Job Discussion Forums

[gaijinalways]

I'm currently teaching 2 debate classes, and am considering dropping some heavy topics into the load for my more serious class (we videotaped 2 weeks of fomal debat on the topic 'Are playing video games a waste of time?' recently. Good debate, students did research, and managed pretty well, though I would like to see them use notes a little less next time (more paraphrasing than reading).

The next topic that they chose out of a menu of topics is 'Do common values make someone Japanese or is speaking the language and being born here in Japan all there is to being Japanese?'

I am considering sharing from the Volconvo debate site again, one thread on 'What does it mean to be American?' I am also considering having the class look at 'Would you drop the bomb?'. Why you may ask? Well, my reasoning is that students can look at the reasoning of some Americans as to why or why not becuase some of it points to the values of Americans and their views of war.

I'm just wondering, for the average 20 year-old Japanese, will this be too controversial? I'm not planning to give my war views, as I want students to think about what are common values for Japanese versus what might be common human values.

Let me know what you think.

[gaijinalways]

As usual, I forgot to add a blank option, the last option of 'Anything is okay, as long as the teacher handles it with sensitivity' was dropped in the poll choices. Technology, great when it works.

[spiral78]

Anything is ok, provided the teacher handles it with sensitivity - and the students are ok with it.

I think I'd probably give them a list of possible topics and ask them to vote for the ones they want to address in future classes.

Then the decision isn't in your hands...

[Justin Trullinger]

Agreed.

I'm strongly in favour of using real communication in the classroom- and argument is a very real part of real communication.

But if a topic affects students' emotional selves too strongly, it may interfere with their learning.

I really like the idea of letting them choose.


Best,
justin

[John Hall]

I would say that you have to be crazy asking Japanese students to debate "Would you drop the bomb?" I wouldn't be too worried about your students' reactions, so much as the reactions of your employer and the students's parents. Someone could easily get all worked up over something they haven't quite entirely understood about what you did in the classroom, and in the end they try to nail you on something you didn't do or didn't intend, etc., etc.

And don't even think about debating this topic if you are teaching anywhere near Nagasaki or Hiroshima!

[denise]

How about "yes, if the culture you're in forbids discussion of it"? I feel that a lot of topics are off limits here. For my debating class last semester, I asked the students to brainstorm and then vote on a topic. They chose what I thought was the absolute most boring topic on the list--"Is it OK to have a maid in your house?" They did manage to find some arguments on either side, but I still thought that the debate lacked, uh, life, and I penalized them for not having solid facts and statistics (which was one of the requirements that they knew about before choosing the topic).

d

[rusmeister]

What the teacher believes also plays a role here. If the teacher believes that there is no (absolute) truth, or the truth doesn't matter, then controversial topics will seem like mere intellectual exercises ("Were Americans right or wrong to drop the bomb? Cast your vote now!"), and while seeing himself as an "impartial judge" may lack the sensitivity to realize that some or all of his students do believe in certain truths.
And as an aside, what's the point of fostering thought if you have no intention of reaching a conclusion?

If the teacher does hold certain truths to be self-evident, then he may steer, reasonably or unreasonably, students towards his conclusions. The great danger here is that the teacher may fail completely to teach honest examination of questions (that allows for the possibility that the students are free to draw opposing conclusions).

Denise's point about requiring facts is good - of course you also have to teach how facts and statistics can be manipulated...

[denise]

[arioch36]

Certainly here in China there are many topics that can not be debated, either because the students are told by the leaders not to, or it is useless.

China has 5,000 years of history

Taiwan is part of China

Tibet is part of China, and the Dali is evil, and the Tibet protestors are evil, want to destroy China and the Olympics, and the west (esp. CNN )wants this as well)


And throw in any other party teaching...only one answer allowable. A dissenting student very likely would be beat up by other students.

Don't know how many are aware, at Duke university a mainland Chinese girl was seen speaking in a friendly way to the Tibetans at her uni who were preotesting. The result ... massive number of people calling for her death, and the death of her family. Her details such as home address, work site of parents, etc were published on various forums, and the parents had to go into hiding.

No, many topics just can't be discussed in China for various reasons

[gaijinalways]

Just a note, I have decided to reword the debate question again to 'Is it easier to live in Japan if you are a foreigner (pro) or a Japanese (con)?

[arioch36]

BTW, here in China, if you ask; the only acceptable answer of a Chinese is that I hate Japanese, and Japanese are bad. No rational discourse allowed.

[gaijinalways]

That doesn't sound so bad, as long as you're not Japanese (or know someone who is)!?

[arioch36]

Strangely, most colleges in China have a hard time getting Japanese teacher to come (or stay).

[rusmeister]

[gaijinalways]

Yes, I understood poster 5010, and I might be happy to share my views after they do the debate, but what my opinion is on this matter is not important. I'm looking for students to develop debating/argumentative styles, and be able to support their conclusions with evidence.