Bringing Current Events into the Classroom

The date was November 9, 2016. I entered Studio II of the de Laski Performing Arts Building at George Mason University, prepared to teach hip-hop dance to a usually jovial classroom of college students. Instead, what I found was rather upsetting but not surprising given the circumstances. 

November 9, 2016, was the day after a very difficult presidential election, with a result that shook many people. Instead of a bustling studio filled with laughter and chatter, the whole class of 30 sat on the outer edges of the studio, either glued to their phones or silent.

At this moment, I had two choices: teach class per usual or pivot plans due to the students’ sentiment towards the election results. I chose to acknowledge the gloom in the air and take the class through a guided meditation, providing them time to check in with themselves emotionally and reflect intentionally. After the reflection, we resumed our now-shortened schedule, and I could feel my students’ energy returning to its normal, upbeat state. Had I ignored my student’s emotional state due to the election results, I believe that session would have been unproductive.

Current events affect our students regardless of our priorities and class schedules. So rather than leaving these feelings at the “virtual” door, consider bringing those feelings into the classroom as a means to support your students. Here are four simple ways you can leverage the effects of significant current events in your classroom:

1. Pulse Check - Pulse checks are great tools to confirm if a current event is impacting your students. They are also an excellent way for students to have their feelings validated by their peers. Consider using Zoom’s whiteboard and annotation features to get a sense of the class’ feelings. 
2. Acknowledgment - It simply may be appropriate to acknowledge that the current event may be affecting students and, if comfortable, offer office hours for students who need to discuss further.
3. Self-Reflection - Consider taking 5 - 15 minutes at the top of your class for students to self-reflect. Examples of reflection activities include journaling or mediation. (Maybe use that time to self-reflect, as well!)
4. Discussion - A guided discussion of the current event may be a viable option when you have established community in your classroom. If you plan to hold a discussion, check out FED trainer April Coan’s excellent article, Five Discussion Rules for Turbulent Times.

Not every major current event is worth bringing up in class. However, when used intentionally, current events are practical tools for self-reflection and discussion. At the very least, acknowledging your awareness that a current event may affect your students’ emotional state humanizes the classroom and signals to your students that you care. 

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