Personally I think the Cold War is a fascinating part of American history. I know that may sound weird, but it is true. I was really excited to facilitate a discussion about the nuisances of the Cold War and discuss distinctions between physical versus psychological harm. I thought that my 10th grade students were going to love this. It is provocative and abstract. I brought in primary and secondary sources about the Cold War, and I even included material from World War II (content we already covered) to serve as an analogue for describing physical and psychological warfare. They love that kind of stuff! Or so I thought.
Early into the discussion my hopes were dismissed. The same five students raised their hands and the same five voices answered the central question using appropriate evidence. On its face, it was an okay discussion. But I wanted more students to talk! I thought I had scaffolded the material and prepared them, and I thought my excitement about the topic would be infectious. But I could not get more students to participate.
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Ashley
10th Grade
World History
First Year Teaching
- What is the teacher's dilemma? Consider the teacher's goals, possible actions, beliefs about the situation and the students, and their own self-perceptions.
- Complete or modify the following sentence in a way that captures the teacher's central tension in the situation: "While on the one hand, the teacher believed/wanted/felt/did __________, on the other hand, they believed/wanted/felt/did __________."
- Thinking about your own classroom, how might you balance your own passion and interest in a topic with the diversity of students’ interests and motivation to participate?