• After doing a basic example, say to the students, “If you are struggling with this problem, please drop in to my office hours to go over it.” Encourage students to seek help early by reiterating all the different resources they have like office hours, TAs, study groups, etc.
• If students are writing a lab or paper, assess them on their performance on the content in your course. Tell them that you'll be evaluating their work for the quality of their thinking as opposed to focusing on their grammar or vocabulary. 

Create a list specific for your course and introduce it to the students on the first day. Make it easily accessible such as an appendix to the syllabus.

1. Understand the course expectations

• Carefully study the syllabus and schedule. Keep track of deadlines and pace yourself. Avoid falling behind. www.drexel.edu/undergrad/life-at-drexel/blog/2019/December/three-important-time-management-tips-for-first-year-students/

2. Ask for help. Ask questions

• Take advantage of drop-in office hours, free tutoring centers, and other campus resources, such as the Center for Learning and Academic Success Services (CLASS). www.drexel.edu/studentlife/student_family_resources/class/

3. Study in a way that works for you

• Consider forming a study group or re-writing your notes. Determine the methods that work for you. www.online.drexel.edu/news/digital-dragon.aspx/best-college-student-study-tips--habits

4. Actively participate in your own learning

• Research shows that knowledge has to be actively constructed by the learner. This construction happens when you connect new ideas to what you already know.

5. Be kind to yourself

• You belong here. You have worked hard and Drexel University accepted you.

6. Learn to explain your ideas in simple language

• The language that you use shapes your thinking; thus, being clear in your language will help you be clear in your thinking.

7. Pay attention to how you learn

• You may understand better if you draw a picture or represent a process with a diagram. Perhaps you need to go over things several times. Maybe you need to check your math to avoid mistakes. People learn in different ways.

8. Work collaboratively

• Research shows that students working together in study groups can solve problems none of them can solve on their own. Through this collaboration, they can increase their skills individually.

• Kang et al. 2016 “Transparency and Problem Solving: The UHD Experience”, http://www.aacu.org/peerreview/2016/winter-spring/Kang
• “Effective Teaching Is Anti-Racist Teaching”, https://www.brown.edu/sheridan/teaching-learning-resources/inclusive-teaching/effective-teaching-anti-racist-teaching
• Eberly Center, Carnegie Mellon University, https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/teach/classroomclimate/strategies/expectations.html

• If students are working in groups and experiencing inappropriate behavior, they might feel comfortable bringing that to your attention after seeing a diversity statement in your syllabus.
• If a student is a first generational college student, rubrics and even a brief explanation of what we mean by 'office hours' and 'recitation' can make a big difference.

Respect for Diversity

It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course, that students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture. Your suggestions are encouraged and appreciated. Please let me know ways to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally or for other students or student groups. In addition, if any of our class meetings conflict with your religious events, please let me know so that we can make arrangements for you.

If you have been impacted by discrimination, harassment, bias incidents, or sexual or gender-based misconduct, The Office for Institutional Equity and Inclusive Culture is here as a resource for you. They can be reached at eic@drexel.edu. For more information, please go to the Office for Institutional Equity and Inclusive Culture website.

• The Harriet W. Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning, Brown University, www.brown.edu/sheridan/teaching-learning-resources/inclusive-teaching/statements
• Eberly Center, Carnegie Mellon University, www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/syllabus/checklist/diversitystatement.html
• “Inclusion By Design: Survey Your Syllabus and Course Design”, https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/sites/default/files/basic-page-supplementary-materials-files/inclusion_by_design_survey_your_syllabus.pdf

• Students often suffer from the impostor syndrome and that can affect their confidence and anxiety. Giving students a variety of assessments can help boost their confidence and reduce the stakes per assessment.
• Incorporating peer learning in your class can help students who are struggling but do not feel comfortable asking questions or are not sure how to get help.

Active learning is anything that involves students in doing things and engaging in the content. Research suggests attention wanes after 15-20 minutes in lecture.

Here are techniques to use: https://teaching.cornell.edu/fall-2020-course-preparation/active-collaborative-learning

• Winkelmes et al, 2016 “A Teaching Intervention that Increases Underserved College Students’ Success” http://www.aacu.org/peerreview/2016/winter-spring/Winkelmes
• “3 Practices to Promote Equity in the Classroom” https://www.edutopia.org/blog/practices-promote-equity-in-classroom-shane-safir
• “Is Lecturing Racist?” https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2020/09/02/lecturing-disadvantages-underrepresented-minority-and-low-income-students-opinion

• When going over challenging problems, admit that they are challenging and maybe share a story about a challenging problem you remember struggling with when you were in school.
• Use images in your slides from your personal life, such as vacations, home renovations, family etc.
• If a student tells you that they are struggling financially, be compassionate and helpful. Direct them to Drexel resources like the textbooks in the library.

