Five Discussion Rules for Turbulent Times

As we close a chapter in history and begin anew in 2022, it is clear that the new year will revisit many of the social, political, and emotional challenges we experienced the previous year. Since conversations surrounding these challenges may surface in your classroom, it is important to know how to manage and navigate conflict prone conversations when they arise. One of the best strategies available to prevent conflict in classroom discussions is to set clear community guidelines regarding dialogue for conflict prone topics. Below are some useful examples of guidelines you can promote in your classroom to help students navigate through challenging discussion topics:

• The Vegas Rule. The Vegas Rule emphasizes the idea that what is said in the classroom, stays in the classroom, and helps to establish your class as a confidential safe space for honest conversation. 

• The “I” Statement Rule. Encouraging students to speak using “I” statements (Ex. I feel that….), helps students to speak from their own experiences and perspectives, as opposed to using “we” statements (Ex. We feel that….) which may lead to generalizations and an us-versus-them mentality. 

• The Ideas, Not People Rule. Personal attacks can often escalate an argument and trigger negative emotions. Emphasizing that disagreement in your classroom is encouraged, but personal attacks are not welcome, is a great way to promote respectful disagreement in a discussion. 

• The Step Up, Step Back Rule. Some students in class may talk more than others. As a result, the dominant voices in the room may drown out quieter opinions. The Step Up, Step Back Rule helps to encourage the idea of turn-taking and allowing others the opportunity to speak.

• Commit to Learning, Not Debating Rule. When disagreements occur in a classroom, it is important to frame the disagreement as a discussion, not an argument. Reframing differences as a discussion, will encourage students to share their perspectives on an issue, rather than trying to persuade others to their point of view. 

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References:

Porteus, A., Howe, N., & Woon, T. (n.d.). Facilitating Group Discussions. Retrieved January 14, 2021, from https://web.stanford.edu/group/resed/resed/staffresources/RM/training/facilguide.html

Cornell University Cooperative Extension. (n.d.). Group Ground Rules. Retrieved January 14, 2021, from https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.cornell.edu/dist/f/575/files/2016/07/newlogo-YG-Group-Ground-Rules-zvfel4.pdf.

University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching. (n.d.). Guidelines for Discussing Difficult or High-Stakes Topics. Retrieved January 14, 2021, from https://crlt.umich.edu/publinks/generalguidelines

Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. (2020, March 26). Difficult Dialogues. Retrieved January 14, 2021, from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/difficult-dialogues/.