{"id":82604,"date":"2025-04-30T14:25:39","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T18:25:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/?post_type=bu-article&#038;p=82604"},"modified":"2025-10-09T21:49:56","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T01:49:56","slug":"tackling-tough-conversations","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/news\/articles\/2025\/tackling-tough-conversations\/","title":{"rendered":"Tackling Tough Conversations in the Classroom"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin news-block-editorial-leadin is-style-text-over-image has-media has-box has-media-focus-center-middle has-text-position-x-center has-light-theme\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container-lockup\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-leadin-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"6912\" height=\"3456\" src=\"\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/04\/classroom-diversity.jpg\" class=\"has-background-opacity has-background-opacity-60\" alt=\"A teacher stands at the front of a classroom of older students who are seated at desks\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/04\/classroom-diversity.jpg 6912w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/04\/classroom-diversity-900x450.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/04\/classroom-diversity-1500x750.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/04\/classroom-diversity-768x384.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/04\/classroom-diversity-1536x768.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/04\/classroom-diversity-2048x1024.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/04\/classroom-diversity-1200x600.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/04\/classroom-diversity-500x250.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/04\/classroom-diversity-992x496.jpg 992w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/04\/classroom-diversity-1920x960.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/04\/classroom-diversity-1000x500.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/04\/classroom-diversity-1984x992.jpg 1984w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/04\/classroom-diversity-1628x814.jpg 1628w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 6912px) 100vw, 6912px\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-inner has-opacity-50\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-prepress-tag\">Conversations with the Dean<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/Creating%20Space%20in%20the%20Classroom%20to%20Examine%20Race%20\">Tackling Tough Conversations in the Classroom<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"deck\">Thoughtful approaches to talking about race and identity can build students&#8217; sense of belonging<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar js-block-editorial-metabar news-prepress-layout-metabar\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-date\">April 30, 2025<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-comments\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"#comments\" class=\"wp-prepress-component-comment-counter label has-no-comments\"><span class=\"wp-prepress-component-comment-counter-zero\"><span>0<\/span><\/span><\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-credits\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul data-credit-type=\"By\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/news\/authors\/sofia-romero\/\">Sofia Romero<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-share js-bu-prepress-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-action\"><\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<p>For educators, having honest conversations about race and identity can be challenging to navigate. But these critical conversations can have many positive outcomes, including strengthening students\u2019 sense of belonging and civic engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/news\/conversations-with-the-dean\/\"><strong>Conversations with the Dean<\/strong><\/a>, Dean Penny Bishop is joined by BU Wheelock&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/profile\/christina-dobbs\/\">Christina Dobbs<\/a>, an associate professor of English education, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/profile\/tina-durand\/\">Tina Durand<\/a>, a clinical associate professor of applied human development. Together, they explore practical strategies for educators navigating the crucial work of antiracist teaching. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"responsive-video responsive-youtube\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Creating Spaces for Students to Examine Race\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GxXsHN1o_eQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2>Highlights from the Conversation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3>Talking about race and identity can be unifying<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>At the end of the study, we talked with kids who on both surveys and in interviews reported in huge numbers that it made them feel closer to their classmates, and feel safer in their schools, and more belonging in the sense of their community to have had these conversations which were not . . . always easy but were supported and intentional and developmentally appropriate.<\/p><cite>Christina Dobbs<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3>The cost of not understanding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>That tension around talking about race, that&#8217;s part of our socialization and the silencing, and that&#8217;s a cost for all of us. And that&#8217;s part of what&#8217;s dividing us, that&#8217;s contributing to the division, right? . . . Not understanding ourselves, others, and not understanding inequitable systems, that&#8217;s what&#8217;s dividing us and not bringing us closer together.<\/p><cite>Tina Durand<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3>There are reasons to be hopeful<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>We fear that naming that we&#8217;re not uniform means we can&#8217;t be unified. But I find again and again that not to be the truth. And that the more we talk about what it would mean to be unified, the easier it is to feel hopeful about that.