Oedipus and Lao Tzu: Reflections on a Great Class

We just finished reading Oedipus the King. I had a great class on Thursday, and I'm going to articulate why I think it went so well.


The simple overarching question propelled the lesson. In this case the question was is Oedipus a good king or a bad king. From my experience, inquiry based lessons work best when the question is broad, when there is evidence for multiple responses, and when concepts within the question need defining (i.e., "good," "bad," "king"). Teachers who have success with this method will "play student" and imagine the various responses prior to implementing the lesson.


Students (and teacher) were engaged. I suspect there were multiple reasons for this. To begin with, Oedipus the King arrests the reader's attention. The story certainly elicits an emotional response from the kids--often repulsion. Like any great work of art, a multitude of questions arise after experiencing it. Essentially, the content kept our interest. The content allowed for a good class; however, something else transformed it into a great class.


The question allows for tremendous meaning making potential. Although I don't consider this the most important component of a "great class," I rarely have one when this component is lacking. Students (and adults, actually) crave self-expression. They want to make something their own--in this case, an interpretation. Seeing hands shake in the air and seeing eyes pop out, assures me that they have something to say--something to contribute. Hearing them make insightful connections to Ishmael, Siddhartha, Lao Tzu, and the Allegory of the Cave, as well as their own lives, assures me that they are making meaning. Adolescence, itself, is about finding one's voice. Self-expression sure is a fun way to find it.


Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that we had an observer in the room. A young teacher who is logging away her hours prior to certification commented on how awake, articulate, and astute the kids appear. I couldn't help but think about Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, which basically says that an observer alters an occurrence simply by observing it. In short, they were eager to showcase their critical thinking skills.