In this Issue
1. From the Principal's Desk
2. Kiss and Ride
3. Recognitions
4. Recent Student Successes
1. From the Principal's Desk
Dear Members of the CHS Community:
I hope you are doing well. Homecoming was a huge success this year, and I hope all of you were able to take part in one way or another. Our dance attracted approximately 1000 students—the largest high school dance I have ever been a part of—and they appeared to have a great time. The parade, football game, and Taste of Chantilly also drew large crowds.
I came across the article below and thought I should share it with you. While it is written for teachers, I think this article abstract provides some insights about how to approach controversial issues that can benefit everyone. I’ve always thought that the U.S. Supreme Court provides everyone a model of how to approach controversial issues and respectfully disagree. U.S. Supreme Court Justices serve life terms and they put a premium on getting along. Among their many traditions, all justices shake hands before every hearing or conference in an effort to remind each other to draw a distinction between their legal opinions and relationships with each other. Meg Scalia, daughter of former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, was one of my students while I was teaching U.S. Government at Langley HS. She raised her hand and shared that her Dad couldn’t disagree more with fellow Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in regards to judicial philosophy—but she also pointed out that they and their families are best friends.
Here at Chantilly, we are doing our best to view controversial issues as learning opportunities rather than situations that need to be avoided or decided solely by adults. Helping students understand how to approach and process viewpoints that are contrary to their own is an especially important life skill. As Winston Churchill once wrote, "Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." I ask that parents help support our efforts at school by encouraging your student to listen and read a wide variety of viewpoints whenever studying controversial issues and modeling empathy, respect, and understanding.
Have a good weekend,
Scott
Teaching Controversial Issues: Lessons from Three Countries
In this article in Social Education, Judith Pace (University of San Francisco) describes a teacher education class in Northern Ireland in which aspiring teachers were asked to write a controversial issue on a sticky note and place it on a continuum on the floor from “happy to teach” to “wouldn’t touch with a barge pole.” This sparked a lively discussion about whether and how these hot topics should be taught once they were in classrooms.
Pace shares a definition of controversial topics: Those problems and disputes that divide society and for which significant groups within society offer conflicting explanations and solutions based on alternative values. These might include contemporary political issues (climate change, immigration, gun safety) or contested histories (the Dust Bowl, the Rwandan genocide), some of which are settled and some are still open. “Determining the reasonableness of competing perspectives on a particular issue,” says Pace, “is critical to deciding which viewpoints should be ‘given a fair hearing’ in the classroom.”
Why take on hot topics, especially in today’s divided political climate? “Researchers have found that open classroom discussion of issues is correlated with increased political efficacy, interest, tolerance, and knowledge,” says Pace. “Exploration of issues from multiple perspectives is integral to promoting media literacy, civic reasoning and discourse, informed independent thought, and other capabilities of democratic citizens. But teaching controversial issues is highly complex and demanding work.”
Pace believes there is another dimension when it comes to teaching difficult topics: a “civic opportunity gap,” with students in wealthier communities and upper-track classes having more opportunities to engage in important discussions than less-advantaged students and lower-track classes. This may be based on the assumption that the latter groups “cannot handle the intellectual and behavioral requirement of studying controversy,” she says. But research has shown that discussing controversial issues yields great benefits for all students, including opportunities for dialogue among groups, helping students understand structural inequalities, building empathy, and bridging social, economic, and racial differences.
Pace conducted research on teaching hot topics in Northern Ireland, England, and the United States and found that teachers fell into three categories: Avoiders (didn’t take on hot topics), Containers (taught those topics but stuck to straightforward facts), and Risk-takers (dove into controversies with role-playing and provocative resources). Pace believes the best posture for teachers is between the second and third position, which she calls contained risk-taking – tackling hard questions with democratic pedagogies and thought-provoking materials – and skillfully handling interactions with students, parents, and school leaders. She has formulated eight strategies for successfully navigating these tricky waters:
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Cultivating a warm, supportive classroom environment – Teachers affirm students’ ideas, build group cohesion, teach respectful listening, use humor for bonding and trust-building, and engage students in collaborative learning.
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Thorough preparation and planning – This means continuously building content knowledge, being clear on the purpose, rationale, and goal of units and lessons, and crafting learning experiences that build students’ conceptual understanding.
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Thinking through one’s own identity and roles – Teachers need to clarify their own positions on the issues they teach, whether or not to disclose them, and how to be an effective facilitator of inquiry (sometimes a devil’s advocate) so students reach their own conclusions.
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Up-front communication with parents, colleagues, and students – Everyone has to know in advance what will be taught and why it’s important.
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Thoughtful selection, sequencing, and framing of issues – It’s wise to start with less-contentious issues and present all controversies in non-personal terms, promoting understanding of different perspectives rather than debating personal opinions.
