Employees, managers, students, members of a community
Goal of the Exercise
To understand the implications of conflict scenarios while developing an understanding of how to approach conflicts in work, school, or other institutional settings.
Key Learning Objectives
Identify common problems that emerge in group situations and critique the motivations, intentions, and of stakeholders involved in conflicts.
Demonstrate empathy, active listening, and the ability to identify the multifaceted implications of everyday problems and conflicts in group settings.
Required Materials
Pens
Index cards
Total Time
90 minutes
Preparation for Role-Playing
On each index card, write out a scenario that could manifest in school, the office, or another institution.
Create small groups to play the game.
Role-Playing Session 1
Each member of the group receives one card outlining a particular scenario.
Each participant reads the scenario out loud and takes two minutes to describe and assess the scenario.
Each participant assumes the role of a stakeholder in a conflict.
Each player writes down the thoughts, sentiments, or emotions that the stakeholder could experience in a conflict.
Transition to next phase
Small Group Discussion
Over the span of 20 minutes, discuss why each character behaves in a certain way, the potential outcomes, and what can be done to diffuse the situation.
Transition to next phase
Role-Playing Session 2 (Repeat Session 1)
After the first role-play, each participant takes on a new role.
Each group member discusses the conflict, scenario, and motivations of each character.
Each participant assumes the role of a stakeholder in a conflict.
Each player writes down the thoughts, sentiments, or emotions that the stakeholder could experience in a conflict.
End role playing – transition to next phase
Group Reflection
Each small group spends 10 minutes reflecting on each conflict, discussing the broader implications of the situations, and developing interventions to diffuse each of the conflicts.
Transition to next phase
Small Group Presentations
Each group takes 10 minutes to present the conflicts that they discussed, the perspectives of each group member, and what they learned about conflict management in different situations.
Debrief
Bring the groups together, assess the challenges associated with conflict in group situations, and identify takeaways that reflect the larger exercise.
Identify what steps and interventions can be designed to address these controversies in group settings.
To teach participants how to apply problem-solving skills to real life community problems.
Game Objectives
Present the intricacies and dimensions of common conflict scenarios that occur in diverse communities.
Motivate game participants to view conflict through the lens of other stakeholders.
Encourage players to embrace the perspectives, rights, and needs of others in complex conflicts.
Help players conceptualize what works and what does not work in the context of “building bridges” with opposing quarreling in diverse communities.
Game Materials
Large sheets of paper
Colored markers, colored pens, and sticky notes
Preparation for the Game
Draw a fictional community with make-believe “spaces” for different stakeholders in the conflict.
Introduce a fictional community conflict scenario involving multiple individuals or groups.
Choose a scenario that reflects the values and constructs of pluralist societies (HOA, zoning, environment/pollution, noise ordinance)
Playing the Game:
Present the visual representation of the community and explain the conflict to the game participants.
Identify the stakeholder groups involved in the conflict.
Create separate groups that represent the interests of the fictional community. Possible stakeholders include HOA, small business owners, members of the township, the mayor, etc.
Perspective Mapping
Each stakeholder group is given a sheet of paper, markers, and pens to map out their part of the community. For instance, the HOA might draw a fictional master plan community. Another group, the township, could draw a fictional government building.
Game players in each stakeholder group write down their grievances, expectations, motivations, demands, and possible solutions to the problem.
Stakeholder Group Rotation
Rotate from one group to another clockwise in order to give each stakeholder group the opportunity to assess the perspectives and viewpoints of the other groups.
Each group is encouraged to write any notes on the sheet belonging to other groups.
Building bridges
The group facilitator introduces the idea of building bridges to create synergy and understanding between the groups.
Each group draws “bridges” on their papers to connect their own perspectives to the ideas written by other groups.
Community Talk
In the final phase, each group presents their “bridges” and how they plan on creating synergy while fostering understanding with opposing stakeholder groups.
Debrief
Hold a roundtable discussion to discuss the difficulties associated with building bridges between quarreling parties.
Discuss the most effective strategies in building bridges with opposing stakeholder groups.
Delineate some of the key motivations and demands that are least likely connected to potential bridges.
This roleplay was inspired by the theater of the oppressed, where actors try to use language in various ways to either deliver or receive a certain message in a manner that would bring clarity and reasoning without any complication.
