Recently I've been trying to engage my students in a class-wide discussion of the writings on various topics. In order to create a more comfortable and equal environment (one in which I'm not necessarily the authority), I've been sitting down at my desk and acting only as a moderator. Has anyone else tried this, and what were the results? So far, my students have been responding well, which means that more of them are talking, and they're talking to each other. They're not just giving answers, they're discussing ideas. (And this is just the thing I'm trying to encourage.) Any tips?