The fostering of critical thought in my students is far and away the aspect of my classroom that I guard most closely. If they leave my class remembering nothing but to ask why, why are we reading/writing this, why did the author make that choice, why is this a requirement, why am I attending school right now, why is society structured the way it is and so on that is enough for me. Expecting them to remember Deborah Brandt or the four elements of CRAP 10 years from now is not my priority, not even by a long shot. What I do want is to assist them in developing the cognitive abilities to pull back the veil that conveniently covers so much of the texts we consume on a daily basis. Will I be successful? Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but regardless I can think of no greater pursuit as an educator.

To not be certain where we stand is taken for weakness in dominant American culture and while I believe there are central values we all adhere to those same values should not preclude us from attempting to understand what, and more importantly why, opinions divergent from our own exist. Practicing empathy, which I regard as necessary to successfully practice cognitive dissonance/critical thinking, is the only way that we can begin to depolarize the nation and the world as a whole.