Classroom debate is a traditional way of learning. It is also an evidence-based way to help students retain information, pay attention, and gain real understanding. However, if you are a leader of the debate, you may be nervous. Preparing yourself, being open, and leading a great discussion is a skill you can learn. These steps advise you on every aspect of managing a good debate, from keeping everyone engaged to managing strong personalities, in order to end the debate. So if you find yourself in need of leading a class in college or high school, or if you are simply interested in alternative ways of learning, practice these skills and make them your own. This way, you'll soon be on your way to leading engaging and thought-provoking discussions that everyone will want to learn, including yourself!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Open the discussion
Step 1. Ask a question that inspires a productive conversation
The best questions are neither too open nor too narrow. Questions that are answered "Yes" or "No" stop discussion, while very broad questions (for example, "What do you think of Romeo and Juliet?") Also tend to discourage discussion. The best questions are balanced and open enough that it seems like there are some good answers, but closed enough that people know how to approach them and are motivated to start talking.
For example, suppose they are talking about Romeo and Juliet. You could start by asking questions like "How is the friar wrong to guide Romeo?" and "How is it successful?" These questions do not fuel any answers, but they do lead students in a productive direction
Step 2. Prepare yourself
As the discussion leader, you should enter the meeting with several “big” questions. Be prepared to ask the next question when the discussion is over and when people need more to think about. So the more prepared you feel when entering a classroom, the more confident you will be. If you feel confident in your ideas and your approach, students will be more likely to respect and cooperate with you.
- It may be helpful to give participants 1 or 2 questions in advance so that they have more time to make thoughtful contributions when the time comes for discussion.
- It can also be helpful to give participants the questions they will discuss in class, either on paper or on the board. Some students learn better and think more effectively if they have the questions in front of them. This can also be an excellent reminder of the main question of the day.
- In a 2 hour debate, 2 to 5 good questions should be enough. It is also good to have 2 or 3 smaller questions for each main question. However, you should prepare for at least 1-1 / 2 more than the amount of material you think you will cover, in case students are particularly reticent that day or in case a line of inquiry is not as fruitful as you thought it would be. would.
Step 3. Provide clear guidelines for participation
Everyone knows how to have a conversation, but a thoughtful debate is more intentional and more focused than a simple talk. If you want to start the conversation on the right foot, let the students know exactly what your expectations are. Should students raise their hands before speaking? Or should they speak freely without raising their hands? Should they use "Mr." and "Mrs." when addressing your peers? These details will clarify expectations and therefore increase student confidence. You could also train them on how to avoid personal bias in their answers or any terms to use or avoid and what to do if the debate heats up.
Having a dos and don'ts booklet can help students stay on track, too
Step 4. Offer a shared frame of reference, such as a book, video, or other media
It is important that you and the students have something to talk about before starting the discussion. It can be almost anything, for example, the reading assigned for that day's class, a news story or poem, a work of art, or even a natural event like a sunset. The important thing is that you and the students share a common object of study so that the debate can be concrete instead of turning into abstractions.
Make clear your expectations of being prepared. If you don't have incentives for students to do homework or consequences for students who are not prepared, then they will be less likely to come to class with fresh and exciting ideas
Step 5. Stay excited about the topic
One way to make sure the discussion goes smoothly is to show your enthusiasm for the topic from the beginning. If you have active body language, if you are alert and upbeat, and if you show how the topic is important to your life and the lives of the students, then they will be much more likely to engage. So if they think you're tired, listless, or just trying to end the debate, they are less likely to care.
- Even if the subject is not inherently fascinating, don't try to cushion the blow by saying "Guys, I know this isn't very exciting …". Instead, show that it is a topic worth worrying about and that your students will follow you.
- Sometimes showing that something has real-world applications can help your students worry about it. For example, if you study a historical event, starting the class with a news article about an event that involves similar themes or values behind it (such as the anti-discrimination protests in connection with the race riots of the 1960s) can help. students to stay involved.
Step 6. Define the key terms
A useful way to start the discussion is to define any key terms that may be useful to your students during the discussion. For example, if you teach a lesson on poetry, you can talk about simile, metaphor, allusion, or any other literary device that is fundamental to a poem. If all of your students feel that they are on the same page and have a solid foundation before starting the discussion, then they will be much safer to participate.
