Conflicts in Classroom
Topic of this module:
Some topics, especially of controversial and sensitive nature, may evoke strong emotions from students or teacher and lead to conflicts. In these cases, classroom discussion may easily become a heated debate that necessitates proper conflict management. Controversial topics may range from the right to abortion, capital punishment, euthanasia, to political disagreements, some of which may be inevitably brought up in class. Emotional responses may surface even when controversial topics are explicitly avoided in classroom, stemming from personal beliefs, feeling of injustice or for other reasons. In fact, as Wessel Haanstra writes, ignoring controversial topics “can create an opening for extremist milieus to provide answers,” and hence “discussing taboos certainly means taking risks, but it also means taking responsibility for the psychological development of the generation to come” (Haanstra n.d., 1).
Since conflicts and sensitive reactions to various topics during class are unavoidable, teachers should be prepared to tackle these situations in the most constructive manner–this module intends to provide resources to reach that goal. In all cases when conflicts arise in classrooms, the goal is “to understand the conflict rather than resolve it by creating an artificial consensus”; in this way, conflict becomes “a source of energy and learning” (Sturm and Guinier 2003, 531). The process of understanding the conflict should be treated as an opportunity to learn, collectively engage with the issue at hand, as well as recognize and question underlying assumptions and biases they hold.
Objectives of this module:
Students, especially young adults in universities, may have strong preconceived notions and beliefs about the society. Kelly Trezise (2017) aptly argues that emotions are an integral part of classrooms:
“Classrooms are emotional settings. … Yet too often education research ignores or neutralizes emotions. To improve students’ learning and emotional states, reduce teacher burden, and further develop of emotion and learning theories, research efforts should turn to explore how students can learn regardless of their emotional state.”
Considering that all teachers will face emotions in their classrooms, this module provides provides assistance in the form of
- class exercises and classroom strategies to address students’ emotions in classrooms that may be desruptive, and
- case studies to illustrate challenges and possible solutions associated with students’ emotions in classrooms.
Works cited:
Haanstra, Wessel. “Discussing taboos and controversial issues” RAN issue paper. RAN Centre for Excellence.
Sturm, Susan and Lani Guinier. “Learning from conflict: Reflections on teaching about race and gender” Journal of Legal Education 53, no. 4 (2003): 515-547.
Trezise, Kelly. “Emotions in classrooms: The need to understand how emotions affect learning and education” NPJ Science of Learning. July 13, 2017 https://npjscilearncommunity.nature.com/posts/18507-emotions-in-classrooms-the-need-to-understand-how-emotions-affect-learning-and-education
