Controversial Issues in the Classroom

Discussions of politics, religion, social issues, sexuality, race, or gender have often been seen as loaded. This is particularly true in a classroom where students come from different backgrounds and there could be a mix of privileged and underprivileged individuals. The debate on whether to incorporate controversial-issue discussions in the classroom has raged since the early nineties, and is still ongoing today (Long & Long, 1975). But what defines a controversial-issue discussion, exactly? It is a dialogue among people on a topic that could potentially be of emotional content or disagreement. Often they are issues that divide societies and can lead to conflict. A particular topic of controversy can vary from a local matter to a global one (Harwood & Hahn, 1990). A discussion of the hallmarks of a ‘strong’ student versus a ‘weak’ student would be specific to a particular classroom, while the topic of religious wars can be seen as a global issue. Both these topics could be uncomfortable to discuss and yet many educators promote the need to engage students in topics that have the potential for discord. Why?

Image by Gerd Altmann on Pixabay

            Involving students in controversial-issues discussions has benefits for building future citizens. Indeed, students will be confronted, as adults, with divisive issues and if they do not learn to address them at school, then they will struggle later on. Harwood & Hahn (1990) give three reasons of why discussing controversial issues in the classroom is important. For one, it allows students to develop critical thinking. When engaged in discussions, students develop skills such as generating ideas and hypotheses, debating their points and evaluating solutions. The National Council of Social Studies (NCSS) also supports this claim. It promotes the idea that teaching students to be critical thinkers needs to be done through controversial-issues discussions in the classroom (Byford, Lennon & Russell, 2009). Second, students are able to develop interpersonal skills when engaged in controversial-issues discussions (Harwood & Hahn, 1990). They learn to understand the format of proper communication by developing listening skills, responding respectfully and delivering convincing points. Last, students get the opportunity to prepare for citizenship. Newmann (1989) explains how for there to be citizenship—particularly in a democratic setting—individuals need to debate on the issues of the community. As such, the classroom needs to be a laboratory in which students practice their future roles as citizens (as cited Harwood & Hahn, 1990, p. 3). Another benefit to discussing controversial issues in the classroom is argued by Long and Long (1975) who found that students who engaged in these debates tend to follow news and current events more, and speak with their friends and families about varied social or political issues. In addition, they tend to develop civic tolerance and increased interest in social issues and politics (Harwood & Hahn, 1990).

Incorporating controversial-issues discussion in the classroom definitely promotes a sense of citizenship in students. It allows them to learn about freedom of speech (and the tolerance that it entails), develop critical thinking skills and improve communication abilities. Yet, many teachers and students remain reluctant to talk about topics that are controversial in the classroom (Long & Long, 1975; Misco, 2013). 

References:

Byford, J., Lennon, S., & Russell, W. B. (2009). Teaching Controversial Issues in the Social Studies: A Research Study of High School Teachers. Clearing House, 82(4), 165-170.

Harwood, A., M. & Hahn, C., L. (1990). Controversial Issues in the Classroom. ERIC Digest. ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education Bloomington IN. ERIC Identifier: ED327453

Long, S. & Long, R (1975). Controversy in the Classroom: Student Viewpoint and Educational Outcome. Teaching Political Science 2, 275-299.

Misco, T. (2013). ‘We do not talk about these things’: the promises and challenges of reflective thinking and controversial issue discussions in a Chinese high school. Intercultural Education, 24(5), 401-416. doi:10.1080/14675986.2013.842663

Body or Mind?

Once in a while I sit on my couch and ponder about what I have learned this past year… Have I become a better person? Have I reached my potential as an educator? Have I made someone's life better than what it was? Or, really, have I just spent most of my days in bed, watching TV? Of course, answering these questions would take much more time than a few minutes of thoughts… Which is why I'm writing this. As I am typing this, I'm hoping that it will allow me to brainstorm and come up with a list of things that I am doing right, and things that I should work on.

I'm reaching the end of my 2nd year of my PhD program, so this is a great time to think about this. I have to admit, it was tough… Not so much the courses themselves, but balancing my studies with work, assignments, social life, other important goals, family matters… Phheeewwwww… It takes a toll on you. Yet, when you reach the end and realize that you did it, it almost makes you forget all the hardship that it took… So of course I'll do it again next year! Complain about it while it happen, and feel satisfied when it's over.

