Seventeenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

Have you ever heard a comment between students that doesn’t feel right, but you don’t know what to say? For example, one student may ask another with Asian heritage to help them with math homework “because Asians are good at math,” or one student may comment to another “you throw like a girl” as an insult. These comments, formally referred to as microaggressions, can have a negative impact even if being hurtful was not the speaker’s intent. In today’s cultural climate of satirical news shows and volatile political debates, students often find themselves experimenting with the limits of what they can and can’t say to one another. As teachers, we overhear so much and we are not always sure of how best to intervene and the right thing to say. In this interactive workshop, teachers will learn to identify areas for intervention, practice scripts that use student-centered language, and develop confidence in their own abilities to help students navigate challenging interactions in healthy and positive ways. Teachers will also leave with resources to bring back to their own school communities to share with colleagues.