A few years ago I wrote about this elective class I taught called “Oral English”. It consisted of students making short speeches, having debates and discussing various issues.

Now when I say “discussing” what I actually mean is getting louder and louder until the various opposing forces were shouting at each other at which point I would stop them and remind them that they needed to discuss their differences at the sort of volume that wouldn’t have the principal concerned about the riot going on in my class. Eventually, I put forward a simple idea:

“Has anyone ever changed your mind by shouting at you?” I asked.

“No,” was the general consensus.

“Then why do you think you’ll change someone else’s mind by shouting at them?”

“We don’t,” said one girl at a slightly lower volume than was her usual want.

“Then why do you do it?”

“It feels good,” she replied. A response which got approving nods from most of the class.

I shrugged and told them to shout away, because who was I to stand in the way of progress. After all, this was before social media where it has become........

© The AIM Network