Controversies+in+Education

Controversies

If there is one thing that I can guarantee will continue in education, that thing would be controversy. Because virtually everyone in the United States has gone to school, virtually everyone in the United States has an opinion on what school should be like. Throw in the facts that education is a large expense for governments at every level and that it involves children, and you can guarantee that many people will seek to influence how education functions in this country.

How does this play out in the social sciences? Because of the nature of our curriculum, we tend to have more opportunities to discuss controversial subjects than many of the other disciplines. As a teacher, it is important to have a philosophical framework regarding how you will handle many of these issues. Unfortunately, many teachers take the approach of avoiding controversy "like the Plague." Without an understanding of controversial issues, and practice discussing those, our students will not be able to be effective citizens.


 * Strategies**
 * "Popcorn"** - Many students feel uncomfortable stating their opinions regarding a specific issue. This strategy allows for students to anonymously offer feedback and insights regarding a specfic topic. Students will take a standard sheet of notebook paper and write what they believe about an issue on that paper. After writing their viewpoint, they will tear the sheet of paper out, crumple it up, and throw it around the room. After doing this for a while, students are instructed to find a sheet, pick it up and unravel it. You as the instructor can call on students to read what is written, and then offer a time for comments and discussion. You can also have someone tally the votes on the board for you if it is an issue that can easily be voted on. This strategy is effective for many of the "hot-button" issues of the day: abortion, affirmative action, death penalty, etc... This strategy could be used in a variety of different ways, not just in controversial topics, but it is especially useful for topics like this.


 * Write Around -** Students will have journals in notebooks. They are given a scenario to write about silently. After writing for a time, they pass their notebook to another student, who then continues to write in a different notebook. This can be used to facilitate debate, think creatively, review, an so on. Theoretically, this could be modified to work with a variety of classroom activities. For example, students could be given maps in teams and silently have to fill in the information. They would trade maps after a brief period of time. First team to get all of the information filled in correctly wins.


 * Classroom Likert Scale -** Students are presented with an issue that has two opposing positions. The middle of the room is presented as a "neutral" or "undecided" position. One far side of the room is presented as the "strongly agree with" position, while the other side of the room is presented as the "strongly disagree with" position. Students are instructed to move to where they would believe they would fall on the scale. So, if a student is slightly in favor of a position, they could move slightly from the middle to that side.

For example, if you were teaching a unit on WWII, you could present a question asking the students which country they believed was the most powerful overall at their peak during WWII: Great Britain, The Soviet Union, Germany, or the United States? You then ask the students to defend their position.
 * Magnetic Corners** - Students are presented with options (often 4, but I have used this before with 3-6 options) that are matched with certain areas of the room (if you use 4 options, you simply put one option in each corner). After the instructor presents the scenarios, students are instructed to move to the section of the room that matches their opinion.


 * Fist to Five** - You present the students with a scenario or positional statement and then ask them to show you how much they agree with that position by hold up a certain number of fingers. Then you call on students randomly to ask them to defend their position.


 * Examples -** In Psychology class as an introduction to a lesson on the "Nature/Nurture" debate, you give the students a quote by B.F. Skinner which heavily supports the Nurture position and the role the environment plays in shaping behavior. You have them do a "fist-to-five," holding all 4 fingers and their thumb up if they completely agree with the quote, if they mostly agree with the quote 4 fingers, slightly agree = 3 fingers ... holding a fist up = totally disagree with the quote. Then you have the students discuss the issue.


 * Voters/Polleverywhere/Response Systems, etc...** Students use some type of electronic device, such as their cell phone, a response system, or a computer to vote on a position that they hold. After the votes are tallied, or even during the voting process, students are asked to discuss and debate the position that they have on that topic. The discussion and debate can be done in small groups while the instructor walks around to check for group involvement and understanding, or it can be done in a large group where the instructor calls on individual students.


 * "Opposites" -** You present the students with a statement, ask them to move to the side of the room that matches their position on the statement. Then, you force them to argue in favor of the other position. This technique is helpful in getting students to see other's point of view.

