Tradition has it that the best way to learn (and teach) is to sit down with a small group and talk in depth about a specific topic. If you find yourself having to lead a course at university or school, or if you are simply interested in alternative ways of learning, you can use the following steps to learn how to lead an interesting debate.
Steps
Step 1. Decide on the topic and purpose of the debate
Do you want to discuss a book, a film or a shared experience? What main theme would you like to address? Is it a topic based on your weekly goals and ultimate learning goal?
Step 2. Narrow the field
Once you've established the general topic, narrow it down. If you're reading Romeo and Juliet, for example, would you like to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of love at a young age? Or the theme of haste in comparison with moderation? Or the leading role of the older man towards the younger, as happens in Romeo and Juliet?
Step 3. Choose an opening question
The best questions are neither too open nor too closed. Closed questions (yes / no) block the discussion, while questions that are too open like "What do you think about couples who get married too young?" they discourage too much. The best questions are open enough to have some possible answers, but they are also closed enough for people to address them and feel motivated to start a debate. A good question might be: "How is the Friar wrong in advising Romeo? How does he succeed in his goal?"
Step 4. Get ready
As the debate leader, prepare several "relevant" questions. Get ready to ask the next question right away, as soon as the discussion dies, when others need new insights. For a 2 hour debate, 2-5 relevant questions should suffice. It is also good to have 2-3 other shorter questions linked to the main ones.
Step 5. Stimulate the debate
Don't simply share your emotions or opinions without backing them up with content. If someone says, "The Friar shouldn't have given Romeo advice!" ask the reason for this statement and discuss possible supporting or opposing opinions. Use the "pros and cons" model, argue a position and then argue against it. Which conclusion would win out in a court of law?
Step 6. Move from the known to the unknown
Good debates depend on the ignorance of the participants. If you already know everything, how can you learn? If you think you've answered the question, dig deeper and find another detail you don't understand, or move to a nearby area of interest. For example, you could say: We know that the Friar gives advice to Romeo and we agree that it was a bad idea. We know that he also advises Juliet … This too was a bad idea or is there something different about her that does the situation change?
Step 7. Take advantage of the different personalities
Ask the quieter members what they think about the topic; and gently restrains those who cannot stop talking, not giving others the chance. Make sure everyone has the opportunity to be heard.
Step 8. Summarize as you go
For example, after discussing the ways the Friar failed as a mentor for 20 minutes, stop and ask the group, "So, what have we said so far?" Summarize and allow time to breathe, collect thoughts, and start thinking again.
Step 9. Summarize the whole debate
Once the time is up (or when others are tired or ready to leave), make a full summary of what was said. "We said that the Friar was wrong to give Romeo advice that was not intended for his good, but for the good of the whole city. We agreed that his advice to Juliet, not so politically motivated, was acceptable. We said that advice should be given in a personal way and that one should not weave one's political plans through others. However some of us disagreed with this and said that the good of the city was more important than the good of Romeo … "If you can't remember everything, that's okay.
Step 10. Leave them with questions
Close the debate with a related question, a "tip for further study". This will give everyone something to think about in the following days.
Advice
- Maintain a positive attitude. If the debate becomes difficult, remember that anyone can learn from the discussion and have fun. There are many debate-based education programs for middle school and kindergarten too! Questions motivate and conversing is as natural as breathing, so if they get difficult, go ahead!
- Socrates was a leader of the debate. Learn from those who lived before you.
- Give yourself at least 1 hour, but keep in mind that for the best debates (those that "generate new questions and open new perspectives to knowledge") it takes 3 hours to develop.
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Sometimes the most important question is the hardest one to answer. "What is the human being?" While there is no satisfactory scientific answer to this question, it is still an important question. Explore with the group the issues that capture your interest, even if you cannot explain their "real value". The most important debates can end without agreement or conclusion. They can finish by clarifying the differences and then agreement on disagreement!
There are generally two types of debates: Theoretical and Practical. Distinguish between the dialogue that leads to the discovery of truth and the one that leads to consent and action, and make it clear to everyone which of the two is in progress
- Many feel that open debates between consenting participants become a kind of nonsense. If someone in the group starts to think so, a good question to ask is, "Why is this important?" Spend time deciding which projects are worth developing, which are not, and then delve into them.
- Provide more than one statement. Try to open a new debate as soon as one is done.
Warnings
- Many become emotional when their claims are challenged or their beliefs are rejected. You have to expect someone to get angry or withdraw. To minimize these behaviors, stick to phrases like "I believe _ because _" rather than "you are wrong" unless someone is outright wrong.
- Allow the discussion to move from point to point. Tradition, experience and the latest research indicate that a conference, which appears to be more organized, is not a way to learn more sustainably or effectively. Stick to the process!
