Kindly note:
This is an ESL friendly class, CEFR  level — C1, C2 (Advanced)
Please feel free to write me via Outschool email with questions.
***
In this one time course, we will engage in an energetic and spirited Socratic discussion sparked by Arthur C. Brooks' essay A Kinder, Gentler Way to Change Minds, published in The Atlantic, April 7, 2022. The question we will consider in our Socratic Discussion is:

 How can we work together to foster a less antagonistic and more collaborative society?

Arthur C. Brooks is a contributing writer at The Atlantic, the William Henry Bloomberg Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, and a professor of management practice at the Harvard Business School. He’s the host of the podcast series How to Build a Happy Life and the author of From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life.

As Brooks notes in his essay, "Research shows that changing minds, especially changing beliefs that are tied strongly to people’s identity, is extremely difficult. As one scholar put it, this personal attachment to beliefs encourages 'competitive personal contests rather than collaborative searches for the truth.' And yet, finding a way to true communication is essential if collaboration and progress is to be made between people of differing beliefs and in society itself.  It's difficult to imagine a more pressing issue for discussion.

To support our discussion we will also consider Julia Dhar's seminal TED Talk, "How to Disagree Productively and Find Common Ground."

 A copy of the essay, A Kinder, Gentler Way to Change Minds  will be sent to students to read and consider prior to the start of class as well as considering as a YouTube link of Julia Dhar's short 16 minute TED Talk.  Students will consider and make notes on both the essay and the video prior to class to prepare for the discussion.

As in all our Socratic discussions, students will expand their critical thinking skills, hone their innate speaking abilities, question, think, communicate.  It’s essential that all in the group work together to promote respectful cooperative interaction as together we explore both the nuances and connections fostered by this deeply thoughtful essay and provocative question. 

This class, and all my classes, are limited to 6 students for maximum interaction and discussion. Every learner has a voice in the classroom.

No prior experience in  Socratic discussion is necessary for this class.