Hot Moments
Overview
This resource guide provides strategies for responding to “hot moments”: the sudden eruption of tension and conflict in classroom discussion. Hot moments often occur when a well-intentioned student says something that is politically charged and personally offensive to some members of the class, or even upsetting to the instructor. These moments can derail the conversation, make the classroom environment toxic, and can be harmful to students if not handled appropriately. This handout gives concrete strategies that instructors have found to be successful in transforming hot moments into opportunities for learning.
Resource Goals:
- To help instructors prepare in advance for how they will handle conflict in the classroom.
- To provide a number of resources instructors can use to address a hot moment.
