Silence and Voice

I just took the best 2-day class of my life, Stephen Brookfield's Discussion as a Way of Teaching. I have read Stephen's work for a few years now, and have previously taken one of his other short, intensive offerings. His thinking has greatly influenced my own, from his emphasis on issues of power and positionality as being at the core of human activity, his work with the Critical Incident Questionnaire (which my colleagues and I have adapted), and his interests in the influences of the critical theorists Foucault and Marcuse in political (and thus educational) theory.

I have had occasion to speak with Stephen in-depth on some topics in education and learning, and am captivated with his approach, somewhat as a fan is of a professional athlete. Beyond his academic expertise and experiences and humor in the classroom, Stephen models the behaviors he teaches and in which he believes. I think that is the best way of teaching, and one which I most want to emulate.

Like all great teachers I have worked with over the years, Brookfield continues to give and educate even when not in the classroom. Want to see the materials he uses in his workshops, including his slides and handouts? They are all posted on his website. Just give him credit, and use what you find helpful for you and your learners.

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