Instead, we sought to give students more time to learn and think about the issues they were engaging, with the idea in mind that in the process they will recognize that the positions we take -especially the first, easy positions that we have 'accepted' -usually have been socially, cultrually, and historically determined and, not coincidentally, usually have unforseen consequences for others, others whose positions are often not even represented by the manner in which the issues are handed down to us. (69)This model seeks not only for students to learn about a certain topic so they can more effectively argue for or against it, but it seeks for students to learn about themselves. Looking backwards to understand where one's own assumptions can be difficult. Students might not have the skills to do this type of self-reflection. Last semester was the first time I was introduced to the 'Exploratory Essay', one of Donna's favorites, which asks the writer to challenge his/her assumptions, held beliefs, and knowledge to truly explore a given topic. It was hard for me to do this. I was unable to see that I was simply reaffirming what I already knew, and even when I went back to 'revise' my process I still had trouble just exploring. Unconsciously I was afraid of the risk involved. I didn't understand why until reading this piece I learned that the biggest risk is that I may change.
The argumenter is socially constructed, and so to are the arguments that they make. This fact is more straightforward, but for some reason our students (and the students reported in this article) fail to come to grips with this idea. Why is it they fail to see that "conflicts have histories and are embedded in more or less permanent power structures" (84). There's no easy answer to this question, and I'm finding it out firsthand this semester as I try and have my students create arguments that take their own place in the food system into consideration. I'm asking them to develop problem-solution type arguments, and many of them bring up one problem out of context (obesity epidemic in America) and then propose a singular solution equally out of context (tax fat-heavy foods). I've spent the past 9 weeks of the semester trying to show them how complex and interconnected the food system is, and yet my students lack the critical ability to see these connections.
Perhaps the strategies in "Moments of Argument" will help me bridge my expectations with my student's skills and abilities.
Maybe not.
