The Elephant in the Classroom: Addressing Sensitive Topics with Skill and Courage

For many faculty, leading classroom discussions on sensitive topics is a persistent challenge. Topics like politics, religion, race and ethnicity, sexuality, and healthcare can come up in courses in a multitude of programs and disciplines. How faculty navigate these discussions can greatly impact the classroom environment and students’ learning. Thus, the Teaching Center hosted a lunch discussion on January 26^th titled, “The Elephant in the Classroom: Addressing Sensitive Topics with Skill and Courage.” Attendees heard from a panel of faculty, in a variety of disciplines, who have experience and expertise engaging in difficult conversations in their classrooms. The panel included Tracey Carter (Law), David Dark (Religion), Julie Hunt (Social Work), Vaughn May (Political Science), and Marnie Vanden Noven (Sport Science).