Teaching and learning do not occur in a vacuum; after weighty events, it can be difficult to support students while grappling with our own reactions. There is no single right way to teach on days after. However, it is important to acknowledge what has happened and be prepared to adjust your teaching according to the context of your class and your comfort level engaging with the topic.

Teaching on Days After

 

What It Is

Teaching and learning do not occur in a vacuum; after weighty events, it can be difficult to support students while grappling with our own reactions. There is no single right way to teach on days after. However, it is important to acknowledge what has happened and be prepared to adjust your teaching according to the context of your class and your comfort level engaging with the topic.

 

Why It Matters

Teaching on days after requires a trauma-informed response. By the time students reach college, over half have experienced at least one trauma. Just like the rest of us, students experience the negative emotional effects of gun violence, major natural disasters, social upheaval and unrest, war, social media, and economic and political instability. These realities are further complicated by the challenges that come with their personal identities, life outside of campus, and childhood experiences.

SAMHSA* defines trauma as “an event…or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s function and physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.” In learning spaces, trauma can lead to difficulty focusing, missing class, challenges with emotional regulation, fear, anxiety, anger, and isolation.

Despite possible instructor fears related to talking about weighty topics, students want acknowledgement and interaction with their professors related to large-scale emotionally charged events. When instructors acknowledge the larger context of the world, students feel more connected to their courses, their instructors, and their learning.

*Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 

Apply It

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to supporting students after a weighty event. Consider the type of event, your learning goals, your classroom context, and your own comfort level.

1.  Acknowledge the Event. 

a. Briefly acknowledge the event. Acknowledge the outcome, complexity, or collective anxiety of an event. This could be an email, Blackboard announcement, a moment of silence at the beginning of class, or prompting students to write a 1-minute paper as a place to express their feelings. These experiences acknowledge the event while refocusing on continuing with your course.

Below is an example from STLI Fellow for Excellence in Teaching Professor Phil Wagner. 

“I know today may feel challenging as we’re processing the events of yesterday. I hope I speak for everyone when I say I find some reassurance in coming together as a community here at the nation’s alma mater–a community defined by curiosity, and respect for one another. In just a moment, we’ll dive into today’s topic, but I completely understand if it’s tough to focus right now. I’ll record the session, and I’m also available later this week during office hours if you need support, whether with the material or just processing everything that’s happening.”

b. Create optional debrief times. Offer additional office or coffee hours where students can debrief with you and their classroom community without feeling pressured to participate.

c. Delay the conversation. Briefly acknowledge the event, but let students know you will revisit it later in the semester after everyone has had more time to process.

d. Connect students to resources. Let students know how to get additional support or resources like the Counseling Center or Care Support Services.

e. Plan for flexibility. To reduce anxiety and allow students time to access resources, consider recording class meetings for later review, making class meetings optional, and proactively communicating opportunities for assignment extensions.

2. Facilitate Reflection and Disucssion. 

a. Develop ground rules. Co-create classroom norms or community agreements with your classroom to guide the conversation, or use pre-determined strategies like the Better Arguments principles.

b. Don’t rush to intellecutualize.  Allow students to process their feelings without lecturing or focusing on the facts.

c. Consider the impact on your classroom community. What might be the risk to you or students having discussions that can result in difficult or hot moments?

d. Plan. Define your goal for the conversation and provide structures based on the goal. Consider:
i. What do I want to ensure happens during this discussion?
ii. What do I want to avoid?
iii. How much time do I have?
iv. Which discussion formats or activities best support this goal?

e. Allow students to plan. Give students time to reflect and make connections to their values, lives, and fields of study. Try a 1-minute paper or a free write to gather thoughts. Wrap up the conversation by having students respond to prompts like: “One thing I’ve been reluctant to say…” or “One area where my mind has changed…”

f. Model appropriate facilitation. Explain the learning connection, goals, structure, and guide-rails to students. Provide an exit strategy if appropriate (trigger warnings). Monitor conversations to hold students accountable.

g. Connect students to action. Connect students to university spaces where they can engage with difficult topics such as Election Season Circles.

Resources

References

Huston, T., & Dipietro, M. (2007). In the eye of the storm: Students’ perspectives of helpful faculty actions following a collective tragedy. To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development, 25(1), 207-224. 

Hoch, A., Stewart, D., Webb, K., & Wyandt-Hiebert, M. A. (2015, May). Trauma-informed care on a college campus. Presentation at the annual meeting of the American College Health Association, Orlando, FL.

Lynch, R. J., & Wojdak, K. (2023). An exploration of trauma-inclusive pedagogy and students’ perceptions of academic success. To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development, 42(2), 6.

Honeycutt, N., Stevens, S. T., & Kaufmann, E. (2023). The academic mind in 2022: What faculty think about free expression and academic freedom on campus. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. 

Wilson, J. H., Ryan, R. H., & Pugh, J. L. (2010). Professor-student rapport scale predicts student outcomes. Teaching of Psychology, 37(4), 246-251.

Cite This Resource

Wagner, P. (Curator). (2024, October). Teaching on days after [Teaching resource]. Studio for Teaching & Learning Innovation. https://stli.wm.edu/daysafter

Updated 10/24