Additional Resources: Difficult Conversations in the Classroom
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Office of Diversity and Human Rights
- Includes equity, diversity, and inclusion training and educational resources, accessibility resources, policies & procedures, and more.
- DHR also offers multiple courses and training modules for registered UofG staff, faculty, and students on CourseLink.
- Provides programs and services that facilitate continuous learning for all staff, support organizational effectiveness and encourage innovation and knowledge sharing.
- You can access the ongoing events calendar for upcoming opportunities or explore development opportunities on regularly offered programming.
Student Experience Advising and Support
- Cultivates dynamic environments outside the classroom for all students in which they can learn, build community, develop a sense of belonging, explore lived experiences and intersecting identities, deepen their understanding of themselves and each other, and engage in meaningful dialogue. Student Experience Advisors provide information about the resources and supports available to students.
Student Accessibility Services
- Services are available to: Students, and Staff and Faculty responding to student concerns.
- Committed to advancing the student experience and is proud to offer quality programs and services that aid in the development of the person, scholar, and citizen.
- Service are available to: Students, and Staff and Faculty responding to student concerns.
- Services are available to: Students, and Staff and Faculty responding to student concerns.
- Services are available to: Staff and Faculty.
- Services are available to: Students, and Staff and Faculty responding to student concerns.
International Student Experience
- Services are available to: Students, and Staff and Faculty responding to student concerns.
- Services are available to: Students, and Staff and Faculty responding to student concerns.
- Services are available to: Students.
Employee and Family Assistance Program
- Services are available to: Staff and Faculty.
Sexual Violence Support and Information
- Services are available to: Students, and Staff and Faculty responding to student concerns.
External Resources
Carleton University
- A process for involving students in creating a safe environment for productive classroom discussion.
Carnegie Mellon University
- Deeper Conversations hosts opportunities to explore and discuss complex issues in multiple forms (lectures, events, etc.) including addressing conflict and hate related to the rise of antisemitism and Islamophobia.
Columbia University - Barnard College
- Trauma-Informed Pedagogy presents 6 principles of trauma-informed pedagogy, as well as trauma-informed techniques and responses.
Columbia University Center for Teaching and Learning
- Navigating Heated, Offensive, and Tense (HOT) Moments in the Classroom explores what HOT moments are and how to develop responses and strategies for navigating them.
Ohio State University
- A high-level summary of Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Stone, Patton & Heen
Queens University
- Managing Difficult Conversations Resources includes links to pedagogical resources for instructors, trauma-informed pedagogies, media literacy supports, and scholarly article recommendations.
San Diego State University
- Working with the Emotionally Distressed Student is a faculty guide from Counseling and Psychological Services.
Stanford University
- Resource document on Handling Planned or Unexpected Class Discussion Involving Sensitive Topics offers a helpful framework of Anticipate, Acknowledge, and Act Authentically.
Tufts University Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching
- Guidance for Responding to Student Distress Following a Tragedy or Crisis offers practical recommendations for how to plan a caring and compassionate response to students. In particular, it includes a chart of empathy blockers and empathy facilitators to help instructors decide what the "right thing to say" might be. It also offers important considerations and alternatives to deciding whether or how to hold a discussion with students.
University of Alberta
- Public-Facing Resource: Teaching During Global and Geopolitical Crisis features a variety of strategies and frameworks for supporting students equitably and compassionately, including tips and strategies for engaging conversations through affective, trauma-informed, and justice-oriented lenses.
University of British Columbia Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology
- Examples from the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology at UBC, Microaggressions in the Classroom was created collaboratively by the Student Diversity Initiative and Indigenous Initiatives and includes types of microaggressions (including examples) as well as a step by step process for addressing microaggressions in the classroom.
University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching
- Guidelines for Discussing Difficult or High-Stakes Topics includes guidance and facilitation methods for both planned and spontaneous discussions. Also includes specific subject matter guidelines for topics like racial conflict and affirmative action.
- Hot Moment Handout includes general principles and strategies for facilitating Hot Moments.
- Intergroup Dialogue resources include strategies for developing community guidelines, facilitation, Hot Moments, and responding to bias in the moment.
Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching
- Teaching in Times of Crisis is a teaching guide that helps instructors understand the impact of times of crisis on a classroom and suggests practical approaches to responding thoughtfully (including discussion facilitation).
- Difficult Dialogues includes specific tools and strategies for preparing and facilitating “hot button” discussions.
- Start Talking: A handbook for engaging difficult dialogues in higher education addresses strategies for introducing controversial topics into the classroom. It also includes activities for faculty reflection and discussion to navigate their experiences.
Wake Forest University
- Teaching During Times of Tragedy or Crisis presents criteria for identifying if an event might be a crisis or tragedy, followed by recommendations on how to adjust accordingly to support students' mental, physical, emotional, social and/or spiritual health.
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