Supporting Student-Centered Discussions
Students were assigned one of two positions to prepare for a structured debate. During the debate, a student was making their case about why their position was correct and the opposition was incorrect. Their statements had a significant impact on the rest of the class, many of whom immediately began to respond all at once, and out of turn, which goes against our classroom norms. I wanted the students to have agency over their debate and facilitate it themselves; however, I was also concerned that the debate had started to get out of hand.
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Jared
10th Grade
African American History
Second 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 do you balance your desire for adherence to norms and giving students ownership over a passionate debate?