1. 2017 SUNY Diversity Conference
How to Have Courageous Conversations in the Classroom
Facilitated By: Kathleen McLean and Markeia Robinson
November 30th, 2017

2. Learning Objectives
Participants will learn strategies for how to promote dialogue, rapport, and trust amongst all students.
Participants will acquire effective techniques for leading and navigating deep and dynamic discussions in the classroom where all voices are included.
Apply evidence-based research to develop best practices that support inclusive, informative, engaging, and meaningful teaching and learning experiences.

3. Ice Breaker!!! “What’s Your Story?”
Group Size: Any
Materials: None
Time: 10 minutes
Discussion Questions:
How well did you listen?
If the original person had been sitting next to you, how well would that person think you captured his or her story?
What does it take to be an effective listener?
Procedure: Have everyone find a partner. Tell each pair to decide which of them will be the first story teller. The story teller has two minutes to tell a story that is relative to a classroom experience that they have had. The listening partners job is simply to listen. After two minutes, have them switch roles. The next step is for everyone to find new partners. This time, the story they just heard has now become “their” story. They have two minutes each to convey that story to their new partner as if it happened to them.

4. Johari’s Window The Johari Window Explained
The Johari Windows is made of four regions or quadrants:
Open Self – What others know about you and you know too..
Blind Self – What others know about you, but you don’t.
Hidden Self – What others don’t know about you, but you do.  It’s your secrets.
Unknown Self – What others don’t know about you and you don’t either.
Facilitator will engage in dialogue with participants on how to use Johari’s window to learn more about themselves and others

5. Strategies for Courageous Conversations
Build relationships
Icebreaker(s)
Engage in meaningful dialogue with each student
Listen to understand, not to respond
Identify the four types of listening
Inactive listening
Selective listening
Active listening
Reflective listening
Facilitate students sense of identity
Learn about the students identity
Welcome students experiences and interest
Inactive listening – This is a kind of listening you want to avoid. It is inefficient and unproductive. You hear only the words. They go in one ear and out of the other.
Selective listening – This kind of listening is probably the most common. It is when you hear only what you want to hear. You filter the message. Like inactive listening, it is also inefficient and unproductive .
Active listening – This is when you make a conscious effort not only to hear the words but also to listen for the complete message the speaker is sending. It takes into consideration the intent and the nonverbal communication of the speaker. Active listening also uses empathy and is nonjudgemental .
Reflective listening – Like active listening, reflective listening takes in the whole message. It is particularly important if you are dealing with a complicated issue or resolving a conflict. Reflective listening is used to clarify what is being said and to convey mutual understanding. The listener often asks the speaker questions to help clarify the message.

6. Effective Communications Tools
FIRR Tool
Fact
Impact
Respect
Request
The FIRR tool is a framework to guide individuals in having a clear and concise conversation limiting the emotions when having a complex dialogue. Participants will have an opportunity to practice the FIRR tool with their own personal stories.

7. Effective Communications Tools
7 C’s of Communication
Clear
Concise
Correct
Coherent
Complete
Courteous
The 7 C’s of communication will be incorporated in discussing the FIRR tool.

8. What is Oppression? The exercise of tyranny by a ruling group.
The act of reducing the potential for other people to be fully human.
Denying people language, educational and other opportunities.

9. Activity – 5 Types of Oppression
Exploitation
Marginalization
Culture of Silence
Cultural Imperialism
Silence
Notes: Group size varies.
Materials needed: Newsprint, markers, sticky notes, pens, and pencils.
Procedure: Facilitator will break up the participants in teams of 5 to 8 individuals per group –depending on the size of the group. Each team will get a word and with their team they will define it using a creative modality such as a game, newsprint or other. Once completed, participants will share with their peers the definitions of oppression.

10. Identity Wheel
Facilitators will have participants identify areas 1 and 2 for discussion and show how learning about each other’s identity promotes trust, respect and allows for deeper dialogue in the classroom