Handling tension and microaggresions in the classroom
In class, two students from Hong Kong repeatedly entered in conflict with a student from China. One day in class they had a heated discussion again that ended up escalating.
Tension in the classroom can occur when someone intervenes to say something that can be offensive, alienating, or that is politically charged. This can derail the conversation, create a hostile environment, and (inadvertently) hurt participants. Another term for this is microaggression, which is “the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership” Sue, D. W.; Bucceri, J.; Lin, A. I; Nadal, K. L.; and Torino, G. C. (2007). Racial microaggressions and the Asian American Experience. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. Vol. 13. No. 1. pp. 72-81. Microaggressions can be made by students but also by teachers. Given their position in the classroom, teachers play an important role in preventing microaggressions and in recognising and acting upon them in the classroom.
Tools
Microagressions in the classroom
Both students and teachers play a role in and are responsible for creating safe and inclusive classroom environments. Creating awareness of microaggressions in the classroom is crucial. Teachers have a responsibility to interrupt microaggressions. One way to do this is to inquire and invite the author of the microaggression to elaborate upon their statement, which, in turn, allows them to re-evaluate and remedy it or to clarify any misunderstanding. It is important to keep in mind that especially in cross-cultural communication when most participants are speaking a second language, misunderstandings may occur. Another approach is to point out the (potentially) offensive nature of a statement to disrupt any aggressive behaviour. This can be a learning moment, as some students may be unaware of the impact of their statements in context.
Treviño provides examples of microaggressions and offers specific suggestions on how to recognise and combat them;
- You notice that a female student is being frequently interrupted in class discussion. What could you do? Reframe by saying “I think Emily brings up a good point. I didn’t get a chance to hear it all. Can Emily repeat it?”
- In a discussion related to race, a white student turns to a non-white student and says: “When I look at you, I don’t see color.” What could you do? .” Re-direct by shifting the focus to a different person (particularly helpful when someone is being asked to speak for their entire race, cultural group, etc.) “So you don’t see color. Tell me more about your perspective. I’d also like to invite others to weigh in.”
For more specific examples of specific microagressions in the classroom and how to act, see Treviño Diversity and Inclusiveness in the Classroom (p.p. 13- 16)
Handling “hot moments” in the classroom.
Microaggressions and conflicts can lead to tension in the classroom, or what some call ‘hot moments’. This handout by the Inclusive Teaching team at the University of Michigan contains an overview of such moments where there is a sudden eruption of tension or conflict in the classroom. The handout sets out useful strategies and resources to help teachers prepare in advance for how they will handle ‘hot moments’ in the classroom. For example, in a given situation, should the teacher address the issue immediately in front of the class, or raise it separately with individual students? How to provide a common understanding by explaining key information about the topic at hand or validating students’ contributions. You might write categories on the board (“what we know,” “what is disputed,” “what we want to know more about”) and elicit items for each category, either individually or from the whole class.
