Overview

Incorporating DE&I into the classroom often requires having difficult conversations around sensitive and charged issues, which may bring up emotions, reactions, and discomfort. The resources on this page provide tips and strategies for having those conversations in the classroom; we've also included general resources on having difficult conversations.

Articles and Other Media on Difficult Conversations in the Classroom

• J. Bell, How to improve the discussion of race in the classroom, Chronicle of Higher Education (December 2014).

• Chronicle of Higher Education, Preparing for Tough Conversations: How to Set the Stage for Major Change on Your Campus

• E.A. Grollman, Navigating Difficult Dialogue in the Classroom.

• Ilana Redstone, Beyond Bigots and Snowflakes (2020) (8-video course on how to have open and sensitive conversations).

• T. Rose, Creating Conversations on Justice (April 26, 2011).

• Stanford University Graduate School of Business's Handling Planned or Unexpected Class Discussions Involving Sensitive Topics

• D. W. Sue, Race Talk: The Psychology of Racial Dialogues, American Psychologist, at 663 (Nov. 2013).

• D.W. Sue et al., Racial Microaggressions and Difficult Dialogues on Race in the Classroom, 15 Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology 183 (2009).

• J. D. Vogelsang & S. McGee, Handbook for Facilitating Difficult Conversations in the Classroom (July 2015).

Books on Difficult Conversations

• Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton & Sheila Heen, Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most (2010).

• Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan & Al Switzler, Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking when the Stakes are High (2d ed. 2011).

• Brené Brown, Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts (2018).

• University of Alaska, Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University, Start Talking: A Handbook for Engaging Difficult Dialogues in Higher Education (2008).

  • The two university authors spent several years dialoguing about how to have these conversations; the result was this book, meant to be read in chunks rather than as a whole.

Resources from Centers for Teaching & Learning

Many institutions have centers or departments that provide instructional design, teaching, learning, and other similar support to faculty, and many of them have publicly-accessible resources for handling difficult conversations in the classroom.

• L. Warren, Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Managing Hot Moments in the Classroom (2000).

• University of Washington Center for Teaching & Learning, Responding to Disruptions in the Classroom.

• Vanderbilt Center for Teaching, Difficult Dialogues.

• Washington University in St. Louis Center for Teaching and Learning, Facilitating Challenging Conversations in the Classroom.

  • See also their resources on Reducing Stereotype Threat; and Establishing Classroom Ground Rules