How should teachers respond to charged statements from students?
When a student makes a charged statement:
- If the statement targets an individual or identity group, remind students to address ideas, not personalities.
- Clarify and understand what the student is saying.
- Ask for evidence, opening the question to the whole class and referring to course material.
- Do they agree or disagree? Ask if further research would help them come to a conclusion.
- Record points of view on chart paper to validate all contributions.
- Have each student write a paragraph from another point of view or write a persuasive 'letter to the editor' arguing their own point of view.