This facilitation resource that is being introduced is an activity that involves a group of students working together to understand the facilitation tool of open-ended questions. First, set up chairs around in a horse-shoe manner – facing towards an empty chair where an individual who will be asked questions will be seated. Secondly, have the individuals that will be asked questions by the group leave the room. While they are waiting outside, have a group of people (preferably 10-12) decide on a fact that they would like to learn about the individual. Next, once the group has decided on the question, invite back the individual to sit in their designated seat and allow them to make a general statement. The group of people will go around asking one question to the individual based on the statement, to slowly get them to answer the question that the group is seeking. For example, if the statement that the individual gives is “Over the weekend, I spent playing football with my colleagues.” Then, the group will ask open-ended questions that revolve around the first statement and hopefully by the end of the round, have the individual asked a question that will deliver the answer. If the group is not able to steer the questions to the topic of interest to get the individual to provide the facts, then another round will be initiated and timed. This activity takes approximately 10 minutes. In addition, please be advised that there will be no random participation. In case a person from the group asks a closed-ended question, then it is the job of the facilitators to correct them. In between rounds, students are allowed to jot down notes for a debrief at the end of the activity to understand how the activity went and if there were any difficulties.
Goal:
The learning objectives of this activity are the following: To practice listening to enhance understanding and responding. This workshop will ensure that future specialists in the field of Conflict Resolution know how to: (a) focus more on listening to and understanding facts before making further assessments, increasing their knowledge of emotional and factual aspects of a dispute. (b) Develop the ability to redirect unproductive assessments through strategic questioning. (c) Utilize questions to guide the conflict resolution process toward a mutually satisfactory outcome. (d) Practice asking questions that promote a deeper and more meaningful understanding of each party’s needs and interests.
In what context can this exercise be useful? And for which field is this activity ideal?
This resource is best for any age level, as well as it is possible to incorporate into formal and informal settings, including in the field of diplomacy, and mediation, as well as other non-political fields that involves listening and understanding, including the field of psychology, or the field of law practice.
This exercise possesses a wide range of fields, since listening and asking questions is applied in our everyday lives; from our time in our offices working with colleagues to being trialed in court.
Time: 25 minutes | 5 for preparation / 10 for activity / 10 for debrief
Inspiration: This activity is modeled after a dialogue workshop depicted in the documentary Two Sides, produced by the Palestinian Israeli Bereaved Families for Peace organization. While the activity was used as an icebreaker for the group of adults ranging from their twenties to their fifties, the discussions that it elicited ran much deeper than expected and gave the facilitators insight into the group dynamics they were about to manage.
Audience: This activity’s important aspect is its discussion prompt and time limit. Each can be crafted to suit a specific age and group! For example, younger participants would benefit more from simpler or more generation-specific discussion prompts and can be expected to retain less information than their older counterparts. For this reason, sharing phases should be kept shorter than you would for an older group of participants.
Room Setup Recommendations: The participants are recommended to be arranged in a circle so that the participants can switch to different pairs easily by looking in the opposite direction. The room can have chairs or not, depending on available furniture, the time allotted for the exercise, and the preferences of the participants. NO other materials are needed for this activity!
Preparation: It is best for the facilitator to know what they information and experiences that they want to have shared between partners and in the wider group! General questions are best for the first round and deeper questions are best after the group has built a good model of representation and have established trust and respect for each other. Please consider these factors as you sequence your discussion prompts. If this activity exceeds 2 rounds, please end the activity with each participant introducing themselves as themselves to clarify who they are!
Procedures:
Facilitators will introduce themselves and explain that the group will be split into pairs.
Pairs will be formed by asking the participants to look in the clockwise direction.
When everyone has settled on their partner, the facilitators can now give the participants their discussion prompts.
Prompts can also be written on the board for easy reference.
Sample Prompts:
Name
Hometown
Plans for the weekend
After 60 seconds have been spent, the facilitator will now ask the group if each partner has had the chance to share about their prompts.
If all have shared, please feel free to move to Step 4
If all have not shared, please repeat Step 3 to give everyone the chance to share with their partner
Now that everyone has shared, it is time to spring the suprise! Each participant will introduce themselves as their partner, Sharing Out to the class the information that they received from their partner moments ago!
Participants should be encouraged to speak in the first person
Now that everyone has had the opportunity to represent their partner, the group can be reshuffled and the facilitators can introduce new discussion prompts and/or longer time limits.
