Let's Discuss Discussions

     Let it be known: I love me a good class discussion. Here's some ways to make the most of them:

Let the Students Lead

     I know this can feel difficult. It can be scary and unfamiliar sometimes for us educators to take ourselves out of the driver's seat. But turning the ownership of the discussion over to students can be empowering for them. And it can lead to a more authentic flow of ideas. 

     The pattern of a class discussion need not be student > teacher > student > back to teacher, etc. It can be student to student, with the teacher jumping in occasionally to address a misunderstanding or to ask a guiding question. 

     The one protocol of a class discussion I've used over and over again to help achieve this dynamic is simple. The last person to speak calls on the next person to speak. So, if Toby was the last one to speak, and three of his peers are raising their hands, he'll call on one of them to speak next. The teacher can raise his or her hand as well, and the student can choose to call on the teacher, or not. (More times than not, the students tend to call on the teacher fairly quickly.)

     But what if no one is raising their hands when Toby has finished making his point? I encourage students to go ahead and call on someone anyway, preferably someone who hasn't had a chance to speak yet, or a chance to speak too often. I coach students to really invite this person into the discussion, not by asking, "Hey Jill, you wanna say something?," but by asking, "Jill, do you agree with me? Why or why not?" or "What do you think about _____?" 

Be Proud, Knock Loud

     Sometimes students will raise their hand during a lovely student-led discussion, get called on by a peer, and say, "Yup. I agree." And that's it. Nothing further. They may think this "counts" as participating, but I set up the expectation with students that it does not. Of course you may agree with one another, but if you're going to share that fact, you need to explain why and you also need to extend the point.

     But, with that being said, sometimes we just want to let one another know we agree. So, I ask students to knock on their desks (or they could snap their fingers if they are not sitting at desks) when they are in agreement with something that's just been said. This can be nice for several reasons:

1. It eliminates the situation described above -- no more jumping into the discussion to only say those two words -- "I agree" -- and leaving it at that. If you want to say you agree, simply knock on your desk.
2. It can help boost the confidence of the speaker.
3. It can snap some students out of daydreams and wandering thoughts ("Whoops. Ten people just knocked on their desks. I probably just missed something important. I need to pay more attention...").
4. It can help the teacher (and the students, for that matter) take the pulse of everyone's understanding.

     I'm not advocating, though, for a discussion that's all about agreement. I also reinforce to students that, of course, they may disagree with one another, but that this must be done respectfully and I'll model this for them if need be.

Play Your Cards

     Good discussions are typically ones that have a sense of balance. There are not three or four people who are monopolizing the dialogue; there are not some voices that are never once heard.

     To combat these discussion-busters, I hand out cards to students (usually I just use index cards). If I give each student three cards, that means, at a minimum, I expect every student to contribute verbally to the discussion three times. If students are sitting in a circle (which I highly recommend), they toss a card into the center of the circle each time they contribute. 

     I explain to students that this can help them know who to call on next. If Toby's done speaking, and four of his peers are raising their hands, he can quickly look to see who has the most cards still in his or her possession, and call on that student. 

     Most of the time, I tell students that, of course, they can go over their card limit -- they can continue to contribute to the discussion after having tossed all their cards into the circle. But, sometimes, I have encountered students who honestly find it hard not to monopolize the conversation. These students need to learn how to sometimes take a back seat. And so, if the situation merits it, I'll ask students to stop contributing after they have tossed all of their cards. This can help monopolizers to be more economical about the points they choose to share with the group. 

     Using "play your cards" can also be helpful to the teacher participant in or monitor of the discussion. If we notice students who still have cards left towards the end of the time allotted for discussion, we can be sure to call on these students ourselves, or to ask them follow-up questions once the discussion has ended.

     In my current district and current role as instructional coach, I have used these methods with 5th graders, 6th graders, and 12th graders. It has been my experience that establishing just the right expectations and protocols for a student-led discussion enables us to sit back and listen to our students' ideas, to check for their understanding, and to often be wowed by their contributions.

     (If you teach in the same district as me, and want to give this a try, let me know. I'd love to help!)