Classroom Civility and Navigating Difficult Conversations

Research on Faculty Actions Students Find Helpful in the Face of Tragedy and Conflict

The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence supports SU educators in navigating these challenging times in their courses and interactions with students. We encourage faculty to acknowledge the seriousness and complexity of recent events and to recognize that their students – like faculty – are affected in many different ways.

In a post-9/11 survey of university students, Huston and DiPietro (2007) analyzed student perceptions of faculty actions after a tragedy. They report that students found a wide array of actions to be helpful, ranging from simple, brief actions to more involved responses. These included, for example,  

  • Reassured students who were distressed that they would have opportunities to review new material again later
  • Mentioned available support on campus
  • Offered to talk privately with anyone who might want to
  • Integrated the topic into a lesson or the course
  • Offered extensions on assignment due dates
  • Led a minute of silence or reflection
  • Read an inspirational text
  • Mentioned ways that people can get involved in helping (e.g., volunteer in the community)

Students reported that it was not helpful when faculty (a) didn’t mention the collective tragedy and conflict, or (b) when they acknowledged it, but kept going with the course without offering any help to students who might be feeling stress or trauma. Faculty have different kinds of scholarly expertise, course contexts, and approaches to teaching. No single approach fits all contexts. Students appreciate faculty who respond in unique and humane ways (Huston & DiPietro, 2007, p. 219).

Creating/Co-Creating Civility and Community Agreements

Creating Classroom Community Agreements (Jesica Siham Fernández, Inside Higher Ed)

Co-creating with Students: Practical Considerations and Approaches | Times Higher Education 

Co-Creation | The Clemente Course in the Humanities 

Crafting Community Agreements | Barnard Center for Engaged Pedagogy

Creating Community Agreements with Your Students | Center for Teaching & Learning | Boston University

Ground Rules | Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence

Ground Rules: Examples & Resources | University of Maryland Faculty Center 

Group Agreements | Derek Bok Center | Harvard University

Civility and Classroom Agreements | CSU San Marcos

Creating Community Agreements | McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning | Princeton University

Establishing Classroom Ground Rules | Center for Teaching and Learning | Washington University in Saint Louis

Establishing Community Agreements and Classroom Norms | Center for Teaching Innovation | Cornell University

Rules of Engagement for Student-Centered Discussions | Haas School for Business University of California, Berkeley

Student Civility Contract | School of Nursing Ohio University

Difficult Classroom Conversations

Addressing Critical Current Events and Holding Difficult Conversations in the Classroom | UC Santa Cruz Teaching and Learning Center

Challenging Conversations Resources | The Center for Teaching and Learning | Reed College

Controversial or Sensitive Topics | Academy for Teaching and Learning | Baylor University

Difficult Dialogues | Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning | University of Connecticut

Difficult Dialogues | Center for Teaching and Assessment of Learning | University of Delaware

Difficult Dialogues | Center for Teaching | Vanderbilt University

Difficult Discussions | Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship | Georgetown University

Election and Post-Election Conversations in the Classroom | Barnard Center for Engaged Pedagogy

Facilitating Challenging Conversations in the Classroom | Center for Teaching and Learning | Washington University in Saint Louis

Facilitating Difficult Conversations | University of Miami Platform for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

Guidelines for Discussing Difficult or High-Stakes Topics | CRLT | University of Michigan

Managing Difficult Classroom Discussions: Diversity and Inclusion: Teaching Resources | University of Indiana Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning

Strategies for Managing Difficult Classroom Conversations | Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning | Brown University

Navigating Difficult Conversations | Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor | University of Nebraska

Navigating Difficult Conversations in the Classroom | Kent State University

Encouraging Civility and Navigating “Hot Moments”

10 in the Moment Responses for Addressing Micro and Macroaggressions in the Classroom (Chavella Pittman, The Scholarly Teacher)

Addressing Destructive Behavior in the Classroom (Chavella Pittman and Niya Boyd, OneHe)

Beyond Inclusion: Education for Civic Participation and Engagement (Bryan Dewsbury)

Civility in the Classroom: A Better Approach | Academic Impressions

Classroom Incivilities | Academy for Teaching and Learning | Baylor University

Creating Inclusive Environments to Encourage Classroom Civility | Reinhart Center | Saint Louis University

Disembroiling HOT Moments in the Classroom (Rebecca Petitti , Amanda Irvin and Soulaymane Kachani, Inside Higher Ed)

Encouraging Civility | Indiana University Bloomington | Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning

Ensuring Collegiality and Civility: A Classroom Management Quick Guide | Office of Teaching and Learning | University of Denver

Getting Started with Managing Classroom Conflict | Center for Teaching Innovation | Cornell University

Hot Moments | Equitable Teaching project at the University of Michigan | College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

How Do I Navigate Hot Moments in the Classroom? | Center for Teaching & Learning | UMass Amherst

Managing “Hot Moments” in the Classroom | University of Denver Office of Teaching and Learning

Navigating Difficult Moments | Harvard University Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning

Navigating Heated, Offensive, and Tense (HOT) Moments in the Classroom | Columbia University Center for Teaching and Learning

Preparing For and Responding to Challenges and Challenging Moments in the Classroom | Syracuse University Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence

Responding to Difficult Moments | CRLT | University of Michigan

Some Principles and Practices to Enhance Classroom Emotional Safety (Colleen Cameron)

Speaking Up Without Tearing Down (Lorett J. Ross, Learning for Justice) 

Teaching After an Election | Boston College Center for Teaching Excellence

Teaching Strategies: Disrespect and Disruption in the College Classroom | CRLT | University of Michigan

Teaching in a Time of Conflict | University of Pittsburgh Center for Teaching and Learning

Teaching in Tumultuous Times: The Value of Scripts (Jessamyn Neuhaus, Syracuse University, Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence)

What Does it Take to Have Civil Discourse in the Classroom? (Chronicle of Higher Education) 

Want to Teach Civility? Start With Intellectual Safety. | Learning for Justice