TIPS For Teaching ARGUMENT BUILDING

Heimler's History Teachers

17 Nov 202205:17

EducationalLearning

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TLDRThe video script focuses on the essential skill of argumentation in classroom settings, emphasizing the struggle students face with this skill. The speaker shares their experience teaching students to construct valid arguments by breaking down arguments into premises and conclusions. Through examples and exercises, students learn to identify flaws and improve arguments. The video also discusses applying this skill to historical arguments using College Board samples, ultimately aiming to help students build their own valid historical arguments.

Takeaways

📚 The importance of argumentation skills in the classroom is emphasized, likening the lack of these skills to solving a Rubik's cube without knowing algorithms.
👨‍🏫 Teachers may need to engage in remedial work with students to build basic argumentation skills, not just specific to historical arguments.
🔍 The foundation of an argument consists of premises and a conclusion, where the conclusion must be supported and implied by the premises.
🌰 The use of a simple example involving a history teacher named Heimler is provided to illustrate the basic structure of an argument and its potential flaws.
✅ Valid arguments are those where the conclusion logically follows from the premises, even if the conclusion itself is not necessarily true.
📈 Historical arguments are dissected to identify premises and conclusions, using released College Board samples as examples.
🔎 The internal validity of an argument is analyzed by checking the truthfulness of its premises and whether the conclusion is a logical result.
💡 Students are encouraged to practice creating their own arguments by generating premises that lead to a given conclusion.
👥 Group work is utilized as a method for students to collaboratively produce and assess the validity of arguments in the classroom.
📚 The process of building a valid argument is likened to solving a puzzle, which can be engaging and rewarding for students once they understand the dynamics of argumentation.
📄 Upcoming lessons will focus on interpreting documents and using them to support conclusions in arguments, further developing students' skills.

Q & A

What is the primary skill discussed in the video as being fundamental for students in class?
-The primary skill discussed is argumentation, specifically the ability to support arguments with evidence.
What is compared to the difficulty level of teaching students argumentation skills?
-Teaching students argumentation skills is compared to asking them to solve a Rubik's cube without knowing any algorithms.
What are the two main components of an argument according to the video?
-The two main components of an argument are a premise and a conclusion.
How does the video illustrate the basic structure of an argument?
-The video uses the example: 'Heimler is a history teacher and Heimler is definitely bald, therefore all history teachers are bald' to illustrate the basic structure of an argument with a premise and a conclusion.
What does the video suggest is the reason students struggle with making historical arguments?
-Students struggle with making historical arguments because they don't know how to build an argument in general, not just historical ones.
What is the key point about the conclusion in an argument?
-The key point is that the conclusion in an argument must be supported by the premise and the premise must imply the conclusion.
How does the video describe the process of fixing a flawed argument?
-The video describes the process of fixing a flawed argument by challenging the premises and conclusion, and then adjusting them to make the conclusion valid based on the truth of the premises.
What is the example thesis statement analyzed in the video?
-The example thesis statement analyzed is: 'Transatlantic voyages in the period from 1491 to 1607 greatly affected the Americas by introducing new diseases to Native Americans and animals, the destruction of the environment, and especially change in the way of life for native Americans.'
What is the importance of the Colombian Exchange in the context of the video?
-The Colombian Exchange is important in the context of the video as it is used to modify the second premise about environmental destruction, making the overall argument more valid.
How does the video suggest students practice building their own arguments?
-The video suggests that students practice building their own arguments by starting with simple conclusions and working in groups to produce premises that would make the conclusion valid, followed by class discussion to refine and validate the arguments.
What is the next step after students understand the internal dynamics of arguments?
-The next step after students understand the internal dynamics of arguments is to learn how to interpret a document and use it to support a conclusion.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Fundamentals of Argumentation in Classroom

This paragraph discusses the importance of argumentation skills for students and the challenges they face in mastering this skill. The speaker shares their experience of teaching students how to construct valid arguments using premises and conclusions. They use a simple example involving a history teacher named Heimler to illustrate the concept of a valid argument. The speaker emphasizes the need for the conclusion to follow from the premises and not just be valid based on the truth of the conclusion. The paragraph concludes with the speaker's intention to further explore the dynamics of argumentation and how to support conclusions with evidence in the next video.

05:01

🏫 Applying Argumentation to Historical Analysis

In this paragraph, the speaker continues the discussion on argumentation by applying it to historical analysis. They dissect a thesis from a College Board sample exam, identifying its premises and conclusion, and validating the argument. The speaker also addresses a problematic premise and suggests how it can be fixed using the concept of the Colombian Exchange. The paragraph ends with the speaker explaining their method of teaching students to build their own valid historical arguments through group work and class discussion. This exercise helps students to not only understand the internal dynamics of arguments but also to actively construct them, leading to a lively classroom engagement.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Argumentation

Argumentation refers to the process of constructing and presenting a coherent series of reasons or evidence in support of a proposition or against an opposing one. In the context of the video, it is a fundamental skill that students need to master in order to effectively engage in academic discussions and construct valid historical arguments. The video emphasizes the importance of understanding how to build an argument, which includes premises and a conclusion, and how to identify and rectify flaws in reasoning.

