Guidelines for the Listening/ Discussion Dialogue Groups

The groups could start off with everyone saying their name and the facilitator
asking each participant to: "Share something that you would like people to know
about you."

The facilitator could then share the ground rules with the group, which are:

* We will respect confidentiality.

* We will share time equitably to ensure the participation of all.

* We will listen carefully and not interrupt.

* We will keep an open mind and be open to learning.

* We will not be disrespectful of the speaker even when we do not respect the view expressed.

* We will focus on remarks on our personal feelings or experiences, and will avoid making
speeches, speaking for others, or giving advise.

* We will make "I" statements, instead of general pronouncements of facts.

The facilitator could then ask the group:
"What personal experience or response did the speakers bring up for you?"
If it seemed more comfortable members of the group could break into dyads to share and
then report back to the larger group-this is left to the facilitator's disgression.

The facilitator could ask group members to share:
"Something new you learned in this group you didn't know before."

We want to thank the facilitators for being a part of our dialogue process. The facilitiators of this class were:

Christine Vernon, Valerie Krull, John Bell, Robin Towanda, Anise Ahmed, Rita Pougiales, Joe Tougas, Sue Feldman, Eli Crawford, Donna Schuman, Diana Moore, Patrick Hill, Nina Tiffleman, and Susan Rosen.