But really if I take a step back and look at things that happened, I have reached a few milestones that I am proud of. I am close to reaching the honour of 'Distinguished Toastmaster', I presented my academic research at a few renowned conferences, I launched an organization called ABA, I made enough money to pay rent, food, and even a few trips here and there (all this while studying full-time), I kept a high GPA at school, and I managed to support my friends when they needed me. BUT BUT BUT… I also lacked sleep, spent a considerable amount of time in front of my computer, ate unhealthy meals, and exercised very little. In other words, my mind has done lots of gymnastics (which is great), but my body none (which is terrible).

Here comes my dilemma: body or mind? If I start spending more time sleeping, eating healthier and moving around, that would considerably reduce the time I will use to work. Let's say I decide to walk to my university: that's 45 minutes time that I could have used reading an article. Let's say I decide to go to the gym 3 times a week, that's about 5 hours a week that I could have used to write an article. And when it comes to eating healthy, it's not so much that it takes time, but rather than it costs money… And when you are a full-time student, your source of income is limited…

Having said this, I of course understand that having a healthy mind with an unheatlhty body has limitations… Before you know it, your body will take over your mind; and then you will have nothing left. So, instead of sitting on this couch and writing this, perhaps it would be smart for me to get up and go for a run… Despite the cold. 

Yep, my brainstorming is over. Thanks for reading. Off I go!

Stop freaking out, Facebook is not dangerous!

It’s been about 10 years since Facebook has made its arrival in the Internet world, and dare I say, in our personal lives. Despite its success, pretty much everyone on this planet has at some point massively criticized this medium. I have heard people say: “it has ruined my social life”, “I have 500 friends but none of them are real”, “Thanks to Facebook, I don’t read books anymore”, “I have no more personal life”, and so forth. Even Facebook avid users like myself sometimes condemn what Facebook has done to our lives. In reality, Facebook has never done anything to anyone; it is the users’ responsibility to control Facebook, and not the other way round.

Contrary to popular belief, Facebook is not dangerous to our society, far from it. I am here to illustrate that Facebook is a remarkable tool that can allow you to succeed in numerous ways. Yes, I said it. If used appropriately, Facebook will allow you to be on top of the social, political, and/or intellectual ladder. You can build strong friendship, enlarge your general knowledge, make money, and/or freely discuss your principles (although this last one depends on where you live). For those of you who are not on Facebook, you are missing out a great deal, and you don’t even know it. For those of you who are and are not satisfied, then perhaps you are misusing it. And for those of you, who love Facebook like myself, bravo, you got it!

Right now, some of you might be thinking that Facebook is paying me to write this, or that I’m dating Mark Zuckerberg. I wish! If Facebook was paying me, I doubt that I would be posting this on my personal blog; a blog that has on average 5 visitors per day. And, if I was dating Mark, well… Let’s not go there; I don't want to get sued for saying something inappropriate. Truthfully speaking dear reader, I am writing this solely on my own initiative.

Yes, it is true, that Facebook has changed the way we communicate, socialize, build friendship, and share news. But I argue that those changes are positive changes. In fact, the day Facebook will kick the bucket—because let’s face it, everything has an end—I am certain that many of us will lose a piece of our lives with it. I have the utmost respect for the creators and the people that maintain this social media. And I am about to tell you why.

I have about 800 friends on Facebook. Most people would think that I probably don’t know those 800 people. “That’s too much”; “how can you really connect with those 800 people, it’s absurd!” But, if you think about how many people you know in your life (depending of course of how old you are), you will soon realize that 800 is not that much. And if you have lived in varied different cities, have attended many different schools, have had several jobs, and are involved in numerous associations, 800 people is a ridiculously tiny part of your friend circle. So first things first, don’t judge people by how many friends they have on Facebook’ that might mean that they have quadruple the number in real life.

