Transforming Hot Moments into Learning Opportunities, Part 1

Teaching Assistants are invited to participate in the two-hour workshops “Transforming Hot Moments into Learning Opportunities parts 1, 2, and 3.” Offered by the TA Program within the Graduate School, the fast-paced workshops will offer a series of potential responses that participants choose and practice, peer to peer. Real-life scenarios from the college/school/department context will be employed. Interested TAs should attend!

The intermediate sessions give participants ways to frame the intimate conversations that happen in classrooms when discussing race, class, gender, nationality, ethnicity, religion, ability, sexual and gender identity, as well as other pertinent topics.

Developed by School of Education Professors Jeff Mangram and Melissa Luke, this professional development opportunity applies research-supported interpersonal group leadership strategies and focuses on responding to and transforming “hot moments.”

“Hot moments are when someone says or does something that creates inequity or communicates less than full inclusion of all students in the learning space,” says Mangram. “This workshop empowers [participants], as leaders in the learning space, to respond to these moments so they can right the ship and help students learn.” Luke adds that “by increasing the range of potential responses, [participants] are more prepared to transform hot moments into learning experiences that center the well-being of their students.”

These three workshops are inter-related but not sequential. They are designed so that faculty can attend starting with any of the three sessions and proceed with the remaining workshops. These workshops are part of the university commitment to professional development opportunities related to diversity, belonging, inclusion and equity offered throughout the academic year.