Dealing with controversy and polarization in the classroom by Maarten Van Alstein
Of this book I only found a Dutch version. But the ideas are too important not to share.
Contents
“Can we talk?”
In the introduction of Dealing with controversy and polarization in the classroom, the author pretty much begins his contribution with a reference to “Can we talk?”. The title of a book by Dutch journalist Joris Luyendijk from 2017 in which he invites readers to engage in conversation about politics and society. And about how to proceed. Because talking is part of the essence of democracy.
The school serves to prepare the pupils for (democratic) society and so democracy must also be taught democratically. That is why talking in class is also indispensable. However, this is not easy. Just as in society outside the classroom, there are also conflicting ideas within the classroom. These can give rise to controversy and polarization. In addition, there are also a number of controversial topics on the curriculum, such as religion, the Holocaust, homosexuality and the theory of evolution.
That doesn’t make teaching any easier.
Part 1: “Living together with opposites”
Part 1 of Dealing with controversy and polarization in the classroom is called “Living together with opposites”. It starts with a reflection on the classroom as a mirror of society. After all, many of the students’ ideas come directly from the society in which they find themselves outside the school environment. Society, in other words. And that society can be called “super-diverse” in the West. There are two pitfalls associated with this. Firstly, diversity is not limited to the cultural, ethnic, nor religious. Second, there is a risk that different groups will be viewed as homogeneous parts.
Polarization
Society has not become any easier for the adults of tomorrow either. Polarization means that in many places there are groups directly opposed to each other and no longer talk to each other. In not a few cases, opinions on controversial matters are formed by the influence of third parties, such as the home situation.
This research result contains difficult themes. It’s very confrontational. But these findings should not be avoided, but should be part of the reality where teachers are on the front line. Teachers are important in this because they can get to know and mold the students individually. This is a big advantage compared to the statistical approach. After all, statistics always make statements about groups.
Diversity and conflicts in the classroom
Chapter 2 of Dealing with controversy and polarization in the classroom argues that the diversity, conflicts, and fault lines of society are present in the classroom. This has an impact on discussing current affairs and forming one’s own opinion. According to the students, this in itself is encouraged in an open classroom climate.
But that does not alter the fact that some students can react strongly to themes such as religion. For example, homophily appears to be unmentionable in some groups, so that it is neglected so as not to cause unrest. So a legitimate question is whether teachers are 100% master of the situation. There are several reasons in the literature for why teachers avoid difficult situations:
- Too little time.
- Fear of losing control.
- Fear of conflict and hurt students.
- Fear of negative reactions from parents.
- A lack of knowledge or skills.
- A lack of education and training.
Controversy and polarization
In the third chapter, Dealing with controversy and polarization in the classroom talks about the two major topics of the book: controversy and polarization. One is a heated discussion about a sensitive subject, the other is a diametrically opposed group and the space for an open conversation eventually becomes impossible. Please note: this is not about interpersonal conflicts such as quarrels and bullying, where personal emotions and interests play a role.
A distinction can be made in controversies as those about empirical topics and political topics. A second distinction is that between open themes and issues with an ‘established answer’. But people are still listening to each other.
The latter is different in the case of polarization: that is a deaf man’s conversation / deaf man’s monologue on both sides. This raises questions such as how dangerous it is, how the phenomenon should be assessed, what the risks are, but also whether it can be enriching (because it creates polemics in politics). To delve deeper into polarization, the author uses the concepts of Bart Brandsma.
Part two: “Theoretical Signposts”.
Why work around controversies and polarization?
The first question the author wants to address is chapter 4 entitled “Why work around controversies and polarization?”. An important point is that when teachers avoid this situation in the classroom, they deprive the students of the opportunity to develop as democratic citizens. Therefore, the controversy must be entered into with caution for polarization. School is the best place to teach them how to deal with this. After all, it is the place par excellence where students of all “tendencies” meet and have to interact with each other for a longer period of time. It is then the task of the teachers to turn a difficult conversation into constructive conversations. The concept of “the political class” is important in this respect. A healthy discussion is the driving force behind this. And an open classroom climate is a prerequisite for this. It promotes knowledge about the democratic process, increases the political self-confidence of the students, strengthens trust in politics as such, teaches to use conflict positively, and stimulates political behaviour such as following current events. However, harmonious coexistence with different cultures is not self-evident. What is important then is equal status, cooperation, common goals, and support for contacts between groups by people with responsibilities for those groups.
Room for Discussion in the Classroom
Chapter 5 is called “Room for Discussion in the Classroom”. To do this, we need to 1) agree with each other on a number of shared basic values and principles, 2) agree that we can disagree, 3) think about where the possible limits of this space for difference and polyphony lie. And so we must always continue to engage in dialogue, especially if we have different opinions. To this end, the author discusses two models: a deliberative and an agonistic model. The latter is explained in opposition to polarization.
But there are always limits. Although these are ‘liquid’. The first limit is that of freedom and equality. A second is that of the content of the curriculum.
The positions of the teacher
Chapter 6 then discusses the possible positions of the teacher.
- Avoid controversy.
- Denying the controversial nature of a topic.
- Guiding teaching.
- Neutral impartiality: presenting the issue as an open theme.
Not every position is always desirable. This may depend on the classroom situation and on the type of controversy and the pedagogical context.
Part 3: pedagogical practice in different scenarios.
These three scenarios are:
- The classroom on stilts. (Chapter 7)
- Thorny themes in the curriculum. (Chapter 8)
- Didactic work on controversial themes. (Chapter 9)
Classroom on stilts
The classroom on stilts are moments in which the problems and tensions of society suddenly enter the classroom in all their intensity. Strong statements are a barometer for this. Conspiracy thinking is another. How do you deal with that as a teacher? And is there polarization? So how can you keep the conversation open? Do you need to limit the statements? Should you take a position ‘in the middle’? Do you need to involve the class? How should you further facilitate and structure?
And how do you recognize polarization? According to Dealing with controversy and polarization in the classroom it is characterized by monologues, pushers towards a middle, the perceived threat of the other party, and an ‘us versus them’ thinking. The advice is that the teacher should not get carried away with this. He focuses on the middle and uses four ‘game changers’: 1) change target group, 2) change subject, 3) change position (to the middle) and 4) change tone: genuine interest, acknowledgment of the other, never judgmental.
Thorny themes
The curriculum also contains thorny themes. Often these are themes with a set of conclusive answers. They are (usually) not open issues. What to do when you encounter controversy, for example? Possibilities are e.g.
- Recall the factual context.
- Don’t get caught up in technical discussions if you don’t master the arguments.
- E.g. pointing out legal implications, such as in the case of negationism
- Asking questions and leading the student back to the subject matter.
Think about whether
- The statements must be limited.
- Discuss the incident immediately.
- Use it to learn from.
- Make agreements to get along with each other.
- Explain differences and similarities between similar things.
- Frame the topic in a broader context.
- Give a voice to everyone who feels involved.
- How to open minds to a learning experience.
- Explain that science is also subject to change.
- You can explain the connection between theory and observation.
- You can give them an open scientific mind and how.
- You can explain to them that science can explain a lot, but not everything.
Didactical work on controversial themes
Very important when working didactically on controversial themes are the various working methods, such as dialogue, discussion, debate, interactive workshops, group projects, role plays, art projects, etc. In doing so, the objectives must always be considered. After all, the teaching methods can change the classroom dynamics and the teacher-student relationship. Concretely discussed working methods are 1) the philosophical dialogue and 2) the Structured Academic Controversy, 3) group work, 4) workshops and 5) artistic and artistic projects.
One of the conclusions in the introductory “Let’s talk” is that pupils should be able to talk to each other as often as possible with as much freedom as possible. But also having to learn to listen to each other. The ultimate goal is to keep the conversation open and to keep it open. To this end, the teachers themselves must also learn to listen carefully.
Title: Omgaan met controverse en polarisatie in de klas, Author: Maarten Van Alstein, Publisher: Vlaams Vredesinstituut and Pelckmans Pro, ISBN: 9789463371544