Rich Johnson
For many of our readings, one student will be the designated “Shared-Inquiry Discussion Leader.” Shared-Inquiry Discussion begins with a basic interpretive question. The Leader will be responsible for framing, composing, and posing the question to the community. The only criterion I have for the question is that it be a genuine question about the significance or meaning of the selection that continues to be puzzling or challenging even after careful reading. The discussion leader will be responsible for “guiding” the discussion; most often this will mean simply following up on the ideas that are expressed in response to the question, asking further questions about how the responses relate to the original question, and returning to the text itself sufficiently often to ground our discussion in the “ideas” of the text. To facilitate these discussions, the student Discussion Leader should also be prepared to present briefly the author’s life and background and a brief summary of the main thesis of the text.
The object of these Shared-Inquiry discussions is to foster a habit of critical questioning and thinking. This approach encourages patience and reflection in the face of complexity and promotes respect for the opinion of others.