Responding to the Tragedy at Virginia Tech:
Talking with your students about current events and crises

Teaching & Learning in a Time of Crisis

Faculty Center for Excellence in Teaching at Western Kentucky University: http://www.wku.edu/teaching/booklets/crisis.html

An extensive collection of links and articles for instructors that includes resources on teaching and learning during a time of crisis, dealing with sensitive issues in the classroom, approaches to building understanding and cooperation, and additional valuable resources.

Guidelines for Class Participation

Center for Research on Learning and Teaching at the University of Michigan: http://www.crlt.umich.edu/gsis/P4_1.html

In order to create an environment conducive to productive discussions, let students know your expectations for the way they communicate with others (including you) in the classroom. As the instructor, you play an important role as a facilitator and supporter in your students’ efforts to achieve respectful ways of communicating in the classroom. Guidelines for class participation can be designed by you or negotiated with your students. This link provides guidelines that can be used to develop an atmosphere of mutual respect and collective inquiry.

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