As with many elite institutions of higher education, Harvard has what researchers call a “hidden curriculum,” a set of unspoken academic and cultural norms that are assumed to be common knowledge. There are many ways that faculty can create a supportive and welcoming classroom culture by rendering these hidden norms explicit and transparent.
1. All students will benefit from a course description and syllabus that is inviting, legible, and accessible. Where possible, avoid using specialized academic jargon in course descriptions.
2. Be explicit on the syllabus and in discussions about how to succeed in the course:
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How should students prepare for each class and section? What should they do after each class?
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How do you recommend that students approach the readings? By when do readings need to be completed?
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What does mastery look like for different types of assignments or exams? How should students prepare for exams? Rubrics are a particularly powerful way of providing students with the means to evaluate their own progress through an assignment.
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Are students expected to work alone or collaboratively on particular assignments?
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What do you expect students to do during class? Provide guidance on good note-taking skills, and direct students to College resources on note-taking.
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Talk about effective study habits.
3. Make explicit all expectations for specific assignments (e.g., provide guidance on how to write a response paper), and, if applicable, consider sharing examples of successful student work (with prior students’ permission). Keep in mind that students may feel uncomfortable asking for guidance on unfamiliar assignments—e.g., how long a post on the course site should be, if it can be written in the first person, etc.
4. Clearly explain your expectations for office hours (where they are, how often they take place, and what kinds of things you might talk about). Let students know if you want them to sign up online, or whether it is fine to drop by unannounced. Explain in class and on the syllabus that students do not have to “prepare” anything ahead of time, and invite them to visit you at various points over the course of a semester. Consider requiring all students to visit you briefly during the first few weeks of class.
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Let students know that if they are not available during your office hours, you can arrange another time to meet.
5. Students’ comfort speaking up in class varies widely. Students who attended preparatory and well-resourced high schools often have more familiarity with discussion-based seminar and section formats. Let students know what counts as participation. Encourage students to share ideas even if they are in the process of formulating them. Keep in mind that students who are not speaking may still be very engaged and paying close attention. Let students know that they can meet with you in office hours for help speaking in class.
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Provide opportunities for students to participate in multiple ways, which might include online discussion board postings, in-class written responses, or small group work. Help students build confidence through “warm calling” (i.e, letting students know ahead of time that you will ask them to share their ideas). Visit our tip sheet for ideas on facilitating discussion and engagement.
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Understand that cold calling is especially hard on students who are less comfortable speaking.
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Engage students in setting community agreements about participation, speaking, and communication, and revisit them periodically to discuss and revise.
4. Emphasize that asking for help is an expected part of the college experience for all students.
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Encourage students to work with tutors, attend review sessions, and ask questions of teaching staff. Let students know that you are there to support them.
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Share stories--either your own or others’--about encountering academic challenges.
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Ask for “muddiest point” feedback at the end of class, out loud or in the form of individual exit notes. This lets students know that it is normal to find a least one concept confusing, and can encourage them to seek clarification.
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To encourage reflection, consider asking students to attach a cover letter to assignments explaining what they learned from feedback on prior assignments.
5. Make as few assumptions as possible about students’ background and access to resources.
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In small talk/casual conversation, do not assume that a student’s parents attended college, and don’t ask what a student’s parents do for work. Ask open-ended questions such as, “How is life outside of class?”
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Employ ice breakers that don’t flag class status. (e.g., Don’t ask where students went for summer vacation, or for the name of their favorite restaurant).
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Normalize staying on campus for breaks. (Ask “Are you staying around for break?” rather than, “Are you going anywhere exciting?”)
6. Note that some readings, topics, and assignments might call attention to economic status:
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Intervene in discussions when students hold up middle-class identity as the default or norm, or as a basis for shared experience.
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Pay attention to the examples used as illustrations in the texts you assign and in your lectures. Do they reflect and normalize a range of economic status and class experience? Are you inadvertently assuming things about students’ backgrounds when you attempt to make your material relatable?
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Use respectful language when speaking about economic status. Avoid using terms such as “unskilled labor” or “illegal aliens.” If they appear in a text, contextualize and discuss their histories and implications.
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Know that certain activities, such as an outing to a theater, museum, or dinner, will put students in highly “classed” spaces.
7. Study group formation is a context during which social dynamics and inequalities are often highlighted and exacerbated. Students often gravitate toward those with whom they already feel an affinity, and Final Clubs and other social organizations often have shared archives of study materials. Provide guidance on how to form and work in study groups. (See the Bok website for more information about group work.)