Debrief:
If this is the end of the activity, please feel free to use the following prompts to decompress and review the activity!
How did it feel to be represented by someone else?
How did it feel to represent your partner?
Did you feel a difference between the experiences?
Are there responsibilities involved with representing someone else?
If so, name a few?
What makes for an accurate, respectful representation?
How did you feel about your partner after you had represented each other?
Exploring Conflict Resolution Concepts Through Expression
Learning Objectives
Participants will demonstrate the ability to creatively and effectively portray conflict resolution concepts through non-verbal communication
Increased awareness of the role of non-verbal communication in conflict resolution.
Understanding how individuals interpret concepts differently based on gestures and expressions.
Development of empathy by considering multiple perspectives in conveying and interpreting non-verbal cues.
Encourage participants to interpret concepts individually and collaboratively construct meaning through debrief discussions.
Content
I developed this paired charade workshop, inspired by the classic game of charades, to delve into essential concepts related to conflict and peacemaking. Drawing directly from the structure of charades, my goal is to create an engaging activity that emphasizes the diverse interpretations people have, particularly when communication is restricted to non-verbal cues.
The activity incorporates words and phrases related to conflict and peacemaking such as:
Power dynamics
Negotiation
Inequality
Compromise
Disagreement
Advocacy
Resistance
Neutrality
Process
Misunderstanding
Context
This resource is adaptable to a variety of educational settings, spanning different age groups and subjects. It is suitable for middle school, high school, college, and community contexts. The activity’s flexibility allows it to seamlessly integrate into conflict resolution courses, communication workshops, or community-building initiatives. Its experiential nature makes it valuable in both formal classroom environments and informal community settings.
Materials
Small pieces of paper with concepts (as listed above) written down
Timer
Space
Implementation
Introduction (1-2 minutes): Begin by introducing the activity, drawing a parallel to the game of charades. Explain that this exercise will focus on non-verbal communication in the context of conflict resolution.
Pairing (1-2 minutes): Ask participants to pair up and decide within their pairs who will take on the role of the guesser and who will be the actor in the first round. Encourage discussion and ensure that both participants have a clear understanding of their roles.
Concept Distribution: Once pairs are established, distribute small pieces of paper with concepts related to conflict resolution (as listed above) to each person. Instruct the participants to not share the content of their paper.
Timer Set-Up: Set a timer for one minute, and instruct participants to act out their assigned concept using non-verbal communication. Remind them to be creative and use gestures, body language, and expressions effectively.
Round 1 (1 minute): Begin the timer and allow pairs to engage in the first round of the activity. Observe the dynamics and non-verbal interactions within each pair.
Once the timer concludes, give pairs a few moments to discuss the concept portrayed and the interpretations (1 minute)
Round 2 (1 minute): Set up the timer again, allowing the second person in each pair to be the guesser in the second round. Repeat the process.
After the second round, invite everyone to a debrief session. Encourage reflection on feelings and challenges in both roles. Ask participants to share examples of effective or ineffective gestures, body language, and expressions in conveying concepts.
Debrief
Pose debrief questions such as:
Were there specific gestures or expressions that were particularly effective or ineffective in conveying concepts?
Do you think your partner accurately portrayed the word or phrase? Explore why it might be accurate or inaccurate. How would you have done it differently?
Does anyone want to share an example of specific gestures, body language, and expressions that were particularly effective or ineffective in conveying concepts?
Goals
As participants engage in creative acts of expression, the activity goes beyond theoretical discussions, offering a hands-on experience that bridges the gap between understanding and application. Throughout the debrief and discussion sessions, it becomes apparent that effective communication plays a crucial role in understanding diverse interpretations. Encouraging participants to reflect on the gestures, body language, and expressions used by their partners prompts them to recognize the nuances of non-verbal communication. The activity underscores that what may seem clear to one person might be interpreted differently by another, emphasizing the need for clarity and precision in communication. The incorporation of various pedagogies, such as experiential learning, reflective practice, and inquiry-based learning, adds depth to the educational experience. These pedagogical approaches not only strengthen the learning outcomes but also promote the development of essential skills, including creativity, empathy, and effective communication.
