Collaborative Discussion Tips for Thanksgiving
Use these tips to help you have better conversations during your Thanksgiving gathering
Dear collaborative discussion friends,
This week we are sharing some collaborative discussion tips to help you have better conversations during your Thanksgiving celebrations. Keep these tips in mind to help you be patient, be generous in your interpretation of what others say, and to listen with an open mind. We are also including a free resource that can be used as a reminder of these tips. We are sharing the resource in three different sizes, so you can share it online, print out copies to share as handouts, or use printed copies as placemats on your Thanksgiving dinner table!
If you missed the previous newsletter, Activities to Address Binary or Simplistic Framing + Free Resource, you can access it and our other weekly newsletters by subscribing below.
Free resource with collaborative discussions tips for Thanksgiving
Use the following best practices from Activity 3.7 Practicing Generosity of Interpretation and Activity 4.2 Listening to Understand to help you stay patient, interpret others’ word generously, and listen with an open heart, especially during difficult conversations.
Activity 3.7 Practicing Generosity of Interpretation
Language is imperfect and we are all imperfect speakers.
What is said and what is heard are not always aligned.
None of us are perfect listeners.
Focus on the idea, not the person.
Look for the “nuggets of truth” in all statements.
Never aim to embarrass or humiliate.
Activity 4.2 Listening to Understand
Silence is golden.
Try not to relate the experience you are hearing to yourself.
Be conscious of body language.
Hear what is not said.
Open-ended questions elicit more information.
Check understanding: recap or paraphrase what you hear to validate and clarify.
Printable Placemat with Thanksgiving Discussion Tips
Download and print out copies of this placemat PDF (17 x 11 in.) to use as a reminder of these discussion tips.
Printable Handout with Thanksgiving Discussion Tips
Download and print out copies of this PDF (11 x 8.5 in.) to use as a reminder of these discussion tips.
Shareable image of Thanksgiving Discussion Tips
Share this image online with family, friends, and colleagues as reminder of these discussion tips.
Looking for some fun activities to do during Thanskgiving?
Check out the activities in our Thanksgiving newsletter from last year, especially the Make Your Own Knowledge Turkey activity for kids!
Happy Thanksgiving from the Collaborative Discussion Project team!
Looking forward to collaborating,
Ritu Thomas & the Collaborative Discussion Team