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Introduction
Tips for Facilitators: Before Taking this Guide to the Class
When using this guide we invite you to step away from your traditional role as a teacher and assume a less traditional role of a facilitator. As a facilitator you will employ teaching techniques that promote a collaborative relationship in the classroom and relate to students’ knowledge and experience. More importantly, you will put your students in the center of the education process and empower them to take ownership of their own learning. Together you will embark on a learning journey, where the process of working together, examining assumptions and discussing experiences will be as important as the results. For more information on the role of a facilitator, see Annex 2, What is Facilitator?
Facilitating discussions and activities about disparities and issues such as immigration, racism and discrimination in the classroom is not an easy task. These issues are often politically and emotionally charged, and can lead to disagreements and confrontations.
Addressing difficult issues in an open and engaging manner is a key to respectful dialogues. Creating an environment where such dialogues are an integral part of learning is an important goal for a facilitator. Ideas below will assist you in creating and sustaining a learning environment where students feel comfortable and motivated to learn.
- Ground Rules: RESPECT
Ideally, the ground rules should be created the first time a group or class meets. These rules are most effective when students actively participate in their development and enforcement. An example of the ground rules is the RESPECT acronym:
- Responsibility - The ability to take charge of one’s life, fulfill one’s obligations, be accountable for one’s actions, and not let people down.
- Empathy - The ability to listen deeply to another person’s story or experience and connect to the person’s feelings and story.
- Self-Discipline/Share Air - The act of ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to participate in a group task or a project, and that no one dominates the discussion.
- Participation - The act of sharing, joining, or working with others to make decisions, complete a task, or initiate a project.
- Enthusiasm - The feeling of great excitement which inspires great zeal and fervor.
- Cooperation - The important skill that helps us work successfully in groups and interact harmoniously with others.
- Trust - The ability to let others know your feelings, emotions and reactions, and have the confidence in them to be supportive and encouraging.
The RESPECT classroom guidelines can be discussed and established in the beginning of the school year as the ground rules for positive interaction throughout the year.
See Annex 2 -RESPECT poster or download it online at
http://www.hrusa.org/thisismyhome/project/resources.shtml#posters
- Know Your Group's Comfort Level
When choosing an activity from this guide, always think about your classroom and its comfort level. Some of the activities in this guide are meant to push students out of their comfort zones and have them engage with each other in discussions and classroom activities. However, such discussions can only be meaningful and productive if the students are ready and if there is the right atmosphere. Such discussions can do more harm than good if the students have no experience in discussing differences in a respectful manner. Consider developing the Ground Rules (see above) for your classroom, and always keep in mind your group's comfort level when choosing the activities.
You may also want to introduce the "Ouch Rule," when students can quickly express their emotions if they feel offended or hurt by something someone in the group said in the discussion. As a facilitator, you can then ask the student who said "Ouch" to share their feelings with the group if they choose to do so. The "Ouch Rule" will help the students to learn skills necessary for a respectful dialogue.
- Start from what students already know
Whether or not students have given some serious thought to causes and effects of disparities and violations of human rights, many of them do already have some knowledge and personal experiences to discuss these issues. It is very important to focus on what students already know as a foundation for these discussions, so that they can better relate to the new material.
- Avoid simple answers to complex questions
Learning about disparities raises a whole array of social, economical and political issues about individuals, governments, businesses etc and often involves complicated answers about why certain rights were violated and certain disparities took place.
Be cautious about oversimplifications, especially reducing the responsibility for violations to one or two causes. Encourage students to analyze different aspects that contribute to their experiences. Workable strategies for improving conditions can only evolve from thorough examination of the problem.
- Encourage participation
Ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to speak and participate is a must. Be mindful of who is participating and who is not and make every effort to encourage participation. Taking turns answering a question or finishing a statement can help to make this happen. However, be aware that some students can feel sensitive or too exposed about particular issues, and do not push them to participate if they choose not to.
Encourage different gender, racial, and cultural perspectives, but be careful to not make a representative of a particular group speak on behalf of the whole group.
- Summarize
It is important to end your session with a summary or an open ended question that will provide food for thought until you meet again. It can be disappointing and harmful to end on a contention point or an argument in progress, so allow time for a proper closing. For example, you might ask "What comments that you have heard today will you especially remember as meaningful?" or "Try to think of a word or phrase that sums up your feelings at the end of today's session." You might also just ask people to share one thing that they are still wondering about, finishing the sentence "I still wonder... ." Then go around the circle of participants so that everyone who wishes has a chance to respond. Once such closure is established as a ritual, participants anticipate it, and it marks a clear ending to the session. In this way the facilitator does not need to have the last word!
- Focus on the positive
It can be quite frustrating for students to learn about disparities and human rights violations without a possibility of actually changing anything. Therefore, when discussing violations be sure to both discuss positive developments (if there are any) and potential action or actions that students can take to improve the situation.
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