Week 2 January 13 2020



I was surprised to see such detailed instructions for teachers when it comes to discussions. As a long time student in class discussions, I never thought that teachers did a ton during class discussions, but they really do more than I thought. The ground rules area is something about discussions that is really important, and I like the idea that teachers are reflecting and analyzing the discussion in great detail in order to make future discussions better for student growth. I always thought of discussions as unplanned, because there are so many ways that a discussion can go. I was surprised by the planning and structure that goes into a discussion as a teacher, because students can add ideas and prompt the discussion in ways you may have never thought it would go. As an English major, I have definitely seen my fair share of discussions in many different forms. Some of my favorite discussions are where the professor is prompting students with questions based on class discussion, and pries students to further their thoughts on something they had brought up. Keeping an open conversation where all ideas are welcome (along the lines of being appropriate and respectful) is another important part about discussions in my opinion, because some students are not confident in their public speaking skills until they get encouragement from a teacher and become willing to participate in discussions.





Speaking from personal experience, I used to be a very shy and quiet student until a teacher pushed me to get involved more in class and activities. This made me open up and become more confident in my thoughts and ideas. Discussions became a great way to build onto my ideas and exercise my public speaking skills, as well as boost my confidence as a student. Going into teaching, I look forward to implementing discussions frequently, and this reading is a great resource for strengthening discussions.

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