Teaching with Zeal

The Mill Institute recently published Hoban Social Studies Department Chair Margaret Reed's lesson plan to teach students how to synthesize two opposing perspectives and use information from both to form original, creative ideas and solutions. Last year, Reed completed a teacher fellowship with the Institute. She was interviewed as part of her fellowship.

Q: Why is Open Inquiry/Viewpoint Diversity important in the K–12 classroom?

A: "Teachers need to create an environment where civil discourse encourages students to learn from and accept differences with maturity and respect. The ability to engage with diverse perspectives, listen without judgment, seek shared meaning, and develop nuanced arguments is critical to both personal and academic growth." —Margaret Reed

Q: How is this work relevant to our ongoing democracy?

A: "A healthy democracy relies on a well-informed citizenry that is genuinely interested in finding logical solutions to complex problems. The binary thinking evident in media echo chambers has made this work a moral imperative." —Margaret Reed

Read the entire interview from her Fellowship Spotlight