A Multimodal Approach
(Re)Centering the Conversation
Beyond diversifying your course readings and providing necessary resources to your students, instructors should take steps to (re)center the classroom discussion on meaningful topics with decolonizing, namely: (1) recognizing disparities and privileges, (2) learning about, discussing, and appreciating diversity and different cultures, backgrounds, and traditions, and (3) exploring personal connections, applications, and experiential learning opportunities. These topics and actions create a classroom discussion that can move away from the standards and concerns of a white, Eurocentric, and middle-class mindset and into the plural ways of thinking and doing that are integral to decolonization.
Step One: Recognition
Bringing up Disparities and Privileges
As the instructor, it is your duty to guide class discussions toward meaningful and productive topics. One of the best ways to do this is to ask your students to consider ideas that are unfamiliar to them in the texts and connect their readings to real-world issues. For example, you can begin a semester with a land acknowledgement, and then on days that you discuss relevant readings, such as an environmentalist piece, you can bring up the connection between environmentalism and indigenous land rights. You might try to guide discussions by introducing topics that students may not be aware of or think to bring up, but don't turn the conversation into a lecture. Instead, begin with a guiding question and let the students respond naturally, and build the discussion from there. As long as you are exposing your students to new topics and ideas through readings or lecture materials, it should be easy for them to recognize the differences between the characters or authors and their own experiences. Encourage your students to lean into discomfort by being open about your own privileges, and they might follow suit. Finally, always address issues such as disparity in your discussions--what obstacles might the creator had to overcome to publish or circulate their work, or why is it so different from content with which the students are familiar?
Step Two: Celebration
Learning about, Discussing, and Appreciating Difference
Once students have identified difference in the readings or lecture materials, encourage them to view this difference in a positive light rather than jumping to judgements. One easy way to do this is by suggesting a comparison between concepts that initially seem foreign and the students' personal experiences. For example, students who have been placed in "remedial" English courses have more in common with non-Native speakers of English than they might initially assume. Highlight these comparisons and ask students to consider their feelings about these experiences, then ask them to think about how someone else might feel about the topics you've been discussing. Be sure to emphasize that no single experience is more valid or important than another. Then, model appropriate processing of the material (genuinely, and not patronizingly) by saying things like, "I appreciate this different perspective," or, "I hadn't thought of this before, and I'm glad I've learned about this." Perhaps most importantly, ask students what they enjoyed most about the readings or lecture materials and how they relate to or understand them. This will help students move toward celebration of difference and lessen any distance they may feel toward the topics.
Step Three: Application
Exploring Personal Connections and Applied Learning
Once students have recognized and celebrated difference in class discussion, it should be easy to help set them up for action outside the classroom environment. Begin this process by asking students if there is someone with whom they could share what they learned, or if they have a friend or family member who might appreciate knowing that they are learning about the topic. Then, suggest other ways that students can act on the topics discussed. This will require a bit more research and preparation on your part, but it is definitely rewarding and beneficial for not only your students but also the wider community. For example, if you read an essay about immigration issues, you might talk a bit about volunteer opportunities for helping resettle immigrants in the local community or internships with immigration lawyers. More ideas for community involvement can be found in the Community Resources section of this website.