Microaggressions and Bias in the Classroom – On-Demand Training

Faculty Training Through Case Studies and Conversation to Increase Awareness and Confidence

Faculty, administrators, staff and students may unwittingly invalidate, insult or assail the identities of people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals through interactions, as well as through textbooks, lectures and teaching materials. When this happens, it makes it difficult for the student to continue engaging in the class and creates an environment in which it is difficult for the student to thrive.  

Our expert presenters will help you build the empathic skills that will help you to interrupt microaggressions when they occur in your classroom and among your colleagues. They will discuss activities that are designed to “take the temperature” of the environment where you work to help you build trusting relationships. They will also discuss how to be an effective advocate for others and when it is appropriate to engage outside support as a mandatory reporter.

It is important that we don’t fall into the trap of promising that we can eradicate or erase bias. All people have, and will always have, bias. The goal is self-awareness and the ability to repair harm when we commit microaggressions, or to gracefully respond to others when we witness microaggressions.

You’ll engage actively, sharing your experiences, working through case studies together, practicing making mistakes and discussing “productive failure” during this online training. The presenters intend to take a vulnerable and open-hearted approach to learning from and with our students, rather than a perfectionist approach where we aim to never make mistakes.

Topics Covered

Gain crucial, actionable takeaways that will help you:

• Recognize common microaggressions in the classroom.
• Effectively repair harm after a microaggression has happened.
• Incorporate reflective practices in the classroom to process challenging moments.
• Take the temperature of your classroom with frequent surveys.
• Advocate for students who report microaggressions with their peers.

Presenters

Becca Edwards serves as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director for the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at CU Boulder. In this role, she is implementing the DEI Strategic Plan for the institute which involves seeking and hiring a diverse workforce, creating an inclusive workplace culture and creating authentic partnerships with our local communities that use climate change research to build environmental justice policy.
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Dr. Kristin Deal is the Assistant Vice Chancellor for DEI Partnerships & Operations at the University of Denver, and an adjunct professor of Higher Education at the Morgridge College of Education. Dr. Deal, as a scholar-practitioner, is engaged in the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion, with a specific focus on the intersections of race, gender, emotionality, and inclusive practices.
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