Listening to Children in Dialogue. A Response to “‘State Your Defense!’ Children Negotiate Analytic Frames in the Context of Deliberative Dialogue”

In this appreciative response to Jennifer Hauver’s article about elementary children’s negotiation of analytic frames in deliberative dialogue during input into a school governance decision, Bickmore argues for the value of such agentic, citizenship-relevant learning opportunities in public schools. She points to their unfortunate infrequency (to the detriment of socially just democracy) in economically and racially marginalized communities. The concept of analytic frames is compared with the notion of interests—desires, needs, concerns, and ethical principles—underlying each party’s proposals in integrative negotiated conflict resolution theory. Questions are raised about the roles played by cultural context and status inequalities within dialogue groups. Bickmore concludes that both Hauver’s research methodology and her pedagogy of listening intently to children show enormous potential for enhancing transformative democratic education.