Courageous Conversations

in the Classroom
Social Sciences National Workshop 2016
Presenters: Gill Hanna
Carol Jarman

Whakatauki
He krero te kai a te
rangatira
The food of the chiefs, is talk

Learning Intentions
Participants will:

explore the value of whole class

discussions

determine the pre-conditions for effective

classroom dialogue

consider and develop effective strategies

for holding classroom discussions

consider how discussion can contribute to

the understanding of viewpoints and
perspectives

Courageous
conversations?
Focus = whole class discussions (often
on controversial public issues - CPIs)
Dialogue = an open and in-depth
exchange of ideas
Teachers and students engage in dialogue to
figure things out rather than find the correct
answer
4

Why discuss CPIs?

NZC Vision
Students who will be confident,
connected, actively involved and
lifelong learners
Key Competencies: Thinking,
Relating to others, Participating and
contributing, Managing self, Using
Language (symbols and text)
5

Social Sciences Learning Area

Through the social sciences,
students develop the knowledge
and skills to enable them to: better
understand, participate in, and
contribute to the local, national and
global communities in which they
live and work; engage critically
with societal issues; and evaluate
the sustainability of alternative
social, economic, political, and
environmental practices
6
(p30,
NZC)

Points of view, values,

perspectives

dies
u
t
S
l
a
c
i
s
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Culture and identity

Social conventions and values, role models, mythology, and belief systems
in relation to cultural and social identities, ranging from political and
religious to scientific and philosophical ideologies.

Exploring peoples values and

perspectives
Psychology helps students to
understand the factors that influence
their own and others behaviour in
different situations. Psychology
provides them with opportunities to
explore value systems and ethical
perspectives and to examine
underlying cultural biases, role
expectations, and prejudices.

Psych
ology

Values influence economic choices

Values are the core beliefs that people hold. The different values or
perspectives held by individuals and groups influence the economic choices
they make.
Values affect the importance (or weighting) people give to the different
factors they consider in making a choice. Groups and individuals with the
same information, but different values, may make different choices.
For example, Mori may believe that their traditions and values best suit
them to conserve natural resources and that they should be given the
responsibility to manage the stretches of the New Zealand foreshore they
Values
own.
Values are deeply held beliefs about what is important and desirable in relation to environments or geographic issues.
Understanding values can help explain why people have certain perceptions or hold particular viewpoints. There are
different kinds of values, such as moral, social, cultural, aesthetic, and environmental.
For example, a variety of values might inform peoples statements about Christchurchs future: a desire for social
cohesion, economic growth, ecological values, spiritual values, cultural values, and so on.
Perspectives
Perspectives are bodies of thought, theories, or worldviews thatshapepeoples values. Understanding different
perspectives gives students the capacity to critique and challenge these taken-for-granted ways of understanding the
world.
Geographic perspectives also refers to how knowledge is organised and understood differently in the discipline, and the
varying lenses that may be used when undertaking geographic research. These theoretical perspectives have labels such
as gender geography feminist geography, new cultural geography, post-modern geography, socially critical
approaches, and Kaupapa Mori Geography but these are not the only ones.

Economic
s

Geogra
p
hy

Culture and values

Mori culture and values may be woven
through Mori businesses in clear and
obvious ways, or in quite subtle, less visible
ways. For example, some businesses are
based on tribal assets or openly promote
Mori language, culture, and products.
Other Mori businesses may appear to
operate like non-Mori businesses, but
incorporate Mori values such as
manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, and
tuhonotanga into their thinking and ways
of working. Multiple objectives social,
cultural, environmental, spiritual, and
economic are often very important in
business as practised by Mori.

Busine
ss
Studie
s

Social
Studies

Perspective
There are multiple
perspectives on the past
(both at the time and
subsequently).
Interpretations of the past
are contested historians
base their arguments on
historical evidence and draw
from a variety of
perspectives.

r
o
t
His
y

IEA research - 90,000 students across 28

countries found:
democratic outcomes are significantly affected by the
extent to which students experience classrooms as places
that are open to the investigation of issues, where they can
explore their own and their peers opinions
(BES Social Sciences, 2008)
Dialogue is an important pedagogical tool that can
enhance student learning and critical thinking across the
curriculum (Sandretto, 2016)
CPI discussions help students develop an understanding
and commitment to democratic values, increase their
willingness to engage in political life, and positively
influence content understanding, critical thinking ability,
and interpersonal skills (Hess, 2002)
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There is research to support that

dialogic interaction . . .
Supports critical thinking (Appleby, 2002)
Enhances student engagement (Kelly, 2007)
Increases literacy achievement and reading
comprehension (Appleby, 2003)
the bottom line for instruction is that the quality
of student learning is closely linked to the quality
of classroom talk. (Nystrand)
10

Dialogic interaction

Makes classrooms more inclusive teaching

and learning spaces as it recognises the
funds of knowledge students bring with
them into the classroom

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(Sandretto, 2016)

However having
classroom discussion is:
One of the great difficult things
of classroom teaching
(Parker, 2006)

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1. Picture your classroom . . . A recent time

when you were having a whole class
conversation . . .

