Discussion as a Way of Thinking - Blog Post #1

The article “Discussion as a way of Teaching,” by Stephen Brookfield can be a great tool for teachers at all levels. The article lays out how to carry discussions within a classroom and how to incorporate students into the discussions. One thing that caught my attention right away was how to set ground rules when holding discussions. He stated a good strategy would be to ask students how they would want to be spoken to in discussions. I believe this is important because not all students are the same. The trick is to see how the students like to be talked to, and adjust your ground rules to fit the group’s desires. This will help the discussions run more smoothly, while at the same time, help your students feel more comfortable in the discussions.

 Brookfield demonstrates numerous ways to hold discussions in a classroom setting. Most of the discussions are facilitator led, while the others are open discussions. In my experience, the discussion facilitator should lead but not run the discussion. He/She should guide the discussion rather than be the sole controller. I really liked the “Hatful of Quotes” type of discussion. By passing out random quotes to each individual and allowing them time to think of a response to the quote is a great way to get everyone involved. One downfall to open discussions is the one person who controls and talks throughout, not allowing for the quieter students to get involved. With the “Hatful of Quotes” type of discussion, everyone will have a chance to speak and give their opinion on each quote. Once each student gives their opinion, then the floor is open to anyone who has another interpretation of the quote or wants to add to it. When holding this type of discussion, it’s important to let the shyer students go last so that they have more time to think about their quote or let them hear what others say about the same quote and build on it. This article is a great resource for all instructors to go to when they need ideas on how to adjust class discussions to fit the student's needs.