The Fower of Identity activity is adapted and sourced by the Council of Europe. Founded on May 5, 1949, the Council of Europe is an organization that values human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Today, 46 states are members of the Council of Europe, and of these 46 states, 26 make up the European Union.
The Flower of Identity activity is best suited for college-age students and adults. This activity can be achieved in 30 – 45 minutes and is usually conducted as an informal icebreaker and/or teambuilder. The Flower of Identity activity explores DEI initiatives: diversity, equity, and inclusivity. Although this activity can be done with youth groups, it is recommended for a more mature audience as it requires vulnerability and a deep dive into one’s identity.
Implementation
Set Up: Activity should be set up in advance. Cut construction paper sheets (the colorful kind) in the form of petals. You will need to cut one petal per group. Split participants into groups of 4-6. Each group will get one petal and numerous markers. Each individual participant will be handed a piece of scrap paper. This activity can be done on desks or on the floor, but preferably it should be conducted on a flat surface.
Introduction (5 minutes): The facilitator should define identity. Explain to participants that identity can be thought of in terms of a flower. During this activity, each group will make up a petal, which is a part of the flower. At the end of this activity, all of the petals will be combined to form our flower. The flower at the end will represent the larger group and/or community. Before we get started, ask participants to take a minute to brainstorm elements of identity.
Individual Draw (5 minutes): The next part of this activity asks that each participant take out their scrap piece of paper. Using the markers provided, participants will individually draw a flower – participants will just need to draw the center of the flower and the petals attached to the center. Once they have drawn a flower, they will now write elements of their own identity in the petals. Note for the facilitator(s): the participants can use region, gender, education, values, family, jobs, etc to represent elements of their identity.
Fill in group petal (15 minutes): Ask each participant to share their flower with their group members. Once each participant has shared, the group will decide on a common element(s) of identity. The group will then write the element(s) in their group’s petal.
Present the petals (5 minutes): Bring all the groups together and have one member from each group present their petals to the larger group.
Creating a flower (5 minutes): The facilitator will collect the petals from each group to create a flower. The facilitator will then close the activity by asking the larger group what elements of identity they all share.
Debrief (10 minutes): Below are debrief questions that could be asked following the Flower of Identity activity.
How did you choose what went into your flower (the flower drawn individually on the scrap paper)?
Did anyone learn anything new about your groupmates?
Were any of you surprised to find common elements of identity amongst group members?
What does it mean to be a part of a group? Why is being a part of a group important?
Goals
To think about the different components that shape identity.
To explore one’s own identity.
To find commonalities in the identities of a group.
This lesson plan has been designed to be taught in high school and college classes and community arts centers.
Implementation:
The format is flexible and can fit into a three-hour class, two one-and-a-half hour sessions, or the exercise can be broken down into four parts: the erasure and discussion, making the collage, the public component, and the class discussion.
Materials Needed:
Sharpies + red pens (1 per each student)
Paper (+ access to a printer)
2 poster-boards
Glue sticks or tape
1 pair of scissors
Goals: This is a demonstrative lesson that draws on the conceptual framework of Freire’s Theater of the Oppressed. The class is designed to let participants reclaim their own stories by creating a collaborative story.
Lesson/Facilitation Plan:
One week before class: participants will be provided with the following resources: PBS Storied, Harvard Library Guide to Banned Books, History, and Censored Texts (and the pages within it) and the Library of Congress digital collection of governmental/historical texts. Participants choose and email the instructor/s a 3-page extract from a banned book or story that they feel is important or relevant to themes or issues they have special investment in. The instructor/s will print out two copies of the selections ahead of class.
The class is designed engage with oppression and erasure in two ways: by using redaction to reclaim and subvert censorship by reconstructing redacted work to make a new narrative, and By recreating oppression through redacting all non-challenged elements of a story and creating a new narrative using only the censored text.
Session 1:
The class will begin with a conversation on Benjamin Graves definition of Derrida’s Deconstruction.
Students will discuss examples of poetic work that address oppression and erasure through varied processes by reading extracts and reviews of Layli Long Soldier’sWhereas, Nicole Sealey’s The Ferguson Report: An Erasure, Zong! As Told to the Author by Setaey Adamu Boateng by M. NourbeSe Philip, and Travis Macdonald’s The O Mission Repo (free download of the full book here).
30 minutes: Using the sharpies provided, the participants will make an erasure by blocking out all the challenged speech and content (overview of what is challenged most frequently here: https://libguides.butler.edu/c.php?g=34189&p=217686).
