We found 174 results that contain "inclusivity"

The following is a list of the educators receiving the #iteachmsu Educator Award from the College of Arts & Letters. For more information on these awards, check out the article entitled "#iteachmsu Educator Awards".
Marcos Serafim: Marcos Serafim is a Brazilian multidisciplinary artist working with new media and video in his third year as an MFA candidate. He has exhibited work at the 5th and 6th Ghetto Biennale in Haiti; the Oscar Niemeyer Museum in Brazil; the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC), the Queens Museum, and Flux Factory in New York. His work has been screened in film festivals in multiple countries, including the Cine Esquema Novo Film Festival in Brazil (Audience Choice Second Best Short), Israel`s Horn Festival for Experimental Films (Jury's Second Prize),Northampton Film Festival in Massachusetts (Jury's Honorable Mention for Short Experimental), and Faito Doc Festival in Italy (Young Jury's Honorable Mention for Short Documentary). His projects have been regularly funded by grants and scholarships in Brazil, Sweden and the United States; including the Collaborative Arts And Design Research Grant from Michigan State University and the Santa Catarina State Award for Film Production in Brazil. His outstanding research helped to strengthened his undergraduate teaching. With his background in film/video Marcos developed and taught an upper-level course, Experiments in Digital Video. This was a completely new course offering and is now being taught by him for the second time.
 As his Major Professor it has been my privilege to mentor such a talented artist and scholar. I thank him.
 
Michael McCune: Michael has been an invaluable support this past semester. Even though I have never taken a class with him, he helped me figure out key elements of my exhibition. He was always excited to solve problems that I was facing and offered solutions that I had not considered. His words of support, praise, and laughter have been invaluable. I am inspired by his spirit of making/doing and his ability to think outside the box, way outside of it. Thank you, Michael.
 
Alex Nichols: Alex Nichols is a storehouse of knowledge when it comes to photography, printing, photobooks, and so much else. Over the past year he has answered so many of my questions, pushed me to consider other ideas, and cheered me on as I take on projects. His support and mentorship have been invaluable to me and I am so grateful. I am inspired by his willingness and excitement to solve problems, to think through ideas, and to support in ways that only he can. Every time I walk into his office, he is excited to answer my questions. Even when it is the 897425847th one in 3 days. I have learned so much from Alex and am grateful for his mentorship and friendship.
 
Walt Peebles: Walt has had a significant impact on my doctoral journey. He has helped me in numerous ways and most importantly, his passion for teaching and problem solving are infectious. Several times this past semester I went to Walt with challenges I was facing. He always helped me out, patiently listening to me and then thinking/making/doing with me to figure out a solution. Walt is one of the most passionate teachers I have met at MSU and I am so grateful for his support, mentorship, and guidance!
 
Jacquelynn Sullivan: Jacquelynn is an educator that we don't deserve but need! Over the past year, Jacquelynn has supported my projects tirelessly, helping me think through various aspects of my exhibition. I would not have been able to do any of the work without her unending support. I am amazed and inspired by her commitment towards her work, her students, and everyone who works in the Art Department. I have learned so much from her and will continue to do so. Her ability to support students in helping them create their best work is truly stunning and inspirational. Educators like Jacquelynn allow MSU and the students enrolled here to be successful not just academically but also as whole human beings. I am grateful to know her and to be able to learn and laugh with her.
 
Kate Sonka: Kate supports education at all levels. She takes students on study away programs to teach them about accessibility, and in doing so, teaches them how to be better advocates for users. Whether it is developing a class that introduces accessibility to students in the humanities or planning a study abroad to Europe that explores international accessibility and sustainability, Kate is an inspiration to all educators as we strive to create more inclusive and accessible learning environments for students.
 
Paula Winke: Dr. Paula Winke makes room in her instruction for the whole student. Activities in her classes are experiential and relevant to students' experiences, and I have personally benefitted a great deal in our advising sessions from her willingness to broach topics of family life, seeking work/life balance, and being a parent in academia. Thank you, Dr. Winke!
 
