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Action for Controversial issues – What do people at your school want to talk about?
One way of addressing the need to discuss difficult issues seriously is by finding out what people at your school would really like to talk about. Here is a survey you can use with teachers, students and parents.
Managing controversial issues in the classroom – Teacher roles
Like everyone else, teachers are entitled to their own views. But this does not necessarily mean they should share them with their students, or that they should favor views in accord with their own.
Controversial issues in the curriculum – Facilitating discussion
How do you present controversial issues for discussion in the classroom? Asking students simply to take sides and argue for or against a proposition is rarely enough.
Controversial issues and school culture – Encouraging the student voice in class
It is difficult for students to join in discussions of controversial issues if they are not already used to speaking publicly in school. Giving students frequent opportunities to talk in class gets them used to expressing themselves in front of others.
