Student-Directed Questions

I don’t have time in section to properly facilitate a discussion of every student’s question or objection. Section time is finite, and you may not be able to let every student take the lead. However, simply letting student contributions go unrecognized and unused is not especially conducive to an inclusive discussion.

• Group similar questions or objections together. Ask students to submit questions and objections to you before section. Organize questions and objections with similar content together. Then, in section, ask students with similar questions or objections to present together.

• Keep a record of unaddressed student questions or objections. Either in class (on the board, in your notes, etc.) or through an online document, maintain a list of questions and objections that don’t get properly addressed in class discussion. This not only recognizes otherwise ignored student contributions but can also be used as fodder for future sections discussion or even as inspiration students can use for writing and other assignments.

One of my students provides a defense for/objection to a view that makes other students uncomfortable. Often times, discussions of ethical issues involve, directly or indirectly, issues that students (or even you yourself) will feel strongly about. Allowing students to determine (to some extent), the topics of class discussion can, for better and for worse, focus discussion on topics that students have strong feelings on. Even if the defense/objection is worth thinking about, it seems difficult to discuss it or the issues around it without alienating some students.

• Review norms of discourse.

• Recognize the difficulty.

• Reframe the challenging defense/objection as an object of intellectual analysis.

• Ask for help. Sometimes, you may find yourself with a classroom issue that you feel totally unqualified to deal with. Perhaps you feel the challenging defense/objection is not being put forth in good faith or cannot be genuinely addressed (even as an object of intellectual analysis) without making the classroom feel unwelcoming or even unsafe for some students. Remember, you are not alone in this. Ask for help from other TFs, a head TF, or the course head. In some cases, if the problem is sufficiently severe, the problem should be escalated to faculty and administration.