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Using creative resources and group activities – Small-group discussions and effective use of curriculum materials stimulate thinking and provide entry points for opening students’ minds – as well as avoiding possible pitfalls of all-class discussions.
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Skillfully steering classroom dynamics – “Questioning, discussion formats, and protocols provide structure to discussion,” says Pace, “which typically starts in small groups and moves to whole-class plenaries,” perhaps including Socratic Seminars or Town Hall discussions.
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Dealing with emotional conflicts – This includes not arousing strong emotions, balancing affective with intellectual engagement, getting students to think metacognitively, and using de-escalation techniques if tempers flare.
“How Can Educators Prepare for Teaching Controversial Issues? Cross-National Lessons” by Judith Pace in Social Education, September 2021 (Vol. 85, #4, pp. 228-233); Pace can be reached at pace@usfca.edu.
Scott
2. Kiss and Ride
Please be aware that the Chantilly HS Kiss and Ride is the area along the fire lane on the south side of the building near Door 11 only, and that parking and waiting in surrounding neighborhoods is discouraged as there may be parking restrictions.
3. Recognitions
On Tuesday night, the Teen Town Hall Project hosted a live town hall called “Coming together: Dispelling Misconceptions about Student Diversity“. Nayana Xavier Celine, created the Teen Town Hall Project in the midst of the pandemic. The panel shared their thoughts and experiences around diversity and being a high school student in the midst of so much turbulence, and discussed issues of diversity and inclusivity. Members of the panel included Nayana Xavier Celine, Paula Muente Mizushima, Imran Rahimzai, Katherine Richer, Thalia Sabit, Sanyam Shekhawat, Natalie Snevely and Kylene Zrenda.
4. Recent Student Successes
This is the next installment for the school year of what has become a weekly segment aimed at recognizing students for demonstrating recent improvement or achievement in academics, behavior or citizenship. At the end of each recognition, you will see the name of the nominating teacher or staff member. On a rotating basis, departments will nominate students. I plan to meet with recognized students each week to congratulate them in person.
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Franklin Aquino is passionate about Personal Fitness. He loves training, and his enthusiasm for weightlifting is contagious. Fourth-period PFit is a better class because of Franklin! Mr. Sean Curry
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Delaney Brooks is awesome and works incredibly hard in PE. Mr. Frank Hamby
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Briseida Diaz-Lopez participates in class discussion and is a true leader in the classroom. She puts great effort into her work and asks questions when necessary. Great job so far! Ms. Muriel Hills
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Alexandria Henham comes to class each day with an infectious attitude. She works hard to do well regardless of what may be happening each day. She is personable and cares for her fellow students. Mr. John Glufling
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Shane Hodge is a helpful and kind student in PE. He works hard each day and is always positive! Ms. Nawal Africano
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Treveon (Trey) Jackson has made great strides in health class. I'm so proud that he is staying focused and working so hard to complete his work. He has proven to himself how capable he is to do well. Ms. Carmen Wise
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Justin Jerome has done an amazing job being a leader in the golf unit. He shot a 7 under par on our 9-hole golf course and led his group to the best collective single round scores in all of my years teaching golf. Mr. Kevin Boss
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Kyungwon Lee has been working tirelessly to analyze and perfect his golf shot. Today he shot a Hole in One in our 9-hole golf course (only one I’ve ever seen). He finished the round 2 under par, amazing progress!!! Mr. Kevin Boss
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Noah Lee picked up golf form and technique very quickly and is a great example in class. Mr. Kevin Boss
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Ismail Malik is such a pleasure to have in class. He is respectful, helpful, and cordial with everyone, teachers and peers. He engages and actively participates during class lessons and discussions. Ms. Maryam BenOmran
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Emily Raimist always comes to class with a positive attitude and an engaging spirit. She is very inspiring, and her energy is infectious. Emily strives for excellence in all she does and encourages others to reach their potential. If you were going to start a team, Emily would have to be one of your top choices. Mr. Marc Matthie
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Hassan Rao reached out to me to demonstrate his abilities, showing great initiative. Upon being given the assignment, Hassan went on to produce an outstanding project promptly and within his given timeline. Mr. Brian Maslowski
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Sarah Roberts moved to Chantilly from out of state and began school a couple of weeks late. She is a happy, bubbly young lady who immediately put herself out there and made friends in Personal Fitness class. She's a SUPER hard worker in my class, and I respect her for having the courage to make new friends so quickly! Ms. Melissa Bibbee
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Christopher Soares is a positive role model in class. He is able to demonstrate understanding daily through our activities as well as be a leader for others. He does an excellent job of being inclusive and welcoming to all in the class, which is so important in PE. He stands out because of his positive attitude and leadership skills in my class. Ms. Kristina Plaugher
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