Utilizing inclusive teaching practices can help faculty ensure equity and a sense of safety for members of the Centre community. With the resources and practices described in this section, instructors can work to create classroom environments that facilitate a sense of connectedness and belonging for all students.
Syllabi Statements
Course syllabi communicate objectives and expectations for the classroom and student behavior. They also serve to support student learning and can encourage mental health and well-being by promoting and de-stigmatizing help-seeking behaviors. Find examples of syllabi statements, https://sites.centre.edu/ctltestsite3/knowledgebase-and-resources/syllabi-statements/.
Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices
Normalize The Need For Help
Be Open
Let students know you are a resource for them and are available to talk to about their concerns, both academic and personal.
Be Upfront
Address mental health early on. Let students know you are there for them as a source of support for academic assistance, but also if they are experiencing mental health difficulties.
Add resources to your syllabus
Include a mental health statement on your syllabus. Add the number and email for counseling services or other resources on campus. Discuss and emphasize mental health as a priority.
Actively Listen (Validate, Appreciate, and Refer)
Validate their feelings:
Let students know that what they are feeling is ok and you believe them. Even if you can’t relate, it’s real to them; and acknowledging that what they are going through is okay will help them. Let them know you are there to listen.
Validation sounds like…
- “That makes sense.”
- “That sounds difficult.”
- “I’m sorry you are struggling right now.”
- “I hear you.”
- “You have a lot on your plate.”
- “That must be really difficult to cope with.”
Appreciate their courage:
It can be scary to admit you’re struggling. Let students know that you’re glad they opened up to you and that you know that wasn’t easy. Let them know you are there to support them and encourage them – that they are not alone.
Appreciation sounds like…
- “Thank you for sharing.”
- “Thank you so much for talking to me. That took a lot of courage.”
- “I’m here for you if you want to talk or need anything.”
- “You are not alone.”
- “I will support you through this tough time.”
Refer them to skills and support:
Understanding what students need at a particular time can be challenging. Sometimes all they need is a listening ear, quality time, or encouragement. Other times, they may need specific resources or skills. In those cases, let them know what resources are available and direct them toward the skills, strategies, or resources that will best help them in those moments.
Refer sounds like…
- “What do you do for self-care?”
- “How does some fresh air sound?”
- “Do you think it might be helpful to talk to someone? I can stay with you while we call.”
- “I’ve been using this meditation app. It’s really helped me slow down my thoughts. Does that seem appealing to you?”
Embed Courses with Well-Being Practices
- Assign self-care assignments for homework.
- Be mindful of deadlines. Try to set deadlines that encourage student wellness (avoid midnight or weekend deadlines).
- Take breaks during class or start late to practice mindfulness exercises.
- Be flexible and willing to alter your class plans when a major campus, community, or global event happens; and spend a few minutes discussing it in class.
- Be aware of helpful resources, programming, and skills students might benefit from and discuss them in class.
For more information check out the resources below:
- TIPS FOR SUPPORTING STUDENTS EXPOSED TO VIOLENCE
- Creating a Culture of Caring
- Trauma-Informed Teaching & Learning
- Pedagogy of Healing: Bearing Witness to Trauma and Resilience
- Trauma-Informed Teaching Strategies
- Best Practices for Trauma Informed Instruction
- Trauma-Informed Practices for Postsecondary Education: A Guide
- Keeping Up With…Trauma-Informed Pedagogy
Neurodivergence Resources
Practice Universal Design for Learning
The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework guides curriculum development to give all individuals equal opportunities to learn. Below you will find resources from the UDL Lunch and Learn with Jennifer Pusateri in October 2021 as well as addition information about UDL and incorporating the main tenets into your work and classes.
UDL Lunch and Learn
Material:
Learn more about UDL and the main tenets:
- Multiple Means of Representation
- Multiple Means of Action and Expression
- Multiple Means of Engagement
Use Inclusive Language
Knowing your students’ names and pronouns are important to creating an inclusive classroom environment. Feeling seen as an individual can help create community within the classroom and improve class dynamics, discussion, and moral.
Learn their names. Ask their pronouns, use them appropriately. Normalize it. Try using a survey at the beginning of the semester to collect this information so you know.
Work to de-gender common language also helps with a sense of inclusivity by deconstructing the binary element that often leaves out individuals who don’t identify, or otherwise demotivates them to engage with material that doesn’t relate.
Resources for Inclusive Classroom Teaching
*Content borrowed heavily from https://teaching.cornell.edu/teaching-resources/building-inclusive-classrooms
Building Inclusive Classrooms
Norms of Engagement
Norms of engagement can be thought of as classroom ground rules when students are engaging in discussion and dialogue. Usually, these are centered around being respectful and open. Below are two resources that list various examples of norms of engagement.
Establishing ground rules help hold students accountable by clearly stating classroom expectations. Setting ground rules from the start of class by including them on your syllabus can be a great method to set the tone for the classroom, but it’s important to revisit them periodically or as situations arise that necessitate alterations. It can also be helpful to have students collaborate with you and their peers to help craft the ground rules for the classroom to create a sense of community and shared ownership of responsibility for upholding them throughout the semester.
Establishing Classroom Ground Rules
Accessibility
Course materials should be accessible to all students. Students who may need specific accommodations (i.e. support or resources to complete coursework or extra time on assignments or exams) will receive support from the Academic Affairs Office and the Office of Disability Services and/or the Centre Learning Commons (CLC) along with direct communication and collaboration with faculty.
