Tools
Topic-Specific Resources
Perceptions of whether, how and why different conversations are considered challenging will vary. In any case, educators are likely to face added difficulties if lacking context or resources to responsively navigate high-stakes topics. The resources below are offered as a starting point to think about effective norms and objectives when approaching critical and polarizing issues.
The specific topics included here are in response to requests and suggestions from the school community, and are by no means an exhaustive list of important or complex conversations. If there are other topic areas or current events that could benefit from additional resources to help navigate, please send us your requests.
University of British Columbia and Queens U: Conversations on Decolonization. https://healthsci.queensu.ca/sites/opdes/files/modules/EDI/conversations-on-decolonization/#/
NPR: A guide to understanding Gender Identity and Pronouns
University of Colorado: Tips for Talking to Students about Gender and Sexual Identity
Roots Connected: Resources for Classroom Conversations on Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation
Vanderbilt University: Teaching Beyond the Gender Binary in the university classroom
Jason Jay, MIT. Beyond Polarization: How to have productive conversations in an era of extremism. Technology Review, October 23, 2018.
Andrea Bear and Jean Cook: Teaching News Literacy in Politically Polarized Times, Faculty Focus, February 13, 2019.
Anti-Defamation League: Let’s Talk Politics: Bias, Dialogue, and Critical Thinking
Interview with Laura Hoxwarth, University of Virginia: Improving Dialogue Across the Political Divide. UVAToday, August 16, 2019.
Kimberle Crenshaw on Intersectionality. Time Magazine
Douglas Starr (2020) The Science of Unconscious Bias. Science.org
Glen Singleton: Beginning Courageous Conversations about Race
Let’s Talk! Discussing Race, Racism and Other Difficult Topics with Students
Singleton, G. & Linton, C. (2006). Courageous Conversations About Race: A field guide for achieving equity in schools. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press Inc. Adapted by Angela Brown, VSB Anti-racism & Diversity Consultant https://arts-campout-2015.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2016/10/Courageous-Conversations-Angela-Brown.pdf
Cameron and Jeffries (2021) Anti-Black Racism in Canadian Education: A Call to Action
Podcast: Be Antiracist with Ibram X. Kendi
Faculty Focus: Strategies for Discussing Religion in Secular Studies Classes
Pscyhology Today: How to Teach Religion in the University Classroom
EdCan Network: Religion in the classroom
USC: Religion in the University Learning and Teaching Environment
York: Trauma-Informed Pedagogy Series
Vanderbilt University: Resources for Teaching in Times of Crisis
University of Alberta: Teaching During Global and Geopolitical Crisis
Recommended Literature
Ahenkorah, E. (2020). Why Safe and Brave Spaces don’t work, and what you can do instead. Medium. https://medium.com/@elise.k.ahen/safe-and-brave-spaces-dont-work-and-what-you-can-do-instead-f265aa339aff
Ferguson, Ge and Schwartz (2023).Managing Difficult Conversations in the Classroom. Toronto Metropolitan University, Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. https://docs.google.com/document/d/16Gd33ayi0DlLUzvbe7puVsukWIdbeZDKQdlyt3rbfKA/edit
Difficult Dialogues National Resource Center. (2020). Strategies for challenges in dialogue facilitation. https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/ddnrc/pages/20/attachments/original/1603824545/Strategies_for_Dialogue__%285%29.pdf?1603824545
University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning & Teaching. (n.d.) Guidelines for Discussing Difficult or High-Stakes Topics: https://crlt.umich.edu/publinks/generalguidelines
Haslam, R.E. (2019). Interrupting Bias: Calling Out vs. Calling In. Seed the Way LLC. http://www.seedtheway.com/uploads/8/8/0/0/8800499/calling_in_calling_out__3_.pdf
Merculieff, I. & Roderick, L. (2013). Stop Talking: Indigenous Ways of Teaching and Learning and Difficult Dialogues in Higher Education. Anchorage, AK: University of Alaska Anchorage. https://ctl.oregonstate.edu/sites/ctl.oregonstate.edu/files/stop_talking_final.pdf
Howard, J. (2019) “How to Hold a Better Class Discussion.” The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/article/how-to-hold-a-better-class-discussion [Excerpts]
Inclusive Teaching Forum: Discussion Guidelines. (n.d.). Columbia University Center for Teaching and Learning. Retrieved October 16, 2023, from https://teaching.cornell.edu/resource/getting-started-establishing-ground-rules.
The Guardian: How to use Classroom Conversations to Improve Learning