This is the second in a three-part article series on preparing for the 2024 election in our middle school classrooms. You can read part one here and look for the final installment later this fall. Need more support tackling difficult conversations with students? Explore Jen Cort’s book, Help Us Begin, available from AMLE.
As we transition from relaxed summer days to busy preparations for fall, the upcoming election becomes a critical back-to-school consideration. The 2024 election promises to continue the trend of divisiveness and anxiety we observed in 2016 and 2020. I find my work is most effective when it builds on strengths and skills. For example, before discussing or responding to bias, we ensure that we have the skills for challenging conversations before broaching more complex topics. So too in this blog series I aim to provide strategies and help you build the skills to navigate whatever challenges ensue this election season.
Recognizing our Role
As educators, you hold a position of privilege within the school, with the ability to assign grades, provide feedback, and act as role models. This privilege is not just a position; it’s a responsibility that allows you to shape students’ responses based on your perceived beliefs – including political views. For example, a teacher’s feedback on a student’s political essay can influence the student’s future writing. Recognizing and being aware of this privilege is crucial for fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment. It involves understanding that your words and actions have a significant impact and can influence students’ perspectives and experiences, making you a key player in shaping their understanding of the world. As the world rides the election roller coaster, we can remain grounded and focused on values and care.
This also means proactively practicing self-care. Self-care is not just important; it’s indispensable. Most research suggests it requires one to six months to build a new habit. Taking the time now to focus on self-care sets us up for success in the fall. Like most engagement strategies, self-care requires a menu of options to be worked through one at a time until you feel supported. This Personalized Care Plan activity, written for students, is easily adapted for adults to create an expansive list.
Clarifying our Values
Opposite the divisiveness we might see online or on the news, focusing on shared values helps to create agreement and deeper understanding.
Values clarification entails identifying, examining, and prioritizing personal values to understand oneself better and make decisions that align with those values. It is essential to first clarify what boundaries, if any, your administration prefers before discussing values with students. When you take moments to think ahead to any year, centering on your values and how to make those evident to your students supports you and them. Consider how your students will know what you value within the context of their education (for sample values clarification lesson plans for your students, email me). One of my favorite tools for this work is a value clarification activity, adapted from my workshops with Brooke Carroll, founder of Acies Strategies.
Navigating Uncertainty
As educators, we are the bedrock in navigating this uncertainty. Maintaining predictable routines and remaining consistent even when circumstances change is not just a strategy; it’s a way to build a sense of belonging and well-being in our schools. The end of summer and the start of the school year bring both excitement and anxiety. Routines, provide predictability, and increase engagement.
These routines include how we engage in conversation in our classrooms. Encouraging respectful dialogue and providing factual information to support students’ understanding fosters a sense of belonging and well-being and keeps educators connected and engaged with their students’ learning process. Recognizing the range of emotions and reactions further supports respectful dialog. Here are a few resources and strategies I’ve found helpful in establishing a safe and supported space for dialog in the middle school classroom:
- Increase/create a shared vocabular of feeling words. Consider engaging in an exercise such as this Feeling Vocabulary Activity with students.
- Create Open Discussion Spaces. Encourage respectful dialogue and provide factual information (see section on agreements) to help students feel heard and respected, fostering a sense of belonging and well-being.
- Establish Consistent Routines. A student’s sense of belonging supports well-being and academic success. Consistent routines such as special greetings for students entering the classroom, classwork expectations, etc. provide predictability.
- Offer check-in activities for students to express their feelings at the start of class. Using color-coded Post-it notes or index cards provides a quick visual check-in. Before the start of class, place three colors of Post-it notes or index cards around the classroom and display on the board or screen the group of feelings associated with each color (for example, green = feeling confident, good, ready, blue = feeling ok, tired, unfocused, and yellow = feeling down, upset, challenged). On the count of three, students hold up the color (or colors) representing their current state. Looking at the cards gives you a sense of the classroom climate and individuals you may want to follow up with. This activity is also an effective exit ticket and can be a great way to start a discussion about how students feel about the upcoming election season.
- Take the check-in further by having all students sign their names, adding a star next to their name if they desire to talk about their feelings before the entire group turns them into you. Having everyone sign their names eliminates the potential barrier of embarrassment because no one will see who included a star next to their name.
- Offer coloring supplies and paper at the start of class and offer five minutes of activities to calm the central nervous system, such as guided breathing, silence, or quiet drawing, to center ourselves for the task. (Check out these Activities to calm the central nervous system for ideas that include progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing exercises, or mindfulness meditation).
Intentional Agreements
We know the tensions about the election are as profoundly held among colleagues as they are with students. My previous blog focused on agreements with students. This pivots to adult-to-adult interactions and intentional agreements to navigate differences of opinion among colleagues and reduce friction.
Intentional agreements serve as boundaries for stretching ideas, disagreeing, and existing in spaces where our values may differ while our goals align. These agreements are a source of empowerment for navigating the uncertainties of the upcoming election. Through proactive discussions, we develop responses when we test or breach an agreement. For instance, intentional agreements might include:
- Respect for other’s political views.
- Engage in respectful dialogue.
- Prioritize the well-being of our students.
You may also find it helpful to prepare responses for when agreements are tested or breached so they produce less anxiety when they occur. Remember, political tensions can be as muscular among colleagues as among students.
As we prepare for the fall and the challenges posed by the upcoming election, it’s essential to recognize the significant role educators play in fostering a supportive learning environment. By focusing on self-care, clarifying values, and engaging in open dialogue, we can create classrooms that prioritize academic success and promote emotional well-being.
Together, we can make a positive impact as we navigate this journey. Stay tuned for my next article on dealing with polarizing language, handling disagreements, and ideas for deepening active listening.
Jen is a diversity practitioner, author, podcast host, school counselor, trustee, coach, speaker, consultant, and activist. She has also served as a principal, school administrator, and elementary, middle, and high school counselor. Jen works throughout the United States and in multiple countries. She has keynoted and presented at national and international conferences and frequently contributes to publications. Her work is quoted in Racing Toward Diversity, Insights, Friends Journal, NAIS Independent Journal, Washington Post, Boston Globe, New York Times, and more. Jen hosts an internationally syndicated podcast, “Third Space With Jen Cort,” she is the author of the book ‘HUBs Help Us Begin Strategies When the Topic is Challenging.’