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How to Lead a Discussion
Tradition tells us again and again that the best way to learn (and teach) is to sit with a small group and thoughtfully converse about a specific subject matter. If you find yourself needing to lead a class in college or high school, or if you are simply interested in alternative ways of learning, you can use these steps to get started leading a great discussion.
Steps
Decide the topic and scope of your discussion. Are you discussing a book, a movie, a shared experience? What main theme of the subject do you want to discuss?
Narrow it down. Once you know the broad topic, decide a smaller scope. If you are reading Romeo & Juliet, for instance, do you want to discuss the benefits/detriments of young love? The theme of haste vs. moderation? The older man/younger man mentoring relationship as seen in Romeo & Juliet?
Pick a starting question.
The best questions are neither too open-ended nor too limited. "Yes or No" questions halt discussion, and broad "What do you think about young people getting married?" questions are also big demotivaters. The best questions are open enough to have a few possible right answers, yet closed enough that people know to approach it, and feel motivated to start talking. A great question might be, "In what ways does the Friar err with regard to guiding Romeo? In what ways does he succeed?"
Be prepared.
As the discussion leader, come into the meeting with several "big" questions. Be prepared to ask the next one when discussion dies down, when people need more food for thought. In a 2 hour discussion, 2-5 good questions should suffice. It is also good to have 2 or 3 smaller sub-questions for each main question.
Make arguments. Don't just share your feelings. Nor just share your opinions without backing them up. If someone asserts "The Friar shouldn't have given Romeo any advice!" ask them why that is so, and discuss possible support or objections to their claim.
Use the "Pros and Cons" model. Argue for a position, and then argue against it.
Which conclusion would hold up better in a court of law?
Move from the known to the unknown. Good discussions depend on the ignorance of the participants. If you already know, how can you learn? If you feel you have answered a question, press deeper, and find another puzzle you don't yet understand. For instance, you might say, "We know that the Friar gives advice to Romeo. Does he give advice to anyone else in the city, or is he solely devoting his attention to Romeo?"
Summarize as you go. After discussing, for instance, the ways in which the Friar messed up as a mentor for 20 minutes, stop and ask the group, "OK, what have we said so far?" Recap and allow time to breathe, to regather thoughts, and start thinking again.
Tie it all together. When the alloted time for the discussion is up (or when people are tired or ready to go), do a full summary of what you covered. "We said the Friar erred in giving advice to Romeo that wasn't for Romeo's sake, but had the good of the whole city in mind. We said that advice should be given on a person-by-person basis and people shouldn't exercise their political schemes through individuals. But some of us disagreed with this and said that the good of the city was more important than just Romeo's good, so they said..." etc. etc. If you can't remember everything, that's OK.
Leave them hanging. Close with a related question, to give people something else to think about for next time.
Tips
Good conversations don't normally happen in less than an hour, even for pros. Give yourself at least 1 hour.
Great discussions take 3 hours or so to develop and mature. Be patient!
Socrates was the master discussion leader. Learn from those who have gone before you.
Warnings
Many people become emotional when their assumptions are questioned or their beliefs are refuted. You can expect some people to become angry, others to become hurt and withdrawn. Others, however, will see that the benefits of learning are worth the costs.
Discussions tend to be wide-ranging, and feel like we're all wandering around. This is normal. Tradition, experience, and the latest research tells us that lectures, which appear to be more organized, are not actual effective nor lasting ways to learn. Stay with the process!
Things You'll Need
2-10 people who are interested in learning by discussion.
A subject matter. Books are perfect, but there are plenty of other possible subjects, like, movies, a shared experience, current events, etc.
A mind
Curiosity
1-3 hours of time
Steps
Decide the topic and scope of your discussion. Are you discussing a book, a movie, a shared experience? What main theme of the subject do you want to discuss?
Narrow it down. Once you know the broad topic, decide a smaller scope. If you are reading Romeo & Juliet, for instance, do you want to discuss the benefits/detriments of young love? The theme of haste vs. moderation? The older man/younger man mentoring relationship as seen in Romeo & Juliet?
Pick a starting question.
The best questions are neither too open-ended nor too limited. "Yes or No" questions halt discussion, and broad "What do you think about young people getting married?" questions are also big demotivaters. The best questions are open enough to have a few possible right answers, yet closed enough that people know to approach it, and feel motivated to start talking. A great question might be, "In what ways does the Friar err with regard to guiding Romeo? In what ways does he succeed?"
Be prepared.
As the discussion leader, come into the meeting with several "big" questions. Be prepared to ask the next one when discussion dies down, when people need more food for thought. In a 2 hour discussion, 2-5 good questions should suffice. It is also good to have 2 or 3 smaller sub-questions for each main question.
Make arguments. Don't just share your feelings. Nor just share your opinions without backing them up. If someone asserts "The Friar shouldn't have given Romeo any advice!" ask them why that is so, and discuss possible support or objections to their claim.
Use the "Pros and Cons" model. Argue for a position, and then argue against it.
Which conclusion would hold up better in a court of law?
Move from the known to the unknown. Good discussions depend on the ignorance of the participants. If you already know, how can you learn? If you feel you have answered a question, press deeper, and find another puzzle you don't yet understand. For instance, you might say, "We know that the Friar gives advice to Romeo. Does he give advice to anyone else in the city, or is he solely devoting his attention to Romeo?"
Summarize as you go. After discussing, for instance, the ways in which the Friar messed up as a mentor for 20 minutes, stop and ask the group, "OK, what have we said so far?" Recap and allow time to breathe, to regather thoughts, and start thinking again.
Tie it all together. When the alloted time for the discussion is up (or when people are tired or ready to go), do a full summary of what you covered. "We said the Friar erred in giving advice to Romeo that wasn't for Romeo's sake, but had the good of the whole city in mind. We said that advice should be given on a person-by-person basis and people shouldn't exercise their political schemes through individuals. But some of us disagreed with this and said that the good of the city was more important than just Romeo's good, so they said..." etc. etc. If you can't remember everything, that's OK.
Leave them hanging. Close with a related question, to give people something else to think about for next time.
Tips
Good conversations don't normally happen in less than an hour, even for pros. Give yourself at least 1 hour.
Great discussions take 3 hours or so to develop and mature. Be patient!
Socrates was the master discussion leader. Learn from those who have gone before you.
Warnings
Many people become emotional when their assumptions are questioned or their beliefs are refuted. You can expect some people to become angry, others to become hurt and withdrawn. Others, however, will see that the benefits of learning are worth the costs.
Discussions tend to be wide-ranging, and feel like we're all wandering around. This is normal. Tradition, experience, and the latest research tells us that lectures, which appear to be more organized, are not actual effective nor lasting ways to learn. Stay with the process!
Things You'll Need
2-10 people who are interested in learning by discussion.
A subject matter. Books are perfect, but there are plenty of other possible subjects, like, movies, a shared experience, current events, etc.
A mind
Curiosity
1-3 hours of time
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