Introduction Chapter 1: Courage: Why discomfort cannot be avoided Chapter 2: Understanding: Gaining clarity on the meaning of terms Chapter 3: Belonging: Establishing a classroom community Chapter 4: Empathy: Preparation with safe topics Chapter 5: Discourse: Structures for contentious topics Chapter 6: Growth: Improving and expanding our impact Conclusion: Staying the Course and Continuous Improvement References
Teachers can become strong facilitators of contentious conversations when approaching civil discourse through the lens of courage, understanding, belonging, and empathy.
Joe Schmidt has worked as a high school teacher and college professor for elementary pre-service teachers, and has also held roles in district and state-level leadership in support of both rural and urban schools. Throughout his career, he has served in a variety of leadership positions with social studies-related organizations across the United States. Nichelle Pinkney has been a social studies educator for the past 16 years as a classroom teacher to a K-12 curriculum director. She has presented and trained teachers nationally and internationally. Nichelle holds a Masters of Art in Educational Administration from Lamar University and a Bachelor's degree from Salem College in Sociology, Women's Studies (minor). Nichelle has found passion in providing equitable education to every student. She has worked to revise curriculum to ensure that it is diverse, equitable and inclusive for all students and teachers.