On their second copy of their texts, students can erase everything but the challenged text, using the red pen to underline the text that is personally significant to them or that represents contested topics.
15-20 minute debrief: The class will then turn in the texts to be laid out altogether. The class will look at the erasures as a group: each person’s chosen text will remain anonymous unless they otherwise expressly state that they don’t want it to be. There will then be a group discussion on the nature of inequality.
Questions to ask the participants include:
Looking at the pages, is it clear that some stories have had more taken away than others?
What stories, if any, were left unchallenged, and which narratives were taken away almost completely?
Do you think differently about your intersecting identities, relationships, experiences, and right to tell your own stories after this?
Looking at the pages where only the unchallenged text was erased, what remains? What does what remains say?
This conversation will be intended to provide an opportunity for participants to reflect on privilege, narrative, and whose stories are told. The exercise is designed to show the experience of oppression and who gets their narrative erased.
After the discussion concludes, the lesson will pivot to considering ways to counteract oppression. Drawing from Theater of the Oppressed, the class will focus on ways to reconstruct narrative and divert/reenact the experience of oppression. Two options will be provided (option two is geared to a smaller class, though both could fit depending on the size of the group and dynamic present).
Option 1:
Participants will be instructed to take the censored text and use the words left uncensored (or even the censored text cut into shapes or repurposed any way they like) and work in a group to reclaim their voices by making a new story through collaging the found texts on a piece of poster-board.
Option 2:
The other option is that all participants will choose a line from the texts provided and place the lines in envelopes to be shuffled then drawn randomly like an Exquisite Corpse to create a story.
Option 3:
Participants can construct a collage piece using only the censored work.
After making the story, the participants will debrief with a 15-minute conversation.
Questions to ask participants include:
Did you feel like you got to reclaim what was taken from your narrative and make a new story?
Why, or why not?
Was the experience of having to make a new piece with the remaining words and texts from the erasure empowering or disempowering?
How, why?
Looking at the poster now, how do you feel?
Session 2:
Sharing their work: It is important for the class to have a choice about who they approach to discuss their project with. Depending on the class size and environment, the class will have two options:
Option 1:
Present their narrative reconstruction and initiate a conversation with 1 or 2 people outside of school (there is no specification for who, how, or where) and take notes on the differing reactions and responses to their project. Participants will take a photo of the text, and be instructed to ask the conversation partner of their choosing about the piece (here, participants are strongly encouraged to come up with their own questions and framing for how they approach this conversation). For a 1-session class, the notes and takeaways from the conversation can be emailed to the group, uploaded on Blackboard, or sent to the instructor/s, depending on format.
Option 2:
This option works best in schools or an arts center, and fits well with either a multi-session class or one longer session.
Participants will put the poster board up next to a blank poster board with sharpies and pens in a public educational space (in a study lounge, school library, hall outside the classroom) for people to anonymously respond to. The class chooses how they want to display their piece and for how long (for example: displaying it in a study room during lunch hour, or leaving it up for one day and then returning to gather the materials).
The participants will engage in public pedagogy by taking note of the reactions—positive, negative, or lack thereof—that the piece elicited and have a final 15-minute conversation on their findings before the session ends.
This exercise helps participants to understand and appreciate the power of eye contact and how it can affect emotional connection and emotional states. It is ideal in teaching emotional intelligence, body language and communication skills.
Context
Since this exercise can be used to teach emotional intelligence, body language, and communication skills, it is best placed in any educational setting and can be tailored to appeal to both a younger and older audience. Emotional intelligence is an important life skill, and everyone, regardless of age, education, and background, can benefit from this activity.
Implementation
This resource can be incorporated in many ways, but it is best used as an icebreaker and/or at the start of the class, workshop, meeting, etc… This resource is also good to incorporate in the middle of said class, workshop, meeting, etc… because it requires participants to get up and move around which increases engagement and active listening. It also provides a good opportunity for participants to get up and stretch, especially if they have been sitting for too long.
A good amount of space is required for participants to be able to freely walk around, therefore it is important to consider the number of participants that will be doing this exercise in addition to the space that you will be utilizing. It is recommended that participants are either given or use their own piece of paper and a writing utensil, for it will be helpful to give them the opportunity to take down notes during appropriate times throughout the activity in order to remember details for the debrief afterwards. The debrief is not necessary, but it would help participants get more from the exercise and is highly recommended.
