STRATEGY GUIDE

Teaching Strategies for Classroom Discussions About Racism and Violence

April 21, 2021

Review classroom expectations about respectful listening and responding. For example, one expectation might be to listen to others without interrupting. Another might be to avoid generalizations (e.g., use the word some when referring to groups of people). Remind students that it’s OK to disagree with someone’s ideas but not to insult someone’s identity. The organization Facing History and Ourselves has student-centered teaching strategies that can be used with any content at facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies.

Acknowledge that discussing racism and violence can be difficult and uncomfortable for you and your students–and that you won’t have all the answers. These topics can evoke sadness, anger, confusion, guilt, shame, or denial, and the dynamics may vary depending on the diversity of your classroom and community, and on your own background.

Help students consider multiple perspectives. Remind them that their classmates may have different experiences from their own, and caution them against making assumptions and generalizations. You can provide frames to help them build on each other’s ideas, such as “To connect with what ___ said . . .” or “After thinking about what ___ said, I now think . . .”

Address any problematic comments or tough questions. Welcoming varied perspectives should not mean tolerating speech that is racist or harmful to others. Point out any comments that violate classroom expectations. If you hear students use stereotypes or make insensitive statements, try to correct them without assigning blame. You might say, “I wouldn’t say all people . . .” or “Is that really true?” Remind students that they shouldn’t believe everything they read, see, or hear.

If a student asks about something you’re unsure about, model how to use research to find answers. You might say, “I’m not sure I know the answer to that. Why don’t we both do some research, and then we can talk about what we learn later this week?” If students share misinformation, identify it and clarify facts.

Try to avoid sharing your opinions with the class. Students who disagree with your view might withhold their own views. Alternatively, students who agree with you may think they don’t have to work as hard at articulating their reasons. All students might feel pressure to say what they think you want to hear.

Avoid using terms like nonwhite or minority because they can imply that white is dominant or “normal.” You can point this out to students as an example of how language choices matter.

Discussions about race can lead students to think critically about many related issues, including prejudice, bias, inequality, tolerance, and responsibility. Encourage students to reflect on how learning about race and discrimination can help them shape a more just, respectful, and caring world.