Sex. Good Pedagogy or Desperate Measures?

Sex: Good Pedagogy or Desperate Measures?

I'm sure I've got your attention, but sorry, I'm not going to talk much about sex. In my university dormitory, clubs and sports teams often searched out members or advertised activities by pasting small posters throughout the hallways. They were unattractive little documents, produced with scant effort and generally undeserving of my attention. In fact, I wouldn't have noticed them at all if they hadn't had the word “sex” typed in 115 point font, dead center of the page, deliberately placed at eye height as I veered around a corner. What hormone driven, nineteen year old boy wouldn't take a hopeful peek? Needless to say, there was nothing about sex (much to my chagrin). Then again, I only ever read one of them.

There's nothing more disheartening than meticulously crafting and delivering an important lesson only to receive vacuous stares and the occasional yawn. And while many teachers may realize that this is a sign change is needed, what lengths are they willing to go to engage lethargic students? Is acting like an orangutan or addressing taboo topics the prescribed medicine? Or are these merely cheap parlor tricks performed to grab some attention?

The answer to these questions really depends on the ultimate purpose of the teacher's unorthodox behavior. The posters in my dorm did not teach me about, nor procure me, anything related to sex. Since they furnished me with nothing I wanted, I disengaged very quickly and was not taken in again. Students have the same ability to turn on or off during a lesson when they feel they are no longer stimulated or the content becomes boring. If a teacher's strange behavior or topic initially catches students' interest but does not lead to anything substantial, their interest will quickly wane. Simply being outrageous in the classroom may not be enough. Instead, teachers need to try and teach outrageously.

According to Stanley Pogrow, outrageous teaching is the use of a “dramatic, humorous, and suspenseful storyline to create an imaginary context in which the need for the content objective is critical to solving a problem of interest to students” (Pogrow 379). Students are stimulated by the outrageous behavior and willingly participate in the educational activity. The unorthodox behavior is redeemed by the fact that the students are motivated to learn. Most importantly, the behavior can model an authentic, though albeit absurd, application of the lesson content. I've seen students become tuned in as a result of unconventional behavior on part of the teacher. Tapping into these opportunities to achieve a learning outcome is the next logical step.

While I agree with the Pogrow's central idea that outrageous teaching can result in increased student participation, I don't believe that the participation arises from tapping into students' imaginations. I think students are stimulated by the cognitive dissonance created by outrageous teaching. When a teacher performs an unexpected behavior, it creates cognitive disequilibrium and an uncertainty of what to do or what is to be expected. During times of disequilibrium, the students are open to discovering or generating new information to make sense of what is happening. Participating in the activity helps them make sense of things.

To illustrate, I'll use an example in which I taught outrageously. After reading Flowers for Algernon, I posed a very controversial question about genetically engineering humans to be perfect: no violent gene, no obesity, super-intelligence. I took the radical view of supporting vociferously it, and with the pretense of authenticity. I yelled and raved and pointed out flaws in their arguments. Soon, they were out of their seats, yelling at me. They were angry at me, and they were brilliant! I was able to inflame them into emotion and critical thinking.

I doubt future attempts engage the students in the same way would have had the same effect. If, say, every week I took a radical stance on a touchy subject, and at the end - to protect myself - always told them I was simply playing the devil's advocate, the students participation would slowly wane. Although they would probably still provide some arguments, it would be impossible to re-create the authentic experience we shared. It is for this reason that outrageous teaching practices cannot be used on a day to day basis. When disequilibrium is no longer created, the students have no cognitive incentives to participate.

Although authentic experiences cannot be continuously recreated, I do think that teaching outrageously from time to time can have long-term benefits on class participation. Teaching outrageously, especially when highly prepared and choreographed, is visible sign to the students that the teacher is working hard for them. High school students seem to care little for teacher developed handouts and painstakingly constructed tests. Even good activities can lack a certain tangibility. But a costume and persona created by the teacher can show the students how much the teacher cares, and this can be have long-term benefits. It is lessons like these that will win the hearts and minds of our students. My own most memorable classes from high school occurred when the teacher stepped out of the conventional humdrum of everyday and did something unexpected. These were also my favorite teachers, and the teachers other students talked about... positively.

There is plenty of room for outrageous teaching in the language arts classroom. Already, I believe I have used outrageous teaching on a number of occasions, but not yet to the same extent as was presented in the article. To up the ante, I'm going to impersonate Holden Caulfield before reading The Catcher in the Rye and have students complete a first impression character sketch since they are often unenthusiastic about reading novels. I also hope to think of more opportunities to use outrageous teaching.

To be exemplary teachers, we need to use all the tools at our disposal. If something works, if something sparks knowledge and understanding, it is good teaching practice. Using outrageous content is not simply about getting students' attention, but getting students learning and interested in learning. Teenagers today have enough diversions and distractions that provide little depth: pop music, reality TV, computer games and poorly made posters that promise much, but deliver little. Why not teach outrageously from time to time? Let's give them what they want, but do it with depth. I just hope my own outrageous title has also added some depth to this reflection.