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Teaching During Challenging Times

A guide on teaching and supporting students during difficult and troubling times

At a Glance

Some key takeaways on teaching during challenging times:

  • Troubling times can affect faculty and students alike. Instructors should adapt to these circumstances, communicating care and empathy in the classroom.
  • Instructors should consider flexibility with course requirements, assessments, and deadlines when they or their students are experiencing difficulties.
  • Instructors can also give students the space to discuss current events in class, bridging the gap between students’ experiences and course material.

Overview

Significance

Recommendations

References and Resources

Overview

World and local events can influence perceptions of the present for both students and faculty. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic required a reconfiguration of the learning environment and affected students’ mental health, sense of community, and connection to course material. Similarly, violent conflict, natural disasters, elections, social movements, and deaths on campus and around the world may impact the personal lives of students and faculty while also shaping their viewpoints and beliefs. 

During difficult and troubling times, students may need additional support and flexibility to thrive in the classroom. We recommend that instructors revisit these questions: What are my teaching priorities? What will my students need from me? How will I know? How can I prepare when an outcome is uncertain? 

Significance

During difficult times, students may need additional support and resources to thrive in the classroom while overcoming challenges in their personal lives. Research has indicated the importance of a “compassionate and flexible pedagogy” in which faculty solicit feedback from students on the manageability of course workload and increase flexibility and optionality for assignments (Gelles et al., 2020). During times of crisis, students are also more likely to disclose academic struggles when instructors are supportive and flexible (Meluch et al., 2022).

According to Green et al. (2021), educational institutions should prioritize three key principles — (1) cooperation, (2) inclusion, and (3) flexibility — at all times to facilitate adaptation in times of crisis.

Recommendations

Many instructors have found ways to connect their discipline and their course content to current events or movements. At its best, the Yale community can foster productive exchanges across different ideological or political viewpoints. Instructors can equip students with tools to think about and process various events and outcomes and what they mean for the discipline and beyond. Take some time to think about the specific and general impact and stakes of events or policies for you, your students, and the broader community. 

Keep in mind that widely held viewpoints on specific issues can inadvertently isolate those few who hold opposing views. Libby Roderick, a University of Alaska expert on facilitating difficult dialogues, advises us to “assume that everyone is in the classroom at all times.” Her book, Start Talking, includes additional strategies for conducting conversations across differences.

Lastly, Yale Health has a collection of mental health and wellness resources for students and instructors. Don’t forget to take care of yourself. Review Yale College-based Mental Health and Wellness Support links.

Patience, compassion, and flexibility are especially critical when broad issues threaten peace and well-being.Expect students to be distracted in class meetings during challenging times. If you plan to hold class as usual, take a few moments to explicitly acknowledge what’s going on. Before addressing ongoing events, practice discernment to see where your students are at and whether they would appreciate faculty support and acknowledgment. You could give students a chance to write quietly or reflect on a quotation or image as preparation to focus on class content. An optional meditation is another way to start class.

The University of Pennsylvania has some sample phrases that instructors can use to open conversations and acknowledge upsetting events.

“I am saddened (or angered or frustrated) by…” 

“I know many of us have been affected by…” 

“Recently, many on our campus have been shaken by…” 

“It is important for all of us to support one another at these difficult times.” 

Holding a moment of silence for reflection. 

You may want to collect input from your students about how they are doing, what they need from your class or course adjustments that might help them cope. The anonymous feedback tool in Canvas is one option to gather input, or you may use another digital platform for anonymous feedback.

Students will respond differently to current events, social movements, or troubling news. Some may appreciate extra flexibility with attendance for synchronous class meetings, while others may crave the community of the class. If you have important due dates during challenging times, consider no-penalty extensions for everyone.

Many instructors want to give students the opportunity to process events with their peers in class. Preparing for such discussions can be challenging. The Poorvu Center has a useful guide on facilitating constructive conversations on challenging topics.

Additionally, the University of Michigan’s teaching center has guidance and considerations for discussions in response to various events. The University of Michigan’s teaching center notes, “students and instructors whose identities are repeatedly targeted or negatively represented can feel unsafe, unwelcome, and drained emotionally and intellectually by the rhetoric and realities of” a divisive election or event. Instructors may consider allowing students to opt out of such a discussion if they are not feeling ready to share their thoughts in class.

Most importantly, the Poorvu Center recommends communicating with your students, so they know what to expect in your class and your intentions to accommodate their needs with flexibility.

References and Resources

Gelles, L. A., Lord, S. M., Hoople, G. D., Chen, D. A., & Mejia, J. A. (2020). Compassionate flexibility and self-discipline: Student adaptation to emergency remote teaching in an integrated engineering energy course during COVID-19. Education Sciences 10(11), 304.

Green, C., Mynhier, L., Banfill, J., Edwards, P., Kim, J., & Desjardins, R. (2020). Preparing education for the crises of tomorrow: A framework for adaptability. International Review of Education, 66, 857-879.

Meluch, A. L., LeBlanc, S. S., Hannah, M., & Starcher, S. (2022). Student-instructor communication during a crisis: college students’ disclosures about academic struggles and perceived instructor supportiveness and flexibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. Atlantic Journal of Communication 31(4), 325–341. https://doi.org/10.1080/15456870.2022.2063865.

  1. The Poorvu Center’s staff is available to help any instructor looking for advice or exploring how to navigate pedagogical challenges. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
  2. The Poorvu Center also provides a valuable guide on Strategies for Facilitating Constructive Conversations on Challenging Topics.
  3. The University of Oregon has a toolkit for Teaching in Turbulent Times.
  4. Carnegie Mellon University has a resource that explains how to Handle Difficult Moments with Respect and Sensitivity.
  5. Faculty Focus has a webpage on Leading Our Classes Through Times of Crisis with Engagement and PEACE.
  6. Harvard’s Graduate School of Education features Resources on Teaching in Times of Strife and Trauma.
  7. Inside Higher Ed provides seven recommendations to help students thrive in times of trauma.
  8. Resilient Educator shares Essential Trauma-Informed Teaching Strategies for Managing Stress in the Classroom (and Virtual Classrooms)

The Chronicle has a Teaching newsletter with suggestions for fostering virtual conversations about difficult topics.