Focusing IV: Binary Opposites

What powerful binary opposites best catch the importance of the topic?

Earlier today, I wrote this down beside this question in my notebook:

When I was writing about the affective elements of this particular assignment, I suddenly realized that there was a marked difference in how the students talked about the assignment when responding to the interview questions that dealt with the before and how they responded to those questions that dealt with the after. I wondered then if the before and after might not provide the powerful binary opposites I might be looking for in an attempt to focus myself on this work. I've looked through my writings thus far (looking for the word "but" as it would be indicative of a space where there might be other binary opposites...oddly enough, I haven't found any -- which is rare for my writing, but interesting in this situation) and have been unable to identify any powerful binary opposites besides this one. The other things that I know is that I've expressed my interest in process of coming to know repeatedly and of course, these binary opposites also deal with that point of knowing.

I think I'm getting focused now. How do students move from a place of unknowing, confusion, and anxiety to a place of knowing, clarity, and confidence?

I'm ready to do my essential question now, I think...