Difficult Conversations in the Classroom

Every event we host is designed with intention, from the atmosphere we create to the way each session flows. Whether you're coming to learn, connect, or simply recharge, you can expect a thoughtful, well-paced experience that encourages real engagement.Creating a classroom environment that allows for open, honest, respectful conversations about difficult and potentially sensitive topics can be challenging. And yet providing time and space to teach and model for students how to engage respectfully with one another’s ideas and opinions is more important than ever. Dialogue, including disagreement, is an essential part of a healthy democracy. In this course, we'll examine a case study that illustrates how teaching sensitive historical and current events can lead to difficult conversations with students, families, community members, school board members, and other stakeholders. We’ll share and model a variety of pedagogical strategies for facilitating civil discourse and supporting students in developing their capacity for reflective patriotism, a sense of voice and agency, and civic friendship.