How can educators turn division into inquiry and dialogue, helping students build the critical social studies knowledge and skills they need? We explored this important topic in our webinar Division to Dialogue: Teaching Social Studies in Polarizing Times, featuring Dr. Judith L. Pace, Elizabeth Robbins, and Ashley L. McCall. Read below for a summary.
Key Takeaways
Framework for Teaching Controversial Issues: Dr. Judith Pace shared her research-based framework for teaching controversial topics, emphasizing the concept of “contained risk-taking” to help teachers navigate sensitive discussions without overwhelming students or teachers.
Building a Supportive Environment: Panelists highlighted the importance of building strong classroom relationships and creating a safe space for dialogue before diving into controversial topics.
Media Literacy as a Foundation: The need to integrate media literacy into teaching controversial issues was emphasized as a key tool to help students critically evaluate sources of information.
Responding to Misinformation: Misinformation often enters classroom discussions, and panelists provided strategies for responding without alienating students or their families.
Exploring Controversial Issues in the Classroom
Dr. Judith Pace, author of Hard Questions: Learning to Teach Controversial Issues, opened the webinar by sharing her research on preparing teachers to handle controversial issues in social studies. Her study looked at how teacher educators in different countries, including Northern Ireland and the United States, equip new teachers with the skills to engage students in meaningful discussions on divisive topics.
Pace introduced her framework centered on “contained risk-taking”—a concept that encourages teachers to embrace controversial topics while carefully managing the risks involved. She described the range of approaches from risk-takers, who dive into controversy using immersive pedagogies like role play, to “avoiders” who steer clear of controversial subjects. In between are “containers,” who teach controversial topics that are distant from their local context, such as apartheid in South Africa, rather than issues close to home like segregation in Northern Ireland.
Pace emphasized the importance of strategies that allow teachers to explore controversy without causing harm. These include setting norms for discussions, preparing thoroughly, and thinking critically about one’s own stance on issues. As she explained, “teachers must know their subject matter well, but also their students and school community, to anticipate reactions and guide discussions appropriately.”
Cultivating a Supportive Environment
Ashley McCall, an Assistant Principal at Passages Elementary School, discussed the importance of creating a culture of empathy and trust within the classroom. She believes that building strong relationships and regularly engaging in lower-stakes dialogue helps lay the foundation for navigating more difficult conversations when they arise. As McCall noted, “Like any craft, the ability to handle these conversations can be developed over time. Teachers and students alike can build their capacity for dialogue.”
Liz Robbins, a US History and Government teacher in Chicago Public Schools, echoed this sentiment, adding that fostering trust and safety in the classroom encourages students to be risk-takers in discussions. “If we ask our students to be risk-takers, we must first build an environment where they know their voices will be heard, and where there is space for all perspectives,” Robbins shared.
Responding to Misinformation in the Classroom
One of the most pressing questions from the audience came from Shelly Gordon, who asked how to handle misinformation when it arises in classroom discussions.
Dr. Pace stressed the importance of teaching media literacy alongside controversial issues. “Media literacy is crucial,” she said, recommending that students be encouraged to ask, “How do you know what you know?” to help normalize questioning sources of information. Liz Robbins added that teachers should also be cautious about getting into arguments with students’ families. “You’re not trying to send any kid home to argue with their parents,” she said, suggesting that teachers should help students unpack the information rather than dismiss it outright .
Ashley McCall offered another important distinction: the difference between misinformation and disinformation. She noted that students are often not spreading disinformation (false information intended to mislead), but rather misinformation, which they may believe is true. “If we react as if it’s disinformation, we can break the trust that’s needed to have a productive conversation,” McCall said. Instead, she recommended an inquiry-based approach to help students critically evaluate their sources
Problems of Practice
One of the highlights of the webinar was the sharing of real-world challenges or “problems of practice” faced by educators in the classroom. Panelists discussed strategies for tackling these issues, providing actionable insights for teachers:
Handling Hot-Button Topics: One issue raised was how to approach topics like abortion or other highly polarized issues that may not lend themselves well to deliberation. Panelists suggested that these topics might require different strategies, such as focusing on listening and understanding, rather than debate. It was emphasized that some topics might be too inflammatory for open deliberation and should instead be used as opportunities for reflection and empathy-building.
Reacting to Current Events: Another common challenge discussed was how to respond to breaking news or current events, particularly when teachers haven’t laid the groundwork to support difficult conversations. The consensus was that teachers should focus on building a culture of dialogue and inquiry early in the school year, so that when unexpected events arise, there’s already a foundation for respectful, meaningful discussion.
From the Chat
We had a lively and engaging conversation during our webinar, with participants from 20+ states and even internationally from countries like Croatia, Bosnia, and the Philippines. Educators from various backgrounds—middle school teachers, university instructors, and education program managers—shared their insights, questions, and valuable resources.
News Literacy Project: Recommended as a resource for professional development in teaching media literacy.
Civix and Ctrl-f: Canadian resources for media literacy, free availability with registration. Civix offers comprehensive media literacy resources, while Ctrl-f focuses on fact-checking strategies.
Digital Inquiry Group: Formerly the Stanford History Education Group.
Our panelists also highlighted a range of useful resources to help educators tackle controversial issues to support dialogue and inquiry in the classroom.
These conversations and resources reflect the thoughtful and collaborative spirit of our webinar community, as we all work together to navigate the challenges of teaching during a time of increased polarization and division.
Watch the Recording
If you missed the live event or would like to revisit any part of the discussion, you can watch the full recording of Division to Dialogue: Teaching Social Studies in Polarizing Times below.
About inquirED
inquirED supports teachers with high-quality instructional materials that make joyful, rigorous, and transferable learning possible for every student. Our social studies curricula – Inquiry Journeys (K-5) and Middle School World History – are used across the country to help students build deep content knowledge and develop inquiry skills essential for a thriving democracy.
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