I don’t give them my personal opinion about those debatable questions, as students tend to get influenced by their teachers, especially if they like them. Moreover, I usually show the students the different points of views that the question holds and leave it to them to come up with their own answers. Sometimes, it is also beneficial to ask the students to read about the relevant question and then discuss it with them the next day.

Julie from Beirut

The most important thing is to never let the student sense if the topic makes you feel uncomfortable. They look up to you as a teacher, and you must remain objective to retain that image. In my own opinion, if you feel you can’t answer, instead of avoiding the topic or misleading them, explain to them if possible that the question is in fact debatable and help them understand the reasons behind the controversy. Some topics should best be handled by their parents, while others should be handled by a school counselor or someone with training in the field.

Nayla from Qatar

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. I suppose it depends on the question which the student asks. As an educator, I believe in encouraging students to think for themselves, and that means I have a responsibility to share what facts are available to me without influencing their decision-making process. Some subjects are controversial due to the number of conflicting view, and such a case, I would try to make them understand the reasons behind all the opinions, and let them decide for themselves. In other cases, the topic may be one which the student’s parents are best suited to address, and in such a case I would tell them exactly that.

Mirna from Beirut

Question for the next issue for the Middle East Educator:

How do you help students discover their career ambitions at an early age?

By Staff