Even if you seem to simplify things a bit, it's better to have everyone on the same page before the actual start of the debate than to lose a few students. Some students may be too shy to admit that they are confused with some of the simpler terms and therefore it is important to explain them before moving on
Step 7. Present yourself well
In order to lead an important discussion, you must find a balance between your confidence in what you know and a willingness to learn more. A debate is an adventure, as you may not know exactly where you will go, but you can lead the way. If you're willing to be vulnerable by showing that you don't know everything, your students are more likely to be too.
- Present yourself as a professional in both your dress and body language. So, stand up, make eye contact, and smile.
- Show genuine excitement with your students' ideas to help build enthusiasm for the topic. Point out an excellent comment and ask the student to repeat it. You may not even realize that you have made a great comment!
Part 2 of 3: Have an Important Conversation
Step 1. Maintain an atmosphere of safety and respect
One of your most important jobs is to create an atmosphere of respect, even when there is a disagreement. If you want to encourage your students to participate, then you will need to provide them with a safe environment to do so. Make it clear that all students deserve respect and that no one will be offended by their ideas or opinions. You should treat students in a positive way and reward them for their contribution.
- Never make your students feel silly or allow other students to make someone feel that way. If one student is rude to another, address the issue head-on rather than letting the conversation continue. If you don't say anything, you will make it seem like it is acceptable for students to be rude to each other.
- Encourage students to speak up rather than attack them. Get them excited to join the discussion instead of feeling self-conscious.
Step 2. Make arguments
Don't share your feelings or opinions without endorsing them. If they talk about Romeo and Juliet and someone says, “The friar shouldn't have given Romeo any advice!” Ask why. Discuss possible support or objection to their claim. Use the “For and Against” model, argue a position, and then allow students to argue against (or argue against you!). Ask "What conclusion would be best upheld in a court of law?" This can lead to meaningful results without students feeling like you're spooning the answers.
Helps guide students to reach conclusions for themselves. If the point of the discussion is only to get students to see the “correct” answer, then you could have taught them a class as well
Step 3. Go from the known to the unknown
No one can learn if he already knows everything and no one can learn if he knows nothing. A good discussion starts when we realize that we know something, but we need to learn more. Even if you feel like you've answered a question, go deeper. Find another topic that you still don't understand or move on to the next area of interest. Once you've established something that you and the group have solved, move on to a new and more complicated mystery. Use the previous discussion as a reference point and keep digging.
Treat each new “unknown” issue as an exciting mystery that the students will solve together. Even if you've already thought about it, act like you're solving it together with them
Step 4. Manage personalities
Some students love to chat and debate, while others may feel anxious when speaking in a group. Give each different person space and don't worry if you sometimes make mistakes. Make sure each participant has a chance to be heard. Some will not seize the opportunity, but will feel that others care about them because of what was presented to them. Go out of your way to make sure every student is heard and prevent some from talking too much. Make sure students with conflicting personalities do not have misunderstandings and that everyone, for the most part, get along.
- For the more talkative student, here are some tips: 1. Ask him to speak only five times a day and tell him to keep a record of his comments; this will allow you to decide which comments are really important. 2. Ask him to help lead the discussion; allow him to ask questions and not just answer your questions every time. 3. Invite him to write down his thoughts and present a conclusion at the end of class. 4. Tell him that he will have a turn to speak each time a quieter person speaks first, this will encourage balance.
- For the quieter student, here are some tips: 1. Try to ask the quieter members specifically what they think of the topic. 2. Invite them to write down their thoughts and offer to read them in the classroom at the beginning of the next discussion. 3. Allow space for silence and reflection while the "internal processors" think during the discussion.
- Be aware of the different personality types in your class and how students are most successful in group discussions. For example, if you have a student who likes to absorb the conversation and then chime in at the end, allow him to take the time he needs rather than forcing him to speak when he is not ready.
- Don't take things personally if some students refuse to participate. They may have other things in their life (such as social anxiety or family stress) that make it difficult for them to participate. Encourage them, if possible, to make your presence important.
