‘It’s okay to talk about that…But maybe not here’: A case study of rural teachers’ practices for addressing unplanned difficult-topics moments

This article features a qualitative analysis of seven American teachers’ practices for addressing unplanned difficult-topics moments (DTMs) in their rural school. Unplanned DTMs are moments in which teachers notice that they feel uncomfortable or unsure about what to say or do about a difficult, controversial, or contested topic that has arisen unexpectedly. Within a qualitative case study design, semi-structured interviews with participating teachers served as this study’s primary data source. Four phases of deductive and inductive coding yielded a typology of teachers’ practices for addressing unplanned DTMs in one of three ways: (1) leading spontaneous classroom discussions of difficult topics; (2) holding private, individual discussions of difficult topics; and (3) deferring to parents/guardians or other educators. The study’s results contribute a new understanding of teachers’ practices for addressing DTMs, particularly in the context of a rural community. The results also raise new questions about how teachers learn to reframe DTMs from fraught moments characterised by fear and potential conflict into opportunities for students to inquire, practice empathy, and develop deeper understandings of difficult topics. As such, this study carries implications for teacher educators seeking to support teachers to notice and more intentionally address DTMs, rather than ignore or avoid them.