Graduate Course: EDU 526 - Making Diversity Work: How to Have Difficult Conversations in the K-12 Classroom & Staff Room (Online)

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Course Information
  • Price: $800.00
  • Dates: September 4 - October 29, 2017
  • Professors: Alex Fizz
  • Location: Online. The course will be available 24 hours a day.

The fear of conflict and an inability to initiate healthy dialogue are frequently the reason why diversity initiatives fail in schools. This course is designed to introduce educators to the concepts of initiating healthy dialogue, utilizing conflict resolution strategies, and enhancing critical thinking skills in students as they directly relate to the broad topic of diversity. Subsequently, participants will complete this course confidently equipped with skills and strategies to make the classroom and their personal lives an environment eager for peaceful and productive outcomes. Our culture has changed a great deal in the last twenty years. Part of this change includes the reduction of unstructured playtime in the lives of youths in America. In 1981 a child’s day included 41% of unstructured playtime. Today, less than 17% of a child’s day is made up of unstructured playtime. The significance of this data is that unstructured playtime is the primary way that a child learns how to peacefully resolve conflicts and to accept differences in others. As a result, the need for educators to model healthy communication skills and to have an awareness of diversity is of the utmost importance. This course can provide strategies for educators to enhance their skills for facing difficult conversations and topics, initiating healthy dialogue and to enhance critical thinking for students relating to diversity without invasive methods for minimizing classroom instruction.