Writing+your+discussion+questions

Your assignment is to come up with three discussion questions based on the week’s readings. Each question should be based on a different chapter, or should make connections between multiple chapters. In other words, you can’t turn in three questions all from the same chapter. You will submit the questions to me via email by Wednesday afternoon, and I will select one to post on the wiki to serve as a discussion starter for your classmates. Think of these more as discussion starters rather than questions. The aim should be to engage your classmates in a deep, rich discussion of one (or more) of the “big ideas” (rather than the small details) raised in the readings. They should encourage higher order thinking – application, evaluation, analysis, synthesis – rather than simple recall of information. Also, avoid asking questions that only ask students to say how they “feel” about a particular topic. Here are a couple examples of good student-generated questions from previous classes I’ve taught: In his article, “The Politics of Children’s Literature,” Herbert Kohl presents a question he asked to European-American and African-American educators: How do you expose young children to the reality of racism? According to the text, “Most of the European-American and a few of the African-American educators felt that young children do not need to be exposed to the violent history of segregation” (169). How would you respond to Kohl’s question? What evidence do you see (or not see) in your school that students are being taught about racism in history and in today’s society? What would Herbert Kohl think about your school’s efforts (or lack of them)? In Chapter 3 of ////Social Studies for Social Justice////, Jane, a 5th and 6th grade teacher, expresses a strong opinion when she says, “I don’t want to have the power in the classroom. I’m there to be the adult and to facilitate, but if all things are going well, I’m standing in a corner watching children talk to each other” (21). Part of building a socially just classroom is allowing students to speak up, but where should the line be drawn? Do you agree with Jane in that the teacher should ////not//// have the power? If so, how do you see this playing out in your future classroom? If you disagree, how should the power be divided or shared?