I have also enjoyed reading Activity 10 which focused on promoting discussion among student. According to the readings, a discussion is more than a casual conversation. It is meaningful, intentional or purposeful talk about a specific topic geared towards improving knowledge, understanding and or judgement. In this regard my role as the teacher is to help guide the discussion among my students. This can be accomplished by helping them to properly define a problem, providing stimulus material, asking well structured questions at strategic points, helping students to make linkages to new ideas, drawing attention to important points and giving prompt feedback. Here I am both managing and actively participating in the discussions.
I have found contrast to be a powerful strategy in getting students to ask questions which formed the basis of many discussions that we would have had. The pictures placed in juxtaposition would have evoked a wide range of responses among students. The old Chinese proverb says that a good picture is worth a thousand words is so true. In this case, the appropriate use of the pictures was worth more than a thousand words. The Think-Ink-Pair and Share also proved quite useful. In all my ability to manage classroom discussion has improved as a result of having done this activity.
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