Lorelei Blackburn: Lorelei is a BSP faculty fellow this year. She has had a very difficult section of ANR 210, but has done an excellent job stretching herself as the course convener to push the students to take ownership of their learning. You have helped to design a learning environment where students are able to build community and challenge ways of knowing. Bravo to you Lorelei!
 
Bruno Ford: Working with Bruno Ford has been such a wonderful and rewarding experience. Bruno was my student as an undergraduate, and seeing a student fall in love with Medieval Literature as I have, and to pursue it as one's life passion has been an incredibly validating journey to watch as a professor. Bruno and I are currently working on a volume of the early Robin Hood ballads as a teaching tool, and I thank Bruno for his incredible insight, knowledge, and awareness as we work together in framing these texts within a larger LGBTQ+ lens.
 
Justin Wigard: What comes to mind when I think of Justin? Dedicated, smart, and compassionate. He is committed to sharing his passion with students, friends, and colleagues. In the classroom he empowers students to be creative, in seminars and workshops he support the intellectual growth. He thinks and acts as a teacher-scholars that is ready to help make sense of the complexities of the 21st century.
 
Kaylin Smith: Kaylin will graduate this summer and we'll be sorry to lose her. She has served -- among other roles -- as president of the Linguistics program's graduate student organization, as organizer of our bi-annual grad student research conference GLEAMS, and this year as a Graduate School Writing Fellow. Kaylin has also been a tremendous academic mentor to students in the EEG/Psycholinguistics Lab, teaching them how to use neurolinguistic equipment, and as a social mentor to new and continuing students in the progam.
 
Adam Gacs: Adam is a quiet leader, whose excellence and care is only known to those, who are lucky enough to work with him or learn from him. He has single-handedly developed a two-year online German course series, which has brought language instruction to so many new audiences at MSU and beyond and has turned out to be a fabulous environment for supporting students with disabilities. Just the other day, a student disclosed that he would have quit college all together, if it had not been for the community, connection, and engagement that he experienced in Adam’s online course. But Adam is so much more than just an excellent classroom teacher. He is a full-body, whole-hearted educator. Adam exemplifies the generosity and collaboration at the heart of MSU’s teaching and learning mission. As a mentor and colleague, he is always willing to share his technical expertise, create new materials (and fix every broken link and error in existing materials), facilitate learning across platforms to meet students where they are. His patience in teaching students in his classrooms, coordinating the online TAs, and assisting his peers knows no limits. Regardless of your skills in language and/or technology, Adam always makes you feel comfortable and supported. He assumes no background knowledge and starts his educating at your level.
It is high time that we say thank you to Adam for all that he has done for the German program as an educator!
 
Amelia Stieren: Amelia Stieren is currently the graduate student representative in the German Program, and I am also serving as her MA advisor. In her role as grad rep, she is an important conduit of communication: she attends faculty meetings, bringing grad student concerns to our attention and relaying back to her fellow students our responses and other important information. She has also been very active in building up the contact among grad students across several grad programs (German, French, and Spanish). For this good work, we in the German Program are very thankful to Amelia! On a personal level, Amelia has had quite a positive impact on me. In our first advising meeting last fall, she expressed her goal to work with more intention this academic year. I shared this perspective with the other students in our graduate colloquium, encouraging them to keep this in mind as they work throughout the year, and I continue to strive to work with this kind of focus myself. From casual conversations about teaching to serious discussions of her thesis to difficult discussions of personal loss, I always come away from our interactions feeling inspired, having reflected together on what it means to be an educator, a scholar, and a “Mensch”. For this, I am very thankful!
 
Maria Buttiler: I’m so pleased to recognize Maria Belen Buttiler for her dedication and outstanding contributions to the International teaching Assistant (ITA) Program. Maria, who is an international student herself, was awarded the ITA Program Pronunciation Instruction Fellowship for three semesters and has the served the ITA Program by assisting other international students with their pronunciation and presentation skills. She is highly motivated and passionate, and always goes the extra mile to help the students she is working with, whether that means researching additional strategies and tools or preparing helpful learning materials tailored to specific student needs. Maria is also always ready and willing to share her knowledge and work with her peers. As her supervisor, I have found that I have learned a great deal from her as well. Thank you, Maria!
 
