Re-Inventing Classroom Discussion: Cultivating Higher Order Thinking in YOUR Classroom

Why you should listen to us… Jillian Harpster has been teaching for 3 years and has a BA in English and a Masters in Education Cyndy Maddux has been teaching for 14 years and has a BA in English, secondary education teaching certification, and her Juris Doctrate Jessica Meyer has been teaching for 11 years and is currently finishing her Masters in English We all currently teach at Lincoln North Star High School in Lincoln, NE, which has a student population of 2,000 and is 40% minority and 60% Free/Reduced Lunch.

Why Big Questions? Big Questions can guide a lesson, a unit, or the focus of an entire course. Big Questions help connect students to the material by making it more relevant and focused. Big Questions-if used properly- can force students into higher order thinking (Bloom’s Taxonomy). Big Questions encourage synthesis thinking and writing and move discussion beyond the concrete and into the abstract.

Okay, so, what does a Big Question look like? Classes Texts Law and Literature Is justice possible? Advanced Placement Language and Composition How do we use our experiences in writing to manipulate and persuade our audience? Women’s Literature How do gender stereotypes affect citizens of a modern, global society? The Book Thief by Simon Wiesenthal Where does hate come from? Always Running by Luis Rodriguez Is the American Dream accessible to all citizens of the United States? Flight by Sherman Alexie How can one achieve redemption?

Posing Big Questions at the beginning of a unit or course…

Philosophical Chairs Statement posed will encourage a Yes/No response. Depending on the level of student, you may want to pose the question and have them respond in writing before you begin the activity so they have something from which to draw for the discussion. When the teacher poses the question, students must choose Yes, No, or Undecided. Yes and No are on opposite sides of the room; Undecided students are in the middle. Undecided students must choose a side after three rounds of response.

Rules/guidelines for discussion Philosophical Chairs Rules/guidelines for discussion Students must be recognized by the mediator before they speak. Students must wait through three responses after their own before they can speak again. Everyone must remain silent while the speaker is speaking. No raising of hands while the speaker is speaking; wait patiently for your turn to address the issue. Each speaker must summarize the previous speaker before stating his/her thoughts. Students are encouraged to address ideas, not previous speakers. Students change sides if/as they are swayed by something the opposing side says.

Every student has the opportunity to succeed in school. Example Every student has the opportunity to succeed in school.

After Philosophical Chairs… Reflective writing Metacognitive discussion

Posing Big Questions during a unit or course…

Quaker Read Instead of teacher-directed reading, students select quotes they are drawn to from reading selections. Students gather pre-selected number of quotes determined by the length of the text. These should be quotes that struck students as memorable, important, shocking, etc. Quotes should be no longer than 4 lines.

Quaker Read Students are silent and teacher reads a quote to “get the ball rolling.” Students then join in and read their quotes when they feel the time is right. Quotes should respond to, further complicate, or support the previous quote read. Quotes may be repeated. Students do not need to read all their quotes. No discussion should take place during this activity. Themes/questions should emerge according to the quotes students choose to read.

Example Story of an Hour by Chopin Find five quotes and underline or highlight them within the text.

After the Quaker Read What things did you hear most? What themes, ideas, motifs emerged? Why are/Are these things most important in the book/chapter/story? What was not brought up that surprised you? Why do you think this was not addressed? If there was just one quote we all should discuss from the reading, which would it be and why?

Reading Journals Teachers prep higher order questions in advance of the reading. Unlike a packet or reading comprehension guide, these are questions that require students to return to the text and reflect on their understanding of the format and character of a text. Students should answer these questions in written form before discussion. Instructor can then encourage any student to contribute because all students have had time to develop responses to the questions prior to discussion.

Continuing the Conversation: Posing Big Questions as Assessment

Big Questions, Synthesis Thinking, & Discussion in Assessment Big Questions in American Literature Is the American Dream accessible to all citizens of the United States? Posing the big question repeatedly throughout a unit/course may help to further/complicate student thinking, encouraging them to move past initial bias-driven thinking. Philosophical Chairs as anticipatory Synthesis thinking through Quaker Reads. Assessment as discussion- Multiple voices address the Big Question through student synthesis thinking

Student Examples Arasma

Works Consulted Sheridan Blau’s The Literature Workshop Cathy D’Agostino of New Trier Township High School in Chicago, IL (AP Conference, Lincoln, 2005) Richard M. Cash’s Advancing Differentiation