Home Teaching Guides Leading a Discussion Emphasis on Students' Ideas

Overview

This Guide

Teacher's Role as Facilitator

Classroom Community

Learning Styles

Students' Ideas

Be Honest

Focusing Discussions

Carefully Plan

Goals of Questions

Stay on Topic

Encourage Student Focus

Focus with WTL

Thinking on the Spot

Be Prepared

Plan Ahead

Learn to Stall

Be Honest

Don't Fear Silence

Rephrase Questions

Checking for Understanding

Avoid Yes/No

Students' Own Words

Students' Reflect

Using Quizzes

Sample Discussion Plan

Goal One

Transition

Goal Two

Goal Three

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Authors & Contributors

Emphasis on Students' Ideas

Since one of our goals is to facilitate the writing process, keep the emphasis on students' ideas rather than your own. It's best to remain mostly objective on thematic issues discussed in class. If students pick up on your views, they may attempt to only write what they think you want to hear. This keeps them from thinking critically and forming their own views. Also, if you share too many opinions, students may refute these in class. This puts you in a position of having to defend your views.