Teachers: Do you ever say something controversial or 'wrong'

[yvr girl]

to your class just to see if any of them will challenge you? Do you ever get them to call bullshit?

[Dudley_DUright]

1. In my own field of physics, this "devils advocate" technique

is hard to pull off, but I do know colleagues that use it all the time in other disciplines.

[aeolian]

2. You could always drop a minus-sign, or change an exponent.

but that's about as controversial as a physics class could get.

...or you could start talking about brane-theory and the more subtle interpretations of quantum mechanics. :)

[Dudley_DUright]

4. Actually, I use to teach a course in the honors program

on Cosmology and the Big Bang theory where the discussions could get a little "hot" (no pun intended...........OK pun intended ;-) ).

[aeolian]

6. *groan* *smack forehead*

...sigh...physics puns...

...like I don't get enough of that at work...

:toast:

[Dudley_DUright]

8. You forgot to use the little "bang forhead" smilie

:banghead: :evilgrin:

[janx]

3. I've been known to ask a rather pointed, controversial

questions sometimes. No proclamations.

Why?

[yvr girl]

5. To see if they're thinking and developing

rational thought processes.

I see so many people accept everything said on the news or in print as truth. They don't question it. I think it's good for kids to learn to question things.

[JackintheGreen]

7. Sorry

I used to try all the time. Nothing. No critical thought, no questioning the status quo, no independent discourse. Not even from my eighth graders.

I'm not a teacher anymore.

[Catshrink]

9. I've answered a student question with "In George Bush's America

we must teach to the test." His question was something like "why do we have to do this?"

Another time I saw a student's social studies paper on her desk (I teach science). It was about Tony Blair and I asked her about the assignment -- they were to "nominate" someone for the Nobel Peace Prize. Oh, I said and read her first paragraph. Something about him making a tough choice to keep us free. Then I got into it with her: there's nothing peaceful about invading a sovreign nation without provocation. She said what? He and Bush invaded a sovreign nation. Do you think that's okay? She gave me a blank stare, but I could see the wheels turning as she was trying to decipher what I was asking. I left her to her musings.

[immoderate]

10. Well I'd say on the first day...

"I have a method of grading that is a system. And that system has a name. The name of the system is 'favoritism!' In other words, students, you want to do everything you can to make sure I look on you favorably when grading time comes."

Pause, see who gets it. Let the word get around. Note, this worked best on the Eastern seaboard and worst down the middle of the country.

I would sometimes use examples of unlogical thinking, like circular reasoning. For humor or effect. Sometimes it worked.

--IMM