Now, to answer the question: Do I know all the 800 people that are on my Facebook friends list. Well, of course I do, otherwise they wouldn’t be there. Why would anybody share information about themselves to someone they don't know? (Unless of course it's for advertising purposes, in which case, it is warranted). Each and every of the 800 friends I have on Facebook are or have been important in my life at some point. They bring me joy, useful information (and of course sometimes not so useful ones), and a sense of belonging. Some are family members, some are my very close friends, some are my colleagues, my students, childhood friends with whom I share incredible memories, some are people that I know from varied organizations I am part of, and some are classmates or professors. And yes, I know every single one of them, and can even tell you the first time I met them and the last time I saw them. So this is not just a simple “let me add all the people I saw one day” kinda thing; this is more like a “let me add this amazing person that I am growing to know and would love to connect more with”, or “let me add that person I spent 5 years in high school with eating together”.

Yes, of course I would love to spend actual time with them and meet them in person, but I simply cannot because they live miles away or my work/school schedule does not allow me to. But guess what? Thanks to Facebook I connect with them anytime I/they want. How is this a bad thing? I am able to see my godson grow on the other side of the planet thanks to photos his mom posts on Facebook; I am able to easily plan events with my friends so that we can go grab some delicious meals by the river; I am able to open a discussion group about a certain topic that is dear to me; I am able to chat with my mentor who allows me to grow wiser every single day. So I ask you again: How is all this a detriment to society? In fact, more than ever we are connecting with our peers, building strong friendships, creating new friendships, talking, and sharing. Isn’t that the definition of society? Just because it is being done over a computer doesn’t mean we are not together, of course we are. We are more than together; we are present in each other lives despite the distance that might separate us. This is magical people! Not dangerous. And by the way, nobody will ever tell you that the day they joined Facebook they stopped meeting their friends in person. Facebook is complimentary to your actual life, not a replacement.

Believe it or not, one of my major sources of international news is Facebook. Yep! With 800 friends that live all over the world, I get hands-on experience of what they are going through. From the Egypt revolution in 2011, to the Norway attack on the island of Utøya. From the earthquake in Japan, to soccer championships, etc. Plus, I’m lucky to have 800 intellectual or highly knowledgeable friends, hence, they post news links that are trustworthy and that I can follow right away without sitting in front of my TV and waiting for the journalist to talk about the information I want to hear. I said that Facebook increases general knowledge, and I say it again. Without it, most people wouldn’t be able to know half of what is going on in the world. And the same goes for me; the amount of useful information I gather from Facebook on a daily basis is double the amount I gathered when I was not.

Now, don’t get me wrong, all information on Facebook is not useful. Of course not; just like not all information on television or radio is. But like I said in the beginning of this post, when used appropriately Facebook teaches you a lot more than you think.

Now let’s talk about how Facebook can help your political agenda… Actually, I don’t even think I have to go over this, do I? Everyone who has followed Obama’s campaign knows first-hand that Facebook was a HUGE reason for his victory in the election. If you were not aware of this, simply google “Obama and Facebook”, or better yet, like Obama’s page on Facebook and see for yourself. Again, please know that I am not advertising for the Democratic Party in the US, and I am not being paid by anyone there. If I had connections with Obama, I would probably be writing about something of higher importance like Obama Care or something.

Financially, if you have a product to sell, an event to announce, a restaurant that you are opening… And you want your 800 friends to know about, Facebook allows you to do that in one simple click, and your 800 friends can even share it to their 800 friends. If this is not the best advertising tool there is, I don't know what it. It’s cheap, quick, and easily accessible. Needless to say, if you have a business and you are not using Facebook you are not reaching your highest potential as a business owner. You are forbidding all those Facebook users from being your potential costumers. Why?

To all the people that say that they have stopped reading since Facebook emerged. First of all that is not true, what you read on the internet is also called reading (it might not be a book per se, but you are getting educated by reading news, posts, etc.). However, if you really feel like your reading habits have reduced due to Facebook, then you are probably using it more than you should. When I said that Facebook is to be used wisely, this is partially what I meant. Remember, Facebook is a supplement, use it when you need it. For some that might be 5 minutes a day, some an hour a day, and some 3 hours. What matters is that while you are on Facebook you feel as though you are gaining something important; you are satisfied with how you are spending your time. If not, turn off that computer and do something else that is more useful and more gratifying.

The last point I want to discuss is the privacy issue that everyone is so afraid about. First, let’s put things in perspective, Facebook does NOT force you to post anything you don't want to other than your name (and even that, you can invent an alias). Whatever information you write can be used against or in favor of you, just like when you speak to someone on the street, make a presentation at a conference, or publish a paper. There is absolutely nothing different about Facebook when it comes to controlling what you say. As one of my primary teacher would say: “repeat what you are about to say 7 times in your head before saying it out loud”. Once you’ve made sure that it will have no or little repercussion, then you can say/post it.

