Conversations around issues of bias, class, gender, race, and sexuality are more vital than ever to help our students face emerging challenges in their practice and in society. Learning to be civil in the context of the professional responsibility to be a zealous advocate can be a challenge.
Fostering a learning environment in which students communicate and learn from one another is crucial to helping students develop a practice of professional communication in difficult conversations.
In this session, presenters will discuss teaching students to engage in difficult conversations, including how to engage civilly within the context of clinics and externships, where we also teach zealous advocacy. We will share a method for establishing a classroom process: question, plan, execute, critique, revise, and reflect. We will discuss ways in which engaging students in this process allows for conversations that are both meaningful and civil. This method and other strategies can help instructors and students prepare in advance to address offensive remarks in a substantive and thoughtful way. It is our hope that both instructors and students can begin to welcome difficult conversations as opportunities for growth.
Following an overview and discussion of the process, panel attendees will have an opportunity to participate in small group activities and reflection with facilitators.