Classroom Climate
Classroom climate can deeply affect student learning. Students learn and grow in environments that represent and support their identities and in which they feel included, safe, and are given a variety of perspectives. A few examples of ways in which faculty can influence classroom climate are:
- Faculty not only set, but can alter the tone of the classroom climate through their words, actions, and their syllabus.
- Appropriately addressing negative student-to-student interactions in a classroom setting has a profound impact on the climate and student learning.
- Providing course content rich with multiple perspectives will help create a positive classroom environment in which students can thrive.
Being reflective about the classroom climate and checking in regularly and directly with students about the classroom climate can dramatically impact the atmosphere of the learning space. Soliciting feedback from students not only helps you as the instructor, but also helps students become more engaged and integral participants in building a positive classroom climate.
Ways to manage classroom climate:
- Incorporate diverse perspectives and inclusive learning practices in your course.
- Use icebreakers and collaborative tools to promote social connectedness.
- Include disability and diversity statements on your syllabi.
- Address incivilities promptly.
- Establish ground rules.
- Check in with students on the classroom climate regularly.
- Make efforts to connect with students.
Connecting with your Students
Students benefit from connection with you as an individual, a human; and not just their instructor. Share with them your research, your background, what brought you to Centre, what you are passionate about. Find out who your students really are. Why are they at Centre; why are they taking this class; what are they interested in. When faculty show interest in finding out who their students really are, students feel seen and are generally more engaged and willing to ask for help when they need it.
Ideas for connecting with students:
- Learn their names and pronouns
- Inquire about their interests, their reason for taking the course, and previous exposure to course content.
- Smile and use humor to create a relaxed and calming atmosphere.
- Encourage students to come to office hours or meet with you after class and be available to them.
Click here to learn more about understanding and engaging today’s learners, (teaching.cornell.edu, 2021)
Icebreakers
Icebreakers can be a great way to introduce a tough topic for discussion, allow students to get to know one another, or become familiar with course content. They are intended to be fun and inclusive.
Reasons to use icebreakers in class:
- To help create a relaxed environment for students to be able to share and participate more fully.
- Encourage students to share ownership for the learning environment.
- Build community and rapport with their peers to foster a productive learning environment.
- They help prepare students for collaborative work.
Considerations for icebreakers:
- What is your goal? What do you hope to achieve or what tone do you want to set for the class?
- Consider the class dynamic, group size, demographics, familiarity with one another, grade level, interest or necessity in taking your class (Gen Ed or major course).
- Is the classroom you normally teach in the right space for the activity? Is it large enough? Do you have everything you need to conduct the activity? Can everyone participate?
- Be willing to be flexible. Icebreakers don’t always go as planned and you may need to adapt.
Getting started with Icebreakers:
- Introduce the icebreaker with your justifications for the activity.
- Give a clear signal when the activity is over.
- Consider not every student will easily find a partner or match up with someone, so help students connect with one another.
- Indicate who will begin the activity.
- Give a clear indication when the activity is halfway over so the other partner can participate.
- Ensure you conduct a short debrief to pull it back together and find commonality and shared experience from the activity.
Inclusive Teaching Strategies
Inclusive teaching strategies help create an inclusive learning environment where students feel equally valued. By addressing the needs of students with varied backgrounds, learning modalities, and abilities through the use of inclusive teaching strategies, students feel included and generally more engaged.
Benefits of inclusive teaching strategies:
- Connecting and engaging with a variety of students
- Preparedness for classroom tensions or “hot moments” when controversial material is discussed.
- Connecting students with relevant course material.
- Providing students space and comfort in the classroom to express their ideas and thoughts.
- Increased student success when implementing activities that support their learning modalities, abilities, and backgrounds.
Considerations for Inclusive Teaching:
- Consider how your own cultural-bound assumptions might influence your interactions with students.
- How might the backgrounds and experiences of your students influence their motivation, engagement, and learning in the classroom?
- How can you modify course materials, activities, assignments, and exams to be more accessible to all students in your classes?
Getting Started with Inclusive Teaching Strategies:
If you have questions about how to make your classes more inclusive or which teaching strategies to implement, please reach out to the CTL staff for a consultation or explore the additional resources on your own.
- Incorporate Diversity into your overall curriculum
- Be Reflective
- Communicate and model your commitment to diversity
- Include diversity and disability statements on syllabi
- Build safe space by creating ground rules.
- Make Diversity a Learning Outcome
- Course Materials, Assignments, and Activities
- Use UDL principles to design course content
- Include and present materials from multiple perspectives and viewpoints
- Use varied learning activities (group work, active learning, reflection).
- Give students choice for assessment methods.
- Solicit feedback from students on course materials.
- Be intentional and proactive about connecting with students
- Be clear about evaluation and grading methods, including justifications.
- Take the time to periodically assess the classroom climate.
For additional resources, view Cornell’s guide to Inclusive Teaching.
Universal Design for Learning
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework that guides the design of instructional goals, assessments, activities, and content to meet the needs of individual learners. To learn more about how to incorporate UDL in your courses, visit the Universal Design in Learning webpage, https://sites.centre.edu/ctl/knowledgebase-and-resources/inclusive-classrooms/universal-learning-design-udl/.