MANAGING DIFFICULT DISCUSSIONS IN THE CLASSROOM Sara Villanueva, Ph.D. CTE Faculty Fellow on Diversity Introduce myself. My role as fellow, primary objective. INTRODUCTIONS: Name, Dept/School, Why you’re here. The word DIVERSITY = various images/meanings, but focus for today is…providing faculty with tools for managing issues that may come up in the classroom. I’ll start by preaching to the choir a bit…

The Challenge Managing discussions ongoing challenge Faculty face tentative situations with their students Students feel left out, anxious, or even threatened Experts in our respective fields, but very little training in effectively dealing with controversy. Controversial topics around race, religion, sexual orientation, political leanings, or immigration status can be brought up in spontaneous discussion by students, or deliberate dialogue by instructors. Given the current socio-political climate, faculty are now facing particularly tentative situations with their students that must be handled with great diplomacy and finesse, as such conversations can become heated very quickly, often leaving faculty feeling inept, unprepared, and frustrated. Outbursts or heated discussions that are not managed effectively can result in students feeling left out, anxious, or even threatened. Despite being experts in our respective fields, most faculty have very little training in effectively dealing with controversy. IN SUM: Whether they occur in the classroom or another campus setting, it is important to help faculty structure such discussions in a way that sets boundaries, clarifies the process, and provides some degree of healthy resolution for students, thereby providing a model for civil discourse that students can use in their own lives.

How would you handle… a conservative student complaining about other people’s “leftist liberal ways” in the classroom a group of students arguing over the immigration issue an insensitive student who murmurs an offensive, derogatory terms when discussing LGBTQ issues? Open discussion on how people would handle these various situations. One by one. Then break into groups and ask participants to jot down any situation that they may have experienced in the classroom that presents a challenge in the area of Diversity. This does not necessarily have to be a personal experience…it may be one that a friend or colleague has experienced. Once they’ve done this (3-5 minutes) have them discuss the following (allow about 8-10 mins for discussion): What did you do? How did you handle it? What do you wish you would have done? How would others in the group have handled the situation? Then, come back to the big group and each table share their any recurring themes or observations that they noticed.

Rising to the Challenge Be Prepared: BEFORE the semester begins Set the TONE and MODEL expected behaviors from the very beginning Manage Spontaneous/Unexpected Discussions Initiate and Manage Planned Discussions on Controversial Topics This workshop seeks to address this problem by offering specific guidelines that can help instructors facilitate classroom discussions around controversial issues.

Be Prepared Consider ”hot topics” Can discussions achievement of SLO’s? Be mindful! Preparation: BEFORE the semester begins Consider any “hot topics” that may come up in your class and anticipate all possible viewpoints. – What are some “hot topics” How can discussions involving these controversial topics help you to achieve the learning objectives set forth in your course? Example: Do your SLO’s include something similar to “After thus course, students will understand xyz in the context of varying cultural backgrounds and appreciate possible group differences.” Be honest with yourself. Through careful self-reflection, identify any biases (we all have them!) you may have that may come up in your class, when interacting with students with strong viewpoints. Be mindful.

Set the TONE Be purposeful in your own behavior (again with the mindfulness!) Build a community in your classroom Be specific about the class climate Encourage curiosity Question source Respect for one another Embrace, not simply tolerate, different opinions to reach optimal intellectual growth Convey common grounds - “we’re all in this together” message Set the TONE and MODEL expected behaviors from the very beginning Build a community in your classroom or lab through introductions, getting to know them, and finding common grounds and goals. Specifically outline general expectations of conduct/mutual treatment of one another Encourage curiosity Question source Respect for one another Embrace, not simply tolerate, different opinions to reach optimal intellectual growth Convey common grounds/“we’re all in this together” message

Manage Unexpected Discussions Reminder of the ground rules set forth at the beginning Acknowledge all students’ viewpoints Manage the interaction to ensure fairness and safety YOU decide on when and how to end interaction – take charge! Quickly assess whether any other students would like to share views Consider debriefing…now, or next class. How to manage Spontaneous/Unexpected Discussions Refer back to ground rules established at beginning Acknowledge all students’ viewpoints involved in discussion Manage the interaction to ensure fairness and safety Decide on how long you, as the instructor of this class, want to allow this dialogue to go on, and the various ways to end. Quickly assess whether any other students would like to share views

Plan Discussions Info on common base for knowledge Ground rules – remember, we’re in this together! Common goals & objectives Monitor/Facilitate fairness, equity (time), focus, and flow Summarize points by each side Give resources for more info How to Initiate and Manage Planned Discussions on Controversial Topics Provide students with information needed to establish common base for knowledge and understanding Establish ground rules and convey the “we’re in this together” message Identify common goals and objectives for this discussion Continually monitor for fairness, equity (time), focus, and flow – actively facilitate discussion Summarize points made by each side, and entire discussion at the completion of task Give resources for students to refer to for more information after class

http://sites. stedwards. edu/diversity/ https://www. facebook. com/seu http://sites.stedwards.edu/diversity/ https://www.facebook.com/seu.facultydiversity