A Modern Framework for Meaningful Student-Led Discussion

My mission started at the end of second period.My eighth graders had just scraped through a “Harkness” discussion about Lord of the Flies….and I wondered: “How can we do this differently?” Since then, I have spent seven years studying discussion – in my own classroom, at grad school, and in conversation with honest students, generous colleagues, and experts kind enough to return cold calls. From the beginning, I’ve been oriented by two guiding principles: first, that Gen-Z students deserve to experience the tradition of collaborative intellectual inquiry that has defined the Humanities across generations; and second, that when done well, student-led discussion is a powerful opportunity for students to feel known, respected, and equipped to be citizens and contributors in the “real” world. Here’s what I know, now.

• In 2020, the work of student-led discussion matters more than ever. Our students crave deep connection with each other and are primed to find meaning in our content. The current reality of more time on screens has rendered traditional discussion skills less intuitive and more valuable – both in the present, as a stay against feelings of loneliness and isolation, and in the future, as a marketable skill. Even amidst what feels like unprecedented uncertainty, adolescents are still just trying to grow up, feeling around for their place in the world. As ever, our syllabi stand ready to help students encounter and process big questions and, perhaps, to offer much-needed comfort through the patterns of history and people of literature.
• Right now, student-led discussion is also more difficult to do well. As our operating context evolves daily – are we meeting in-person or online? on a regular or modified schedule? do we address the day’s headlines or try not to? — there is less literally less time and shared space to “feel it out.” Now is the moment for routines that can reliably connect us, wherever we are, in deep discussion. It’s time to build shared language so we can talk about the art, science, and impact of great classroom conversation. It’s time to approach ​Discussion as a Discipline with a mastery model. Enter R.E.A.L.®

I hope that in R.E.A.L., you find a solution to make your students’ voices heard — but I also hope that you join the conversation. The true power of R.E.A.L. transcends individual classrooms. It lies in the discovery that will emerge when we, as educators, commit to equipping students from diverse schools with common standards for discourse. I cannot wait for that discussion to take off! ​ With gratitude and excitement,