Tamoha Siddiqui: Within the first few days of classes being moved online, Tamoha created a virtual WhatsApp group chat that gathered many first and second year students in the MA TESOL and SLS PhD programs. Knowing ahead of time the challenges of isolation that this time could bring, Tamoha was proactive and sought to gather everyone together for a place of mutual support and encouragement. Thank you for spreading the love, Tamoha!
 
Catherine Barland: Catherine has been a great student in the French program. As a TA, she has a very strong commitment to teaching excellence. As a student, she is a pleasure to have in class, always making positive and intelligent comments in class. As my RA, she has saved me a lot of time by transcribing recordings meticulously. She is dedicated to her students as well as her academic work. Merci Catherine!
 
Sarah Brundrett: Sarah is full of energy and positivity. She brings both of these things to every class she teaches and takes and can always be found with a smile on her face. During her MA program, she's been working very hard on all of her classes, showing her commitment to learning. But her heart and focus are on teaching. That's why she is writing a teaching portfolio in which she is developing writing activities that the French program will be using next year. Merci Sarah!
 
Katie Rottman: Katie loves teaching the French language. During her MA program, she's been working very hard on all of her classes, showing her commitment to learning. But her heart and focus are on teaching. For her MA project, she's chosen to develop an entire chapter for the online textbook we're going to use in the future. Students are going to learn French for many years to come thanks to her work. Merci Katie!
 
Caitlin Cornell: Caitlin Cornell has been working tirelessly to improve access to education and other resources for the community at large. She has shared resources and taught people how to keep their courses accessible even during this transition to online. She has led several learning communities that have a great focus on inclusivity and equity, while also being interdisciplinary (e.g., the Applied Scholars group housed in the SLS program and an accessibility learning group that developed out of a course she taught). A Lansing native, she has also been committed to her community delivering meals and other resources to struggling families.
 
Claire Wilcher: Claire came to MSU as more of a colleague than student and inspires others to do their best work. Claire is an exceptional actor, student, and educator and will be a major force of change in our profession.
 
Kate Fedewa: Kate displays a vast knowledge of pedagogy and practice. She is consistently working with students in her writing, editing, publishing, and grammar classes to prepare them for work beyond MSU - combining her professional experience as a published author with her passion for teaching. She cares deeply about pedagogy and is developing new methods to be used to assess how we teach and support teachers of Professional and Public Writing.
 
Mike Ristich: Mike has excelled as a teacher and a mentor for students in his Prep for College Writing and First-Year Writing classes at MSU. He is deliberate in how he takes time to work with students so they can be successful in the classroom and beyond. When I think about what it means to be a caring teacher, I think about how Mike works with his students and supports them at all levels.
 
Madeline Shellgren: Maddie has made (and continues to make) invaluable contributions to MSU's campus. She volunteers her time to efforts and initiatives that are important to her, despite working full time and pursuing her doctorate. She cares deeply for her colleagues and the spartan community which she has shown as program coordinator, coach, and educator.
 
Kenlea Pebbles: Kenlea not only focuses her work on interdisciplinary approaches to help us understand the importance of environmental health, she does so in ways that can affect our lives as teachers and learners. Her presentation in my environmental writing course inspired us all to think more deeply and more compassionately about how the language and frames we use might affect environmental studies and, as one students put it, "how language and assumptions can limit how we care about and for the earth.
 
Pia Banzhaf: Upon entering Deutsch 101 I was very uncertain as to if I would continue learning Deutsch after 101 and how the class would go in general. But I was overwhelmed with the kindness of Frau Dr. Banzhaf and her abilities to make me feel conformable and welcome in our small Deutsch Gemeinde. This class made me develop a love for Deutsch Kultur and I believe that is now never going to change, and I owe that to Frau Dr.Banzhaf. Deutsch is one of the most important things in my life now because of the Deutsch Gemeinde that Frau Dr.Banzhaf created for me.
 
Leonie Hintze: Vielen Vielen Dank! You were amazing last semster and I really hope you conitnue to spread your knwoldege wherever you go! Stay safe!
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll be directed to a form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize.

