The Alchemist, Lord of the Flies and La La Land

Kevin Tran is in his second year of teaching English at Evergreen Valley High School in San Jose. With a Master’s degree from San Jose State University, he has successfully incorporated Debate-Centered Instruction (DCI) into his high school curriculum after just one year of teaching.

“I’ll never forget how inspiring my own sophomore year teacher was when I was in high school. Everyday in chemistry, he’d offer life advice alongside motivational speeches. His ability to connect chemistry to real-world applications made a lasting impression on me. While I didn’t always fully grasp the concepts in chemistry, I truly appreciated his demeanor, attitude, and personality,” Kevin reflected. “It was through teachers like him that I realized I wanted to teach. They genuinely cared about us and made a real impact on our lives.”

Initially considering a career in psychology, Kevin ultimately chose teaching as a way to help others. “That’s when I realized I wanted to pursue a career that could truly make a difference,” he said.

In college, Kevin found his passion for literature, especially analyzing texts. Recently, he assigned his students a project on The Alchemist, focusing on the themes of dreams and reality. The class watched La La Land and analyzed the connections between the two works. Students wrote essays exploring the question, "What does it mean to be a teen in 2025?"

“One student shared an essay with me that was so well-written, it profoundly resonated with me. I asked her about her process, and she walked me through it. I told her it was one of the best things I had ever read, and she thanked me,” he recalled. “But the next day, she came back to share how much my words meant to her. She wanted to make sure I knew how much she appreciated the opportunity the project gave her, and how it made her think more deeply.”

When Kevin first introduced Debate-Centered Instruction (DCI) into his classroom, he began with a small-scale debate. “I was nervous because I had seen how difficult debate could be to manage without proper structure. Without clear instructions, debates can easily become disorganized, with some students doing all the work while others contribute little,” he admitted.

“But with DCI, everything changed. Every student had a role, and they stayed engaged. The activity was challenging, but they found it rewarding. They appreciated the opportunity to build arguments. The time constraints were challenging, but they still enjoyed the challenge,” Kevin said.

For Kevin, DCI aligns naturally with his teaching style. “I believe in student-centered learning, where students take on the work. It's important to shift the cognitive load from the teacher to the students. This approach was ingrained in me during my graduate studies, and it feels very natural in the classroom.”

Despite its overall success, Kevin has faced some challenges in fully integrating DCI into his classroom. “The difficulty sometimes lies in determining how to fit DCI into the curriculum. I constantly ask myself: How can I make this activity feel organic? How can I integrate it seamlessly into what we’re already studying so it doesn’t feel disconnected?”

The academic rigor of his school also poses a challenge. “Maintaining rigor is crucial. It’s a balancing act—figuring out how much scaffolding is needed for students to succeed,” Kevin explained.

Kevin teaches three novels each year. This past year, he taught Lord of the Flies and created a DCI consensus activity with four different claims. The students discussed the nature of savagery and examined whether Jack’s influence or the boys' inherent evil was to blame for their descent into chaos. They also analyzed Ralph’s failure to lead and the complete lack of civilization.

While students expressed a desire for more time to cross-examine each other’s arguments, they also relished the challenge that the time constraints provided. One unexpected benefit was the increased engagement of a student who had previously been much less enthusiastic about the learning process. In the mock trial, every student participated—whether presenting opening or closing arguments, cross-examining, or delivering rebuttals.

In today’s political climate, teaching DCI feels particularly relevant. “Teaching is inherently political. It’s an act of protest. When we teach students to be critical thinkers and analyze current events, we’re empowering them to engage with the world thoughtfully. Avoiding those discussions would undermine the very purpose of education,” Kevin stated. “SVUDL has been an invaluable resource. It has helped me become a better teacher.”