Harnessing the Power of Dialogue: Current and Controversial Issues Discussions

by Mary Ellen Daneels, Lead Teacher Mentor


In my first year of teaching, one of my students was killed in a tragic car accident. I turned to my mentor for advice. Should I go on with the lesson plan, avoid the situation and provide the students an escape from the tragedy? Should I address this difficult event in class, and if I so, how do I support my students?

He counseled me to address the circumstances and create a safe environment for the kids to express their own thoughts and emotions. It was a heartbreaking class- painful but cathartic. We knew that we were not alone in our feelings of grief, confusion and uncertainty about the future. I learned an important lesson about the power of dialogue and how discussion can bring people together and promote respect and understanding.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs teaches us that people do not learn (self-actualize) until their need for safety is met. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to provide a safe environment for students to deliberate issues facing our communities. My students have questions and I do NOT have all the answers, but I can provide the structure and opportunity for inquiry, investigation and deliberation of such issues as justice, equality, freedom, liberty, tolerance and the like.

The new Illinois Social Studies Standards and civics course requirement elevates the discussion of current and controversial issues. Civil discourse is an authentic platform to practice literacy skills as students use disciplinary content to inquire into compelling questions facing our democratic republic- using evidence to communicate conclusions and take informed action.

There are a number of resources devoted to supporting teachers seeking to integrate the proven practice of current and controversial issue discussions.
  • Facing History and Ourselves has a number of teaching strategies that promote literacy and create a safe classroom climate for controversial topics. Their instruction on how to run a Socratic Seminar is very thorough.
  • The Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago has several lesson plans that promote deliberation of current issues.
  • Diana Hess and Paula McAvoy’s The Political Classroom is a website named after their award winning book. There are links to additional resources to support teachers in the classroom.
  • Teaching with Primary Sources has a quick tutorial on how to create and use a Structured Academic Controversy. While this is geared towards historical questions, it can be used for civic inquiries as well.
  • Deliberating in a Democracy has inquires framed around questions with resources reflecting diverse opinions. There are also some bilingual materials.
Do you have any resources to share to help facilitate current and controversial issue discussions in the civics classroom? Please send your suggestions to MDaneels@illinoiscivics.org. Together, we can prepare Illinois students for college, career and civic life.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Let's Talk About the "Required" Constitution Test

Image
by Mary Ellen Daneels, Lead Teacher Mentor As I have traveled around the state of Illinois to support implementation of the high school civics requirement and pending middle school civics legislation , one of the biggest concerns I have heard is, “How will we have time to prepare students for the required Constitution test? I will never have time to cover all 200 questions on the test if I have to make time for student-centered inquiry, discussions, simulations, and service learning!” The Illinois State Board of Education states: American patriotism and the principles of representative government, as enunciated in the American Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and the proper use and display of the American flag, shall be taught in all public schools and other educational institutions supported or maintained in whole or in part by public funds. No student shall receive a certificate
Read more

Resources to Respond to Tragedy and Violence

Image
by Mary Ellen Daneels, Civics Instructional Specialist All educators are civics teachers. Teachers send messages to students about power, justice, and representation by the content we select, the way we engage student voice, the norms we employ, and the stories included in our classroom. We have a responsibility to prioritize our students’ lived experiences, putting Maslow before Bloom , to inform the essential questions we address in our curriculum. When violence or tragedy occurs, classrooms provide a safe venue for students to process, ask questions and be given context to understand current events as they happen. While current events unfold, it is not the time to debate policy. Educators will not have all of the answers to the questions students pose. Teachers can create a classroom space where we can be present, listen, and create a safe environment for our students to do the same. Start with Reflection Your students may be wrestling with a range of emotions. We cannot assum
Read more

Where Do We Go from Here? Resources to Help Classrooms Process the 2020 Election

Image
by Mary Ellen Daneels, Civics Instructional Specialist While the 2020 election season draws to a close, IllinoisCivics.org is committed to helping classrooms prepare for what comes next after a contentious and polarized election season. Students will need help processing the election results and their impact on current and societal issues their communities face around justice, power, equity, and safety. As all educators are civics teachers, we have a responsibility to prioritize our students’ lived experiences, putting Maslow before Bloom , to inform the essential questions we address in our curriculum. Educators will not have all of the answers to the questions students pose, but we can create a classroom space where we can be present, listen, and create a safe environment for our students to do the same. Here are a number of ideas and resources to support this work beyond the 2020 election. Start with Reflection Your students may be wrestling with a range of emotions post-electio
Read more