There has been a lot happening in the world- in addition to my world- and navigating these happenings has felt heavy at times. From institutional changes to caregiving responsibilities, I feel like I’ve been spinning a lot of plates (and each plate is full). Wanting to do and give my best to my work, my family, and my community, while the impacts of invisible disability knock regularly at my door… this has been an exceptionally tough “season”.
Throughout it all, I’ve found that thinking of my life and all the ways I engage in/with it as tied to a collection core guiding principles and values. Starting by identifying what these were for me, and moving to what they look like in practice personally and professionally, has helped me scope my expectations for myself, how I decide to (or not to) take on new projects, and how to measure success. I’m trying hard to move away from thinking about my “performance” and productivity (grounded in capitalism) towards a day-to-day where I’m bringing my whole authentic personhood to the spaces in which I’m invited or have access. This is a snapshot of three of the ideas guiding me in this effort… centering these are what “help me sleep at night” (as my therapist says).
Trust:
I know from my doctoral research, that trust is a key characteristic of groups coming to a place of shared communal wisdom. I also know that my perspectives on trust have shifted as I’ve faced relational trauma and toxic environments, while coming into my own as a parent of two kiddos. I don’t give trust as freely as I used to, and don’t expect others to either… instead I’ve moved toward relational reciprocity. I now understand trust as something to be cultivated and maintained. It takes work, just like most aspects of relationships, but the work is worthwhile.
According to the Center for Creative Leadership research (2017), all components of trust constitute a core need we have as humans; trusting in ourselves, being trusted, and trusting those around us.  When present in a team, trust stiches together buy-in around group purpose, goals, and objectives, creating a fabric of collaboration and empowerment. To build (and sustain) this kind of trust, it is crucial to provide meaningful opportunities for folx to connect with one another on a human level. Just as crucial is the understanding that there will be times when trust is compromised, and rebuilding is necessary (after all we’re all human).
Care:
Depending on who I’m talking to, “care” can look very different. To my kids, care looks like “keeping us safe and healthy” (what they know is my “#1 job”) where to my colleagues and collaborators, care is very different. Regardless of who – acting with care requires one to actively listen (listening to understand rather that just respond). Care often requires time and definitely establishment of welcoming spaces. Care is community. Care is compassion + action, letting humanity drive the way we exist and operate with and amongst one another. We should consider approaching all with a commitment to caring; ourselves and others.
Dr. Catherine Denial, author of “A Pedagogy of Kindness” (2024), very eloquently captures what I’ve come to know and experience (if only I had read her book first). “Our access to care—even self-care—is knowingly limited by people who understand their privileges to be dependent upon denying others the material, emotional, social, and spiritual space they need. In the academy this is reflected in matters like the move to contingency; in the loss of lines in departments and programs that ask hard questions about equity and inclusion (like gender and women’s studies, Latinx studies, and African American studies); and in tolerance of sexual harassment, abuse, and assault” (p17).
Congruence:
Growing up, I heard relatives regularly pick up the phrase “they talk the talk but do they walk the walk” to point out the way what a person says aligns with how they act. Now whether they picked the phrase up from casual conversation or the movie Apocalypse Now, I came to understand that “walking the walk” was the most important part of the phrase from an onlooker (or impacted persons’) perspective. Congruence in my practice means that I am doing what I say I’ll do, that my actions are in alignment with what I say is important to me, that (going back to my opening of this piece) I can sleep at night knowing that I showed up in ways I’ve promised to my community.
Congruence is one of the seven “C’s” of the Social Change Model for Leadership Development. In “Leadership for a Better World” authors Komives and Wagner, with associate Shalka (2017), note that “The ability for individuals to live their lives from places of personal truth [congruence] can bring comfort and strength” (p69) and that “To be a person of Congruence requires dedication and courage. Congruence demands that leaders commit to a process of frequent evaluation and refinement of their intentions, actions, and motives” (p79).     
All in all, as you may have gathered, these three guiding principles are interconnected in a way that is quite challenging to parse out in my daily life. Despite that, the work of self-reflection, of naming these things and how they influence the way I keep the plates spinning and my heart beating, has proven to be an extremely valuable practice in my life as an educator, as a colleague, and as a human.
Photo by Charlie Firth on Unsplash

