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Sometimes, I love my students!
For yesterday's Northern Ireland class, I had scheduled an election-debate style podium discussion with subsequent election, sorting the participants into the five major parties, and having them select a speaker and prepare questions from the floor.
Although I desperately wanted them to do it, because putting them into the position of a particular party, making them look through their eyes and argue their viewpoint would be useful to get a better understanding of matters, I was panicked to no end because well, if it didn't work (i.e. if people were not prepared or the 'audience' or speakers would just go dead silent), there would be very little I could do to salvage things.
Then I had a panicked email the night before that one group had not managed to prepare anything due to lack of communication, and consequently I slept about two hours that night because I was so panicked.
And then they *rocked*! There's no better way to put it. *Especially* the group who'd had the preparation troubles. They brought up all the controversial political issues, and really got into things, tearing through everything from economy to identity to the meaning of democracy, including a bit of (good-humoured) personal sniping. Even the one group that was practically silent did so in an amusing way that wasn't disruptive.
I finally had to stop them just because the time was over, and, well, they bloody *awed* me! It also looked as if they were quite enjoying themselves. I was so relieved, and on a high for the rest of the day. So yes - I really love them :).
For yesterday's Northern Ireland class, I had scheduled an election-debate style podium discussion with subsequent election, sorting the participants into the five major parties, and having them select a speaker and prepare questions from the floor.
Although I desperately wanted them to do it, because putting them into the position of a particular party, making them look through their eyes and argue their viewpoint would be useful to get a better understanding of matters, I was panicked to no end because well, if it didn't work (i.e. if people were not prepared or the 'audience' or speakers would just go dead silent), there would be very little I could do to salvage things.
Then I had a panicked email the night before that one group had not managed to prepare anything due to lack of communication, and consequently I slept about two hours that night because I was so panicked.
And then they *rocked*! There's no better way to put it. *Especially* the group who'd had the preparation troubles. They brought up all the controversial political issues, and really got into things, tearing through everything from economy to identity to the meaning of democracy, including a bit of (good-humoured) personal sniping. Even the one group that was practically silent did so in an amusing way that wasn't disruptive.
I finally had to stop them just because the time was over, and, well, they bloody *awed* me! It also looked as if they were quite enjoying themselves. I was so relieved, and on a high for the rest of the day. So yes - I really love them :).