Student-Led Discussion: Setting up Success + What Does an Observer Do?

The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast | ELA

Welcome back to our ongoing discussion series. If you missed the first two episodes, covering five types of discussion worth trying and introducing the Harkness method for student-led discussion, you might want to pause and go back to the last two episodes before continuing with this one.

Today we’re diving deep into student-led discussion, specifically setting up a structure that will let you be successful.

I’ll be sharing both highlights from what I learned at the Exeter Humanities Institute about helping students be successful - which, by the way, I couldn’t recommend more as a summer PD opportunity - and also, what I learned personally working with twenty-five different classes of students as their skills with the method evolved over the course of our year together.

You’ll walk away from this episode ready to run your first student-led discussion, whether you choose the full Harkness method or create your own twist on student-led discussion.

Go Further: 

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