Title:  research associateDepartment: Enhanced Digital Learning Initative (EDLI)Bio: Dr. Min Zhuang is a research associate at EDLI with a Ph.D. in Educational Foundations from Saint Louis University. Her research interests center on the intersection of diversity and inclusion in education, and she employs qualitative and quantitative methods in her work. Before joining the EDLI in 2023, she worked at Saint Louis University as an adjunct faculty in Mandarin. She also has experience in teaching graduate and undergraduate foundation courses in research, professional ethics, and multicultural issues.LinkedIn

The first fellow in her college, Kanza spent the majority of the Fall building relationships and raising awareness of the fellowship and her as a resource. Early Spring, she worked with stakeholders within the college to determine a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. She was about to host an event related to her fellowship work, known as a “Human Library,” but had to cancel it due to COVID-19. The purpose of the event was to showcase and celebrate the diversity with the College of Law, in hopes of starting a conversation about authenticity and lived experience in the college.

Humanizing your Online Course is a Hybrid meeting happening on Zoom and on the MSU Campus in STEM 2202.
This workshop tackles the common time and energy challenges of fostering inclusivity in a virtual setting. You will have the tools to create an online space where students feel seen, heard, and valued. Join us for a lively discussion, real-world examples, and a look at innovative tech tools designed to help you connect with your students. Discover strategies for building a supportive online community, and learn how to engage with your students to foster their growth. Please feel free to peruse our working document here Humanizing your Online Course
Interested in enrolling in our workshop? enroll here Meeting Registration
 

MSU does not currently have a university-wide policy on cameras/videos (e.g. web cameras) for online learning. Much like attendance/participation policies, camera/video policy statements will be determined by individual instructors, departments, and programs. Instructors are responsible for communicating the individual course policy to students.
The following resource is provided to assist you in developing coherent policies on camera use in your course. Please adjust the guidance to fit your particular course context, but remember you must make allowances for certain circumstances that might be tied to connectivity issues or environmental circumstances. It is key that your desire for video-on participation be built on a foundation of inclusion and accessibility, pedagogy and design.   The information below is shared as key considerations for developing your course policy.  If you have specific questions about writing your course policy, please reach out to the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI).  
Benefits and Challenges of Webcams 
The use of webcams in live online meetings can add to the educational experience in many ways. Some of these include: 

Students working in groups 
Showing physical evidence or materials 
Proof of attendance 
Classes that focus on communication skills, performance, or physical movement 

Students may wish to keep their webcams off because: 

Their internet speed cannot support the use of streaming video. Bandwidth problems are real for many students regardless of their location 
They may have privacy concerns (e.g. roommates, children, or other family members in the background) 
Students may wish to keep their webcams off because leaving them on may reveal their exact geographical location or other unique identifying information to the rest of the class 
They may have a visually busy environment or otherwise distracting background that could detract from others’ ability to attend to class content 
They may have personal or environmental concerns that make sharing their likeness or their personal spaces problematic. Not all computers can replace backgrounds with virtual backdrops that would alleviate these concerns 
They may have a disability where the video feed will decrease their success in the course 
Students may not have a webcam on their computer. This item has not been a component of the university required laptop/desktop description. 