Step 5. Write down the ideas
One technique to help maintain a productive discussion in class is to jot down your students' ideas during the discussion. This way you can remind students of what you are talking about and give them something to aim for. You can even jot down their ideas in a slightly more articulate way to help frame the discussion. However, if you do, be sure to write down most of the ideas that are being said so that some students won't be discouraged if you don't write down their ideas.
You might even consider having a designated “note-taker” student stand at the board and write down ideas as they arise
Step 6. Remember that this is about the issue, not about you
When you lead a class discussion, you may feel self-conscious and think that if things don't go well, it's because the students don't like you or don't respect you. This negative thought will only discourage you instead of focusing on the issue at hand. If your students are not responding well or if they are not as engaged as they might be, then remember that it may be because the topic could be presented in a new way and not because there is something wrong with you.
Once you stop focusing on something wrong with you, you will have more freedom to broach the topic of the debate and make the conversation as dynamic as possible
Step 7. Manage your time well
An important aspect of leading a discussion is making sure you cover most of the important points that you wanted to make. If students get stuck on a non-critical point in the discussion, then you can guide the conversation to the more important aspects of the day's material. That said, if you find that students are having a fascinating conversation about something that you had no intention of discussing and that they are definitely learning from each other, you can go ahead and use that time to explore a new line of thinking.
- Time management is an important part of leading a class discussion. Thus, it is important to keep students on track and avoid talking about a small objection throughout the class.
- Find a way to subtly check your watch occasionally. You should not make students nervous when you do this.
- Give students a “two minute notice” to allow them to calm down, reflect, and present their final thoughts or last words.
Step 8. Help students to talk to others
One way to help advance the discussion is to help students talk to each other rather than to you. As long as the conversation is respectful and well-meaning, having each other's points of view directly addressed can help you get to know each other and facilitate meaningful discussion without barriers. If you find that this technique makes the conversation very aggressive or argumentative, then you can make students back off a bit.
- Getting students to talk to each other more can lead to a more dynamic and exciting discussion. They will feel that they can speak more openly by talking to each other rather than addressing the teacher.
- Just make sure to emphasize that they should do it respectfully and that they should not focus on the person, but on their ideas.
Step 9. Handle problem students
Unfortunately, a single problem student can ruin an entire debate. If there is a person in your class who always speaks when not their turn, who constantly interrupts others, who ignores the opinions of others, or who simply disrespects you and other students, then you should make an effort to address tackle the problem as quickly as possible so that student doesn't prevent others from learning. You can first try to address the problem in class, and if that doesn't work, you can separate the student and talk about their behavior in private.
- There are many types of problem students. For example, if one of your students speaks when it is not their turn, highlight the importance of raising your hand before speaking.
- If you have a student who talks a lot, tell them to wait until at least four other people have spoken before contributing again. While this may sound harsh, it can help the student focus on listening to what others have to say.
- Occasionally, but happily not very often, it may be necessary to remove an authoritarian participant from the discussion. In most cases, these students respond well to a gentle but firm correction. However, it could happen that such a student refuses to participate according to the rules. Thus, it would not be fair to participants who want to learn to allow one person to spoil the discussion. If possible, and after many caveats, perhaps you should find a way to organize the debate without him.
- If you have students who are distracted or do other things during your class, sit them up and pay extra attention to them.
- If you have trouble leading a discussion because many students don't read, then you should encourage them to do their homework by taking reading tests at the beginning of class, making class participation a higher percentage of the course grade, or finding others. ways to make them more accountable for getting the job done.
Part 3 of 3: Conclude the discussion
Step 1. Summarize as you go
One way to make sure all students are on the same page is to summarize the class discussion as you go along. You can make it sound like a seamless thing and not like an interruption in the conversation. Even repeating points that you or your students have made with special attention can help them get a firmer picture of the big picture. Try to slow down and restart every 20 minutes or so, especially if you're teaching a large class, so everyone is on the right track.
You can ask other students to help you with this task. Say something like "Okay, what have we learned so far?" and get volunteers to help you
Step 2. Make a conclusion of everything
When the allotted time for discussion is over or when things have come to a natural end point, give a full summary of what you discovered. Talk about the starting point and remind students of any arguments that were made in the debate. Don't invalidate any arguments and focus on putting together all the different ideas you talked about rather than acting as if you are showing students only one way to do something. Make sure to set aside a little time to do this so your students aren't distracted or ready to pack.
