Coach's Corner - from Brent Truchon, EMS Instructional Coach

 The Russia/Ukraine Conflict

Image credit: Johan Nilsson

The conflict in Russia and the Ukraine continues.  Understanding what’s happening and the potential implications that these events can/are having is a real concern to many of us, not to mention our students.  Finding a place where we, as teachers, feel confident enough to lead conversations and answer student is also a challenge.  We worry about getting it “right”, about imposing our own biases, or even lacking the knowledge to effectively lead a conversation.  Despite these fears,  students continue to have a need to regularly check in about the conflict.  Many have shared that they don’t want to do this every day but that having a safe and predictable space where they know they can discuss the issues is valuable and appreciated.  With this in mind, I’d like to share an article that might be of interest.  The article from Tech and Learning  is called “Teaching the Russia-Ukraine Conflict“.   It addresses many of the specific concerns that I have as I try to meet the needs of our students.  Below is a snapshot of the articles main points:

• Approach Ukraine War As a Learner Not An Expert 
• Use Primary Sources From Russia and Ukraine
• Examine Russia and Ukraine’s Competing Narratives 
• Use Analogies But Don’t Oversimplify 
• Don’t Demonize Russian People When Teaching About Ukraine