Teaching sensitive subjects

Guidance on facilitating respectful conversations when teaching sensitive subjects.

Find out: 

• how to use content notes
• how to create ground rules with students
• how to navigate challenging conversations. 

How to use content notes 

If you are teaching content which students could potentially find sensitive or distressing, you may want to use content notes as a tool to facilitate student engagement.

When and where to use content notes

The most important principle when providing advice about content is that students have enough time to prepare before looking at material, or participating in discussions, they may find upsetting.

To do this:

• broad advice about content can be incorporated in module teaching guides such as course handbooks and Canvas
• particularly sensitive content should ideally be mentioned in module descriptions so that students can make informed choices
• it is recommended that sensitive themes within readings, lectures and seminars or resources are highlighted with a content note
• you may wish to email students in advance of teaching sessions with guidance about upcoming content, how to prepare and to highlight discussion topics or material.

Download our full guidance for staff about using content notes [PDF 99.98KB].

If you are using content notes in your teaching and would like to share your approach or your experience, contact us at: educationalenhancement@sussex.ac.uk.

Talking to students about content notes

Content notes can be an important teaching tool. They can be used in discussions with students about inclusive learning environments and respectful participation.

The language, format and frequency of content notes will need to be adjusted to suit the needs and context of each course. Content notes should be specific, given in advance, and include information about what sensitive themes will be covered and how.

You may want to discuss your choice to use content notes at the beginning of, and throughout, the course.

You could mention:

• how and when you will use content notes
• how you will expect students to engage in discussions
• what a student can do if they feel uncomfortable engaging with some class material
• where to find support (links can also be provided to School or Department specific materials), including the Student Centre and our health and wellbeing teams.

• Case study by Dr Gemma Cobb, Lecturer in Digital Culture, Media Arts and Humanities

  My research centres on gender, the body and digital culture – in particular the online mediation of anorexia and health more widely. I am especially interested in the blurred boundaries between what is read as ‘harmful’ disordered eating content and what is read as ‘healthy’. In teaching, this is an important case study for exploring a range of issues such as the cultural construction of the body; media power; content moderation and censorship. However, it is also a topic that can be distressing so content notes and advance notice are of upmost importance.

  From the outset I ensure that students know that a module includes a session and readings that explore anorexia online. In practice, this means written content notes in a number of areas: in the module description on the virtual learning environment; on the description of the session itself and above the reading. I also remind the students a week before the session takes place and make the lecture or seminars slides available at least a day in advance. The aim is that, at each point students know what to expect and can make an informed decision as to how much they want to be involved. Past experience has shown that students respond in different ways. For some it has meant not partaking in a particular activity or not reading one of the texts. On occasion, it has meant not attending the session. Ultimately it is about giving students agency to decide, and to explore the politics of online spaces where those decisions have already been made for us.

How to create ground rules with students

Setting ground rules with your students during the first class can create a supportive learning environment and encourage students to feel safe to participate (Brookfield and Preskill, 2005). Ambrose et al (2010) advise setting ground rules to reflect the aims of the course – for example, if students will be discussing personal experiences, ground rules could focus on creating a safe environment for them to do so.

Ground rules provide a tool to navigate difficult conversations. Teachers and classmates can use them to frame discussions and address inappropriate behaviour. It can be especially helpful to co-write these ground rules with your students. Research suggests students will be more likely to respect boundaries they have created themselves.

To set ground rules with students, you could:

• begin a dialogue about students’ positive and negative experiences of classroom discussions (you could ask students to do this in groups and feedback in a class discussion)
• discuss what kind of learning environment students would like to foster in the classroom and what rules would protect such an environment
• write the ground rules into a class contract or charter and store them on Canvas for future reference. 

• Example ground rules

  Ground rules you may want to consider are:

  • listening actively and attentively
  • asking for clarification if you are confused
  • not interrupting one another
  • challenging one another, but doing so respectfully
  • critiquing ideas, not people
  • not offering opinions without supporting evidence
  • avoiding put-downs (even humorous ones)
  • taking responsibility for the quality of the discussion
  • building on one another’s comments and working toward shared understanding
  • not monopolising discussion
  • speaking from your own experience, without generalising
  • if you are offended by anything said during discussion, acknowledge it immediately
  • considering anything that is said in class as strictly confidential.

  
  (Ground rules from Ambrose et al, 2010).

How to navigate challenging conversations 

Navigating conversations around sensitive subjects in the classroom can be difficult.

Students may:

• have strong, opposing views
• feel the topic is very emotive or deeply personal
• use inappropriate language.

While co-creating ground rules with students is a useful starting point, thinking further about the aims of the session or module and the learning environment you want to establish can be helpful.

