Relationships as the Foundation to Civil Discourse: Lessons from Alfred-Almond Jr. Sr. HS
By Paul Guay and Jessie Tobin
“We do not shy away from this… talk, talk and learn how to talk civilly.”
– Teacher, Alfred-Almond Jr. Sr. HS
In the wake of the recent election cycle, political discourse is bound to make its way into classrooms. Teaching the next generation of Americans to foster respectful relationships and engage in civil discussions may be more important than ever before. While some studies show that even though Americans are not as ideologically polarized as they believe themselves to be, a recent news article reports polarization of politicians and the emotions of voters can create potential problems for productive communication within and across party lines. As educators and school leaders, it is especially important to remain mindful and respectful in our conversations and teach students to do the same.
Navigating Emotionally Charged and Political Discussions
Due to the widespread implementation of social and emotional learning (SEL) programs in K-12 public schools, educators may be well-positioned to prepare students to navigate conversations that may become emotionally charged. The science of emotional intelligence can help educators and students alike identify and manage their emotions, and the emotions of others through creating ‘meta moments’ – pausing and asking yourself “How can I better understand this person’s perspective”. The University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning & Teaching (CRLT) suggests planning for class discussions on high-stakes or controversial topics by identifying a clear purpose for the conversation and establishing ground rules before engaging in discussions.
Over and above communication strategies for the classroom, school leaders can play an incredibly important role in promoting unity by focusing on continuous improvement of school climate & culture. If students feel comfortable forming relationships with their peers and trusting adults, they will be much more likely to feel safe when sharing their ideas during stressful times, including those in classrooms when controversial topics arise.
Our most recent NYKids research study on positive outlier schools has afforded us the opportunity to speak with district leaders and classroom teachers who have found inspiring ways to promote respectful relationships.
Lessons Learned on Fostering Civil Discourse from Alfred-Almond Jr. Sr. HS
One positive outlier school NYKids investigated in our latest study was Alfred-Almond Jr. Sr. High School. This small rural school hosts a unique student population. While the school is located in a geographically remote location in upstate New York, the campus lies between two towns – one of which is a home to two universities. Within this context, educators describe their students as being from diverse ideological and socioeconomic backgrounds. Notwithstanding these differences, educators at Alfred-Almond characterized the school as a place which prioritizes relationships – among students, staff, and throughout the close-knit community.
Perhaps the longstanding expectation of strong relationships has lent a hand to the school’s overall success. Through interviews and focus groups with Alfred-Almond educators, the NYKids team uncovered some key takeaways on how classroom teachers encourage relationships and build skills in respectfully engaging in civil discussions with their students. These insights are noteworthy for educators looking to bring civic education and skills in civil discourse into their classrooms.
1.Embracing Tough Conversations
Alfred-Almond teachers are understanding of the diverse backgrounds among their student body and the community at large. They acknowledge that some students hold more conservative views while others maintain more liberal perspectives, and this extends to how students and adults navigate their views on such things as gender identity. Regardless of these differences, educators note that students hold a high level of respect for one another and there are hardly any instances of bullying. Such respectful relationships may be attributed to Alfred-Almond teachers’ willingness to lead and engage students in tough conversations when they come up in and out of the classroom. As one teacher explained,
… I set the expectation for them [students] that somebody is going to say something in this class that you may hate, right, and somebody is going to say something that makes you really mad, and, you know, go through all that stuff. And … that’s okay, it’s okay for them to feel the way they feel just like it’s okay for you to feel the way that you feel.
2.Consistent Activities to Discuss Current Events
Along the same line of not straying away from challenging discussions, Alfred-Almond teachers make it a priority to introduce activities that exercise students’ skills in civil discourse and prepare to be involved as engaged citizens:
…We watch ten, fifteen minutes of the news every class at the beginning, and have discussions and just the more you can do it, I think the better because in a democracy, we need discussion and to not shy away from what we believe. You know, be proud of it, be able to back it up, and be able to talk about it.
-Teacher, Alfred-Almond Jr. Sr. HS
3.Model Camaraderie and Acceptance
Lastly, Alfred-Almond educators acknowledge the important roles they play in influencing respect and fostering positive interactions among students. Staff strive to provide young people with a safe space, and report that students reciprocate this energy – enhancing the accepting and welcoming culture of the school.
“We’ve got to be models for that [civility], you know, we can discuss it [a controversial topic] civilly.”
-Teacher, Alfred-Almond Jr. Sr. HS
For more on fostering an accepting and welcoming culture where civil discourse thrives stay tuned for our cross-case report in the coming days!
As always, thank you for your support of NYKids’ and for sharing our blogs and resources widely in your networks. Please check out our website research results for more information on our latest study on promising practices in persistent and emergent positive outlier schools. You can also keep up with our research through X, Facebook, Linkedin, and Instagram and email us with any questions at nykids@albany.edu.
