“I establish and acknowledge the diversity of perspectives through anonymous live polling. I present a controversial scenario and have students answer a question about it on PollEverywhere, and then I share the results. The first thing I always say is, “Look at the distribution of opinions — every option from ‘strongly agree’ to ‘strongly disagree’ is populated in the room by your classmates, so be aware that you as a class disagree.” I think that helps diffuse the tension and makes for a more interesting discussion knowing that different points of view are represented.”
Find more tips for discussing controversial topics and teaching during an election season.
Shared Summer 2024