Educators should be aware of the privacy, hardware, software, disability, and equity concerns and only require the use of webcams or video feeds when the educational value of requiring video supersedes those concerns. In such instances, there may still be students whose specific disabilities preclude the use of webcams. The Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities will work to assist students who have gone through the proper accommodation request process and for whom the use of webcams is not possible. Instructors should also keep in mind that the accommodations process can be a time consuming and expensive one; and not all students may be able to engage in it. In addition, disabilities, temporary or otherwise, can manifest at any time. These factors should be considered when you determining the policy for your course.
Best Practices for Developing Video Conference Policies 
In general, online learners experience “Zoom fatigue” and extra cognitive loads when it comes to learning (McCabe, et al., 2023 & Fauville, et al, 2021) For reasons of equity and respect for privacy, students generally should not be required to turn on their webcams for the full duration of all online class sessions. The literature around camera-on requirements promoting learning is scarce. Waluyo and Wangdi (2023) found that classroom dynamics, classroom exhaustion and participation, physical appearance and background, unrelated physical activity, distracting behaviors, and technical issues all played a role in student-camera behavior. It is also important to note that there are many ways to - through pedagogical design - effectively build a sense of belonging and classroom engagement. If you’re interested in more on classroom engagement strategies, you can schedule a consultation with a member of the CTLI team or check out CTLI’s upcoming events! 
Faculty might have pedagogical reasons to ask students to turn on cameras when teaching online, but educators should consider whether asking students to turn on their webcam is necessary to accomplish a learning objective and should explain to students the educational reason for their request, allowing the student to make their own, informed decision to do so based on their circumstances and without incurring penalties of any kind. 
In short, the default recommended practice would be to allow students to keep their webcams off, with certain learning goals and instructional practices making it justifiable for the educator to ask students to turn on their webcams if they are willing and able, after receiving an explanation for the request. The only exception to this choice would be during assessment activities that require* the use of a webcam.  
*Any webcam mandates need to be clearly communicated in advance of the first-expected use to allow students adequate time to plan and prepare their environment. 
Relevant MSU Documents and Policies 
Restrictions on instructors requiring students to turn on their webcams is supported by MSU’s Student Rights and Responsibilities, Article 2.II.B 8 (The student has a right to protection against improper disclosure of his/her education records and personal information such as values, beliefs, organizational affiliations, and health) and Article 2.III.B 10 (The student and the faculty share the responsibility for maintaining professional relationships based on mutual trust and civility). 
In light of the Family Educational Records Protections Act (FERPA), MSU’s Office of General Council recently put together this guide addressing how to properly deal with files of recorded synchronous sessions containing video feed.  References & Further Readings 
McCabe, J. A., Banasik, C. S., Jackson, M. G., Postlethwait, E. M., Steitz, A., & Wenzel, A. R. (2023). Exploring perceptions of cognitive load and mental fatigue in pandemic-era zoom classes. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000347  
Fauville, Geraldine and Luo, Mufan and Queiroz, Anna C. M. and Bailenson, Jeremy N. and Hancock, Jeff, Nonverbal Mechanisms Predict Zoom Fatigue and Explain Why Women Experience Higher Levels than Men (April 5, 2021). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3820035  or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3820035   
Waluyo, Budi & Wangdi, Thinley. (2023). Reasons and Impacts of Camera On and Off during Synchronous Online English Teaching and Learning: Insights from Thai EFL Context. CALL-EJ. 24. 179-198.  Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/367384842_Reasons_and_Impacts_of_Camera_On_and_Off_during_Synchronous_Online_English_Teaching_and_Learning_Insights_from_Thai_EFL_Context  
https://courses.cs.washington.edu/courses/cse481p/23sp/readings/W6S2/four-causes-zoom-fatigue-solutions-VigneshRamachandran.pdf   
Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash 
 

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The Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University has shared what to do if a difficult (also referred to as "hot") moment has arisen in your classroom.
While there’s often no single “right” response, as the instructor, how you address difficult moments in the classroom has implications for learning. Your response can communicate indifference or even hostility; alternatively, it can show that you’re aware of your classroom’s dynamics, you aim to promote learning even through struggle, and you care about your students’ well-being. Here are some tips for helping you to respond productively.

