Elements of discussion / by David I. Backer.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Backer, David I., author.

Series:

Critical constructions.

Critical constructions: studies in education and society

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Discussion.

Social justice and education.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (151 p.)

Place of Publication:

Charlotte, North Carolina : Information Age Publishing, Inc., 2016.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Discussion is distorting today. Within schools, social movements, and firms, there has been an increasing tendency for teachers and facilitators to announce that there will be a discussion while the interaction which follows this announcement is not a discussion, but something else, likely a recitation and lecture. This distortion of discussion promises democracy, equality, and participation during a meeting or class, but delivers inequality, prohibition, and dominance.Now is the time to begin changing these practices which ultimately create and support a neoliberal society that promises democracy but practices oligarchy. One way to change this neoliberal social world is by intervening in the distortion of discussion, by facilitating interaction so that discussion's promise of equality and participation is fulfilled rather than negated. Elements of Discussion is a resource for this intervention. It is a political, poetic, and practical handbook for facilitating discussion. Discussions happen everywhere, and if society itself is composed of relationships between people then creating more participation and equality during discussions can help create the conditions for social change. Elements of Discussion therefore includes practical tips, techniques, and reflective questions through which it firmly and sensitively suggests to readers how to facilitate discussions across contexts. Beginning with the ways chairs and tables are set up, continuing through the kinds of questions a facilitator can ask, and including sample activities facilitators can use, the book expounds a philosophy of facilitating discussion, emphasizing the political and poetic significance of the tactics it recommends.

Contents:

Preface

Chapter 1. Chairs

Chapter 2. Tables

Chapter 3. How Did You Get To This Discussion?

Chapter 4. What Discussion Is and Is Not: Recitation. Chapter 5

Be Early

Chapter 6. "Hi"

Chapter 7. Here We Are

Chapter 8. Check-in

Chapter 9. Bodies

Chapter 10. Written and Oral Discussion

Chapter 11. Online Discussion

Chapter 12. Physical Activity

Chapter 13. The Living Silence.

Chapter 14. Questions

Chapter 15. Collective Questioning

Chapter 16. The First Silence

Chapter 17. The Second Silence

Chapter 18. Your Eyes

Chapter 19. The General Rule of Silences

Chapter 20. Notes

Chapter 21. Make Your Voice A Mixtape

Chapter 22. Freedom

Chapter 23. The White Man

Chapter 24. Different Kinds of Quiet People

Chapter 25. Discussion and Deliberation

Chapter 26. Mmmmmm

Chapter 27. Repair

Chapter 28. Be Unsure

Chapter 29. Facilitator/Participant

Chapter 30. One Person Is A Universe

Chapter 31. Openness

Chapter 32. Discussion Over Time

Chapter 33. A Good Rule

Chapter 34. Proper Names

Chapter 35. "I Learned A Lot From What You Said"

Chapter 36. Food

Chapter 37. Equality

Chapter 38. Language

Chapter 39. Talking Sticks and Bells

Chapter 40. Turn vs. Comment

Chapter 41. The Average Game

Chapter 42. Counting

Chapter 43. Making Decisions

Chapter 44. Discussion as Democracy

Chapter 45. What Discussion Is and Is Not: Dialogue

Chapter 46. What Discussion Is and Is Not: Socratic

Chapter 47. Discussion and Conversation

Chapter 48. "Sharing Ideas". Chapter 49. Be Aware of the Time. Chapter 50. Get Exuberant Once or Twice

Chapter 51. Pause

Chapter 52. Knowing the Stakes

Chapter 53. Therapy

Chapter 54. When Things Boil

Chapter 55. Sexism

Chapter 56. Facilitator Power

Chapter 57. English

Chapter 58. Discipline

Chapter 59. Other Theories

Chapter 60. Fairy Tale Tennis Ball

Chapter 61. Remembering Game

Chapter 62. Emotional Social Contract

Chapter 63. Tangents

Chapter 64. Comment Game

Chapter 65. Debrief

Chapter 66

Discussing Discussion

Reading List

Author Bio.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references.

Print version record.

ISBN:

1-68123-282-0