Difficult Conversations Toolkit
Diverse Identities in Discussion
General
- Diversity and Inclusion in the College Classroom (requires account) —Faculty Focus
- Idea #4: Examining Positions of Privilege & Power — Difficult Conversations Innovative Teaching Showcase, Western Washington University
- Idea #10: Leaning in to Social Justice Content — Difficult Conversations Innovative Teaching Showcase, Western Washington University
- Idea #11: Discussing Traumatic Topics — Difficult Conversations Innovative Teaching Showcase, Western Washington University
- Idea #14: Valuing Connections and Experiences through Indigenous Pedagogy — Difficult Conversations Innovative Teaching Showcase, Western Washington University
Age
- Addressing Ageism in the 21st Century Classroom — JoAnna R. Murphy, Hybrid Pedagogy
- Ageism Is One of the Last Socially Acceptable Prejudices. Psychologists Are Working to Change That — Kirsten Weir, American Psychological Association
- Discussing Ageism in Higher Education — Indiana University of Bloomington
Culture
- Culturally Appropriate Curriculum Design for Educators — Purdue University
- Stories of Culturally Responsive Teaching from Frontline Instructors — University of Michigan
- Cultural Variations in the Classroom — Teaching Commons
Disability
- Creating Accessible Classrooms — Indiana University Bloomington
- Academic Supports for College Students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Overview — Indiana University Bloomington
- Disability-Inclusive Terminology Guide — NYC Mayor’s Office for People With Disabilities
Gender
- College Classrooms Are Still Chilly for Women, as Men Speak More — Dartmouth University
- Introduction to Feminist Pedagogy — University of Pittsburgh
- Lactation Rooms — Western Washington University
LGBTQ+
- PFLAG National Glossary — PFLAG
- Creating Inclusive Classrooms — University of Connecticut
- LGBTQ+ Resources and Facilities — Western Washington University
Race
- Educator’s Toolkit for Addressing Racial Trauma — University of Minnesota
- Talking About Race in Mostly White Schools — Harvard Graduate School of Education
- When White Teachers Teach About Racism — Teachers College, Columbia University
Religion
- Spiritual and Religious Diversity — University of Denver
- Strategies for Discussing Religion in Secular Studies Classes — Faculty Focus
- For those who need a place to pray: Reflection and Meditation Spaces — Western Washington University
Difficult Conversations in Teaching
Basics
- Difficult Dialogues — Vanderbilt University
- The Power of Difficult Conversations — TEDxCoMo
- Managing Difficult Classroom Discussions — Indiana University Bloomington
- Facilitating Challenging Conversations in the Classroom — Washington University in St. Louis
- Discussions — Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning, Indiana University Bloomington
- Resources to Support Challenging Conversations in the Classroom — Eastern Connecticut State University
- Discussion — Teaching and Learning Transformation Center, University of Maryland
- Idea #1: Difficult Conversations as a Pedagogy — Difficult Conversations Innovative Teaching Showcase, Western Washington University
Tools & Strategies
- Guidelines for Discussing Difficult or High-Stakes Topics — Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, University of Michigan
- Difficult Discussions — Georgetown University
- Strategies for Current Challenges in Dialogue Facilitation — Difficult Dialogues National Resource Center
- Strategies for Engaging with Difficult Topics, Strong Emotions, and Challenging Moments in the Classroom — Teaching Engagement Program
- Idea #15: Using the Circle Way — Difficult Conversations Innovative Teaching Showcase, Western Washington University
- Idea #6: Structuring the Conversation — Difficult Conversations Innovative Teaching Showcase, Western Washington University
- Idea #7: Balancing Participation — Difficult Conversations Innovative Teaching Showcase, Western Washington University
- What Is? Intergroup Dialogue Model [Video] — Ohio State University
- Evaluating Intergroup Dialogue: Engaging Diversity for Personal and Social Responsibility — Nagda et al.