A SPAR debate is a quick-hitting debate that allows students to become more comfortable with formulating arguments in front of an audience. In addition, it requires students to think on their feet, argue from a specific vantage point, and consider both sides of an issue.
 * SPAR Debates**

We begin by listing a number of common, easily debatable topics on the board. Have two students come to the front of the room, or pair up students throughout the room. After a coin toss, the winning student gets to select either the topic (then their opponent selects the side: agree or disagree) or the side (then their opponent selects the topic). A SPAR debate does **not** require any research or evidence. It relies solely on assigned reading, personal opinion, observation, previous knowledge, or deduction.

Both students receive five minutes to prepare. Then a very quick debate occurs: Affirmative opening speech (90 seconds), cross-examination (60 seconds), negative opening speech (90 seconds), cross-examination (60 seconds), prep time (60 seconds), affirmative closing (45 seconds), negative closing (45 seconds). The entire class can be debating at the same time, or you can use an audience. The debate lasts about as long as the preparation time—so the entire activity can be completed in less than 15 minutes.

 To generate a list of topics, you may want to consider the following as guides: The benefits of ___ outweigh the drawbacks. It is better to ___ than to ____. It is more important to ___ than to ___ when ____. The decision to _____ is a good one.

*Even though this a SPAR debate, remember that academic arguing is not the same as fighting. Your objective is to sound persuasive, not abusive.

Helpful hints for a successful SPAR debate.


 * Display the debate format as well as the time (use the Online Stopwatch and the Projector): **


 * Prep Time—Prepare Opening || 5 minutes ||
 * Affirmative (agree) Opening || 90 Seconds ||
 * Cross-X: Negative asks questions of Aff. || 60 Seconds ||
 * Negative (disagree) Opening || 90 Seconds ||
 * Cross-X: Affirmative asks question of Neg. || <span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">60 Seconds ||
 * <span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Prep Time—Prepare Closing || <span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">60 Seconds ||
 * <span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Affirmative (agree) Closing || <span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">45 Seconds ||
 * <span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Negative (disagree) Closing || <span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">45 Seconds ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Outlining the Opening Speech: **<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">You may want to provide the students with the most basic outline before the debate begins. Generally speaking, I have students use the following structure:
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">I agree/disagree with the statement “_______” for three reasons.
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Reason #1 <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Historical example, personal example, hypothetical example OR explanation
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Reason #2 <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Historical example, personal example, hypothetical example OR explanation
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Reason #3
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Historical example, personal example, hypothetical example OR explanation
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Questioning: **
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Remind them that they can only use their cross-x time to ask questions—they cannot respond yet.
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Tell them to keep questions brief and clear.
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">If they have a hard time thinking of questions, have them ask “clarification” questions (Can you explain your second point again?”)


 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Outlining the Closing Speech ****<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">: **<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">The most basic outline generally does the following:
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">I feel I have won the debate for two reasons.
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">First, my opponent has argued that … However, this isn’t true because…
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Second, I argued that … This argument still stands because, as I said, …

<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Potential Topics:
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">American Government || <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">The electoral college offers the best system for the US presidential election. ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">World History || <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">The USSR was more important in helping the Allies win WWII than the US. ||
 * World Geography || <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">The largest problem facing the world today is population growth in the developing world. ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">US History || <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Abraham Lincoln was the most important American President. ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Psychology || <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">The Freudian concept of the "Id" correctly describes how our subconscious functions. ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Sociology || <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">The functionalist perspectives best explains how society operates. ||

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 * Issues**

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Links What teachers really want to tell parents Excellent article by an award winning teacher about problems in education. ProCon.org - Non-profit website which does an excellent job presenting a variety of "hot-button" issues in a balanced manner, giving adequate time to each perspective. First Amendment Center - Teaching About Religion in the Public Schools - Discusses court cases and viewpoints regarding the teaching about religion in public schools. The Folly of Merit Pay - Article by theorist Alfie Kohn arguing against merit pay. Merit Pay Could Improve Schools - Article arguing in favor of merit pay