{"id":26053,"date":"2017-03-02T16:54:00","date_gmt":"2017-03-02T23:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=26053"},"modified":"2017-03-02T16:54:00","modified_gmt":"2017-03-02T23:54:00","slug":"faculty-embrace-prepare-for-difficult-discussions-in-classroom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=26053","title":{"rendered":"Faculty: Embrace, prepare for difficult discussions in classroom"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Anna Kosloski<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Jeff Scholes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Dena Samuels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Jennifer George<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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UCCS faculty should not shy away from difficult topics in the classroom but should be mindful of setting up conversations and be prepared to guide them.<\/p>\n

Anna Kosloski, assistant professor, School of Public Affairs; Dena Samuels, assistant professor, Women\u2019s and Ethic Studies Program; and Jeff Scholes, assistant professor, Philosophy Department; shared their advice at a Feb. 15 all-campus forum\u00a0“Controversial Topics in the Classroom.\u201d Terry Schwartz, interim provost, Academic Affairs, facilitated the discussion. Jennifer George, associate university counsel, joined the panel and gave advice about intellectual property issues including classroom recordings.<\/p>\n

\u201cI try to purposeful,\u201d Kosloski said. \u201cWhy talk about something if we\u2019re just going to get people riled up and they\u2019re not going to learn anything from it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Because Kosloski teaches criminal justice, she anticipates capital punishment discussions and plans for them. She recommended that faculty spend several classes building rapport with students before introducing difficult subjects. She also encouraged setting formal expectations in a course syllabus.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remind them that there are a lot of preconceived notions about capital punishment,\u201d Kosloski said. \u201cWe\u2019re not trying to change their opinions but be sure they have informed opinions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scholes and Samuels, whose courses include religion, gender, race and class discussions, agreed with Kosloski\u2019s advice and added their own suggestions.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tell them \u2018this is not only hard work but it’s heart work,\u2019\u201d Samuels said of her preparation of students to deal with issues of race, gender and sexual identity.<\/p>\n

Samuels recommended establishing course ground rules or community guidelines at the first class meeting, calling it the single most effective tool for facilitating difficult discussions. Among the guidelines that she sets, often in concert with the students, are treating everyone with respect, declaring comfort as overrated and daring to engage with others.<\/p>\n

She also sets the chairs in her classroom in a circle and uses name tents so students know each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re challenging stereotypes right from the get go,\u201d Samuels said. \u201cThat alone \u2013 just seeing someone eye to eye across the room — is really valuable. Once you\u2019ve connected with someone eye-to-eye, you\u2019re much less likely to say something really offensive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scholes talked about the challenge of getting students in his world religions course to talk openly about their beliefs and the importance of clarifying the role of the instructor.<\/p>\n

He also shared a metaphor that he uses as an initial classroom exercise.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tell students that the door into classroom is like the airport check-in counter,\u201d Scholes said. \u201cYou can check your bag or carry it on. I tell students that I want them to check their bag of bias and ideas about religion when they enter the class but not to worry, they can pick up their bag after class.\u201d<\/p>\n

George clarified the role of students making recording in classrooms, telling faculty that it is both legal for students to record classroom lectures and for faculty to prohibit students from recording. She encouraged faculty to state in their course syllabus that while recording may be legal, publishing a recording of a course lecture without permission is an ethical breach and subject to specific disciplinary procedures.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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