Courageous Conversations

Stephanie Samuels

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Courageous Conversations Lesson Plan

Enhance communication skills and empathy through structured dialogues.

To build students' ability to engage in respectful, meaningful conversations on challenging topics.

Audience

High School Students

Time

60 minutes

Approach

Structured dialogues and active listening exercises.

Materials

Slide Deck, Discussion Guidelines, and Empathy Building Techniques Handout

Prep

Prepare Materials and Environment

30 minutes

Review the Courageous Conversations Lesson Plan.
Prepare the slide deck for presentation.
Print copies of the Discussion Guidelines and Empathy Building Techniques Handout.
Arrange the classroom to facilitate open dialogue (e.g., circle seating).
Familiarize yourself with the discussion topics and techniques.

Step 1

Introduction and Objective Setting

10 minutes

Welcome students and introduce the session's purpose.
Explain the importance of courageous conversations in personal and academic growth.
Present the objectives using the slide deck.

Step 2

Establishing Ground Rules

10 minutes

Distribute the Discussion Guidelines.
Discuss the importance of a safe and respectful environment.
Encourage students to contribute to the ground rules.

Step 3

Active Listening Exercise

15 minutes

Introduce active listening techniques using the Empathy Building Techniques Handout.
Conduct a short exercise where students practice these techniques in pairs.

Step 4

Structured Dialogue Session

20 minutes

Divide students into small groups.
Assign each group a challenging topic to discuss.
Encourage students to use active listening and empathy techniques during their discussions.

Step 5

Reflection and Debrief

5 minutes

Bring the class back together for a group reflection.
Ask students to share their experiences and insights.
Discuss how these skills can be applied in everyday situations.

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Slide Deck

Welcome to Courageous Conversations

Enhancing communication skills and empathy through structured dialogues.

Welcome students to the session. Explain that today's focus is on having courageous conversations, which are essential for personal and academic growth. Highlight that these conversations help build empathy and improve communication skills.

Establishing Ground Rules

Respect each other's opinions
Listen actively
Speak from personal experience
Maintain confidentiality

Discuss the importance of setting ground rules to ensure a safe and respectful environment. Encourage students to contribute their own rules to foster a sense of ownership and commitment.

Active Listening Techniques

Pay full attention
Reflect back what you hear
Ask clarifying questions
Show empathy

Introduce active listening as a key component of effective communication. Explain the techniques using the Empathy Building Techniques Handout. Conduct a brief exercise where students practice these techniques in pairs.

Structured Dialogue Session

Discuss challenging topics using active listening and empathy.

Divide students into small groups and assign each group a challenging topic to discuss. Encourage them to use the active listening and empathy techniques during their discussions.

Reflection and Debrief

What did you learn from the discussion?
How can you apply these skills in daily life?

Bring the class back together for a group reflection. Ask students to share their experiences and insights from the dialogue session. Discuss how these skills can be applied in everyday situations.