Literature on dealing with sensitive subjects in the classroom often focuses on building ‘safe’ spaces. Barrett (2010) outlined that it is impossible to define what ‘safe’ means in the context of classrooms. ‘Safe but brave’ spaces can encourage students to partake in constructive discussions around sensitive subjects.

See further considerations on creating safe but brave spaces below.

• Avoid relying on students to share personal experiences 

  Safe but brave classrooms can place unfair burdens on marginalised students who can often be called upon to educate their classmates on their privilege (Zheng, 2016).

  Lynn Verduzco-Baker proposed a set of strategies to adapt brave spaces for conventional classroom contexts. Specifically, these strategies focus on who are we asking to be brave. 
  
  These are:

  • avoid asking students from marginalised groups to educate their peers about inequality and microaggressions
  • call students ‘in’ rather than ‘out’ when they make problematic statements – assume the student meant no harm, explain where such misconceptions come from and discuss the harm that such statements can cause
  • acknowledge you do not know everything and be open to learning about yourself without defensiveness.
• Avoid perpetuating privilege in your ground rules 

  Arao and Clemens (2013) recommend facilitating conversations around common ground rules with students to create an environment which encourages respectful challenge and learning, and does not perpetuate privilege.
  
  Try to:

  • encourage students to dissect what we mean by ‘respect’ and how they can challenge views respectfully
  • ask students to consider the difference between a personal attack and something that makes them feel uncomfortable
  • encourage ‘controversy with civility’ where differing opinions are seen as natural and respectful disagreement does not shut down conversation
  • avoid asking students to not take things personally. Ground rules like this might lead to students feeling they need to mask their emotions or feelings. Instead, encourage students to take responsibility for the effects of their actions, be mindful of the intentions behind them, and be accountable for how they affect others
  • encourage students to reflect on when and why they engage in a discussion and to consider how such choices, including the choice not to engage deeply with a topic, might be enabled by their privilege.
• Try to manage emotional responses
  

  Facilitating conversations around sensitive subjects can feel stressful for both staff and students. Some subjects can trigger sudden and emotional responses.

  The LARA method, developed by Stanford University, is a toolkit with materials and activities to support staff and students when preparing for sensitive conversations. The steps include:

  • a questionnaire around identity
  • help to identify ‘hot buttons’ or triggers
  • a framework with supporting phrases for speakers to engage respectfully.
    
    

  Managing your own state while facilitating conversations can be very challenging. Feeling triggered during a conversation can make us feel angry, hurt, or anxious (Obear 2013). Dealing with these reactions while maintaining a respectful learning environment is very difficult, especially when students may also feel such strong emotions.

  Obear recommends several tips for managing your own emotions, and those of your students, when experiencing emotional responses to students’ statements or behaviour:

  • ask questions to understand the student’s perspective, which also allows additional time for you to choose how to respond
  • summarise the issues with the statement and state whether you agree or disagree
  • stop conversations if they are becoming too emotive and refer back to the ground rules
  • redirect the conversation back to the initial focus.

  
  Let us know if you teach sensitive subjects and have a case study or blog you would like to share with us. Email us at: educationalenhancement@sussex.ac.uk.

More information 

For more help and support see the dilemmas in small group teaching resource. It will help guide you with challenges in the classroom, including:

• dealing with negative feedback
• microaggressions
• student mental health. 

• References

  Ali, D., 2017. Safe Spaces and Brave Spaces. Historical Context and Recommendations for Student Affairs Professionals, NASPA Policy and Practice Series. NASPA.

  Ambrose, Susan A., et al. (2010) How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching

  Arao, B., Clemens, K.,‘From Safe Spaces to Brave Spaces A New Way to Frame Dialogue Around Diversity and Social Justice’ in Landreman, L. M., (2013) The Art of Effective Facilitation: Reflections from Social Justice Educators

  Brookfield, S. D., & Preskill, S. (2005). Discussion as a way of teaching: Tools and techniques for democratic classrooms (2nd ed.)

  Bugeja, M., ‘Updating the Trigger Warning in Contentious Times’, Inside Higher Ed, August 24, 2021

  Cares, A. C., Franklin, C. A., Fisher, B. S., & Bostaph. L. G., (2019) “They Were There for People Who Needed Them”: Student Attitudes Toward the Use of Trigger Warnings in Victimology Classrooms, Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 30:1

  Obear, K., ‘Navigating Triggering Events: Critical Competencies for Social Justice Educators’ in Landreman, L. M, (2013) The Art of Effective Facilitation: Reflections from Social Justice Educators

  Verduzco-Baker, L., (2018), ‘Modified brave spaces: Calling in brave instructors’, Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, vol. 4, issue 4.

  Zheng, L., ‘Why your brave space sucks’, The Stanford Daily, May 15, 2016

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