Discussion in a Democratic Society

Reading the first part of this article has got me thinking about many ways that discussion is crucial in the classroom, which is not a teaching technique that I have thought a lot about. After reading this article, I have a deeper appreciation for why discussion in the classroom is a very important component to my future students everyday learning. I agree with the aspect that discussion gives students perspective on topics or issues. I am a very strong believer at stepping back to look at different people's perspectives and I would love for my students to someday do the same. By listening to people, we can learn so much about things we never knew about the world, which is some knowledge most of the people in the world today value to the most. How many times have you told one of your friends something interesting and they ask you where you learned that you say, “I heard it from “insert name here.” Classroom discussion is something all of us value but we don’t realize how much we do until we read an article such as this one.  I also like the aspect of the article about using critical discussion because critical thinking is so important in future education. If I can achieve critical thinking among my students in a middle school or high school setting that will only prepare them for future education. I like what Henry Giroux said about how “teachers become transformative intellectuals who engage and empower their students to probe the contradictions and injustices of the larger society” (Giroux 7). This is so powerful because as a teacher being able to push your students toward such an important way of thinking is so valuable in the classroom and not seen as much. I think that not letting students sit with a yes or no answer and asking them questions that will force them to think about the world is a teaching technique I will use someday. Going back to what I said about how we use discussion to gather interesting facts or topics there is also an aspect of appreciation mentions in the article that I feel is so important especially when working with students. I think this can be greatly overlooked but to continue a healthy discussion I feel it is important to not just skip over someone’s insight or comment in a discussion because what they say is bringing something to the table. To stop and appreciate their comment, I feel, will go a long way in the classroom.