Preparing for class, as we have seen, is a matter of having useful things to say about the works under consideration, and finding useful things to say - joining in the argument - is primarily a matter of reading the works closely.
Class discussion may then focus on:
* those areas of the work that have not been understood;
* pertinent background to the work;
* a deeper analysis of key portions of the work;
* the relation of the work to other works (its role in the larger arguments represented by the reading list);
* and, finally, personal reactions to the ideas that have arisen as a result of the previous discussion.
You can help focus and enliven the discussion by raising specific questions about those aspects of the work you have not understood, by pointing to specific portions of the text to support your understanding of it, and by thinking hard about a work's ideas so that you can begin to arrive at your own well-considered opinion of them - in that order!
Let us say that you are discussing Plato's Republic, a book which takes the form of a dialogue and seeks to define a concept of justice. Along the way, Plato allows Socrates, the dialogue's main speaker, to say many things about how to organize an ideal state, the role women will play in that state, the role of the artists, and so on. You will no doubt begin reading Plato with your own opinions about some of these matters. Remember, though, that the point of your reading, and the discussion which follows from it, is not to be, at first, an airing of your own opinions.
The first thing is to learn the terms of the argument by understanding Plato. Thus, your own opinions about justice, the role of women and artists in society, and so forth, must initially be set aside. What counts to begin with is your understanding of what Plato has said, and your contributions to the discussion will be most useful if they are directed specifically to that end. A time for personal judgment will come later.
THE VIRTUES OF ARGUMENT
In everyday life, polite people tend to avoid arguments. Arguing for its own sake, parents tell their children, is a bad thing. Argument, after all, is conflict, and the smooth working of everyday life depends to some extent on the suppression of conflicts through a kind of polite dishonesty. People who constantly challenge the ordinary statements of other people, who are always trying to prove themselves right and others wrong, are considered belligerent, rude, perhaps even neurotic. Even if someone says something we think is foolish, we often overlook the foolishness in order to avoid confrontation.
In intellectual life, however, the situation is quite the opposite. As we've already asserted, intellectual life is itself a kind of vast, progressive argument in which people offer up their own ideas and theories to be tested by the scrupulous, relentless criticism of others. In intellectual life, a kind of healthy skepticism rules. Scientists @t the experiments of other scientists to confirm their results and discover their errors; philosophers exercise their powers of logic by seeking out the illogic of other philosophers; and artists create new works, often, by rejecting the methods and accomplishments of their predecessors. Thus, progress in these fields is often the result of vigorous intellectual conflict, and, in conflict of that sort, a rude honesty will shed a lot more light than polite dishonesty.
Freshman Studies may be seen as an introduction to the intellectual life and its conflicts. In class discussion, then - and in the many discussions we expect you to have with your instructors and other students outside of the classroom - don't let the rules of everyday politeness stop you from arguing, and arguing vigorously, from your own knowledge and for your own point of view. So long as you can support your arguments reasonably, and are listening carefully to the other side's point of view (are, that is, even while arguing, keeping your mind open to a re-evaluation of your own point of view), then no matter how heated or discomforting the discussion becomes, you will be operating according to the proper principles of intellectual politeness.
OVERCOMING SHYNESS
Some students enjoy speaking up in class; others do not. Some of those who do speak up have interesting things to say; others merely are pleased to hear the sounds of their own voices. It is a common complaint in Freshman Studies that a few students tend to dominate many of the class discussions. That complaint is most often voiced by those who for one reason or another seldom bring themselves to speak up in class. Remember: nature abhors a vacuum. It seems reasonable that if the quiet people speak up more in class, the talkative will be less able to dominate the discussion.
Students who say little in class often would like to say more but feel inhibited by shyness, or insecurity about their understanding of the work, or a fear of being ridiculed for saying something "wrong." In practice, these cate- gories often melt into one. It is nonsensical to think we can cure anyone of shyness with a few kindly words of advice, but here are a few points the reluctantly quiet may want to consider.
First, if you have not understood something, it is likely that many other students also have not understood it despite the brave expressions they are wearing. Ask that "simple-minded" question. Don't be afraid of showing your ignorance. You are probably not alone in it.
Second, there is no such thing as being "wrong" in a Freshman Studies discussion. There may be better and worse answers to many questions, and there may be closer and less close readings of a work, but right and wrong are not usually the categories appropriate to Freshman Studies discussions. Even apparently "silly" comments, the ones you are reluctant to offer, may turn out to be useful to the discussion.
Third, don't be afraid of taking a position "for the sake of argument." In other words, even if you have some doubts about what you have thought to say, say it anyway. Your doubts are useful - in much of what is said in Freshman Studies, doubt is the most sensible of moods - but if everyone waited for abso- lute certainty of thought, nothing much would ever get said.
Finally, though we have said that your overall contribution to the class discussion may enter into your grade in Freshman Studies, your instructor is not keeping a tally of how many "intelligent" or "unintelligent" things you say. What matters is your engagement with the text and the discussion.
So say what you think, be prepared to be criticized, and stop worrying about saying the "wrong" thing.
Lawrence's Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), located on the first floor of Briggs Hall, offers regularly scheduled discussion workshops through its communication tutoring program. Every term, experienced peer tutors lead discussion skills workshops based on many of the printed texts used in Freshman Studies. These workshops are designed to help students develop their classroom discussion skills, feel more comfortable about speaking up in class, and suggest strategies for improving class participation. Contact the CTL (phone: x6767 and e-mail: ctl@lawrence.edu) or look for information regarding the times and dates of these workshops on the CTL website (http://www.lawrence.edu/dept/student_acad/ctl/).
A WORD TO THE TALKATIVE
Go on being talkative. When you are talking too much, your instructor will let you know.