Resources for coping with racial trauma, discrimination, and biases: https://drexel.edu/counselingandhealth/counseling-center/discrimination-and-hate/

Faculty and Staff Resources:http://drexel.edu/counselingandhealth/counseling-center/faculty-staff/

• “Academic rigor enforces 'white male heterosexual privilege'”, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/engineering-professor-academic-rigor-enforces-white-male-heterosexual-privilege
• “Implementing Trauma-Informed Teaching Principles” https://drexel0.sharepoint.com/sites/TLC-TeachingTips/SitePages/Implementing-Trauma-informed-Principles.aspx?CT=1605066392647&OR=OWA-NT&CID=1875288e-ee58-6264-6833-62f41f6b5199

Use icebreakers throughout the semester. These can be activities or questions that are directly pertinent to course learning goals but give students opportunities to share from their individual experience.

Cultural identity is part of a person's self-concept and is related, but not limited, to nationality, ethnicity, sexuality, ability, religion, social class, generation, or any social group that has its own distinct culture.

Here are some cultural identity resources:https://drexel.edu/counselingandhealth/counseling-center/cultural-identity-resources/

• Eberly Center, Carnegie Mellon University, www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/teach/classroomclimate/strategies/examples.html
• Gibbons, J. L. and Schnellman, J. (1984). The perception by women and minorities of trivial discriminatory actions in the classroom. Paper presented at the American Psychological Association Conference, Toronto.

• Say this: Some of you may have attended a school that did not offer calculus, but we can work together to make sure that won't negatively impact you in this course. Don't say this: There are some underprepared students in our class.
• You can use phrases such as, “For those of you who have been on an airplane,” or “If you grew up with siblings to whom you were biologically related...” This can help normalize and destigmatize experiences that are possible points of marginalization for your students.

Gender inclusive language: https://www.marketing-partners.com/hs-fs/hubfs/MPI_Website/PILLAR%20Content/Accessibility-chart-Gender.png?width=1800&name=Accessibility-chart-Gender.png

People-first language: http://nebraska.kvc.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/07/Artboard-1.png

• Sczesny, S., Formanowicz, M., & Moser, F. (2016). Can gender-fair language reduce gender stereotyping and discrimination? Frontiers in psychology, 7.
• Stout, J. G., & Dasgupta, N. (2011). When he doesn’t mean you: Gender-exclusive language as ostracism. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 37(6), 757-769.

If you feel certain students aren’t participating, invite other perspectives or other voices to contribute to the discussion, rather than singling out individuals. “Let’s take X minutes to think about this problem from this angle.”

This video is an introduction to unconscious bias discussing the following questions: How does unconscious bias manifest itself? How do we identify unconscious bias? What can we do about unconscious bias?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVp9Z5k0dEE

• “Make Sure Students Do Not Feel Pressured to Speak for an Entire Group”, www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/teach/classroomclimate/strategies/speakforgroup.html
• Lord, C. G., & Saenz, D. S. (1985). "Memory deficits and memory surfeits: Differential cognitive consequences of tokenism of tokens and observers." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 49, 918-926.
• McLoughlin, L. A. (2005). Spotlighting: Emergent gender bias in undergraduate engineering education. Journal of Engineering Education, 94(4), 373-381.

Saying something like this to a woman of color: " I would have never guessed that you were a scientist." This sends the message that it is unusual for a woman to have STEM skills.

Continuing to mispronounce the names of students after they have corrected you time and time again. This sends the message that you are not willing to listen closely and learn the pronunciation because they are too exotic or they don't belong.

Saying something like, "Everyone can succeed in this society, if they work hard enough." This sends the message that if someone does not succeed it is because they are lazy or incompetent

This model is for someone who has committed a microaggression and it guides the person through a series of steps to take after the microaggression has occurred.

https://www.accessmatters.org/cpr-the-racial-microaggressions-reparative-response-model/

Setting the Tone for an Inclusive Classroom: Some Practices to Consider ; https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HTlROLa_n1DH_uDn9O9B3v6MbrJPvomX-4qx4eCzaio/edit

Recognizing Microaggressions and the Messages They Send, UCSC  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HTlROLa_n1DH_uDn9O9B3v6MbrJPvomX-4qx4eCzaio/edit