Teaching Through Tension

Students have access to more information than ever, yet meaningful opportunities to encounter different perspectives, listen with curiosity and remain in dialogue can be harder to find.

The classroom creates an important space for this. Educators shape the conditions in which students can test their thinking, find their voice and engage with others in ways that deepen understanding.

The Teaching Through Tension workshop gives educators practical, evidence-based approaches to navigating complex classroom conversations. Through realistic scenarios and hands-on practice, participants explore strategies they can adapt and apply in their own teaching.

More than 90% of participating educators said they would definitely recommend the workshop to colleagues.

What educators are taking into their teaching

• “I can implement virtually everything we discussed in the workshop immediately.”

• “This is really aligned with my emerging approach to teaching, and I have learnt valuable skills, ideas and approaches I will definitely use.”

• “I really liked the idea of co-creating with students community guidelines at the start of the teaching semester, and to keep coming back to those as part of our shared norms for having respectful disagreements”

The workshop explores:

• Teaching students the value of an “explorer’s mindset”

• Creating classroom environments that support respectful dialogue on sensitive topics

• Applying frameworks that encourage critical thinking and perspective taking 

• Practicing strategies to de-escalate conversations when they become heated

All workshops run from 9am to 1pm except for the 5 Nov session, which starts at 10am. Morning tea provided.

Participants will achieve the six point Annual Professional Learning Requirement by attending this workshop and completing the reflective activity. Teaching Through Tension sits within the Brave Conversations workshop series.

Sessional academic staff are welcome to attend with supervisor approval. Please note that attendance is no longer centrally funded through the Monash Education Academy; payment for attendance must be sought directly through your faculty prior to registration.

Please register using your Monash staff email address.