Themen déi brennen! Wéi ginn ech als Enseignant/e domat ëm?

Kontext / Contexte

Dealing with and discussing current and often controversial topics cannot be avoided in everyday school life: the war in Ukraine, climate change, the consequences of Covid-19 can become a topic in every subject or be an issue a régent has to deal with. Such controversial topics and discussions can lead to dicey – often emotionally charged – situations in the classroom.
It doesn't matter whether students are asked for their own opinion in class, whether they discuss current topics or talk / argue with classmates during the break. As a teacher, you are regularly confronted with statements (not only from students) that might be inappropriate. As an employé7e or fonctionnaire d'État, you are obliged to respect the basic democratic order and the constitution. This also means recognizing and reacting to anti-democratic (discriminatory, anti-constitutional, glorifying violence) attitudes.
This raises numerous questions for teachers:
- what challenges do controversial topics pose in the classroom?
- how can the teacher meet these challenges?
- how can favorable framework conditions for dealing with controversial topics be created in the medium or long term?

Zielsetzung / Objectifs

Knowledge
The participants will know about:
- the concept of controversial issues
- reasons for teaching controversial issues
- controversial issues in different school subjects
- identifying learning outcomes
- major challenges
- laws in Luxembourg governing freedom of speech.

Know-how
The participants will be able to:
- define factors in creating a safe learning environment
- protect students' vulnerabilities
- maintain classroom control – taking the heat out of emotive issues
- develop students' critical thinking around difficult and emotive issues
- draw the line of what can be said
- know different stances they can take in discussions
- differentiate between the advantages and disadvantages of different stances.

Posture
The participants will:
- be aware of their own beliefs and values – their significance and how they should be handled
- encourage empathy and alternative perspective-taking
- be aware of the importance of managing controversy at the whole-school level
- consciously leave room in their lessons for engaged discussions among students in the spirit of freedom of expression
- create a favorable framework for dealing with burning issues.

Inhalt / Contenu

This training examines major challenges of teaching such issues and provide practical tools on how to deal with them. The main approach is encouraging teachers to create safe spaces in which children and youth are given the opportunity to explore and discuss controversial issues within the framework of education for democratic citizenship, human rights and inclusive education.
With the help of case studies from everyday school life, the participants reflect on the necessary competences and appropriate attitudes to manage such situations.

Arbeitsformen / Approche méthodologique

- Theoretical input
- discussion in plenary and small groups
- analysis and exchange.

Referent, Referentin / Formateur, formatrice

Formateur/-trice ZpB