💡Premise

A premise is a statement or proposition that forms the basis for an argument, which is used to draw a conclusion. In the video, the teacher explains that an argument is made up of premises and a conclusion, and the conclusion must be supported and implied by the premises. This concept is crucial for students to learn how to build a sound argument.

💡Conclusion

A conclusion in argumentation is the final statement or inference that is derived from the premises. It is the point that the arguer is trying to prove. The video emphasizes that the conclusion must follow from the premises for an argument to be considered valid. Students often struggle with deriving valid conclusions from their premises, which is a key focus of the teacher's lesson.

💡Validity

Validity in the context of arguments refers to whether the conclusion logically follows from the premises. An argument is considered valid if the conclusion is a logical consequence of the premises, regardless of whether the premises are true or false. The video discusses the importance of teaching students to distinguish between valid and invalid arguments and to construct valid ones.

💡Appeal to Experience

An appeal to experience is a type of logical fallacy where an argument is deemed true or false based on personal experience or anecdotal evidence rather than on more reliable forms of evidence. In the video, the teacher uses the example of a student citing the non-baldness of Mrs. Crandall, a history teacher, as an appeal to experience to disprove the conclusion about all history teachers being bald.

💡Appeal to Authority

An appeal to authority is a logical fallacy that occurs when someone argues that a claim must be true just because an expert or authority on the issue has said it is. In the video, the teacher mentions that if students had a database listing the hair status of every history teacher in America, they could use it as an authority to disprove the argument about all history teachers being bald.

💡Historical Arguments

Historical arguments are specific types of arguments that deal with interpreting and explaining past events or trends. They often involve theses or overarching claims about historical periods, which are supported by evidence from various sources. In the video, the teacher moves from teaching basic argumentation skills to applying these skills in the context of historical arguments, using examples from College Board samples.

💡Thesis

A thesis is a statement in an essay or argument that presents the main point or claim. It is the central idea that the rest of the work aims to support and prove. In the context of the video, theses from College Board samples are used to teach students how to identify and construct arguments with clear theses, which are then supported by premises.

💡Internal Validity

Internal validity in an argument refers to the logical consistency and soundness of the argument's structure, independent of the truth or falsity of its premises. It assesses whether the conclusion logically follows from the premises. The video emphasizes the importance of internal validity by teaching students to analyze the logical connections between premises and conclusions in arguments.

💡Document Interpretation

Document interpretation is the process of analyzing and understanding the meaning, context, and significance of a document, often a primary source. In historical arguments, document interpretation is crucial for extracting evidence to support a thesis or conclusion. The video suggests that once students understand the dynamics of argumentation, they will need to learn how to interpret documents to support their arguments.

💡Dopamine Hit

A 'dopamine hit' is a colloquial term referring to the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward, in the brain. In the context of the video, it describes the positive feeling students experience when they successfully understand and apply the concepts of argumentation. The teacher uses this analogy to illustrate the engagement and satisfaction students can feel when they grasp the internal dynamics of arguments.

Highlights

The fundamental skill of argumentation is crucial for students to master in class.

Students often struggle with argumentation, similar to solving a Rubik's cube without knowing algorithms.

The basis of constructing an argument lies in understanding the components of a premise and a conclusion.

A conclusion must be supported and implied by the premise for an argument to be valid.

The example provided illustrates the basic structure of an argument with a humorous take on history teachers and baldness.

Students learn that disproving a conclusion is not the same as identifying a flaw in the argument itself.

The dynamics of argumentation are understood when students recognize that a conclusion doesn't necessarily follow from a premise just because it's true.

A simple fix to a flawed argument can make it valid, such as changing 'all' to 'some' in the conclusion.

Dissecting historical arguments from College Board samples helps students understand the relationship between premises and conclusions.

The introduction of new diseases, the concept of land ownership, and changes in social hierarchies are examined as premises in a historical argument.

The process of building a valid argument involves starting with a conclusion and working backward to create supporting premises.

Group work is utilized to brainstorm premises that can validate a given conclusion, fostering active learning and engagement.

The classroom becomes a lively space for discussion as students engage with the puzzle-like nature of argument construction.

Once students grasp the internal dynamics of arguments, they are ready to interpret documents and use them to support conclusions.

The video aims to provide teacher tips for AP classrooms, emphasizing practical applications of argumentation skills.

Resources for APUSH and AP World classes are available, offering argument building exercises for educators.

Transcripts

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Takeaways

Q & A

What is the primary skill discussed in the video as being fundamental for students in class?

What is compared to the difficulty level of teaching students argumentation skills?

What are the two main components of an argument according to the video?

How does the video illustrate the basic structure of an argument?

What does the video suggest is the reason students struggle with making historical arguments?

What is the key point about the conclusion in an argument?

How does the video describe the process of fixing a flawed argument?

What is the example thesis statement analyzed in the video?

What is the importance of the Colombian Exchange in the context of the video?

How does the video suggest students practice building their own arguments?

What is the next step after students understand the internal dynamics of arguments?