Teaching During Turbulent Times

Research has indicated that students prefer that instructors acknowledge when a tragic or traumatic event has occurred (or is continuing to unfold), rather than remain silent (Huston & DiPietro, 2007). Acknowledgment may take the form of recognizing the circumstances at the beginning of a class session and holding space for a collective moment of silence. Gestures like these can bolster our sense of community and shared humanity, affirming that we value one another as people. This sample statement from Brown University’s Harriet W. Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning can be adapted to express concern for students: I understand that this is likely a challenging day to be thinking about [subject]. I also imagine that by being here today, like me, you find some reassurance in observing this moment as a community. In a minute, I will turn to the topic in the syllabus, but I do understand that it may be difficult to focus, and so I will both record the session and be available later this week in office hours to support your learning and well-being.

Communicating a message of care is valuable. An initial aspect of this message might include sharing how you are handling the current situation (if you are comfortable disclosing such information), establishing or re-establishing meaningful connections, and asking directly, “How can I help you learn during these difficult times?” (Imad, 2022). Encourage students to check in with each other if they feel comfortable doing so. As Eyler explains, “Caring pedagogies do not require us to lower standards or to cross boundaries. They simply require that we be present for our students as fellow human beings and that we invest ourselves in helping them to succeed” (2018: 148).

Instructors can also play a vital role in directing students to campus resources available to support them (listed at the end). Concentrating on academics can be challenging in the midst of crisis and communicating this to students can feel supportive, especially when combined with encouragement to open a dialogue about individual or group needs. Depending on the circumstances and how taxing it is on the cognitive load, some instructors may wish to add a review session or build some additional options into assignments (see also the Searle Center’s Guide on Reflection on Flexibility in Course Attendance Policies). Seeking students’ input about adaptations is a way of sharing the decision-making power. This follows in the spirit of bell hooks who calls on us in Teaching Community: A Pedagogy of Hope to “make the classroom a place that is life-sustaining and mind-expanding, a place of liberating mutuality where teacher and student together work in partnership.”

Instructors should continually self-assess: “Am I okay?” It is important for instructors to acknowledge and process their own thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations before attempting to engage in or facilitate a constructive conversation with students. A useful grounding technique is to do a quick scan: notice the surrounding environment, focus on the sensations, textures, and temperatures, and picture each muscle group one at a time and focus on relaxing that portion of the body (APA, 2022). Northwestern’s Faculty Wellness Program offers free consultations to identify appropriate resources to address both professional and personal concerns.

It is important for instructors to also carefully consider whether they have sufficient knowledge about the event or issue and/or the facilitative skills and experience needed to guide a productive conversation with their students. As Love, Gaynor, & Blessett (2016) note, instructors must reflect critically on their intersectional identities, experiences, and biases; be familiar with student demographics and student and campus culture; and consider what they will do (and how they will feel) if they meet student resistance to such conversations. Libby Roderick’s Start Talking: A Handbook for Engaging Difficult Dialogues in Higher Education, from the University of Alaska Anchorage, offers activities to help instructors examine their potential readiness as well as comfort level with different approaches.

Be transparent with students about the conversation's purpose and how it maps onto course learning outcomes or values. For example, instructors may want students to become more self-aware, to engage in perspective-taking, or to connect the subject matter of the class to broader contexts. Revisit any community norms around classroom participation or group engagement that have already been established or use this as an opportunity to co-create some “ground rules” together to promote constructive and reflective conversation. Arao & Clemen (2013) provide concrete suggestions for “transforming a conversation that can otherwise be treated merely as setting tone and parameters or an obligation to meet...into an integral and important component” of the learning experience. Students should play a role in defining “safety,” and instructors should prioritize ensuring it (Harper & Neubauer, 2020). Proactively establishing community norms can equip both instructors and students to respond to turbulent events more meaningfully and collectively when they arise.

Do not assume that all students are affected the same way or that there is widespread agreement. Students’ experiences of any given event can be shaped by their identities, backgrounds, beliefs, attitudes, skills, and experiences; and as such, what is traumatic for one individual may not be experienced similarly by another. When inviting and valuing diverse perspectives, it is important that no student feels pressured to speak for an entire group (Carnegie Mellon’s Eberly Center Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation). It is also critical for instructors to consider how their own biases, assumptions, beliefs, attitudes, and positionality may influence interactions with students (Imad, 2022). Instructors can prepare themselves to respond to microaggressions using the ACTION framework, which includes asking clarifying questions with curiosity to maintain a supportive classroom climate (Souza, 2018).

There are several strategies that may help students express themselves in productive alignment with course learning objectives. For example, asking students to spend a few minutes writing out their thoughts associated with a sensitive issue or traumatic event. Depending on the context, it may be helpful to depersonalize the issue by asking “Why are some people upset or angry about this?” rather than “Why are you upset or angry?” However, there are also good reasons in terms of perspective-sharing and building empathy to invite the personal lived perspectives of individual students.

There may be moments when there are exchanges, dialogue, or questions that an instructor does not anticipate or cannot predict which cause distress or discomfort in the classroom. Instructors may “freeze” or “flee” in such moments and attempt to move on quickly without addressing the issue, or “fight” by immediately responding to students in ways that negate their comments or shut down further discussion. Such silence or silencing can be hurtful to students and diminish their sense of trust and community. It is important for instructors to feel comfortable and confident by taking time to reflect on an issue before addressing it in an activated/triggered/ dysregulated state. The following possible responses have been adapted from guidance issued by the University of Maryland’s Teaching and Learning Transformation Center:

• “I think I understand why you have mentioned that. It is outside the scope of this course, so I feel it is best that we do not use class time to address that here. However, I would be happy to refer anyone who would like to discuss that to some more appropriate venues or resources.”

• “You know, that is an important question and really timely. Before we can have a thoughtful conversation about it, or I can offer a meaningful answer, I would like to take some time and reflect on it. Let me get back to you next class session.”

• “I am not sure if everyone here thinks or feels the same way, but rather than ask people to react on the spot, let me think about how we can best have a productive conversation about this when we next meet as a class. Until then, please consider coming to meet with me during office hours to discuss it more.”

• “It sounds like you are having a hard time right now, and while I might not be the best person to help you personally, I want to make sure that you know there are resources to support you on campus.”

Individuals and their communities have knowledge, skills, abilities, relationships, and other assets that promote thriving during adversity (Harper and Neubauer, 2020; Yosso, 2005). Empower students by recognizing these strengths and supporting practices related to their resilience. Ladson-Billings (1995) suggests that developing opportunities that connect students’ perspectives to current events enables them to "develop a broader sociopolitical consciousness that allows them to critique the cultural norms, values, mores, and institutions that produce and maintain social inequities” (Ladson-Billings, 1995). In doing so, instructors bring concepts and ideas from source materials into real world contexts and relate them to the experiences of students’ day-to-day lives, which gives them a chance to engage as connected members of a larger social collective.