Student engagement in conversations about national or global affairs with their host families, friends, and community members can be an important part of their intercultural learning experience. We recommend following the guidelines below in order to ensure that these conversations happen in ways that are constructive and safe.
Steer the conversation to the following areas of focus:
- Encourage students to take time to share and reflect on how the topic at hand may be presented in the media back home, or how the student grew to learn about the topic back home. Ask students questions that invite them to share and reflect on how they have been informed, and what people in their home community tend to think about the topic, and why they think that is.
- Keep in mind that for students, more likely than not they have been informed about what life is like in the US from media that gets exported to other parts of the world (similarly to how your awareness of the student’s home environment may have been similarly shaped by the media or other sources). In almost all cases, this kind of information is not the complete reality. Welcome and encourage and participate in collaborative learning, sharing, and discovery.
- Welcome the student to explore local sources of information to help them better understand the reality of a situation as it affects your local community. Actively help them explore. For example, invite them to take a look at your local newspaper or local news channel or your town website, or drive them around the community, or take them to see local memorials or museums, or invite them to learn about local community groups.
- Encourage the student to let you know if they have any questions or are unsure or confused about something they have observed.
When talking about Politics:
Try to refrain from sharing with your student your political beliefs unless they ask. Give your student the opportunity to share their opinions or beliefs first. When talking to your student about your political opinions, remember to:
- Stress to the student that they are still safe, cared for, and trusted even if their opinions and beliefs are different.
- Try to focus the conversation on sharing examples of life experiences and life influences that were formative and that shaped the opinions and beliefs. (For example, a relative, or a teacher, a book, an experience abroad). Take time to ask the student to share and explore those life influences for them.
- Do not expect the conversation to conclude with agreement.
- If political discussions begin to feel unsafe or uncomfortable for your students or for you yourself, it’s ok to stop, or to change the topic. Sometimes it’s ok and preferable to “agree to disagree” and move on. Talk to AFS-USA support volunteers or Support and Learning staff if you have any questions or concerns.
A note about media consumption:
In our experience, social media platforms are not effective at helping to enhance understanding, unless it is how students stay in touch with people from home directly. We can acknowledge that social media may have been a source of information for a student that has shaped their beliefs and opinions. However, rather than direct a student to social media cites, we encourage instead sources like local newspapers, local news channels, and other local sources listed above. In situations where media coverage of an event appears to be affecting your student and perhaps is becoming a source of worry or distress, we recommend moderate or limited media use.
We are happy to help and will respond to any situation on a case-by-case basis. Thank you for your care and support for our students during their exchange.