This exercise can take anywhere between 10-30 minutes depending on how much time you allocate to your participants for note-taking after each round as well as how much time you spend on the debrief afterwards. The actual exercise itself could take 10-15 minutes.
Exercise Instructions for Facilitator(s)
This activity will have 3 rounds. Make sure to provide participants with a notecard/piece of paper and a writing utensil.
Round 1
Once we say so, everyone will start walking around the room as if you all are in a public space while NOT making eye contact with anyone else.
We will be setting a timer and doing this for 1 minute, once the minute is over, we will tell you all to stop and give you further instructions.
*Do the activity for 1 minute*
STOP
Using the card we handed you, please write down how this round made you feel and/or what you are feeling now; you can write whatever you want, just make sure to put a *1* next to what you wrote to indicate that it’s for the first round.
We will be doing this 2 more times.
Round 2
Once we say so, everyone will start walking around the room again, and this time we ask that you seek out eye contact. However, as soon as you and someone else make eye contact, you both should break it and look away.
We will be setting a timer and doing this for 1 minute. Once the minute is over, we will tell you all to stop and give you further instructions.
*Do the activity for 1 minute*
STOP
Using the card we handed you, please write down how this round made you feel and/or what you are feeling now; you can write whatever you want, just make sure to put a *2* next to what you wrote to indicate that it’s for the second round.
We will be doing this one last time.
Round 3
Once we say so, everyone will start walking around the room again. Just like Round 2, we ask that you seek out eye contact. This time, however, you will pair up with the first person you make eye contact with. Once you pair up, you and your partner should stand side by side and make sure that you do not establish eye contact with anyone else.
We will be setting a timer and doing this for 1 minute. Once the minute is over, we will tell you all to stop and give you further instructions.
*Do the activity for 1 minute*
STOP
Using the card we handed you, please write down how this round made you feel and/or what you are feeling now; you can write whatever you want, just make sure to put a *3* next to what you wrote to indicate that it’s for the third round.
Once you have written on your card, go back to your seat with your card, and we will follow up with a discussion.
Debrief
Before we get started with our discussion, please note that you are not required to share if you do not want to. You are allowed to share as much as you would like, and we hope that we have enough people willing to share for us to be able to have this discussion.
While you were going through the different rounds of exercise, how did you feel?
How did it feel when you were making eye contact and you had to break it straight away?
How did it feel when you made eye contact and you could approach the person to pair up with
If you had a difficult time pairing up with someone, how did it feel to go about finding someone you could make eye contact with?
How easy was it to make eye contact with someone?
How close do you feel with people that you maintained eye contact with?
What pre-conditioning dictates our behavior in making eye contact or maintaining eye contact, and how does this compare between different societies?
Einstein’s parable perfectly expresses why we need to teach history in classrooms in the United States. Continuous teaching and reflection on our failures and successes as a country is the only way to prevent us from repeating the mistakes of the past and causing further harm. Furthermore, history provides us with some parameters within which we act and engage with others. For example, we know objectively that slavery was horrific, so we will never return to a time where slavery is normal or accepted.
History education also helps us to understand the context behind the current realities of different demographics within the U.S and what we could do to rectify certain inequalities. While slavery isn’t accepted in the United States, we can still see the remnants of slavery in different aspects of life. This is particularly true for wages for non-white people, the way school and electoral districts are drawn, access to education/education resources, incarceration rates etc. Understanding how history impacted all of these systemic issues will help us to cultivate long lasting solutions. Acknowledging the history is the only way to fully dismantle these avenues of systemic oppression.
Despite its importance, the teaching of history has been threatened by political agendas. Several lawmakers have put forth legislation in a number of states that would ban the teaching of critical race theory, which encompasses lessons on slavery, segregation, and systemic racism. Of course, this is not a new phenomenon. Even during the civil rights movements white people controlled what was able to be taught in schools. In Jarvis Givens seminar on the fugitive life of black teaching, he explains how teachers were being closely monitored in schools to ensure they were teaching only the approved materials. Teachers would rebel and carefully include material on slavery and segregation in their lesson plans.
