Going bananas in the first-year classroom

At the end of a lively activity in my first-year composition class today, a student turned to her discussion partner and said, "You've convinced me to feel slightly less horrible about bananas." Progress is being made!

The students had read about the importance of listening to others before entering a discussion, and I wanted them to practice their listening and persuasion skills in small groups. First, though, they needed a topic to discuss, but I didn't want to let them get sucked into the black hole of highly controversial topics currently causing so much cultural division. Instead, I asked my students to write down a strongly held opinion related to food.

Everyone eats, right? And everyone feels strongly about certain aspects of eating--just ask a mixed group whether a can of carbonated beverage is soda or pop and see what happens. Based on what I heard in class today, it appears that my students feel very strongly about pizza toppings, energy drinks, potato chips, and, of course, bananas. ("They're mushy and gross," says one; "they're colorful and full of potassium," says another.)

Students had to write down three reasons supporting their opinion, explain their opinion to a partner, and then write a brief summary of the partner's argument just to make sure they'd listened closely. Next, the fun part: imagine that you strongly disagree with your partner and present reasons supporting your disagreement. Finally, find some common ground, some point on which you can agree. ("Bananas are a pretty color!")

This was a very basic low-stakes activity, but it got my students talking to each other about a nonthreatening topic--and listening too, which was the whole point. With so much rancor surrounding us in the media and elsewhere, it was fun to hear my students passionately argue in favor of potato chips or against fruit on pizza ("But tomato is a fruit!"). They got to know each other better while practicing listening skills; I got to learn a little more about my students, and no one came to fisticuffs. 

Were minds changed? Maybe not, but at least that one student feels a little less horrible about bananas. Baby steps, people! Baby steps!