Date of Completion

8-31-2004

Document Type

Open Access Capstone

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

First Advisor

Peter Taylor

Abstract

As I reflect back on my learning through the Program in Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT), The Dialogue Process course (CCT 616) has been the pivotal experience for my current research and future career direction. Research and observations I have made in my work show that dialogue practice in elementary classrooms leads to overall learning through community building in the classroom, and to more effective student thinking and meta-cognitive strategies. Although I believe in the importance of dialogue in education, I have struggled with implementing it into my own teaching. The struggle itself has stimulated a deeper examination of the obstacles as I see them. It has also required personal and professional reflection on my process through CCT, and communicating my ideal vision of dialogue in the larger scheme of my work and life. My synthesis highlights my learning experiences through the CCT program and the influences it had on my career. It discusses some of the critical points of my experiences in connection to my specific interest in Dialogue. Without this reflection on past learning, my current reflection would be impossible. Naming those skills and ideals that I have drawn from my coursework, has enabled me to reconnect with my passion for education itself, as well as the value the dialogue process holds for learning and teaching. By asking myself the question of why I am finding implementation of dialogue so difficult, I’ve been able to answer this and other questions relating to the question of where I am headed with my professional life and why.

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