Sue. C. Jacobs, Ph.D. Shelia M. Kennison, Ph.D.

1. 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 Sue. C. Jacobs, Ph.D.Shelia M. Kennison, Ph.D.

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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?

5. Possible controversies or incidents • Race • Gender • Religion • Sexual orientation • Social class/poverty • Abortion • Immigration • Language • Native American issues

6. Possible micoaggressions or bullying in classsrooms at OSU • What are they? • What are your assumptions about them? • Examples from your own experience?

7. Personal Examples & Reactions • ?????????? • Alcohol example • Silence and culture • Diversity class example

8. 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).

9. 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.

10. 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)

11. 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

12. 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.

13. 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)

14. 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

15. Setting Ground Rules • Develop 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.

16. Setting Ground Rules • Determine 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 enforce

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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.

23. Strategies for Effective Spontaneous Discussions on Controversial Topics • TALK ABOUT IT / DIALOGUE • Exchange • Discuss • Promote Understanding • Listening • No Decision

24. 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

25. 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.

26. 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????

27. 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