Creating an emotionally safe classroom for successful class discussions

What does an emotionally safe classroom mean?

Creating and maintaining a safe environment is the very first condition necessary for successful class discussions. What does safety mean though and how do we create an emotionally safe classroom? Emotional safety refers to the emotional and psychological safety of your students. Although you may have some students willing to share ideas without regard to the format or climate created, most students are just not comfortable enough with themselves intellectually to offer ideas about which they are unsure. Given that engaging in a discussion of ideas requires some intellectual risk, students must feel that their vulnerability will be protected. Understandable, right? In addition, the relative safety of a class discussion can impact the success of both present and future discussions. If we expect our students to engage in student and idea-centered discussions then their emotional and intellectual safety must first be established.       

Recognizing safety issues

Perhaps you’ve had a class discussion in the past that actually began on a promising note. Students seemed passionate about the topic at hand, eager to join in the conversation, and bubbling with enthusiasm. You thought, “Fantastic, we’re on the right track!” However, it very quickly got out of hand with raised voices and disrespectful tones, students speaking over each other, and only a select few dominating the conversation. You end the class discussion feeling deflated and frustrated as well as acutely aware that your students missed out on what could have been a fantastic learning experience.

Had you asked yourself at that moment in time, “What if anything, is preventing my students from coming to a better understanding of the topic, themselves, and others?” you would have noted a number of issues, including student frustration and indignation, as well as disrespectful comments. In noticing any of the above issues, you might have then also recognized that safety was slipping away. Finding the balance in this aspect of a student-led class discussion means keeping the following questions in mind: What is the tone of the conversation?  What is the atmosphere of the setting?

The tone of the discussion

The tone of the conversation affects its content. It needs to be one of respect for all of the students participating, as well as for the subject matter at hand. Students don’t need to agree with one another, but they do need to respect differences in ideas and opinions. In fact, a successful class discussion is built on the understanding that emerges from different ideas. Without this respect, a conversation can quickly evolve into a free-for-all, marked by righteous indignation. For students, two of the primary goals of a class discussion are to learn how to understand others as well as how to develop a willingness to have their ideas challenged. The key is to help your students learn how to disagree agreeably, helping create an emotionally safe classroom for successful class discussions. 

Most students (and some adults!) need to be taught these skills, as they often assume that any challenge is a personal attack and respond defensively in return. The first step is defining the difference between challenging a personality and challenging another person’s idea. At the core of this skill is treating everyone and every idea with respect, a worthy approach in any kind of setting, right? However, respecting all ideas doesn’t mean that all ideas are equal and well-supported. Helping your students understand this distinction is both critical and difficult but necessary.

An atmosphere of safety and respect

To create and maintain an atmosphere of emotional safety and respect, you as a facilitator must be aware of how both you and your students act and react during a class discussion. The goal is to do this both prior to and during the discussion. Setting goals prior to beginning helps focus students on the discussion process and their responsibility for contributing to a safe and productive discussion.

In addition, the tone for an emotionally safe classroom environment should be set during a discussion of the guidelines for student participation. In creating an atmosphere conducive to sharing and challenging ideas in a healthy and productive manner, you as the facilitator should consider the overall climate of the classroom. Ask yourself the following questions:  What kind of relationship do you have with your students?  Are students encouraged to ask questions?  Are students used to working in groups?  These are vital questions to ask because the culture of a classroom determines the kind of class discussion that will unfold.  Makes sense right?

Creating a Culture of Enquiry

I think all teachers could agree that class discussions are most successful in terms of student understanding when they are conducted in a culture of inquiry. If a culture of inquiry does not exist in the classroom, it must be created! Establishing an intellectually and emotionally safe classroom environment may not be as difficult as one may think. Keep in mind, however, that a culture of inquiry can also commonly contain elements of competition and sarcasm.