<\/p><cite>Christina Dobbs <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Conversations with the Dean are a series of webinars hosted by Dean Bishop that explore some of the most pressing topics in education. Learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/news\/conversations-with-the-dean\/\"><strong>Conversations with the Dean<\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories is-style-card has-three news-block-editorial-relatedstories\">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-title\">Related<\/h3>\n\t\t<ul class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/03\/Research-Photos-1.png\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"A group of middle school aged kids laughing and smiling outside of their school\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/03\/Research-Photos-1.png 1920w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/03\/Research-Photos-1-900x506.png 900w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/03\/Research-Photos-1-1500x844.png 1500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/03\/Research-Photos-1-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/03\/Research-Photos-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/03\/Research-Photos-1-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/03\/Research-Photos-1-500x281.png 500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/03\/Research-Photos-1-992x558.png 992w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/03\/Research-Photos-1-1000x563.png 1000w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/03\/Research-Photos-1-1628x916.png 1628w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/03\/Research-Photos-1-1600x900.png 1600w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/03\/Research-Photos-1-1366x768.png 1366w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/03\/Research-Photos-1-1280x720.png 1280w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/03\/Research-Photos-1-854x480.png 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-category\"><span>Career Readiness<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/news\/articles\/2025\/empowering-students-to-plan-for-their-futures\/\" class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title-link\">Empowering Students to Plan for Their Futures<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-date\">March 13, 2025<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1080\" height=\"700\" src=\"\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/02\/Photos-12-1.png\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"School leader smiles as he chats with students in the hallway\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/02\/Photos-12-1.png 1080w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/02\/Photos-12-1-900x583.png 900w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/02\/Photos-12-1-768x498.png 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/02\/Photos-12-1-500x324.png 500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/02\/Photos-12-1-992x643.png 992w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2025\/02\/Photos-12-1-1000x648.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-category\"><span>School &amp; District Leadership<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/news\/articles\/2025\/how-strong-school-leaders-drive-student-success\/\" class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title-link\">How Strong School Leaders Drive Student Success<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-date\">February 21, 2025<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1080\" height=\"700\" src=\"\/wheelock\/files\/2024\/12\/Photos-36.png\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Young girl smiling with headphones on looking at a laptop\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2024\/12\/Photos-36.png 1080w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2024\/12\/Photos-36-900x583.png 900w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2024\/12\/Photos-36-768x498.png 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2024\/12\/Photos-36-500x324.png 500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2024\/12\/Photos-36-992x643.png 992w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2024\/12\/Photos-36-1000x648.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-category\"><span>STEM<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/news\/articles\/2025\/empowering-learning-outside-the-classroom\/\" class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title-link\">Empowering Learning Outside the Classroom<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-date\">January 14, 2025<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For educators, having honest conversations about race and identity can be challenging to navigate. But these critical conversations can have many positive outcomes, including strengthening students\u2019 sense of belonging and civic engagement. For this Conversations with the Dean, Dean Penny Bishop is joined by BU Wheelock&#8217;s Christina Dobbs, an associate professor of English education, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18489,"featured_media":82664,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"bu_prepress_billboard":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term":"Conversations with the Dean","_bu_prepress_primary_term_manual":""},"tags":[7197,7097,4016,7099,7198,7183,7168,7169,5868],"bu-publication":[6614],"magazine-article-category":[],"magazine-topic":[],"news-article-category":[6744,6739,6756,6760,6664,6646,6759],"news-topic":[6725,6934],"bu_edition":[],"media_type":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/82604"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bu-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18489"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82604"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/82604\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":84769,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/82604\/revisions\/84769"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/82664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82604"},{"taxonomy":"bu-publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-publication?post=82604"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-article-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazine-article-category?post=82604"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazine-topic?post=82604"},{"taxonomy":"news-article-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-article-category?post=82604"},{"taxonomy":"news-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-topic?post=82604"},{"taxonomy":"bu_edition","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu_edition?post=82604"},{"taxonomy":"media_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_type?post=82604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}