CONVO
CONVO is a learning space for students to practice the art of scholarship and citizenship. In CONVO Students research, discuss, write and act on current critical issues; engaging with vital questions like: How Democratic is the United States? Should Supreme Court Justices serve for life? Should some speech NOT be protected?
1-Choose a Topic
Pick a burning issue that matters to you and your students: capital punishment, immigration and border policy, climate change, Supreme Court term limits, gun violence, legalization of marijuana, voting rights, freedom of speech, book banning, stem cell research or another topic that is currently being debated by our fellow citizens that you and your students will find interesting, engaging, and important.
Or you can let the students pick their own topic. This maximizes student autonomy, but also the risk of a topic that's a dud. If you do let the students pick, you should still guide their decision towards more fruitful topics - where there are multiple viewpoints that will lead to both disagreement and agreement. Let the students individually list three topics they’d like to CONVO then move them into small groups to discuss which of their topics will create more productive learning and discussion. Finally list the small group choices on the board and then discuss the merits of the topics with the whole class and then vote.* I recommend doing this only after a couple of CONVO trials with topics picked by the teacher.
2-Research the Topic and Make a Claim
Students research the topic, using teacher generated resources or at least one of the following free independent fact-based sources:
Students prepare a claim about the topic. The claim should come in the following format: I believe __________ because _______________.
Students should support their claim with factual, informative, and illuminating support in the form of a chart, graph, map, quote, infographic, cartoon, video, or news report. A claim is only as strong as its support. Students will be evaluated on their claim, support, and response.
3-Listen to Claims & Discuss
Students will come to CONVO with a claim and support for claim written on a piece of paper. They may bring additional notes. During CONVO class will be arranged in two circles; a small circle of four (inside) and a large circle of the rest of the class (outside). Students on the inside may read from notes, talk, ask, discuss. Students outside the center may NOT talk at all.
The Golden rule of conversation: Listen to others as you would have them listen to you!
The goal of each student is to listen actively, critically, and carefully and to make at least one thoughtful comment or question in our classroom CONVO. Teachers should take notes on our class discussion to evaluate each students' level/quality of participation. The goal of the teacher is to be quiet and to only ask questions if the class falls into a prolonged silence (silence is golden, but silence can be awkward), or comment and redirect if students make inappropriate comments. Students are forewarned that they will only be allowed to stay in class if they are quiet (outside the center) and vocal (inside the center). If you are ejected from class, you will receive a zero for your participation grade. Every single student must speak at least once in the CONVO. (Optionally, you may prod silent students into conversation by saying you will penalize the grade of the entire class per each mute student - I've threatened, but I've never actually had to deduct points.) Students must tag-out a student to switch places with them on the inside of the CONVO. Students may only tag-out a student who has already spoken. A student may only return to the middle and speak again after each student has participated in the CONVO.
“If your mouth is open, you’re not learning.”
4-Debrief
Debrief by discussing the CONVO observation sheet and commending the best CONVOsationalists.
5-Write
Now that we have had our CONVO and you have heard many claims and support, write a persuasive paragraph (150 words maximum) about today’s topic! In you paragraph, express a clear claim (your opinion) about the topic. Try to convince the reader that you are correct (remember, you are not trying to convince yourself) by using at least two strong pieces of evidence: facts/data/information and logic/reason. Your paragraph should be an expansion on your original claim - I believe __________________ because _____________________.
6-Beyond: Engage/Create
Students take action regarding the topic. They can create, join, persuade, start a petition on change.org, create a campus teach-in, write a poem, submit a letter to the editor, make posters to put up around campus, pen a short story, post a video, start a Tumblr, make visual art, write a manifesto, chalk the campus, contact politicians, write an article for the school newspaper, join or start an interest group, spread the word, hold a rally or protest, or lobby the legislature. Students should work alone or in small groups, write their goals, conceive an action plan, and then share their proposal with class. Students will be evaluated based on their creativity, persuasion, and efficacy. Students will work together or alone in class to begin their project. They will document and share their project results with class at a later date.