Fostering Difficult Conversations

For some, all you really need to know is what you learned in kindergarten … or maybe fourth grade. In the wake of the presidential election, teachers report students feel insecure, unsettled and afraid according to an article appearing in a blog for the International Literacy Association. To stem the tide of insecurity, fourth grade teacher and Furman University alum Alyssa Cameron (2014, M.A. 2016) creates an environment that fosters appreciation for differences in race, ethnicity and belief systems. She and Furman Education professor Dr. Katie Stover write about that approach saying, “This discussion about similarities and beliefs is just the start of building a foundation of compassion and critical thinking that shapes the future.”