In Persepolis, Marj takes a strong stance on the beliefs and opinions of her family and people close to her. As a teacher, what strategies might you use to intervene when two or more students engage in a heated discussion over a personal belief or opinion?
Great question Doug! I think the discussion needs to be mediated and it needs to be taking place at an appropriate time. While we do need to let these discussions take place, I think it is absolutely crucial that they be fair and that they are not offensive to the class. If the discussion is relevant to the topic the class is discussing, then I believe the discussion should take place but the teacher definitely needs to keep an even keel on the situation and allow for both sides to share while pointing out that the conversation needs to be kept appropriate and also pointing out that this is the opinion of the students and not representational of the entire class.
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