Many people, both students and professors, believe that when they hear people like ourselves talking about encouraging a student’s opinion in class we’re merely endorsing the stereotypical rap session: everyone says anything they want; there’s no real direction or purpose to the class other than making each other feel good; that anything can be said. Yet one can be critical and be respectful at the same time. One can interrupt someone, and still have a serious, respectful dialogue. All too often it is assumed that if you “give students the freedom”—and it’s a mistake to think we’re talking
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