Although there is no simple solution to responding to a tragedy, the ways that we interact with our students in the next few weeks will be essential to rebuilding our community and moving forward. Below is a compilation of resources to employ as you return to the classroom. It is important to attend to the social and emotional needs of both you and your students after this campus tragedy. Once classes resume, it is important to recognize that while some students will be relieved for the return to a schedule, others may struggle to get back into the academic routine. Some students are not sleeping, some are experiencing extreme grief and anxiety, and many will have a hard time focusing on academics. Everyone will experience the campus tragedy differently, and it will be important to be flexible as the university moves forward. Below are recommendations for how to engage in “better” practices during this time.
Move slowly
You will need to acknowledge that learning will be more challenging since students and instructors have experienced a traumatic event:
- Adjust your weekly in-class activities to be a quarter to a half of what they were.
- Make more space for processing and reflecting on course content both in class and in the time between assignments, readings, etc.
- Consider ending class early each week if students are tired mentally and emotionally.
- Give more short breaks in long classes (consider two short breaks on the hour, vs. one longer break in the middle).
Resource for Course Policy Modifications After a Crisis
Practical Strategies for Returning to Class. This resource contains examples of policies and adaptations you may consider. These are not meant to be read as recommendations that every instructor should adopt, but rather as possibilities that instructors can individually assess and adapt to their own teaching context.
Focus on Mastery Learning
A focus on mastery learning can help with an academic disruption. It is important to be mindful of the cognitive load. The goal of mastery learning is to ensure students learn content, not just perform on assessments. Mastery learning offers students multiple opportunities to demonstrate what they know. This is especially helpful when students’ cognition is overwhelmed by trauma. Ideas for implementation include:
- Offer re-takes, re-writes and general revision of work
- Offer a variety of formative and summative assessments including performance-based, written response, or oral communication
- Offer students the opportunity to review
- Organize student review sessions throughout the rest of the semester
- Scaffold prior learning and continue to explicitly build content—any review is helpful
Resources for mastery learning (K12 resources are relevant)
- What is Mastery Learning. https://research.com/education/what-is-mastery-learning A brief overview of the key elements of mastery learning.
- Mastery Learning. https://tea.dtei.uci.edu/resources/mastery-learning/ A brief overview of mastery learning in the STEM field.
- Grade Expectations. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/ed/19/05/grade-expectations. A brief overview of alternatives to high stakes grading.
Less is more
Adjust your activities and assignments to potentially be a quarter to a half of what they were. This requires that you focus on the absolute core content of the course. While it is interesting to extend learning around a topic, this is a time to get down to the basics of the content. These prompts might be able to help you make revisions to your syllabus and teaching practices:
- Are there plans that no longer seem realistic?
- Are there activities that you as an instructor do not have the capacity to assess?
- Are there assignments you can take out all together?
- Are there readings that can be on a “to-read” list after the semester rather than required for each week?
- Can students meet in synchronous discussion groups in lieu of writing a discussion board?
If you’ve responded yes to any of these questions, adjust your syllabus and notify your students.
Managing evaluation
After an academic disruption due to a crisis, it can be challenging to adapt your semester plan. Students (and you) will likely have limited cognitive capacity and will need flexibility in learning and assessments. While you should still have high expectations for students, you may need to revise your pedagogy and curriculum. It will be important to consider your curriculum and ask yourself:
- Can some units be combined?
- Are there extended learning elements that can be taken out to focus on core concepts?
- Can assessments (quizzes, tests) be revised slightly to focus on core concepts?
- Instead of a lecture, can you create student focused, small group activities
- What are other ways students can demonstrate knowledge: voice memos and voice to text, mind map, projects (Zines, podcasts, artwork, presentations, etc.)?
If you’ve responded yes to any of these questions, adjust your syllabus and notify your students.
Student Autonomy
One way to support students who experience trauma is to ensure that students have choices about how to manage their own behavior. While there are tasks students need to accomplish to earn a grade, to learn content, and move forward, they do need some cognitive flexibility. At the same time, some students will need direction with firm deadlines. Here are some recommendations for supporting student success:
- Give students an option for when they take exams (day, time, etc.)
- Offer options for the order of the work when able
- Offer deadline flexibility/negotiation for those who need it, and firm deadlines for those who need the structure
- Offer written and verbal options
Responding to Student Experience
When classes resume, it is important to acknowledge the campus tragedy with students. You do not need to be a licensed counselor to pause and explicitly state that you recognize the community has been harmed and that you are able to direct students to university resources meant to help them. It is also imperative to recognize our BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+ , and international student population may experience this trauma differently, as the threat of violence connects directly to their social identity experiences. You can say:
- I recognize that we have been through a tragedy as a campus
- This is a hard time for everyone, and I am happy to listen, and there will be no easy fix
- Please know that there are many resources available to you
- I am happy to refer you to resources that support you during this time
- We will all get through this challenging time together
Resources with ideas of how you can respond
- https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/crisis/
- https://ctl.wustl.edu/resources/strategies-for-supporting-students-through-tragedy/
- Students’ Perceptions of Helpful Faculty Actions Following a Collective Tragedy. This article investigates the most common instructor responses following a tragedy and which of those responses students find most helpful.
- What to say
Leading Class Discussions
Acknowledging the collective experience after a campus tragedy is essential. This is why it is important for everyone to respond to the student experience, as described on the first day back resource. You do not have to lead a classroom discussion about the events. For some students, having conversations about the crisis makes them feel less safe. If you do choose to have a discussion, it will be important to inform the class ahead of time that you will be giving time in class to discuss and give students the option to arrive late to class. This is also true with “check-ins”. If you plan to give space each class period to discuss the crisis, be sure to inform students ahead of time and give them the option to arrive 10 minutes late to class.
Resources for leading a class discussion
- https://www.niu.edu/citl/_pdf/leadingclassdiscussions.pdf
- After A Campus Incident: General Talking Points and Conversation Guide
Taking Care of Yourself
Faculty and staff from other universities who experienced a campus crisis have said the most important factor in university recovery was ensuring their own rest and wellness. Examples:
- Talk about it with people in your family and work network
- Strive for balance in perspective
- Turn off media and take a break, even briefly
- Honor your feelings
- Help others or do something productive
- Take care of your physical health
Resources for caring for yourself after a tragedy
- How to Respond in the Classroom: Moving Forward after Tragedy and Trauma
- Tips for College and University Students: Managing Your Distress in the Aftermath
These resources have been shared by a wide range of MSU faculty and staff, as well as colleagues from other institutions.