Teacher Tips: Dialogues Across Difference
by Robert Munro
H
ow can we promote dialogues
across differences if we’re social
distancing, as we have been for
quite a few weeks now? Logic would
have it that the techniques and skills elu-
cidated in this Connections require face-
to-face interaction. Indeed, dialogue is,
perhaps, the conversation medium that
requires us to be most present with one
another, to on-the-spot evaluate and re-
spond to emotions, rhetoric, and body
language. If we can remain mindful of
these things during a dialogue, we al-
low ourselves and others to be truly at-
tentive, receptive, and empathetic. So,
again, how can we foster these essential
and important skills if we’re not present
with one another?
The answer is, in fact, right in the title:
instead of our focusing on how dialogue
can help us navigate difficult moments,
The contributors to this edition of Con-
nections have graciously shared their
years of collective experiences and wis-
dom on the increasing need for all of us
to embrace the model of dialogue for our
school communities. Below I’ll attempt
to synthesize the tools they promote as it
relates to our schools during this spring
and summer away from one another:
Dialogue Over Debate and Mediation
The purpose of a dialogue is mutual un-
derstanding of others’ needs, viewpoints,
and perspectives. It’s a combination of
empathy mixed with fact-based justifica-
tions. Whereas dialogues presuppose we
do more listening than speaking, ques-
tion-asking than answering, and a com-
fort with the discomfort that comes with
not always reaching a solution, debates
differ in that they require one party to
successfully prove their opinion is better
than another, while a mediation seeks to
find a solution or compromise between
two divergent perspectives. Dialogues
are so critical for our school communi-
ties because it allows us to be present
“... this very real moment of
‘difference’—our global CO-
VID-19 crisis—requires that
we embrace dialogue in all its
forms for the betterment of our
individual emotional health,
and for the greater health
and wellness of national and
global communities.”
Page 34 Summer 2020
microaggressions, and general “differ-
ences,” I posit that we flip the script, as
it were, and recognize how this very real
moment of “difference”—our global CO-
VID-19 crisis—requires that we embrace
dialogue in all its forms for the better-
ment of our individual emotional health,
and for the greater health and wellness
of national and global communities.
CSEE Connections