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.
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