2. The Classroom Experiment (excerpt)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=J25d9aC1GZA
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Did it look like this?

Whats happening in our classrooms today?

Research shows that whole class
discussions are rare
Most classroom conversation is
I.R.E:
1. Teacher initiates question
2. Student responds (often brief)
3. Teacher evaluates answer
Covers content already known to
teacher.
Wait time usually 1 second or less
Only a small number participate

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Creating the safe classroom for

discussion
- challenge a response by focusing on
the idea, not the person. Sentence
starters.
- encourage students to add to others
points, direct questions to each
other, not just the teacher, active
listening . . .
- important that teachers model these
behaviours
15

- managing hot moments

Teaching for discussion

- Use of statements, signals and silences

16

Choice of topics
explicit teaching of content needed to
give students a base of knowledge to
work from
Selection of issues with multiple and
competing views
settled vs open issues
17

https://www.teachingchannel.org
/videos/strategies-for-student-centered-disc
ussion

Identify the strategies used.

Will these transfer to a social science
classroom?
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NZ Code of Ethics/Nga Tikanga Matatika

Teachers will

Present subject matter from an informed and

balanced viewpoint
Encourage learners to think critically about
significant social issues
Teach and model those positive values, which
are widely accepted by society and encourage
learners to apply them and critically appreciate
their significance
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Teachers Standards
Establish a safe and stimulating environment
for pupils, rooted in mutual respect
High Standards of Conduct
not undermining fundamental British values,
including democracy, the rule of law, individual
liberty and respect, and tolerance of those with
different faiths and beliefs
ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed
in ways which exploit pupils vulnerability or
might lead them to break the law
(Reflects
the Prevent Strategy, June 2011 on extremism)
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 Communicates information from a

bias-free, multicultural perspective
Encouragesrisk takingby
establishing a non-threatening
learning environment
Educators have a privileged position
of power and trust
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 Create and maintain supportive and

safe learning environments

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Is it OK to give our opinion?

(Hess & McAvoy)

Context whos in the class?

- what are the goals?
Risk of misinterpretation
Culture of fairness
Political seepage
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Sharing power
Ako teachers dont have to know
everything! Recognise funds of knowledge
and understanding students bring. Teachers
can be learners, students can be teachers.
Repositioning deliberately relinquish
authority and expertise. Teacher expresses
own knowledge limitations, partiality or
point-of-view
Authentic questions where the teacher
does not already know the answer. Helps
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shift power.

Uptake - teacher takes the students response and

incorporates it into the next question. Signals that
responses are valued.
Wait time increase to 3-5 seconds
- Teachers tend to apply conversational CPR lost
opportunity. Give students silence and space to
engage in deep thinking
Listening - humility (realising I may have missed
something)
- caution not saying everything that comes into my
head
- reciprocity taking others perspectives
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Perspectives
Activity: For each resource write 3-4 questions
(can be from your discipline perspective) that
might motivate debate as the teacher injects
them into the class discussion.
Remember Authentic Questions:
ask the questions you dont know
the answers to.
Ask questions that might help
students identify a range of
viewpoints or perspectives.

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Strategies and Activities

30:60:90
Continuum
5 Minute rule
Fishbowl
Neutral Chair
Inner/Outer

Choose one activity to critique:

Consider:
what is the aim of it?
would it work in your
classroom?
anything problematic?
could it be adapted?

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Using this workshop for a inquiry

Practising Teacher
Criteria
- relevant to
# 4, 7, 8, 9, 12

Focusing inquiry - need to improve students critical

thinking skills

Teaching inquiry possible strategies from research

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presented in this workshop

Assessing proficiency in
discussion
KC

Developing

Competent

Excelling

Managing
self

Shows signs
Mostly able to
of self control listen and speak
at appropriate
times

Shows good
judgement about
when to speak and
demonstrates active
listening skills

Relating to
others

Begins to
show
connections
with others
thinking

Mostly responds
to contribution
of others with
respect

Always uses
respectful language
to respond to
contribution of
others.

Thinking

Gives
reasons for
ideas when
prompted

Gives some
reasons to back
up ideas.

Shows depth of
thinking. Well
reasoned ideas.

Participatin
g and
contributin
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g

Follows
discussion
although
quiet

Follows
discussion and
contributes at
times

Fully engaged and

positive involvement
in discussion

What 3 things you will take away from this workshop?

Wed appreciate you completing our Evaluation Form
Thank you