a wrench screwdriver and pliers are on the floor and a lizard hand is grabbing at them. Text reads "thanks for the patience the lizard people keep stealing our tools." #DENFILES

I was into Conspiracy Theories before they were Cool – then they got kinda Scary

Reading Time: 5 minutes

My Introduction to Conspiracy Theories

I was 15 years old when 9/11 happened. Like many others in the U.S. I can remember exactly where I was when it happened: Geometry class, right hand side, 3 seats from the back. We don’t easily forget such formative moments.

The next year was the first time I heard someone talk about the “danger” of vaccines. I was in English class, third row in from the window. My friend talked about her brother’s autistic tendencies and how she believed he got them from the vaccines he received as an infant. (I still follow both of them on Facebook. She’s still anti-vax; He’s staunchly for them.)

I also remember where I was a few years later, when I watched Zeitgeist in my best friend’s basement. The series worked to unpack the real story behind 9/11, religion, intergovernmental decisions – you name it.

Each time I encountered these narratives – ones of a secret underbelly in the upper echelons of government, capitalism and medicine – my response was the same:

“It may be, very like.”

Like Gertrude in the 2nd act of Hamlet, I acknowledged these theories as a possibility, but didn’t throw all my chips in. At this point in the play, Gertrude was trying to figure out WHY Hamlet was acting the way he was – gathering information and examining prospects. At this point in my life, I recognized I was under-informed in some areas and generously gave my attention to those who claimed they knew more than me. 

(I mean, Gertrude was also really, really hoping that the problem wasn’t her – she had a decent blanket of denial on – but she was open to possibilities. Like all of us, Gertrude was more readily accepting of data that fit the narrative that she WANTED to believe: that Hamlet was crazy in love, not crazy because of grief and revenge. But I digress.)

When I heard of all of these theories, I held them as possible. What was most possible is that there was more to the story that I didn’t know. Maybe the conspiracy got some stuff right. Who knows?

I didn’t run into my own basement and log onto sites that heralded the conspiracy as the only way. I didn’t start buying supplements to ward off supposed toxins in my water. And I didn’t stop going to the doctor. I held the theories at arms length, a little skeptical that everyone was out to get me.

Conspiracies were possibilities, that’s all. One perspective to hold while continuing to examine others. 

It seemed to me, at the time, that conspiracy theorists were a niche group, discussing possibilities on internet forums, or in small groups at night, or quietly in the back table at a coffee shop so as to diminish the number of weird looks they received.

Then, something changed. The landscape shifted. 

…Then they went Mainstream

It’s no secret how conspiracy theories have gained traction in the past 5 years. I’m a little surprised that people have picked them up whole hog and run with them. (I mean, have you ever tried to CARRY a WHOLE HOG? It’s like, 250+ lbs. Lots of work and dedication to such a huge beast. . . ) 

When I started hearing my students argue about Kyrie Irving’s flat earth theories, and saw the number of students influenced by his belief, I grew concerned. Was this where we’re at? Though the belief that the earth is flat is alarming, it wasn’t what concerned me the most. What concerned me most was the “the earth is flat, end of story, and you’re a fool to believe otherwise” mentality that accompanied it. 

In the world of the “flat earth conspiracy” and many like it, there is no room for another view. It’s all or nothing. 

No matter what you believe, it seems we’re in an era of doubling down, preparing for battle, donning armor every time we discuss a topic. You are either pro or con – no middle ground allowed. In between each side is a literal no-man’s land. One step towards the middle of the field and prepared to be slaughtered by the other side AND your own side (for diverging from the acceptable position).

How is a teacher supposed to encourage thoughtful citizenship and rhetoric in this landscape? 

You can imagine my relief when another possibility came into view. 

Another Theory…

I still remember where I was when I first learned about the College Career and Community Writer’s program. Sitting in my classroom, after school, laptop open at a student work table, left hand side. 

It showed me another path. 

The C3WP is built on proven best practices, created by teachers, and structured around the theory of composition as explained in Joseph Harris’ Rewriting

Every unit of C3WP introduces students to multiple perspectives on a topic. Students read multiple texts and revise their stance on an issue as they read. When students work on their writing, C3WP encourages students to explain WHY they want to include certain voices/texts as evidence to develop their position. 

I was a little hesitant when I signed up for. . . was this just another program promising “a different way” only to get me mired in formulaic assessment, sheets of busy work, scripted curriculum, and teacher-centered instruction?

Two things pulled me in and set me on the C3WP path for the foreseeable future. 

  1. Skepticism and Generosity

Rather than a battlefield, C3WP sees argument as a conversation where every voice has a seat at the table. Your first job when approaching argument writing is to listen to each voice at the table with “an active mix of skepticism and generosity.”

It takes a lot of work to help students don the posture of listening respectfully when they encounter a text. C3WP teaches and reteaches, and asks teachers to examine formative assessments to get a data-driven picture of how well their students are developing these skills. 

  1. The work I received from my students

Even with my best work guiding students to include divergent perspectives in their research writing, I’d still see cherry picking and defensive tones. If another perspective was included, it was only to reveal how ridiculous it was – to resolutely reinforce the initial claim of the writing. 

With C3WP, it was different. Students still developed strong stances and were encouraged to explore values important to them. But, they were also guided towards understanding that OTHER stances and OTHER ideals might have value, too, and that those divergent perspectives might aid them in thinking about their own. The writing started to honor the other perspectives as we made deliberate thinking and writing moves in units like Coming to Terms with Opposing Viewpoints

Now I’m a C3WP-Truther

I remember where I was when I realized the strength of the College, Career, Community Writers program: sitting next to two other teachers, reviewing our students’ work, considering what next steps the students needed, based on their writing. C3WP encourages teachers to adjust units after trying them out, to build learning moments their students really need. 

And I remember where I sat when a 10th grade student argued that “While abortion is certainly immoral, it should remain legal in the United States” because of the research he’d collected over two semesters with C3WP. He didn’t change his values; he started to see there was more to the stories he’d previously encountered. 

C3WP honors students’ values, voices and lives, while at the same time asking students to consider that a different perspective is worth looking at. C3WP honors teachers’ values, voices and lives, while encouraging them to try something a little new in their classrooms. 

C3WP is something I’m happy to pick up and run with. 

But don’t take my word for it – check out C3WP for yourself. 
If you’re interested in knowing more about the College, Career, Community Writers Program, contact Robert Brooke, Director of the Nebraska Writing Project, at rbrooke1@unl.edu.

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