Edutopia contributor Daniel Casebeer has shared five discussion strategies to deepen student engagement.
He says, “Sometimes, as teachers, we struggle to help our students connect what they know to what they are learning. When we face this challenge, it can be helpful to examine our practice under a different set of lenses to uncover ways to reinvigorate learning. One of the easiest ways to do this, especially if you’re new to the profession, is to take a closer look at how you manage discussions.
When facilitating a discussion, do you direct your students toward specific outcomes, or is there room for them to take ownership of the conversations and make them their own? There are differences, however subtle, between leading and facilitating discussions. The following five strategies, which are particularly suited for middle and high school students, empower student agency and offer a fresh approach to discourse.
COFOUNDING ENVIRONMENTS OF SHARED INQUIRY
When you lead a discussion, you begin with the end in mind—that is, you determine exactly what you want your students to know and guide them with focused questions.”