Students Practice Civil Discourse in Current Events

Building on materials published by Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, middle school students are learning to engage in thoughtful, constructive dialogue that allows for different points of view and treats all participants with civility and respect.  They have been constructing arguments using the ARE method (assertion, reasoning, evidence) and countering opposing arguments in a reasonable, effective, and systematic way. This approach to discourse is being taught not only in Current Events class but as part of the writing curriculum as well. In this heated and sometimes contentious political climate, we think it’s important to show our students how to have meaningful conversations in which each voice is respected and heard.