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Teaching During an Election Year

Written by tlc

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Create Inclusive Learning Environments

First Published:
August 9, 2024

 

National events, such as elections, can prompt learners to have a mix of reactions, including excitement, nervousness, apathy, distraction, and stress. These reactions can enter learning spaces through interactions with peers, learner engagement levels, or course performance. As educators, it can be challenging to know how to best support learners and maintain a focus on learning goals. To begin, think about steps you can take at three stages, before, during, and after a national election, in order to support a positive learning environment.  

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Use the comments section below to let us know your ideas about teaching during an election year.

  • Research shows that students find it helpful when faculty acknowledge moments of significant upheaval in some way.

    Huston, T.A., & DiPietro M. (2007). 13 in the eye of the storm: Students’ perceptions of helpful faculty actions following a collective tragedy. To Improve the Academy, 25.  

  • Research reveals that students with minoritized backgrounds may feel particularly vulnerable during national election years. 
    • Schuster, M. T. (2021). “An experience unlike any other”: The experiences of first-year students with minoritized identities with campus climate during the 2016 presidential election. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 14(4), 580. 
  • Faculty should remain mindful of their own mental and emotional state in charged social times, particularly the impact events have on their own communities and identities. Finding a support group or being open with students about difficulties can alleviate stress in teaching during tumultuous times. 
    • Martinez-Cola, M., English, R., Min, J., Peraza, J., Tambah, J., & Yebuah, C. (2018). When pedagogy is painful: Teaching in tumultuous times. Teaching Sociology, 46(2), 97–111. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092055X17754120 

  1. Before an election: In the ‘before’ stage, it may be useful to let learners know that you are aware of the stress and excitement that may accompany a national election. Share any plans you have for how to handle class in the days surrounding the election (for instance, will you need to move major assessments so students can vote if they chose?). Offer advice for how learners should speak with patients who may initiate political discussions during clinical hours. 
  2. During the election: Hold class conversations carefully by planning them out with clear objectives. Communicate your expectations to students about how political discourse should or should not enter the classroom. Have a plan ready if discussions become heated. Using the “Open the front door” technique can help: 1) tell students what you observe (e.g. “I see that people are frustrated.”; 2) share what you think with students (“I think the course of the conversation has caused some tension.”); 3) discuss what you feel (“I feel that we may need a break.”) 4) tell students what you would like them to do (“I will post the remaining class notes. Please read through them and come to our next session prepared to discuss them. Class is dismissed for today.”) 
  3. After the election: Encourage students to seek out campus and external resources if they need additional mental health support.