Inquiry Day-By-Day: Teaching Discourse in Social Studies

Inquiry Day-By-Day: Teaching Discourse in Social Studies
We are preparing students to enter a world where disagreement is constant, information is overwhelming, and clarity is hard-earned. They will be expected to weigh evidence, listen across differences, and contribute thoughtfully to conversations that shape their communities. Yet too often, school teaches students to answer questions rather than wrestle with them. We’ve all seen what bad discourse looks like. It’s loud but lacks substance. It’s confident but missing evidence. It’s disagreement without listening. Good discourse is disciplined, respectful, rooted in sources, and powerful enough to change minds. Social Studies is uniquely positioned to cultivate that kind of discourse.

This training will leverage Michigan’s state standards as well as the C3 Framework to focus on how to build discourse intentionally – establishing norms, creating routines, recognizing the right moments, preparing students for meaningful dialogue, and reflection for growth. In a time when public conversation feels fractured, classrooms can become the place where students learn how to disagree responsibly, reason with evidence, and participate in civic life.

Learner Outcomes
Learn instructional strategies that position discourse as a core practice for developing and demonstrating social studies knowledge and skills.
Engage in and experience discourse-focused strategies that support student reasoning, evidence use, and collaborative meaning making across grade levels.
Deepen and share communal knowledge of inquiry-based practices in local classrooms.

Date
October 13

Time
8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Location
Char-Em ISD Charlevoix

Audience
Teachers grades K-12

Presenter
Dave Johnson, Northern Michigan Learning Consortium Instructional Consultant