By David Fierce, Inspire Contributor

Teaching in the 21st century is both an immense challenge and a profound responsibility. With potentially existential crises looming and the rise of artificial intelligence, students must learn the art of civil discourse today to become the equitable, inclusive, and compassionate leaders of tomorrow. Of course this can’t be accomplished in a day, but with an intentional and well-planned curriculum, students can and do begin to master this skill by the time they don their mortarboard caps and receive their diplomas.

Our students are inheriting a planet at a tipping point. Climate change, geopolitical conflicts like the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, and the looming specter of nuclear threats demand informed, responsible leadership.

Information technology has the potential to answer all our prayers, or create problems that require even more prayers, especially in education. The Internet, for instance, offers students access to the world’s greatest library, but artificial intelligence might make it so they won’t know which of the available copies of The Holy Qu’ran isn’t a deepfake. Social media platforms like TikTok shape public opinion, especially for the youth, without editorial oversight, creating fertile ground for misinformation and disinformation.

Technology is also creating different streams of information, with different facts and foci, depending on the podcasts or shows streamed. People increasingly struggle to connect with those holding differing views, a reality influenced by the fragmented information systems shaping our lives. For our students, these information streams converge in the classroom, creating opportunities, and challenges, for meaningful dialogue. School is one of the few remaining public spheres where people from diverse backgrounds still come together.

With this level of challenge, it is no wonder that so many are experiencing mental health challenges. In preparation for my presentation to faculty in December, Eastside Prep staff explored Katherine Kam’s article, “Authenticity Can Protect Mental Health: Here’s How to Be Authentic.” A key takeaway was that authenticity involves identifying personal values, striving to live by them, and feeling valued by one’s community. Students being able to express their true thoughts about religion, economics, and politics, and feeling valued for doing so, is essential to becoming authentic. One very positive consequence for speaking their truths publicly is that studies showed authentic people experience less anxiety and depression and have better mental health in general.

Schools must strive to create a place where students feel safe to explore their values, learn from their mistakes and the mistakes of their peers, and grow into their authentic selves. This means we need to create space for all ideas that fall within the Vision and Mission of the school. This foundation is vital for developing the critical thinking and emotional resilience needed to engage with challenges like those described above.

This is no easy call to action; teaching requires navigating a complex and dynamic landscape. Students arrive with diverse emotional, moral, and intellectual development levels, shaped by varying family expectations and cultural norms. And it changes every year as new members join the community.

A key aspect of this work is teaching students the art of civil discourse, learning when to agree and disagree, and doing both respectfully and ethically. This involves scaffolding opportunities in the curriculum for dialogue, from low-risk activities like raising colored cards to show agreement or disagreement in a teacher-led discussion, to high-engagement activities like a United Nations simulation or a debate. Through these experiences, students develop the skills to argue constructively, while fostering mutual understanding and respect for different viewpoints.

After twenty-five years of classroom teaching, there were some nonnegotiable rules I developed to help me keep the class atmosphere conducive to practicing civil discourse. The foundation was creating a class contract so students would know what to expect from me and their peers. They had the chance to add to the contract and negotiate changes for the class.

My contribution to the contract were my nonnegotiable rules. The Flat Earth Rule declared all discussions will accept established facts, like the Earth’s roundness, rather than debunked ideas. Similarly, the Carl Sagan Rule required extraordinary evidence for extraordinary claims. The Enlightenment Rule grounded discussion in building upon the principles of the Enlightenment, such as equality, free speech, and rule of law, rather than tearing them down. And lastly, in case the first three somehow missed it, all classroom discussions and content must do no harm to any individual or group. The contract happens the first day so that the students are guiding the class from the beginning.

Leadership in life is not limited to traditional roles. In a democratic society, we are all leaders, whether making decisions as voters or setting examples as rule-followers. Students learn that leadership involves both consent and dissent, guided by critical listening and thoughtful engagement. This requires understanding the perspectives of others, which requires listening and imagining what someone else is thinking and experiencing. Practice in making arguments and explaining the arguments of others helps students develop the intellectual and emotional tools to navigate a complex, interconnected world where truth can be difficult to discern and dilemmas are ever present.

Eastside Prep’s culture is uniquely suited to this work. Unlike punitive environments, the focus isn’t on making rules, rather it is on learning from mistakes and aligning actions with the mission. By creating a “no-shame, no-gotcha” environment, students are encouraged to take appropriate risks, make mistakes, and grow.

There are practical strategies teachers of any academic discipline (and parents and guardians) can employ to promote civil discourse and self-actualization. First, practice, practice, practice. Students should read, write, and verbally engage with diverse viewpoints. They should make claims about what they think and why. They should make claims about what they think others think and why; and do this in a way that gives the best light to the argument being analyzed. Lastly, teachers need to reward original thinking and respectful disagreement, signaling the importance of these skills.

These are habits that we need to inculcate in ourselves and the next generation if we are going to meet the challenges we face. By practicing civil discourse, meaningfully engaging with diverse perspectives, and embracing their authentic selves, our students will be prepared to lead.