Acknowledge and Respond to Distressing Events

Acknowledging the Situation and Students’ Feelings
Conducting a Discussion
Resources for Supporting Students and Addressing Anti-Asian Racism
Resources Related to Teaching About the Events of January 6, 2021
Resources for Engaging in Discussions about the 2020 Election

The guidance below suggests ways that you can acknowledge events or circumstances with your students, whether you decide to engage in conversation or not, as well as resources for conducting conversations or classroom activities related to distressing events.

When distressing events occur on campus, in the surrounding community, or at a broader level, it is important to think deeply about how these events impact the learning experience and may harm students that are personally affected. On the one hand, conducting conversations in the classroom around distressing current events can lend needed support and lead to learning and growth. On the other hand, if these conversations are not carefully planned, they can be difficult to manage and have potential to harm, rather than support, students personally affected by the events in question. For all conversations in which you might engage with your students, it is important to consider the effects of trauma, particularly on students from minoritized groups, and to take care to create an environment that is mindful of student identities and the range of emotions that students may be experiencing.

Acknowledging the Situation and Students’ Feelings

Regardless of your opinion or stance on a given event, acknowledge the distressing event and promote a space in which understanding and empathy can flourish for your students. To do so, you may decide to reserve some time at the beginning of class or to send a communication to students by email. Existing research (Huston and DiPietro, 2007) on the topic of whether and how to address distressing events on the national level in classrooms (done in the wake of 9/11) suggests the power of even briefly acknowledging the circumstances with your students during a class session. As Jamilah Pitts (2016) says in the article Don't Say Nothing, “when you don’t have the words and can’t plan the lessons, don’t just say nothing; say exactly what you are feeling. That will mean more to your students than you may ever know.”

Whether you address the situation in class or by email, we recommend that your acknowledgement:

names the event or circumstance;
acknowledges the range of emotions students may be feeling;
provides support to your students (for example, if you are continuing with class, you might let students know how they can access additional opportunities to review the material you will cover if they are feeling distressed, you might offer opportunities for extended deadlines, etc.);
directs students to further resources (this can include campus resources—such as Student Diversity and Belonging, Dean of Students Office, Counseling Services and Student Ombuds Services—as well as an offer to talk one-on-one with any students who would like to discuss the issue with you or who would benefit from help seeking assistance processing their emotions).

If you are writing an email acknowledgement, you may choose to draw from statements of support or solidarity made by the University, colleges, or departments.

There are several options for how to proceed in the classroom after acknowledging a distressing event. Many faculty elect to continue class as it was originally planned; others offer students a moment to reflect (this can be a moment of silence, time for students to jot down their feelings, or an opportunity for students to voluntarily name how they are feeling) before transitioning to the scheduled lesson plan. In cases where you choose not to engage in discussion about a distressing event in class because of your concern for students and your knowledge that many students are feeling emotions such as anger and grief, you may want to let students know that you are open to talking one-on-one outside of class.

Conducting a Discussion

If you feel well prepared to engage in a deeper conversation with students about the distressing event, you may choose to dedicate the entire class session to the conversation. It is important to only engage in discussion when you are prepared and have thought through the potential impacts on students, particularly students who may be directly impacted by the distressing event in question. When conducting any in-class discussion around distressing events, it is important to carefully plan and prepare for the discussion. The resources below can support you as you plan and prepare to support students and respond to distressing events:

Teaching in Times of Crisis (Vanderbilt Center for Teaching)

Guidelines for Discussing Difficult or High Stakes Topics (University of Michigan CRLT)

Handling Controversial Topics in Discussion (University of Michigan CRLT)

Making the Most of “Hot Moments” in the Classroom (University of Michigan CRLT)

Teaching in Tumultuous Times (University of Michigan CRLT)

Affirming Black Lives Without Inducing Trauma (Teaching Tolerance)

Teaching About Race, Racism, and Police Violence (Teaching Tolerance)

Strategies for Equity and Inclusion in the Virtual Instruction (CTLT)

Resources for Supporting Students and Addressing Anti-Asian Racism

Combating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Hate in the Age of COVID-19: An educational curriculum put together by Dr. Russell Jeung (SFSU)

Stop AAPI Hate: reporting center and information on anti-Asian hate incidents

Cal Poly Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Faculty Staff Association Statement, 3/18/21

Sample Email to Students Courtesy of Dr. Sandi Clement:

Dear Molecular Biologists,

As we navigate another senseless act of white supremacist violence during a time of ongoing collective trauma, I thought it might be useful to share this resource on Combating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Hate put together by Dr. Russell Jeung (SFSU) in case it helps you to process and/or to discuss with your families, classmates, peers, supervisors, and/or instructors. I know for some of you the threat of racist and other hateful violence lives with you daily, while for others you may only relatively recently be aware that this is a lived reality for your classmates and friends. It is the responsibility of all of us, though particularly those of us with proximity to power structures in our society, to educate ourselves and others. Words won't suffice to express my sorrow, but as an educator, I'm going to lean on curricular resources.

I've pasted the contents of the Combating AAPI Hate and the accompanying links below. (Dr. Clement's links are included in the resources above).

Resources Related to Teaching About the Events of January 6, 2021

The links below are primarily aimed at educators teaching in K-12 schools; however, they contain resources and ideas that may be relevant for those teaching in higher education.

Leading Conversations After Crisis (Teaching Tolerance)

Responding to the Insurrection at the U.S. Capitol (Facing History and Ourselves)