University Events

Description: This year, the OFD has been running a series of workshops on Reimagining Rigor and Resilience, highlighting approaches to both challenging students and also crafting the support structures needed for them to meet those challenges, and in this installment, we will be discussing strategies for engaging with students around complex texts and topics. Our work as educators, particularly in terms of navigating topics and readings that reflect deep social fissures, relies on our abilities to open and access those topics in ways that allow students to reflect, rather than simply to react, and to collaborate on building thoughtful discourse. In this workshop, we will think through strategies for these forms of engagement, touching on the three key phases of the process: before (preparing and laying the groundwork), during (facilitating contemplative discussion), and after (debriefing and transparently reflecting on the process). We welcome participants to bring their own strategies, as well, as this workshop emphasizes the importance of thoughtful exchange.