I think both of the readings for this week focus on the common thread of challenging students preconceptions through the use of multiple and multimedia texts.  Students do most of their learning outside of the classroom and thus bring with them to school a multitude of opinions about varying areas of academia.  It is much more important to confront and challenge these opinions than to allow them to sit untested.  This approach teaches students the valuing of challenging the status quo and questions what is accepted as truth within their communities.  This also carries school learning into the home and community, strengthening the bond between these areas of learning.

Having their opinions challenged can be a painful struggle for some students but the benefits they can potentially receive from this endeavor are far greater than any discomfort.  The classroom should be a safe place where a student can feel safely challenged.