Navigating Support in Education: Lived Experiences of People with a Disability and the Distinctions Between ADA and IDEA

Presenter: Dr. Wendy Stewman

Room: JLR Crow Peak

As any skill, critical thinking can only be taught by practice. In my Composition II class we discuss controversial topics, analyzing arguments on both sides. For such exercise to be useful, students should feel comfortable expressing their opinions. It is my job to make sure that we discuss problems, not people, and that all points of view are presented and examined in a respectful way. The goal is not to determine who is right; instead, it is to teach students to differentiate between a weak (easily refutable) argument and a strong one which will be difficult or even impossible to refute.