Attend to your own reactions. Take a moment to steady yourself. A couple deep breaths can be helpful here. Though it may be challenging, holding steady while navigating a difficult moment can help others feel safe, less reactive, and better able to slow down and explore the dynamics at work in the situation. There are likely many different, complicated responses playing out in the room. What are you feeling? Allow yourself a pause; you can even invite everyone in the room to pause along with you. How are others reacting to what is happening? You can offer everyone some time to think, write, or even leave the room for a bit. Observe your own reactions to what is happening. Try to distinguish between what you are experiencing, what is actually being said or done, and the various possible interpretations of what is happening. There’s a lot going on in this moment! Attending to your reactions is a skill to be practiced.
Understand the situation. It’s possible that, in the heat and complexity of the moment, there has been some misunderstanding. Maybe someone has misspoken or you’ve mistaken their meaning. Others in the room may be in the same situation, wondering whether they've heard and understood a comment correctly, for instance. It's important to make sure that your understanding of the situation is as accurate as possible and sensitive to the different perspectives present in the room. It may be fitting to ask the person or people involved for further explanation or clarification. If the difficult moment was sparked by a comment, you could try repeating back the comment or its logical implications – not as an accusation, but to allow the speaker to clarify their meaning. You might ask: “What makes you say that?” or “Can you say more about what you mean?” Try to discern if there is a learning opportunity here, or perhaps a need for articulating boundaries.
Deepen and nuance your short-term response. You’ve slowed down the situation, attended to your reactions, and asked for further explanation or clarification as needed. As noted above, the dynamics at play in this moment are complex! How can you deepen and nuance your response in the short-term? For one, try and separate the utterance, idea, or action from the person who articulated or performed it. Hold people accountable for what they say and do; also recognize that a single offensive or even harmful act doesn’t reveal the entirety of someone’s character and motives. You can make it clear that a comment or act is unwelcome in the classroom, even while admitting you’re not sure precisely why or how it came about. For another, you might acknowledge the various emotional responses in the room as material that can contribute meaningfully to class discussion. Can these responses reveal something interesting about a concept that is being studied or a method being practiced? This move can both validate the different kinds of responses unfolding for individuals in the room and communicate that lived experience is relevant for classroom learning.
Consider your long-term response. Your short-term response to a difficult moment need not be your only response. Do you think the moment requires follow-up action so that future classes aren’t negatively affected? Would it be helpful to check-in with the class or certain individuals either via email or during the next class meeting? If you perceived harm being done or unease being instigated, you may offer to talk with a student or students after class, over email or in-person. You may also consider how chances for feedback and communication of personal experience might be incorporated in the ongoing class structure. Perhaps invite everyone to write or share exit notes at the end of every class, or maybe you collect feedback at several points throughout the semester. Regular opportunities to articulate one’s experience in a course can do much toward alleviating the pressure placed on any one emotionally intense moment; they also help cultivate a practice of reflection and self-awareness.

Five Strategies to Interrupt Hot Moments from MSU IDI:

CURIOSITY: Ask powerful questions and listen generously to answers. Lead a dialogue balancing all voices in the class. Make sure to surface historically marginalized perspectives.
WRITING EXERCISE: Have students write responses to: 

“What I know about this topic…”
“What I want to learn…” 
“What I want to say….” 

You may ask them to respond anonymously, collect and review to determine how to proceed next time.


SMALL GROUPS: Divide students into groups of 2 or 3 and give them prompts (from above or others); debrief or have them write.
CONTENT/DATA SHARE: Create a graph and ask students what they already know about this topic, what they need to find out. What do we know about this issue historically?
NAMING AND FRAMING: Sometimes it is useful to actually stop the conversation and ask the group to name and explore something that just happened during the conversation. Move away from the specifics of the issue and ask class “what happened here?” Solicit ideas about what, why, how to move forward.

Looking for more resources? Check out the amazing work done by educator development team at the University of Michigan's Center for Research on Teaching and Learning. They provide strategies for anticipating and responding to difficult discussions as well as classroom incivility:

Guidelines for planning and facilitating discussions on difficult or controversial topics
Responding to incidents of hate speech
Teaching and learning in a tense election season
Strategies for making productive use of tense or difficult moments
Facilitating Challenging Conversations in your Classes (blog post)
Sample guidelines for class participation
Guidelines for responding to particular topics and tragedies
Responding to Incivility in the College Classroom

Thank you to colleagues in university educator development at the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University, the Center for Research on Teaching and Learning at the University of Michigan, Institutional Diversity and Inclusion at Michigan State University, and others for their materials that informed or were adapted into this resource. Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash