Temperature Checks
As a facilitator, though you can try to plan for the smoothest dialogue, tensions will inevitably rise since we are all human after all and come to conversations with our own lived experiences and biases. It’s essential for teachers to learn how to take temperature checks to gauge how everyone is engaging and feeling.
As the facilitator, make sure you have a pulse on the room by scanning your participants’ faces, body language, etc. If the discussion is getting too uncomfortable:
If you notice the conversation is becoming unproductive, remind students that you hold them to high standards by saying:
“It can be really challenging to discuss race. It’s hard for most people in general, so I know it can also be hard for you. I also know that we have spent time creating a community, addressing and repairing harm, and making sure we can all talk about issues that help us to be empowered, democratic citizens. I fully expect all of us to be able to have critical conversations about race, to stay engaged, and to be able to keep having these discussions.”
You can also affirm your students by saying:
“I know you can have these discussions. They take time and practice, and I’m not going to give up on us as we learn how.”
De-escalating situations
There may be times that a participant responds with a blatantly racist comment, going beyond feeling upset about topics brought up in the discussion. The way to respond incorrectly is to say and do nothing. Every time a breach of norms and expectations occurs, it must be addressed. Silence is complicity. This section offers teachers strategies to address breaches in community agreements and how to get the conversation back to a productive place centered on equity.