Showing respect is the first and most important behavior to model. When a student genuinely offers something to the conversation, it is important for the teacher to show respect by taking the comment seriously. (I say “genuinely” because if a student is trying to sabotage a discussion, then a different approach is warranted.) If the student’s comment is off in left field or mistaken, it is all the more important to take it seriously. The student has some reason for making the comment. The reason may not be apparent, but we must charitably assume the student has something of value to say.
Showing respect in a discussion is the same as showing respect in any conversation with other adults. First and foremost, it is important to listen actively, seeking to understand. Dismissal through words or body language is counterproductive. Active listening may require a silent nod or smile. Or a teacher could rephrase what the student has said or ask for clarification. When you rephrase and reflect, you are giving everyone—including the student who offered the comment—an opportunity to better understand. Requests for clarification are intended to gently probe the student’s meaning. It may take a few questions or some conversation to uncover the connection the student made, but it is worth the time. This process does a number of things. It shows the student that what he or she has to say matters. It can help discover an insight that was poorly articulated. And it also signals to other students that the teacher is going to respect every comment.
Correcting a student, however, is rarely a path to show respect. It values “right thinking” over the student’s participation. To correct a student is to indicate that his or her contribution was not worthwhile. It tells the class that you, the teacher, are smarter and worthier of respect. (While it is important for students to respect you, correcting them during discussions is not the way to accomplish that.) And it signals to everyone that they had better be sure of their answer before they speak up or they risk being corrected by the teacher.
While it is true that right thinking is the ultimate goal, correcting students often causes far more harm than good. If we believe that the process has more benefit than the product, then we must respect our students enough to allow them to wallow and follow wrong paths, confident that they will self-correct eventually if it is important.
Exercising restraint is a second important behavior to model in a vibrant discussion. I know from personal experience how hard it is to exercise self-restraint when I have an important insight into the work being discussed. In the moment, I feel confident that sharing the insight will bring about clarity and resolve confusion. It might lead to a profitable path of discussion rather than a rabbit trail. However, teacher answers are fraught with serious difficulties.
When it comes to “doing school,” students are generally very astute. They will seek and find the shortest and most effective path to what they see as success. If they realize that “getting the teacher to talk” is a way to learn the “right” answers, they will soon perfect the technique of provoking you. They are not being malicious; they are simply being human.
To be in a state of uncertainty and confusion is hard work and uncomfortable for students. As teachers, it is easy to come to the rescue and solve the dilemma. But learning is messy and inefficient. Often uncertainty is exactly where students should be if they are going to learn how to learn. A hard-won conclusion they form for themselves is far more valuable and lasting than a conclusion offered by the teacher. Here again, the desire for “right thinking” is at odds with participation. It is a truism that the more the teacher speaks, the more the students learn not to.
Of particular importance here is the “silent pause,” when the discussion stalls and no one is sure what to say. Perhaps a question is on the table, and no one has anything to contribute. It requires almost superhuman restraint for the teacher not to jump in. Sometimes jumping in is required, but a good long pause can be very valuable. Often the quieter students need long pauses before they will take the opportunity to speak up. If the discussion leader always steps in to ease the discomfort of silence, the students will learn they can avoid the hard work of participating.
Restraint is key to overcoming student reticence and inexperience. Students gain confidence and experience if they are given the responsibility for the discussion. They are certainly capable. I have learned a great deal from my students over the years. They simply need an environment where they can practice and be in charge.
Acting as a referee is a third key behavior that helps generate an engaging discussion. In a sporting contest, the referee is not a player. The referee is supposed to be neutral, not participating in the game or favoring a side. The referee keeps the ball in bounds and calls fouls. The referee keeps out of the players’ way and facilitates the game. With a good referee, the players know what to expect and what is good sportsmanship.
Discussion leading is a lot like refereeing. As ideas come forward, the leader facilitates the discussion. Discussions can often veer into esoteric digressions. The referee must put the ball back in bounds, gently. Discussions can get heated, and the referee is there to maintain kindness and respect in the midst of disagreement. If a student is talking too much or belittles another student’s ideas, the referee can offer constructive criticism, preferably in private. As a referee, you want to help clarify what the students are saying, not tell them your ideas.
