Shelia M Kennison PhD Difficult Dialogues Series September 27 2012 Creating a Safe Space When Moderating Classroom Discussions of Controversial Topics andor apparent Bullying or ID: 316121
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Sue. C. Jacobs, Ph.D.Shelia M. Kennison, Ph.D.
Difficult Dialogues Series:
September 27, 2012
Creating a Safe Space When Moderating Classroom Discussions of Controversial Topics and/or apparent
“Bullying”, or “
Microaggressions
” in the ClassroomSlide2
OSU Difficult Dialogue/ ITLE Faculty Development Program
Team: Sue C. Jacobs, Shelia M. Kennison, Jason Kirksey, Hong Lin, Miriam Ward, and Farshid Jahanshahi
Underlying context for difficult dialogues programs on campus include academic freedom; free speech and academic freedom in and out of classroom; pluralism and respect for diversity, inclusionSlide3
Today’s Take Home Message
As faculty members, we may ignore or shut down a classroom outburst or heated statement about a controversial topic or issue, although some of us may relish these hot moments “are the very stuff of classroom life” (Warren).
We may also ignore more subtle non-verbal jabs or “
microaggressions
” such as eye rolling, inappropriate laughing, apparent bullying…
To do nothing is a mistake.
There are strategies to manage the conflict and apparent “bullying” of other students and encourage student learning through dialogue.
Slide4
Controversial Topics at OSU
What are they?
Which topics are talked about ?
Which topics are ignored?
Which do you feel unprepared to deal with in the classroom?
Do you have examples from your experience?Slide5
Possible controversies or incidentsRace
Gender
Religion
Sexual orientation
Social class/poverty
Abortion
Immigration
Language
Native American issuesSlide6
Possible micoaggressions or bullying in classsrooms
at OSU
What are they?
What are your assumptions about them?
Examples from your own experience?Slide7
Personal Examples & Reactions??????????
Alcohol example
Silence and culture
Diversity class exampleSlide8
MicroaggressionsImplicit messages or
racial/etc.
microaggressions
, are
brief
and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative
racial/etc.
slights and insults toward people of
color( Sue et al., 2007).Slide9
BullyingBullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior
that
involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.Slide10
Spontaneous Discussions:Faculty Fears
Losing Control of classroom dynamics
Emotionally charged
Faculty’s Perception of student reactions/emotions: Anxiety, Anger, Defensive and less often Sadness
Faculty’s Perceptions of Student reactions/behaviors: Student Cries, Student leaves classroom, Students Withdraw
Professors’ emotions: Anxiety, Disappointment, Uncertainty (Sue, et. al)Slide11
Spontaneous Discussions:Faculty Fears continued
Threat of negative student evaluations
Student harassment of other students
Disapproval from colleague/administrators
Promotion/tenure concerns
Lack of skills for handling difficult dialogues
Discomfort with silence in the classroom
Lack of knowledge on the subject matter
Fear of political/religious profiling by studentsSlide12
Spontaneous Discussions: Student Fears/ReactionsStudents fear being wrong and want to please the instructor.
Students do not want to appear stupid.
Students have to live with what they reveal about themselves after they leave class.
Students may fear that they will be ridiculed for their view and possibly stigmatized.
Students may not want to say something that might be hurtful to someone else.Slide13
Student Reactions After Effective Dialogues
Students liked professors who encouraged them to think for themselves and did not force specific views onto them.
“They also thought that hearing the different views of their peers …was motivating, either because it made them realize that they needed to know more, or their disagreement with [others’] views …made them want to counteract those views” (p. 135).
From Speaking of Politics (2007)Slide14
Strategies for Effective Spontaneous Discussions on Controversial Topics
Before a discussion occurs:
Expect there to be incidences and plan ahead
Expect emotion and strong feelings
Set ground rules to create a safe space in the classroom and after classSlide15
Setting Ground RulesDevelop Rules
Divide the larger group into smaller sub-groups of three to five individuals.
Ask them to make a short list of desirable and undesirable classroom behaviors. Give the groups about five minutes to make their lists.
Bring everyone back together, and then invite the groups to share their lists.
Achieve Consensus
Combine similar items to create a list in each category that the class can agree on. Save these and display or refer to them regularly throughout the semester.Slide16
Setting Ground RulesDetermine Sanctions
Using a similar process, have the class develop sanctions for violations of the rules.
Be prepared to negotiate on this; they may recommend harsher penalties than you want to enforceSlide17
Setting Ground RulesOther Options
Ask students to create ground rules; the instructor can consolidate all students’ written responses.
Pass out the syllabus with ground rules specified; ask students to return the syllabus with revisions, additions, or deletions.Slide18
Sample Ground Rules
In this course, we will/may have class discussions.
• You must respect diverse points of view. We can agree to disagree.
• You may not belittle or criticize personally another individual for holding a viewpoint different from you own.
• Your use of language should be respectful of others or groups.
• You should be mindful of your non-verbal communication; not paying attention, sneering or sighing conveys a lack of respect.Slide19
More Sample Ground Rules
Should
Pay attention when others speak
Have cell phones on silent or turned off
Participate
Respect other students and professor
Should Not
Chat with neighbors while the instructor or your classmates are speaking
Come to class late or leave early
Nap or use cell phones to text during classSlide20
Strategies for Effective Spontaneous Discussions on Controversial Topics
Some Techniques to Start
Anonymous Reflective Writing
(in class or out of class) designed so that the student can make a connection between their view, their emotions about the view, and what has led them to their view.
Reflective writing has been studied by James
Pennebaker
at the Univ. of Texas at Austin
Slide21
Other OptionsThe one-minute rule
Each contribution is limited to one-minute
The rule of two
After a person contributes, two others must speak before the person can contribute againSlide22
Strategies for Effective Spontaneous Discussions on Controversial Topics
When the discussion occurs
Students may be unfamiliar with listening to others’ points of view for understanding
Discussion is not debate; the goal for debating is to win. The goal of discussion is to understand.
Asserting facts may not change opinions.
Carefully monitor students’ reactions.Slide23
Strategies for Effective Spontaneous Discussions on Controversial Topics
TALK ABOUT IT / DIALOGUE
Exchange
Discuss
Promote Understanding
Listening
No DecisionSlide24
Avoid Debate; Encourage DialogueTO DEBATE IS TO:
Compete
Argue
Promote opinion
Seek majority
Persuade
Win/Lose
TO DIALOGUE IS TO
:
Exchange
Discuss
Promote Understanding
Listening
No DecisionSlide25
You May Not See the Fruits of Your Hard Work
You may not see the broadening of your students’ views; the broadening of may occur later.
Your class discussions may plant the seed.Slide26
Possible Future Directions of Difficult Dialogues at OSU
D2L Learning Community on Difficult
Dialogues and Web
page coming soon
Spring Workshops
Possible outside speakers
Faculty Book club
Community Outreach
Student Groups
Share your ideas????Slide27
Resources
Start Talking (2008) http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/cafe/difficultdialogues/handbook.cfm
Harriger
, K. J., & McMillan, J. J. (2007). Speaking of Politics: Preparing College Students for Democratic Citizenship through Deliberative Dialogue. Dayton, OH: Kettering Foundation.
Sue, D. W., Torino, G. C.,
Capodilupo
, C. M.,
Rivero
, D. P., & Lin, A. I. (2009). How White faculty perceive and react to difficult dialogues on race: Implications for education and training.
The Counseling Psychologist, 37 (8),
1090-1115.
Warren, L. Hot Moments in the classroom. Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University.
http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/html/icb.topic58474/hotmoments.html