It is true that Facebook uses your information to help advertisers know exactly what you like and what you are into. After all they need to make money, they can’t just give you a wonderful service for free and not get anything in return. If you owned Facebook, you’d do the same. They have employees to pay and maintenance fees like any other company.  So they can either charge us a fee to join Facebook, or use advertisements. I vote for the latter. Remember though, if you don't tell Facebook what you like, then they cannot tell their advertisers. So really in the end, it’s up to you.

There is a reason why Facebook is the world’s largest social media. If people really hated it, they will be off of it. So, to those of you who are not yet on Facebook, don’t wait another second to join—unless of course you don’t really care about connecting with friends who live far from you, or make more money for your business, or increase your knowledge. There are of course other ways to reach these goals, and if it is working sublimely for you, then definitely, no need for you to join. But if there is a slight doubt in your mind that maybe, just maybe you could make more money by using Facebook, or you could meet more people, or … Then Just use it wisely, and you’ll see the advantages in a few days.  

  

4 Reasons Why I Loved my Stay in Seattle

Seattle

I spent four days in Seattle, Washington, USA. True, not enough time to really know all about a city. But sometimes, a few days are all you need to grasp the main highlights of a place, and see if you love it or hate it... In my case, I loved Seattle. Other than the rain (yeah, it really rains all the time), it is a pretty cute city that has a lot to offer. I’d like to share the 4 main reasons that made my stay wonderful. And, if you ever plan to travel to Seattle, I recommend considering these points. 

1) WATERFRONT:  I have a theory: any city that has water (ocean, lake, river…) has the potential to be a great city. There is something about water that makes things feel like you are constantly on vacation. It smells watery, it feels good, and people seem happier. Seattle is no different. Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, there are breathtaking sceneries from pretty much anywhere. It is truly a gem that everyone should discover. Funny thing is, I have a feeling that most Seattlers don’t go out to re-discover the beauty of their city… Please do!

At Kushi Bar

2) FOOD: If you can't afford to go to Asia, then go to Seattle for the best Chinese, Japanese, Thai or Vietnamese food. Succulent dishes, authentic taste, affordable price. While typing this, I'm almost drooling right now thinking about the delicious 'pho' I had at Thanh Vi (on Jackson Street and 12th Avenue): simply the best I've ever had... And don't even get me started on the 'okonomiyaki at Kushi Bar: Mmmmmmm... Also, the 'dim sums' at Jade Garden (in the International District) are to die for! I'm pretty sure I'll never taste anything this good, except perhaps if I go to the home of dim sums itself, in Guangdong (Southern China).

Space Needle

3) LANDMARKS:

From the Space Needle (which has appeared in many movies and TV shows), to the Seattle Center Monorail, the Smith Tower, the Washington Mutual Tower (Seattle's second tallest building), the Pike Place Market, the Fremont Troll, the Science Fiction Museum, and The Seattle Great Wheel… There it really something for everyone. And for those of you Starbucks lovers, its first store is at the Pike Place Market since it was founded in 1971 (and it looks exactly like it was back then).

4) MY HOSTS: Well, this was the climax of all. I stayed at one of my friends' and her fiancée’s. They are the most amazing hosts in the world (Yep! I said world). To be honest, even if my trip was in the most boring city, I'm pretty sure I'd have had an amazing time anyways with hosts like them. They were thoughtful, funny, easy-going, kind-hearted, considerate, loving... In fact, any other positive adjectives you can think of probably fits them. I've travelled a lot in my life, and I can confidently say that this is by far the best place I've stayed at. We spent hours laughing, talking about old times, baking (unsuccessfully but still… It’s the process that counts), cooking, shopping, visiting Seattle's landmarks, laughing some more... And laughing again… What a pleasure it was! 

Thank you for a lovely time guys!

Hence, my advice to you, future Seattle visitors, make sure to stay at a place where you’d feel welcomed. If not, by all means, stay in a hotel.

There is nothing that can ruin your vacation more than if you hate where you are staying. I'd give you the address of MY hosts/friends in Seattle, but I like them too much to share them with anyone else, haha!