Adapting Podcast: Conversations That Matter - Disagreement as Education

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In moments of conflict, listening to the other side can feel like the last thing we want to do. But in this week's episode of Adapting, Billy Planer reminds us why it's one of the most important things we can do.  

David Bryfman speaks with Billy, who is the founder of Etgar 36, a Jewish educational nonprofit that takes teenagers on a five-week journey across the U.S. to engage with all sides of political issues. Drawing on his experiences as an educator and the ideas in his new book, Conversations That Matter, Billy explores what meaningful education looks like when students are encouraged to question, engage, and even reach conclusions different from their teacher’s. At a time when disagreements over Israel, politics, and identity are increasingly difficult to navigate, this conversation asks what it takes to keep talking, and why learning to engage across differences may be one of the most important lessons we can teach our students today.