Primetime Teaching: Controversial Issues in the Classroom

When I was in school studying to become a teacher one of my favorite professors, Tom Sheeran talked in my Instruction and Assessment class about the importance of not missing “the teachable moment.” Dr. Sheeran explained to us that there would be times when we taught that we would have the students’ attention in what he referred to as “Primetime.” According to Dr. Sheeran, “Primetime” was any moment in which all of the students were focused on one thing – and for whatever reason, harmony existed among a class because of it.

The state of affairs in our country continues to create teachable moments in our classrooms. More specifically, controversy over a number of topics helps create educational situations that stimulates and involves young minds. Politically, high school students can have different opinions about immigration, Iraq, Afghanistan, world trade, and most recently, health care. These “Primetime” topics can heighten our students’ attention level along with their awareness about what is going on in world as it changes around them.

The recent debates over healthcare can be used in mathematics classes as students learn computations. They can learn to project costs, analyze savings, and estimate levels of service based on the number of healthcare workers in relation to our current population. Students can use their calculations in the creation of position papers supporting their ideas, and they can even learn about various bacteria and viruses in their science classes to add to their understanding of a controversial issue such as healthcare.

What is even more important is that our students learn that their opinions are among many others that may be different. They learn to listen to one another’s thoughts and proposed solutions on difficult topics. Dr. Sheeran would tell us that “Primetime” teaching means that students are learning substance, etiquette, and practicing communication skills all at the same time. I think it is most important that our students learn to respect one another while they are learning, and the controversial issues of our time provide us with an excellent opportunity to do this. I also think that Dr. Sheeran would agree.