The politicians that are raising the legislation claim that teaching this in schools creates more division and makes students feel uncomfortable. These politicians want to provide children with an incomplete education that only portrays white men and women as honorable. They don’t want to show how cruel some people were to other fellow humans. If we don’t teach students that, how can we expect them to be any better in the future especially as the world is increasingly globalized and interconnected. We have to continue to teach children that everyone is equal regardless of their skin color or race otherwise, we could very well find ourselves back in a slavery mindset.
This blog post contains some tips for talking about slavery, racism, and racial injustice within a classroom setting. The blog will also provide opening activities that teachers can do with their students prior to having these conversations to help prepare the students for having these difficult conversations. This activity would be most suited for students in the ninth-twelfth grades since they should have a bit more background on these topics and are a bit more emotionally and intellectually mature. It would make sense that these conversations and activity take place in history or social studies classes. While I am suggesting this activity and discussion be done in a classroom setting, the activity can be adapted for more informal community settings since most of the same principles will apply. A classroom setting is one of the best spaces for this because teachers will have had the opportunity to build trust and rapport with their students throughout the semester, which makes these conversations a little bit easier to have. When done in a more informal community setting, it will be harder to have the needed levels of trust within the group.
This blog post was inspired by some recent conversations about how the education system in the United States teaches about slavery and racism. I came to the conclusion that our system doesn’t do a great job. I think people are sometimes afraid to offend someone, say the wrong thing, or just don’t think this topic is appropriate for kids. I would argue, however, that we need to start teaching children at a young age about racism and racial injustices. Having this knowledge will affect how they interact with an increasingly globalized world.
Activities
Pre-activity: Establishing codes of ethics
This activity is prepared under the assumption that the teachers and students in the classroom have built up some trust. In order to reinforce the trust, the teacher should begin the class by collaborating with students to set some ground rules and codes of conduct for students and the teacher to adhere to while engaging in the discussions on race. Students should take the lead on suggesting ideas, but the teacher can help fill in gaps where they deem necessary. The objective of this activity is for students to share what is necessary for them to feel like they are in a safe space and to establish a mechanism whereby student can alert the teacher and other students if they are feeling too stretched by the conversation.
This activity could also be done at the beginning of the school year and then revisited prior to lessons on race, slavery, and racial injustice.
Time needed: 25 minutes
Materials needed: A marker and a large sheet of paper (a blackboard can also be used)
Instructions:
Teacher should facilitate the brainstorming session and act as note taker.
Ask students to provide ground rules and codes of conduct for the discussion (examples: not talking over each other, respect other students’ identities, keep an open mind, etc)
Ask students to brainstorm (aloud) how they can indicate when they feel that the code of conduct is being violated or if the conversation is triggering to them.
Have students come to a consensus on what to include and have everyone (including the teacher) agree to follow the rules.
The teacher should port these rules in a visible place.
Warm-up activity: Who am I?
This activity has been adapted from The Learning Network’s repository of lesson plans on race, racism, and injustice. This activity can be used as a way to get ease them into talking about issues of identity and race by starting with something they can relate to on a personal level.
The goal of this activity is to really get students thinking about their own identities and how they affect how people see them. Having this conversation is a good way to lead into a conversation about racism and how it affects all aspects of life. It will also be useful when explaining that although slavery and Jim Crow are over, we can still see remnants of that kind of thinking in our lives today.
Time needed: 30 minutes.
Materials needed: Pen and paper.
Instructions:
Ask students to take 5 minutes to think about their personal identities that are directly related to their race. Ask them to describe their identity in less than ten words.
Next, ask students to turn to their neighbor and do a pair and share for about 5 minutes. This should help students feel more comfortable sharing.
Next, ask for volunteers to share with the class if they are comfortable. This step is optional.
For the remaining time, the teacher can ask how the students identities affect how they see the world or how they think other people see them. It would be beneficial for the teacher to share about their own identities and experiences here as well to model to the students that this is a space to discuss.
Tips for Having Conversations About Racism and Racial Injustice in the Classroom
Start building trust between you and your students on the first day of class. Trust is absolutely necessary for having conversations about race and racial injustices. Students won’t be willing to be vulnerable or uncomfortable in a space where they don’t trust the teacher or other students. Do your best to establish your classroom as a safe space from day one.
