How I Teach Students to Learn Through Discomfort

As a dialogue facilitator, I've found that one of the most effective strategies to prime the learning space for meaningful conversations is to prepare students for the potential discomfort ahead. While I've experimented with various methods, the most successful approach has been teaching students about cognitive dissonance and our brain's dissonance reduction techniques. This helps us understand and contextualize the discomfort that arises when they're confronted with information that challenges their self-identity.

Get the Facilitator's Guide & Student Handout (free download): https://mailchi.mp/rethinkingnormal/r...

Online Course to Rethink Dominant Narratives in the Classroom: https://rethinkingnormal.org/product/...


Articles mentioned throughout the video:
Cognitive Dissonance as a Strategy for Social Justice Teaching by Paul Gorski: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ...
5 Everyday Examples of Cognitive Dissonance: https://www.healthline.com/health/cog...
Teaching Cognitive Dissonance Theory: Practical Advice from the Classroom: https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2023...

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