Fierce Conversations: Teaching The Challenge of Honest Dialogue

Everyone wants to be heard. Our voices recognized. Our beliefs validated. Students seek acceptance through dialogue and collaboration. When they have deep seeded roots in their beliefs and truths then they will defend them, even with adversity present. In the classroom many teachers shy away from situations where students may disagree. They fear opposition and argument. But debate and honest, respectful disagreement is a learning tool that is necessary. Where else will students learn to listen, keep their judgments to themselves while challenging others to a verbal duel? To understand that opinion is personal and the desire to force it on others is wrong? This type of discussion is relevant and appropriate especially when it is driven by evidence rather than opinion.

Fierce conversations, honest and relevant, can cause frustration and even anger. As adults these discussions can cause resentment and shame. This is why as teachers we need to model how to give constructive, meaningful feedback, positive criticism and purposeful guidance. Classroom debates, Socratic seminars, and EdCamps in the classroom are great strategies to begin the journey to more impactful and challenging dialogue. When students hear each other being honest but respectful they become a community where every opinion matters. It creates a classroom where there are no wrong answers but detours that lead to the correct conclusion. An environment where mistakes are welcomed and students are more willing to speak up in class and share their ideas.

Fierce is a word that insinuates anger but on the contrary it can also mean passionate and powerful. It can elude to relentlessness and strength. These attributes may cause others to get frustrated but these are qualities that lead to progress and change. Every classroom should have fierce, honest, rousing, dynamic conversations that lead students to think about the world around them. Meaningful, constructive discussions based on gripping and poignant topics. Argumentation designed around student interest. Honesty should be prevalent in everything we do in the classroom. As long as it is purposeful. No one wants to be wrong. No one enjoys having to accept their mistakes and short-comings. But without reflection and feedback a growth mindset becomes a fixed one.