Strategies for Engaging Students in Civil Discourse

Seminars and Deliberations

Why Lead Students from “Idiocy to Citizenship”

Helps students understand the value of public interest versus personal interest

Promotes appreciation of diversity in ideas Teaches Perspective-taking Promotes Moral Development Promotes better understanding of academic

content Makes connections to life outside of school

Forms of Discussion

Cognitive-Moral Dilemma Discussions (Kohlberg, 1971)

Seminars and Deliberations (Parker, 2003)– Structured Academic Controversy (Johnson and

Johnson, 1995; Larson, 1996)– Socratic Seminar (Adler, 1982)

Source Parker, Walter C. (2003). Teaching Democracy: Unity and Diversity in Public Life. New York: Teachers College Press

Socratic Seminar Purpose: enlarged understanding of the

ideas, issues, and values in or prompted by the “text”

Text Can come in different forms: – historical novel– primary source document– Essay– photo– Film– Play– painting

Selecting a powerful text

One that arouses discussants intellectually and morally

Disagreements about meaning broaden horizons as a shared meaning is constructed

Typically deal with text excerpts (4-5 pages) which leads to more intensive work over a smaller ground.

Preparing to lead a seminar: classroom management decisions

Arrangement of students– Whole-class– Fish bowl– Microseminars

How to hold students accountable for completing the reading?

Is participation in the seminar required and graded?

Preparing to lead a seminar: classroom management decisions What norms will be posted

– Don’t raise hands– Listen to and build on the comments of others– Invite others into the discussion– Support opinions by referring to passages in the

text– Tie your knowledge of the struggle for civil rights

into your interpretation of King’s letter. Teaching students how to challenge or seek

clarification from one another– “I have a different opinion”– “I disagree, let me explain”

Preparing to lead a seminar: the opening question

Most important part of seminar facilitation Should be interpretative not factual or

evaluative Is concerned with the meaning of the ideas,

issues, and values in a text. Other questions (e.g., evaluative) can be

used later.

Debriefing a Seminar Did we achieve the “purpose” Ask for each participant to make an

observation about the seminar Problems that can be addressed immediately

or in the next seminar should be clearly identified and addressed.

Students could be asked to write a follow-up essay expanding on their original understanding.

Deliberative Discussion Purpose: Deciding on a plan of action to

solve a problem Central Activity:

– Clarifying the problem– Considering Alternatives

Opening Question: What should we do about this?

Some overlap with Seminars but the purposes and emphases are distinct

During a Discussion of a Controversial Issue

Am I listening to what other people are saying or am I missing important points?Am I making claims clearly and supporting them with facts?Am I critiquiting ideas not individuals and being respectful of other’s viewpoints?Am I helping to develop a shared understanding of the problem or issue

During a Discussion of a Controversial Issue

Provide an overview of the controversy: pro and conAssign students evenly into pro or con position and groups of four (with a pair representing each position)In pairs of similar position discuss best reasons for support (or not)Reassign students into pairs of opposing positions and explore best reasons for support (or not)Invite students to establish their own position and hold large class discussionWrite a dialogic essay reflecting on the controversy

5 Conditions for Ideal Deliberation1. Students are engaged in integrated decision-making

discussions that involve genuine value conflicts that arise out of relating to one another at school

2. Discussion group is diverse enough that students have the benefit of reasoning and social perspectives different from their own.

3. The discussion group is free of domination -- gross or subtle4. The discussion leader is skilled at comprehending and

presenting reasoning and perspectives that are missing, countering conventional ideas with critical thinking , and advocating position that are inarticulate or being drummed out of consideration

5. Discussions are dialogic

Source: Parker, Walter (2005). Teaching against idiocy. Phi Delta Kappan. January

Bibliography Adler, M. (1982). The paideia proposal. New York:

McMillian Kohlberg, L. & Turiel, E. (1971). Moral development and

moral education. In G. Lesser, ed. Psychology and educational practice. Scott Foresman.

Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (1995). Creative controversy: Intellectual challenge in the classroom (3rd ed.). Edina, MN: Interaction Book Company.

Parker, Walter C.(2003). Teaching Democracy: Unity and Diversity in Public Life. New York: Teachers College Press.

Resources

For Discussion StrategiesFor Discussion Strategies– Kohlberg’s Cognitive-Moral DevelopmentKohlberg’s Cognitive-Moral Development

• http://tigger.uic.edu/~lnucci/MoralEd/– Deliberation: Structured Academic Controversy

• http://www.cooplearn.org/pages/academic.html– Seminars: Socratic SeminarSeminars: Socratic Seminar

• http://www.studyguide.org/socratic_seminar.htm Sources for Powerful Texts

– Zinn, Howard and Anthony Arnove (2004). Voices of the American People. Seven Stories Press: New York.

– Ravitch, Diane. (1990). The American Reader. Harper Collins: New York

Sources for films, books and other materials– http://socialstudies.com/