Consider the many discussions you have participated in as a student.
Did you participate widely in classroom discussions? Or were you a student who didn't participate much? If you didn't participate, do you know why?
Did you think your level of participation made any difference in how much you learned? Why? Why not?
Of the discussions you remember, which ones stand out in your mind? Which were most effective? Least effective?
What features did the effective discussions have in common?
What features did the ineffective discussions have in common?
What do you think students learn during discussions? What don't they learn?
What do your answers above say about you and your views on classroom discussion? Will you be a teacher who uses discussions often? Or will you tend to stay away from dissections and use other approaches instead?
