- effective discussion skills are essential for becoming an educated, responsible adult; it is a life skill as much as an academic skill
- effective discussion skills can be learned through consistent practice in class
- effective discussion skills are best learned when the format combines structure and freedom
- discussion formats will require an acclimation period that will feel awkward at first
- regular practice in a given format is critical for success; it is an evolutionary process
- successful formats are evidenced by the extent to which the students are "running the show"
We also agreed on several important points for teachers:
- teaching discussion skills can feel really awkward for the teacher at first, since you are gradually turning over class to the students
- that's a good thing
- the students get much more out of the material forming the basis of discussion when they are in charge of discussing it
- appropriate evaluation is best as a combination of individual and group performance
Finally,
- building a facility with group discussions can help build a more intellectually curious environment at Marshall School
- building a facility with group discussions be a difference-maker for a Marshall School education