Being uncomfortable is okay. Talking about slavery and segregation are never going to be comfortable for any race. However, we have to learn how to sit in uncomfortableness and recognize that it was far worse for people affected by slavery. We then need to take that uncomfortable feeling and use it to make the needed changes. We need to redeem uncomfortable for true equality and freedom.
Be knowledgeable on the subject. Make sure that you have done thorough research before discussing topics like this. It is important to go beyond base level knowledge that most school curriculums call for. Dig into other sources so that you can provide students with different perspectives. Part of this process is to acknowledge what you don’t know. Then, go and find out more. You should encourage your students to do this as well. Because the reality is that you won’t have the time to cover everything.
Know when to say you don’t know, especially when it comes to things that don’t relate to your identities. I think this is particularly important for white educators who are facilitating these conversations. Reach out to your colleagues for their perspectives and advice. The more perspectives that can be raised the better.
Prior to starting your lessons, remind students of the code of conduct they agreed to. You can use this time to make any needed amendments or additions.
End each class with a debrief. You can ask students how they are feeling after the lessons, what they found most interesting/impactful, things they might want to know more about, and any other thoughts they might have. The conversation can get heavy, so it is important to talk through some of things they might be thinking or feeling after each class.
Ask, “What do you do when working on ______ (the subject matter or challenge at hand)? Please make a short list of activities.” Then ask, “Why is that important to you?” Keep asking, “Why? Why? Why?” up to nine times or until participants can go no deeper because they have reached the fundamental purpose for this work.
How Space Is Arranged and Materials Needed
Unlimited number of groups
Chairs for people to sit comfortably face-to-face; no tables or equipment needed.
How Participation Is Distributed
Everyone has an equal opportunity to participate and contribute
How Groups Are Configured
First pairs, then groups of four, then the whole group (2-4-All)
Sequence of Steps and Time Allocation
Each person in a pair is interviewed by his or her partner for 5 minutes. Starting with “What do you do when working on ____?” the interviewer gently seeks a deeper answer by repeating the query: “Why is that important to you?” Switch roles after 5 minutes. – 10 min.
Each pair shares the experience and insights with another pair in a foursome. – 5 min.
Invite the whole group to reflect by asking, “How do our purposes influence the next steps we take?” – 5 min.
WHY? Purposes
Discover what is truly important for the group members
Lay the groundwork for the design that will be employed
Ignite organizational momentum through the stories that emerge
Generating a small number of clear answers can help you move forward together with more velocity
Provide a basis for progressive evaluation
Generate criteria for deciding who will be included
Tips and Traps
Create a safe and welcoming space; avoid judgments
Have fun with it: you can invite participants “to channel their inner toddler” while they ask why repeatedly
Keep going! Dig deep with compassion. Vary the ways of asking “why?” For example, ask, “If last night, while you slept, your dream came true, what would be different?”
Make sure the question asked is, “Why is it important to YOU?” (meaning not THE amorphous organization or system but you personally)
Share the variety of responses and reflect on differences among group members. What common purpose emerges?
If someone gets stuck ask, “Does a story come to mind?”
Maintain confidentiality when very personal stories are shared
Make clarifying purpose with Nine Whys a routine practice in your group
Riffs and Variations
Combine a short Appreciative Interview with Nine Whys. Start with the interview, then ask: “why is the success story you have shared important to you? Why, Why, Why?“
Ask the small groups whether “a fundamental justification for committing time and money to the work” emerged in the conversation. A clear personal purpose plus a community justification can quickly fuel the spread of an initiative. Work toward a single sentence that powerfully justifies the group’s work to others: “We exist to…! or We exist to stop…!”
In a business context, ask, “Why would people spend their money with you? Why would leaders want you to operate your business in their country?”
Add 10 how questions after you have clarity around why (it becomes MUCH easier).
A good purpose is never closed. Make it dynamically imcomplete by inviting everyone to make contributions and mutually shape understanding of the deepest need for your work.
Record answers on Post-it notes, number them, and stick on a flip chart. You can arrange the answers in a triangle: broad answers on the top and detailed answers on the bottom. Compare and debrief.
Ask, “Why is that important to your community?” “Why? Why? Why?…”
Use the chat function during a webinar to start formulating a purpose statement: participants reflect on the Nine Whys questions, sharing their ideas in the chat box.
Background
Attribution: Liberating Structure developed by Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless. Inspired by Geoff Bellman, author and consultant.
Peace Learner 