• Take a moment count to ten before speaking or reacting.
• Understand your positionality about the issue.
• Decide if you will come back to it in the moment; mark it as something the class will come back to at the next meeting.
• Revisit or establish discussion guidelines.
• Invite students to move around the room, write or sketch quietly, or take a few deep breaths to change the energy in the room before diving back in.
• Find a way to connect the hot moment to course topics or learning goals.
• When appropriate, seek to clarify and name students’ comments that have sparked tension.
• Try to depersonalize positions of disagreement that have emerged in the learning environment.
• Teach students the skills they need to participate in difficult conversations.
• Identify University Resources.
• When there has been a hot button moment – encourage self-reflection at the end of class. Give people a chance to decompress.
• Consider connecting with trusted colleagues or friends.

AFFIRM – Affirm and appreciate people’s comments and questions. 

• Thank you for asking that question. I’m sure others were wondering about that too.
• Interesting point. Let’s consider that.
• I appreciate that you raised that point.
• I appreciate your willingness to stay open and consider other perspectives.
• I know this isn’t easy to think or talk about. Thank you for raising that point.

ACKNOWLEDGE – Acknowledge what people are saying. Make sure you understand what they’re expressing. Paraphrase their words and feelings.

• I’m hearing you say that… Is that correct?
• It sounds like you feel….
• So from your perspective…
• It seems like you’re both concerned about….even though you’re approaching it differently.
• Those are both excellent examples of the effects of racism because….

ASK – Ask questions to better understand individuals’ behaviors and perspectives and to help them reflect on their views.

• Can you tell me more about how you came to think that?
• What experiences led you to that belief?
• How would you make sense of…?
• What would it mean for you if this was true….?
• How were you feeling when…?

ADD – Add more information, historical/social/political context, or alternative explanations. Challenge misinformation, broaden people’s perspectives, address differences in power and privilege, and put issues in a larger context.

• It is interesting you think that, I was taught…
• This reminds me of a story I was told as a child…
• This research study found that…
• Let’s consider how the history of….may have contributed to what we see today.
• How might people’s social identities affect their experiences in this situation?
• What are some other explanations for this?