“Many times, controversial topics arise from the links that students make between the curriculum they are studying and the images they see. Students, as well, often ask questions provoked by specific conversations among friends or by something they have experienced via the media. Ignoring their questions is unwise. Students will gain information through any means necessary. Teachers must respond to students’ concerns when questions arise” (Brown and Knowles 47).

Brown, D. & Knowles, T. (2007). Who am I? The social, emotional, and identity trials of young adolescence. In What every middle school teacher should know. (2nd Ed., pp. 37-66). New Hampshire: Heinemann Press.

I found this passage very important because it emphasizes the importance of focusing on more than just the curriculum in a class. Students are identifying with the world around them and building their identities based on their experiences, and through this process, they undoubtedly will have lots of questions. However, I think it still remains difficult for the teacher to know how to properly answer all these questions and if they even can answer certain ones.

Reading this passage, I thought back to the article about silencing teachers and students in the classroom—while this article advocates for teachers to respond to all the questions of students, is this actually a realistic occurrence in classrooms around the country? On that same line, how can I approach difficult questions in a manner that will maintain my professionalism and convey the right information to the students? How do you find the delicate balance between telling students your opinions and not offending the school administration or the students’ parents? I think this is a tricky area, and I want to think about the different ways I would approach difficult situations and convey the right messages to students.