In response, some argue that teachers should hide their opinions in student-centered academic discourse. They argue that we should act only as facilitators, burying our voices so as to not become a “sage on the stage.” While I have seen this done masterfully, I believe this stance to be an overreaction. We should never forfeit the right to be scholars in our own discussions. In fact, the more we do the work to build the classroom culture described earlier in Chapter 1, the more the students will be interested in our contribution as their companions in the conversation.