- At this point it can be really helpful to leave notes on the board during the discussion. Thus, having something you can point to can make it easier to draw a conclusion about your ideas.
- You can even try to have one or two students close the class discussion. This way you can make students feel more responsible and involved.
Step 3. Leave room for questions
Make sure to leave at least a few minutes for the questions at the end of the class. You will have to make the students leave the debate feeling that they have learned something and not with the idea that they are totally confused. If you wait until class is almost over to see if anyone has questions, then students will be much more reluctant to say anything because they won't want to delay or extend the class. Allow adequate time for questions and be sure to encourage students to speak up if they are confused.
- Answering student questions can also help to draw a more in-depth conclusion from the discussion.
- Getting people to ask questions can also give you an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the debate. If five students seem confused about the same issue, then you may not have covered it enough in the discussion.
Step 4. Leave students wanting to learn more
End with a related question or a "suggestion for further investigation." This will give everyone involved something to think about next time. You should not leave students with the feeling that you have analyzed absolutely everything that had to be said on a certain topic and that they have solved the entire puzzle together. Instead, you should have moved forward in the conversation, helping the students gain valuable feedback, and leaving them looking forward to the next discussion.
- Leaving your students wanting to know more can also give you a logical starting point in the next class. Thus, they will come to class feeling ready and excited to continue the conversation, and even in the meantime they may have gained some understanding of the topic.
- Consider doing a brief "check." Allow students to talk about what the discussion left them or what they will do next. They can do it at the end of class or even in a written survey that they solve during the last minutes of class.
Step 5. See who participated or not in order to improve next time
After the discussion is over, ask yourself who spoke the most, who spoke the least, and who contributed the most significantly to the conversation. Keep in mind that talking more does not actually mean contributing more. The next time you lead a discussion, you can try to encourage the quieter students a little more, so that you make sure everyone has a chance to speak. You should also keep students from feeling dominated by a few more confident speakers.
Remember that no debate is perfect. As you get better at leading class discussions, you will get better at ensuring that all students participate in the conversation
Advice
- Keep a positive attitude. If debating becomes difficult, remember that anyone who can speak can learn from a debate and enjoy doing it. There are many classic high schools, and even daycare centers, as well as special education programs that are based on debates! Questions are motivating, and talking is as natural as breathing, so if it gets tough, keep going!
- Take at least 1 hour for the discussion; However, keep in mind that the best discussions (those that raise new questions and open up new insights into knowledge) take about 3 hours to develop and mature.
- Many people find open discussions between willing participants to become vague nonsense. If you or the group start to feel that, a good question to ask is "Why does this matter?" Take some time to decide which projects are worthwhile, which are not, and then get back to business.
- Offer more statements. Try to have a new debate after another has already finished.
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Sometimes the most important question is the most difficult to answer, for example, "What is a human being?" While there is no satisfactory and definitive scientific answer to the question, it is still a relevant question. Allow yourself and the group to explore the issues that hold your interest, even if you can't articulate the "practical value." The most important discussions may not end in agreement or conclusion. Thus, they may end up having clear differences and, therefore, in the agree to disagree!
There are practically two types of debate: theoretical and practical. He distinguishes between the dialogue that leads to the discovery of the truth and the dialogue that leads to consensus and action. Be clear with everyone about what kind of debate is yours
- Socrates was the master leader of the debate. Read Plato's Euthyphron or Alcibiades and learn from those who have gone before you.
- Many thinkers have used dialogue as a medium for philosophy, theology, and drama. Study the debates of Augustine, Berkeley, Hume, and Peter Kreeft.
Warnings
- Many people get emotional when their assumptions are questioned or their beliefs are disproved. You can expect some people to get angry or withdraw. To minimize that happening, stick to statements like "I think _____ because ____" rather than "You are wrong," unless someone is obviously wrong.
- Allow the discussion to progress from point to point. Tradition, experience, and the latest research tell us that a conference, which appears to be more organized, is not as long-lasting or as effective a way to learn. Stay with the process!