The first workshop of our online conference is a product of the Learning to Disagree project. This project was initiated in response to the needs of educators who experience difficulties in addressing sensitive and controversial issues in their classrooms. The project, now in its final stages, offers trainings and support materials for teachers to face these topics head first with their students, subsequently teaching students vital skills such as the ability to listen, to consider alternative interpretations, and the ability of interacting with people that they disagree with in a constructive manner. Skills they will enjoy far beyond the classroom.
Additionally, in a time of growing division, where intolerance creates an “us-versus-them” attitude among social groups, it is essential for students to learn how to deal with controversial subjects, and how to cope with a variety of viewpoints and disagreements. And therefore it is also important that teachers include methods of dialogue, debate and discussion in their lessons, and deal with controversies.
Matej is a core member of the Learning to Disagree team and will gladly introduce you to the methodologies and teachers guide he has been working on for the last three years. His workshop will be divided in three parts. The first part will allow you to experience the newly developed lesson plan for students first hand. This lesson plan will consist of what we call “a variety of viewpoints”, in which participants are introduced to a collection of written texts and media images about migration. Based on these materials, you and your fellow colleagues from across Europa are asked to form an opinion on migration to Europe and subsequently discuss these opinions in a group. In the second part, Matej will introduce the rationale behind the lesson, e.g. the teachers’ guide, focusing on how to use the teachers’ guide in different classrooms. In the final part, Matej will ask you to share your views on the teaching strategy and assessment methods presented.