What do we mean by this? Students and teachers often push each other intellectually during classroom discussions; witticisms may be traded in friendly, yet competitive ways. This type of culture is not only common but also healthy in intellectually challenging and stimulating environments. However, there is a line that is often crossed. Sarcasm often disguises itself as wit and is used to wound or ridicule. This is not what we want- and it certainly has no place in a class discussion where ideas are meant to be shared rather than wielded.

The Dangers of Sarcasm

So what is and isn’t appropriate behavior during a class discussion? As mentioned above, sarcasm should rarely, if ever, be permitted. Humor, on the other hand, is of course certainly acceptable, though never at the expense of others. Students laughing with one another is very different from students laughing at one another. This balance can be difficult to achieve for middle and high school students, at an age when they often cover their own insecurities by assailing the vulnerability of others.

We’ve all seen it happen before. At the end of the day, attacking people is never appropriate- in and outside the classroom. However, challenging other people’s ideas is vital for increasing understanding and promoting intellectual and emotional growth. The goal is to create an atmosphere in which all ideas can be discussed and challenged without your students becoming personally offended. Yes, we know- it’s a tall order! Don’t worry, keep reading and you’ll find out just how you can achieve this in your own classroom.

So what happens when students are offended or fear that their comments will be met with sarcasm or other disrespectful behavior? Well, they typically end up tiptoeing around ideas. What does that look like in a class discussion? Typically most students are quiet; sometimes, one student dominates the discussion while everyone else tiptoes. When other students do finally speak up, they don’t challenge anyone else’s idea or offer an idea beyond a straightforward observation that would be hard for anyone else to challenge. Tiptoeing typically happens when students don’t know one another well, when they are not familiar with or don’t understand the class discussion process, or when there is some kind of issue with disrespect. More often than not, you’ll hear these students say that class discussions are boring. For them, they absolutely are!

Feedback During Class Discussion

So what is your role as the facilitator? It may say sound simple, but it’s not always easy to implement! During a class discussion, you should help your students attain a deeper understanding of the material at hand, themselves, and each other. As hard as it may be, facilitators shouldn’t offer ideas about the subject matter, nor give positive or negative feedback to a particular student (the former is particularly difficult for me!). However, it is critical for you to inform students that you will not be giving feedback. Most students are used to teacher feedback and if it’s lacking, they may feel uncomfortable, and consequently unsafe, unless they understand the reasons behind the lack of feedback. It’s good to remind your students (and yourself!) that it is their conversation, not yours, and that it’s your job to help them have the conversation.

Facilitator feedback during class discussions should concern the degree to which students are following the guidelines of class discussion behavior. When providing this type of feedback, you need to make it clear to your students that you are stepping out of your role as facilitator and back into the role of teacher.

You can use a ‘time-out’ to signify to students this change of roles. Use the time-out as an opportunity to ask your students what they felt they were doing well during the seminar and what they felt they needed to work on. You can also point out some examples of students politely disagreeing with other students. Remind students about the importance of a respectful environment.

A Climate of Respect

Honestly speaking, it is hard to overemphasize the importance of establishing a climate of respect in your classroom. It is without a doubt, the foundation for the balancing of safety. Before attempting to move into any other aspect of a class discussion, you need to create a climate that allows students to openly and comfortably share ideas, hear each other out, and challenge one another’s ideas. The process of students learning how to respect one another, as well as the class discussion process, is certainly not a linear one. It will be one of trial and error and one that may take some time. However, we highly recommend you don’t rush the process and build a strong foundation. It is only after creating this climate that you, as the facilitator, should begin to focus on all other aspects of class discussions.  

We hope we’ve given you a little insight into how creating an emotionally safe classroom can lead to more successful class discussions, as well as happier and healthier students!  We’d love to hear your own experiences with creating emotionally safe classrooms for your students.

Further Reading

20 Tips for Creating a Safe Learning Environment

Belonging and Emotional Safety

Psychological Safety in the Classroom

To Enable Learning, Put (Emotional) Safety First

How to Foster a Sense of Community with Student-Driven Class Discussions

Six Simple Formats for Powerful Class Discussions