In our desire for “right thinking,” we are tempted to take the ball from the students and score ourselves. While it may seem like a good idea, no one would ever do that at a child’s sports match; we know that stepping onto the court to shoot a basket defeats the whole purpose of children learning to play. The same is true in discussion leading. As with sports, it is not whether you win or lose (right thinking versus wrong thinking) but how you play the game.
Fostering inquiry is the fourth behavior and perhaps the most important aspect of good discussion-leading after showing respect. A discussion leader who fosters inquiry is always thinking about what questions to ask, not what answers to give. A leader must actively listen to see where the conversation is going and look for ways to pique curiosity, asking about implications and bringing out unspoken assumptions. Doing this well is high art—and by far the most difficult and rewarding part of leading a discussion. Done well, it creates exciting and engaging discussions.
The best kind of question is an “interpretive” question—one that asks the students to decide what the author means, especially when the meaning is ambiguous or hidden. Do not ask if Hamlet is avoiding acting against his uncle. Ask why Hamlet is avoiding acting against his uncle. Or even better, what larger point about monarchy does Shakespeare portray in Hamlet’s avoidance?
Big interpretive questions can drive an entire conversation. However, a leader should also prepare sub-questions as a way to explore the larger question. Sub-questions are more specific but can be related to the larger question at hand. Why does Hamlet feign madness? Or does he? How does he treat Ophelia and why? What role does the “play within the play” play? What is Hamlet afraid of? Having a set of sub-questions prepared can be helpful to move the conversation along if needed.
Good interpretive questions should also point toward the text rather than away from the text. “Does Hamlet capture well the culture of Denmark?” takes students away from the text because it requires extra textual information about the culture of Denmark. “What does the setting of Denmark contribute to Shakespeare’s themes?” takes students toward the text. Questions that take the class away from the text become forums for students to provide opinions or offer facts from Wikipedia. The content of the discussion then becomes specific to the knowledge of some particular student, whereas a conversation about the text puts everyone on the same footing. Students can offer arguments for or against various interpretations on the same basis.
Generally, questions should be directed at understanding the author. However, leaders should feel free to allow or even raise questions pertinent to students’ lives today. These can be the most fruitful of all questions in that they give students the opportunity for self-reflection. While these discussions are fruitful, it is a good rule of thumb, however, to ascertain what the author says before exploring the implications.
Leaving a discussion with unanswered questions is part of fostering inquiry. Students desire to have pat answers. They want to be able to say that they know something. Uncertainty can be frustrating and uncomfortable. We teachers have similar desires. We worry that we have not done our task of helping our students achieve “right thinking” on the work in question. Nevertheless, unanswered questions can spur further reflection and conversation outside of class. Students can leave a discussion in class and pick it up with parents or classmates. A discussion which generates further inquiry is by far the best discussion of all.
Lastly, by restricting ourselves to questions, not answers, we are modeling an approach to books and life that is valuable. We are modeling curiosity and desire to know. Students who learn how to ask questions and how to pursue their own questions are head and shoulders above students who have been trained to simply trust the experts.
Modeling respect, restraint, refereeing, and inquiry opens the door to participation. Even so, leading discussions is not easy, and the behaviors I have described are not fail-safe techniques. Learning the art of discussion leading is hard. Some days it goes well, and other days it does not. I often leave a discussion frustrated with how I did. Part of the reason leading discussions is so hard is that our students are unique individuals who have all sorts of desires and distractions such as phones, fears, and pheromones. Nevertheless, cultivating these behaviors and modeling them for our students can go a long way toward encouraging student participation, which in turn teaches them many things of great value.
As I have said throughout, we must guard ourselves against our desire for “right thinking,” especially when it comes to the things that we hold most dear, like Christian doctrine. In Christian communities, allowing inquiry and freedom is frightening. We fear that if we fail to instill right thinking, our children will abandon the faith. And I heartily agree that we should teach them content, especially regarding the Bible. There is a place for that. In discussion, however, giving answers is not respectful of our students. We are not practicing restraint. We are becoming a player instead of a referee. And we are not allowing them to ask and answer their own questions. As students approach adulthood, they need to learn how to become adults. And that means they must know how to make good decisions. Learning how to discuss well is one important part of that knowledge.