- IGR (Intergroup Dialogue) Insight Handouts — University of Michigan
- How to Use Sustained Dialogue Issue Sheets — Sustained Dialogue Campus Network
How to Engage in Difficult Conversations
- Empathy: The Heart of Difficult Conversations — TEDxTallaght
- The Art of Having Difficult Conversations — Inside Higher Ed
- Starting Difficult Conversations — Western Washington University
- Includes teaching students how to enter and navigate difficult conversations
- Guide to Facilitating Challenging Discussions — University of Montana
- How to prepare yourself (as an instructor) for a difficult conversation
- Discussion Guidelines — LSA Equitable Teaching, University of Michigan
- Teaching students how to engage in difficult conversations
- Sample basic conversation rules
- How to Have Difficult Conversations Virtually — Art Markman, Harvard Business Review
Interventions
- Knowing When to Intervene in the Student-Centered Discussion — Instructional Moves, Harvard University
- Idea #13: Responding to Microaggressions — Difficult Conversations Innovative Teaching Showcase, Western Washington University
Being Prepared
- Teaching Race: Pedagogy and Practice — Vanderbilt University
- Building Communities of Critical, Interdisciplinary Thinkers. Innovative Teaching Showcase — Kate Darby, CII, Western Washington University
- Deconstructing White Privilege — Dr. Robin DiAngelo
- An Instructor’s Guide to Understanding Privilege — LSA Equitable Teaching, University of Michigan
- The Black Lives Matter Movement Goes Beyond Black and White — Learning for Justice
- The Role of Critical Race Theory in Higher Education — Payne Hiraldo
- Teaching Beyond the Gender Binary in the University Classroom — Center for Teaching, Vanderbilt University
- Creating Inclusive College Classrooms — University of Michigan
- Inclusive Teaching Practices — The Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University
- Idea #5: Preparing Students for Difficult Conversations — Difficult Conversations Innovative Teaching Showcase, Western Washington University
Discussing Social Justice
- Having Difficult Conversations about Race and Other Identities: Overview of Intergroup Dialogue 09.29.20 [Video - 1 hour] — Indiana University
- Teaching Race, Racism, and Social Justice: Pedagogical Principles and Classroom Strategies for Course Instructors — Harbin et al.
- Why Teaching Black Lives Matter Matters | Part I — Southern Poverty Law Center
- Let's Talk! Teaching Black Lives Matter — Learning for Justice (sign-up required)
- Talking About Race and Racism — Southern Poverty Law Center
- Teaching about Race and Racism in College Classrooms — National Education Association
- How to Talk About Disability Sensitively and Avoid Ableist Tropes — NPR
- Who Am I? A Strategy for Teaching About Power and Privilege — Faculty Focus
- Fostering Civil Discourse: Difficult Classroom Conversations in a Diverse Democracy — Facing History & Ourselves
- Short online class; free, but requires profile creation
- Gender-Expansive Guidelines for the University Classroom — Northwestern University
- Assignment Design for Social Justice Education — University of California, Berkeley
WWU
- Office of Equity
- Discussion Strategies — Teaching Handbook
- Difficult Conversations — Innovative Teaching Showcase 2022-23
Books
General
- Stop Talking: Indigenous Ways of Teaching and Learning and Difficult Conversations in Higher Education — Ilarion Merculieff & Libby Roderick (2022)
- Start Talking: A Handbook for Engaging in Difficult Dialogues in Higher Education — Libby Roderick (2008)
- Facilitating Conversations on Difficult Topics in the Classroom: Teachers’ Stories of Opening Spaces Using Children’s Literature — Bonds et al. (2020)
- Let's Talk! — Teaching Tolerance
- Discussion as a Way of Teaching: Tools and Techniques for Democratic Classrooms — Stephen Brookfield & Stephen Preskill (2005)
- How to Talk About Hot Topics on Campus: From Polarization to Moral Conversation — Nash et al. (2008)
- Let's Talk: An Essential Guide to Skillful Communication — Mudita Nisker et al. (2022)
- Conversations Worth Having, Second Edition: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Fuel Productive and Meaningful Engagement — Jackie Stavros & Cheri Torres (2021)
Tools
- The Discussion Book: 50 Great Ways to Get People Talking — Stephen Brookfield & Stephen Preskill (2016)
- Available as an eBook through Western Libraries
- Difficult Conversations: A Toolkit for Educators in Handling Real-Life Situations — Anni K. Reinking (2019)
- Difficult Conversations: The Art and Science of Working Together — Kern Beare (2019)
Identity & Social Justice
- The Red Movement: Social and Environmental Justice in the 21st Century — Shadan Kapri (2021)
- Navigating Difficult Moments in Teaching Diversity and Social Justice —edited by Mary E. Kite et al. (2020)
- What Inclusive Instructors Do — Tracie Marcella Addy et al. (2021)
- The Third Perspective: Brave Expression in the Age of Intolerance — Africa Brooke (2024)
- How to Engage in Difficult Conversations on Identity, Race, and Politics in Higher Education — Tammy Hodo et al. (2023)
- Promoting Inclusive Classroom Dynamics in Higher Education: A Research-Based Pedagogical Guide for Faculty — Kathryn C. Oleson (2020)
Race
- Beyond Conversations About Race: A Guide for Discussions With Students, Teachers, and Communities (How to Talk About Racism in Schools and Implement Equitable Classroom Practices) — Washington Collado et al. (2021)
- So You Want to Talk About Race — Ijeoma Oluo (2019)
- Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools and Beyond — Glenn E. Singleton (2021)
- Let’s Talk About Race (and Other Hard Things): A Framework for Having Conversations That Build Bridges, Strengthen Relationships, and Set Clear Boundaries — Nancy A. Dome (2022)