{"id":1181,"date":"2018-02-01T09:40:33","date_gmt":"2018-02-01T15:40:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/sips\/?p=1181"},"modified":"2019-09-10T17:20:17","modified_gmt":"2019-09-10T23:20:17","slug":"sip-7-3-leading-difficult-discussions-in-class-and-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/sips\/sip-7-3-leading-difficult-discussions-in-class-and-online\/","title":{"rendered":"SIP 7.3 Leading Difficult Discussions in Class and Online"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thirsty for a Strong Instructional Practice?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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Difficult discussions are on the rise in the academy.\u00a0As the political landscape in the United States becomes more intense\u00a0and polarized\u00a0and\u00a0as the\u00a0MSU Denver\u00a0community\u00a0feels the impact of legislation\u00a0such as\u00a0rescinding of the DACA program<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0removal of workplace protections for transgender people<\/a>,\u00a0the\u00a0focus of classroom\u00a0discussions\u00a0has\u00a0gone beyond\u00a0course content\u00a0and into\u00a0the\u00a0need to discuss personal lived experience as it relates to identity.\u00a0For many students,\u00a0MSU Denver may be the one place where\u00a0they can explore the\u00a0impact\u00a0of these difficult times\u00a0on\u00a0their personal lives, and so it becomes an imperative to create spaces where students can share, be challenged, and be affirmed in their identities\u00a0while they are learning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Salience of\u00a0identity\u00a0or\u00a0experiencing a\u00a0microaggression<\/a>\u00a0may\u00a0impact\u00a0a student’s ability or desire to participate in class. For example,\u00a0a female student walking to class may have been cat-called\u00a0and suddenly, her female\u00a0identity and\u00a0is\u00a0at the forefront.\u00a0A\u00a0student\u00a0with undocumented parents may be worried they will be deported,\u00a0making them\u00a0reflect on their privilege as someone who was born in the United\u00a0States.\u00a0A\u00a0transgender student may have a class in a building where there is no gender-inclusive restroom, and as such, fear for their safety when using a gendered restroom. We\u00a0rarely\u00a0know exactly what our students are\u00a0dealing with when they come to class, and\u00a0consequently, how\u00a0various\u00a0class\u00a0topics may impact them. Because we cannot control when people may\u00a0be triggered\u00a0(having an emotional or physical reaction to something that is said or experienced), it is important\u00a0when planning\u00a0to consider how to lead difficult\u00a0class discussions, since triggers\u00a0may arise when we least expect it\u00a0and change the course of inter-student\u00a0dialog.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Take a SIP of This:\u00a0Leading Difficult Discussions in Class and Online<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Here are some ideas on facilitating difficult dialogues:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Take time to review your syllabus and consider what topics may be<\/b>\u00a0controversial.<\/b><\/a>\u00a0<\/b>Again, we will never know what may trigger\u00a0a student, but it is critical to consider what issues may arise.\u00a0Consider how those conversations may contribute to your overall goals for the course, rather than throw a wrench into your lesson plan. Think through the outcomes and skills you want the students to achieve through these challenging conversations.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Work with the class to set ground rules.\u00a0<\/b>There are many different resources and models of ground rules\u00a0that apply\u00a0to identity work and social justice. Models such as social justice educator\u00a0Dr. Jamie Washington\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0are very transferable to the classroom. Challenge students to use\u00a0“I statements”\u00a0and speak from own personal experience. Work to build relationships of commitment and trust, and engage with active listening techniques.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Monitor yourself, your triggers, and your own personal\u00a0<\/b>biases<\/b>.<\/b>\u00a0<\/b>Remember that the leader of a discussion is\u00a0also\u00a0a participant.\u00a0When\u00a0participating\u00a0in\u00a0or\u00a0facilitating dialogue, it is natural that you may become triggered, or have an emotional or physical reaction to something that is said.\u00a0What are your triggers?\u00a0How do you deal with triggers? Doing some reflection ahead of time can help you continue to facilitate without responding angrily to the student who may have triggered you. Additionally, it is important to remember that everyone has bias, and often times, implicit bias shows up without awareness. Check out the\u00a0Harvard Implicit Bias tests<\/a>\u00a0and assume that you hold stereotypes that have been influenced by the media and the cultures\u00a0you are a part of. With that knowledge, take steps to counteract stereotypes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Consider multiple modes of expression for processing difficult dialogues or topics.\u00a0<\/b>Give students\u00a0five minutes to write down their immediate reactions, then encourage small group dyads\u00a0or\u00a0triads to allow more voices to process. In online forums, students could submit a written reflection on their thoughts.\u00a0They can decide if they prefer to submit that reflection to\u00a0the whole class or only the instructor.\u00a0Everyone processes information at differing speeds and with varying levels of comfort. Offer students a 24-hour reflection window in which to post additional questions and ideas to a Blackboard discussion board. This is effective both in face to face class discussions and online discussions. Students who did not speak up in-class may post thoughts more freely in Blackboard. Considering ideas and responses later may elicit clearer understanding with deeper reflection.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Above all, see this challenge as a positive.\u00a0<\/b>When students dissent or disagree, they are engaged with the content and feel safe to share their points of view. Of course, we never want this to happen in a way that belittles other\u2019s experiences or identities, so it is always good to refer back to the class ground rules once you sense a conversation or topic may be headed towards a\u00a0negative outcome.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    Still Thi<\/span><\/strong>rsty? Take another SIP of\u00a0Leading Difficult Discussions in Class and Online<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n