3-leading effective discussions
TRANSCRIPT
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Leading Effective Discussions:Dealing with Roadblocks
Valerie JonesStanford Psychology TA Workshop
Fall 2008
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Leading Effective Discussions: Dealing with Roadblocks
“…we want to avoid class "discussions" that amount tonothing more than a perversion of the Socratic method, that
amount to nothing more than a series of closed, two-personexchanges in which the teacher asks a question and anindividual student answers the teacher, exchanges whichlock the other students into the role of passive observers. Wewant as many students as possible to be as attentive andinvolved and engaged as possible; we want them to beagents in their own educations.”
- Jennifer Barton, Paul Heilker, and David Rutkowski (Virginia Tech,English Department)
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Leading Effective Discussions: Dealing with Roadblocks
I. Basic Rules for Leading Discussions
II. Roadblock 1: Silence
III. Roadblock 2: Student Confusion
IV. Roadblock 3: Inappropriate Questions
V. Roadblock 4: Controversial Topics
VI. Roadblock 5: Distracting Behaviors
VII. Roadblock 6: The “Know-It- All”
VIII. Roadblock 7: Ending the Discussion
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Basic Rules for Leading Discussions
Be excited
Be prepared
Set clear expectations
Learn names
Icebreakers & Warm-ups
Informally chat before/after lectures & discussion sections
Share your agenda (briefly) at the start of each class
Review course topics for the week
Encourage participation…?
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Roadblock 1: Silence
Establish ground rule that everyone should
participate It’s important to hear everyone’s ideas and opinions
Review week’s topics
Require reaction papers
Have students email questions or things of interestbefore class
Assign discussion leaders for each classbeforehand
“The Pre-emptive Strike”
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Roadblock 1: Silence
Is it an issue of clarity? Mini review of the week’s topics
Ask an easier question first; rephrase question
Provide clear examples (prepared beforehand if possible)
Call on individual students
Use strategic eye contact to encourageparticipation
Break students into discussion groups (2-3 people)
“Fixin’ What’s Broken”
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Roadblock 1: Silence
Shy students
Pose non-threatening questions that don’t require great detail ora correct response
Engage students outside of class
Wait…is it you? Are you talking to much?
Are you answering your own questions? Are you being too opinionated and not allowing space for
students to speak freely?
Do you wait long enough to allow students to think, then speak?(3 - 5 sec)
“Fixin’ What’s Broken”
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Roadblock 2: Student Confusion
Confusion from the TA Review and prepare before section
Watch for rambling Watch for inaccessible language
Rephrase (see “Inappropriate Questions”)
Use concrete examples & metaphors to explain a phenomenon
Course content confusion Ask students for any questions concerning the lecture(s) at the
beginning of each discussion section
Ask professor to review unclear topics at the start of next class
Strongly encourage professors to outline the grading systemand course assignments for the entire quarter
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Roadblock 3: Inappropriate Questions
Guess what I’m Thinking… “What should researchers do to explore this question further?”
“What could researchers do to explore this question further?”
Yes/No questions “Do you think that this method effectively addresses the
problem? “Why do you think the researchers employed this method to
investigate the problem?
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Roadblock 3: Inappropriate Questions
Rhetorical questions “In research, don’t we have a responsibility to take into
account the cultural differences that participants bring intothe lab?”
“What arguments, pros & cons, can we generate to accountfor cultural differences in our research design?”
Informational-retrieval questions “What was the method?”
“How does the method used in this study compare toprevious studies on this topics?”
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Roadblock 4: Controversial Topics
Set ground rules The value or respectful tones
The value of other’s opinion (regardless of your own) The value in healthy disagreements
Modeling respectful listening & responding Give people time to make their point; do not interrupt
Do not ridicule other people's opinions, or put them down
Consider the effect what you are saying may have on others
Listen to and consider other people's opinions
Be aware that body language, as well as what you say, canaffect others
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Roadblock 4: Controversial Topics
Maintain a neutral role
Handling arguments or clashes
Restate the essence of each person’s viewpoint
If appropriate, state that the difference can’t be resolved here
and that you need to move on with the agenda Tense atmosphere – call for a short break
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Roadblock 5: Distracting Behaviors
Rambling discussions Politely ask student(s) how comment relates to current
discussion
Politely return to discussion topics Ask class for cooperation in staying on topic
Off the point comments or discussions; raisingtopics that will be discussed later Affirm student(s), but move on quickly
Side conversations Pause without looking directly at those talking
If conversation continues, ask students if they have aquestion or issue to raise to the entire class
Continued conversation throughout class: talk to student(s)after class or send a polite email addressing the issue
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Roadblock 6: The “Know-It All”
Eye-contact strategy Breaking eye contact with a speaker and scanning the room
can distribute the speakers communication through the class Works well to stop long-winded students from continued talking
Acknowledge, encourage, then discuss the issue of“air -time” with problem student(s)
Assign talkative student(s) a specific role
Implement time limits for comments
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Roadblock 7: Ending the Discussion
Ending the discussion Take notes – jot down notes from the discussion and use to
summarize the session
Ask for any final comments or questions When possible, attribute comments to students who originally
made them
Summarize with 2-3 points (only) – broad themes Remark on how the discussion progressed, the issues
discussed, and other issues to be addressed later
Ask for questions of clarification from professor
Set up class for the following week What questions or issues should they keep in mind?
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Leading Effective Discussions: Dealing with Roadblocks
Be prepared
Don’t expect problems, but be pro-active in addressingany potential issues that arise
A word about your own nervousness and/or shyness
You are the expert (assert your authority)
CTL courses of interest:
• CTL 215: Voice Workshop
• CTL 217: The Art of Effective Speaking
Conclusions