Secondary school introduces students to a public space that differs from the private spaces commonly found in elementary schools. One of the markers signaling a transition from private to public space is the use of discourse. Secondary schools are places where social practices reject the democratic and caring activities found in the elementary school while restricting collaborative interactions and one's sense of participatory opportunities. Based on the concepts of activity theorists, the authors contend that teacher education programs should invite students to problematize the public space of secondary schools to better understand the discursive activities that take place within them.