Chapter 7: Persist in Teaching Controversial Topics

I persist in teaching controversial topics in my high school Spanish II, III, and IV/V (dual credit) classes because the results are worth the trouble. I teach controversial topics in my university classes also, but dynamics are different with adult students. While this chapter focuses mainly on teaching high school students, the following suggestions for curriculum and pedagogy are applicable to both high school and university levels.

What is the value in teaching controversial topics? For starters, my students begin to define who they are and to build a community with their classmates. They leave my classroom with critical thinking and civil discourse skills. I also persist because I want them to be informed voters and globally competent citizens. In our country’s current state of divisiveness and partisanship, students need these life skills. However, I learned the hard way that you do not want to find yourself in the midst of controversy in the principal’s office facing the possible loss of autonomy over your curriculum and pedagogy; therefore, to give validity to what and how I teach, I engage in personal and professional reflection, identification of stakeholders, and collaboration with students as an equal participant.