The Science of Dialogue

Why the humanities matter in education

The humanities aren't extra [https://open.substack.com/pub/rodjnaquin/p/why-the-humanities-matter-in-education?r=1nrnh&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true]—they teach the speaking-to-writing skills that make all learning work. Ramus connected subjects through practice, while Ong showed students need to talk before they can write.

Why talk is upstream of text

Every word we speak is shaped by who we're talking to and what response we expect [https://open.substack.com/pub/rodjnaquin/p/why-talk-is-upstream-of-text?r=1nrnh&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true]. Schools should focus more on creating real conversations between everyone.

Why epistemology matters in education

Teachers and researchers clash over what counts as "real knowledge." [https://open.substack.com/pub/rodjnaquin/p/why-epistemology-matters-in-education?r=1nrnh&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true] Bridging this epistemic gap is key to making school reform actually work.

Why I'm giving students the claims

I explicitly teach literary claims by giving students ready-made examples [https://open.substack.com/pub/rodjnaquin/p/why-im-giving-students-the-claims?r=1nrnh&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true]to prove and evaluate. This approach builds their analytical skills through clear models and guided practice instead of expecting them to figure it out alone.

How reading aloud is helping my students

I'm using daily fluency routines—model read-alouds, audio support, and partner practice [https://open.substack.com/pub/rodjnaquin/p/how-reading-aloud-is-helping-my-students?r=1nrnh&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true]—to help high school students access complex texts like The Great Gatsby and Macbeth. The practice is narrowing equity gaps and making students' thematic thinking clearer in their writing.