Despite the fact that current events are often sad and negative, they help students stay grounded in their community and remind them of the larger world. Incorporating them into the curriculum can also be a valuable way to build social skills.
Regardless of whether your organization decides to communicate with employees about the events happening around them or not, it’s important to establish an approach that’s documented and well-rehearsed. This will minimize any confusion or misunderstanding that might occur as employees talk about the events in the workplace, and can serve to diffuse potentially contentious conversations. Make sure that your organization has a policy on political discussion in the workplace, and frequently remind employees of its existence.
The current set of “Big Events” includes the COVID-19 pandemic, a major economic crisis, growing inequality and social distancing policies, and global climate change. This convergence of crises is likely to lead to greater changes in people’s daily lives and expectations. Previous research, mainly on HIV, shows that these changes can lead to enormous outbreaks of disease but also to improvements in health outcomes. It is critical to understand how pre-existing societal conditions and changing “pathway” variables influence the effects of Big Events.
Incorporating current events into the classroom is not always easy, especially when they are related to negative stories. Facing History and Ourselves has a collection of resources to help teachers use current events in the classroom. In addition, WeAreTeachers offers a list of eight smart ways to bring current events into the classroom.
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