted by ottertc

How many different ways do you have students discuss a topic in class? And, what different methods do you use to present new information?

Most classroom discussions fail because teachers prepare students inadequately and then expect them to take the conversational ball when they're completely uninvested in the topic. Then they wonder why discussion is like pulling teeth.

Here's what you do: you prepare the ground first.

Let's say that a few days before we discuss The Odyssey, I want my kids to discuss the following questions:

1. What constitutes a hero?
2. Do "hero requirements" vary from culture to culture?
3. Are there different requirements for a female hero?
4. Can a person be considered a hero if her or his motives for action -- though ultimately heroic -- were fundamentally selfish?

All right. I know if I say, "Okay, class, what constitutes a hero?" I'll be met with blank stares and silence and a few mumbles.

OTOH, what I do is this: a few days before we discuss, when I'm giving them background information and literary terms, I'll tell them about five or six times (just casually in conversation) that we're going to be discussing the whole concept of heroism -- what a hero is, if the rules are different from culture to culture, et cetera. I'll just mention it and plant the seed and move on to define "epic" or go over Joseph Campbell's hero's journey idea, or whatever.

Then, when discussion day comes, I give the first question on the board and I ask students to write down their primary ideas on a piece of paper -- just jot them down, make a list, whatever. I'll walk around to see if they're doing it and encourage people who are stuck.

When I've given them about 5-10 minutes for that, I have them discuss the issue in small groups. I am not a groupwork person and generally I detest the immorality of groupwork, but this groupwork actually functions well. T(I should add that they're not required to discuss in groups, but I allow them about 5-6 minutes to do so if they wish. They usually choose to do so.) Then, when they're done, I'll ask, "Okay, what are some initial ideas?"

I'll put the idea on the board. If it's the first or so time we're discussing, I usually let the first few ideas go without comment, partly b/c I'm still figuring out who's assertive and who's scared. If I'm dealing with an assertive student who won't shrivel like a snail at being asked a question, I'll generally say this or a variation: "Okay, Ms. Johnston, here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to disagree with you -- not because I necessarily don't agree with what you're saying, but because I want you to come back at me with a counter-argument. Don't just give up and say 'Oh, Mr. Wallace, you must be right because you're the teacher.' Give me a run for my money and tell me why you're still right and I'm wrong, wrong, wrong." The students get used to this schpiel after awhile and realize that it's okay to disagree.

When they're more familiar with the process, I start asking "why" and also questioning the extent to which they've thought through what they're saying. Here's an example:

Student: Well, okay, a hero is someone who risks his own life to save someone else.
Me: Why do you think so?
Student: They're willing to make a huge sacrifice to save others even if it means that they're going to die. That's heroic.
Me: So a firefighter would be heroic?
Student: Yeah.
Me: But what about the fact that firefighters are paid for the risks they choose to take? They're benefiting from others being in danger.

...and so on. I make a few things clear:

1. They will never know what I really think.
2. I will argue both sides of an issue.
3. I want them to develop what THEY think, not parrot what I think.

I then start getting other students to add their own thoughts. I have a seating chart in which I keep track of who's spoken up. I might call on someone who hasn't spoken yet and say, "Mr. White, Mr. Jimenez is arguing that XYZ. Do you agree or disagree?"

At the end of the discussion, I have them summarize the major ideas we've come up with AND include in the summary at least one idea with which they disagreed AND one idea that surprised them or that they had not thought about before.

Hope this helps.

[maf763]

Excellent summary by Mr. Wallace. You can also do smaller group discussions as well as 'turn-and-talk's' but you still need to lay the proper groundwork both with the content of the discussion and the process of how to engage in meaningful discussion. Depending on the age and ability of the class, this may include role-playing, practice, developing listening skills, etc.

[Mrs. 14th & You]

When teaching in a class discussion format, it's helpful to have an assignment that gives structure to the discussion and ensures preparedness due at the beginning of class. For example, students might bring a character chart worksheet to a literature discussion. It could even be as simple as taking a quick walk around the room to check their books for notes/underlining.

Blogs can be great for stimulating discussion. Free templates and hosting are available through Blogger, and you can even make your class website private so that only invited users can view content. You can require students to make an entry periodically as part of their school work. You can also require other students to make x number of constructive comments on others' posts. This text can become the starting-point for further discussion in class.

Another method I like is to pose open-ended questions by writing them on legal pads. Each pad has a different question. In small groups, each student starts by writing a response to one question. The students then pass the pads in a circle and respond to what was written before. This gets quieter students to share their thoughts.

Another idea is to have students lead the classroom discussion. In advance of a unit, assign a discussion leadership day to each student/student team. You might have them only be responsible for a small portion of the class time so that you can be sure to present all of the content that needs reviewing.

Small projects can be a way to stimulate discussion. You can have students interpret information learned through homework assignments in various creative ways -- giving a mock press conference, making a diorama, sketching a thought map. By talking about the project they've prepared, further classroom discussion can be stimulated.