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 Classroom

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, inclusion

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.

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?

Possible controversies or incidents

Race Gender Religion Sexual orientation Social class/poverty Abortion Immigration Language Native American issues

Possible micoaggressions or bullying in classsrooms at OSU

What are they? What are your assumptions about them? Examples from your own experience?

Personal Examples & Reactions

??????????

Alcohol example

Silence and culture

Diversity class example

Microaggressions

Implicit 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).

Bullying

Bullying 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.

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)

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

students

Spontaneous Discussions: Student Fears/Reactions

Students 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.

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)

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 class

Setting Ground Rules

Develop RulesDivide 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 ConsensusCombine 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.

Setting Ground Rules

Determine SanctionsUsing 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 enforce

Setting Ground Rules

Other 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.

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.

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 class

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

Other Options

The 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 again

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.

Strategies for Effective Spontaneous Discussions on Controversial TopicsTALK ABOUT IT / DIALOGUE Exchange Discuss Promote Understanding Listening No Decision

Avoid Debate; Encourage Dialogue

TO DEBATE IS TO:

Compete Argue Promote opinion Seek majority Persuade Win/Lose

TO DIALOGUE IS TO:

Exchange Discuss Promote

Understanding Listening No Decision

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.

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????

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