Perhaps another student goes into detail in describing a personal or family problem, or maybe one particular student always contributes some personal story, often somewhat tangential to the topic. Opinions students and faculty express . For instance, you are convinced that affirmative action laws are necessary to address past discrimination against particular groups, but a student pronounces all such laws as mere political correctness. You may have one or more students who monopolize discussion, thereby preventing others from stating their views, such as when one student with strongly-held views about animal rights uses every opportunity to express them, and eventually seems to be the only one talking. For instance, you may discuss evolution as scientifically recognized and empirically supported, thus challenging the religious beliefs of some students.
Conflicts Anticipate problems and be prepared.
There are several things you can do in advance to head off problems. First, you might find yourself an experienced colleague to serve as a mentor to help you foresee and resolve problems. Second, it is a good idea to inform students at the beginning of a course that sensitive topics may be addressed. Ideally, this information would be presented both in the syllabus and orally. Thus, students can make an informed choice about staying in the course, and if they do decide to stay, they know what to expect.