Organizing a Climate Change Teach-‐In Principles and practicum from Clark University’s Climate Change Teach-‐In, March 26, 2015 C O R E P R I N C I P L E S • Begin with a strong core team of faculty, or faculty and staff (3-‐5 people) • Build collaboratively and from the ground up, with a sizeable and well-‐
connected steering group, and drawing on existing commitments of faculty and students • If possible, consciously cultivate a deeper conversation among a core group of faculty (see information on Council on the Uncertain Human Future below) • Establish a set of core questions as prompts for teach-‐in sessions. Ours were: o What is the nature of the climate-‐change crisis? What is happening to the biosphere of the Earth? o Why are these changes happening? What do they mean for different human populations and for all life on Earth? o How do we wish to conduct ourselves in the face of danger, uncertainty, and a growing sense of urgency? o What future do we want, and how can we act to influence the future? • Encourage participation through one-‐on-‐one conversations (see below) • Trust the latent concern and desire to move out of silence / paralysis on the part of both faculty and students, and the necessity of these conversations for us all • Focus on creating significant engagement in the event while holding in mind the need to steward the momentum afterwards, and the systemic change needed in the institution, the nation, the world • Catalyze the campus conversation first, then consider expanding to the larger community (city, other institutions, etc) S P E C I F I C S T E P S Start planning at least six months in advance Choose the date and reserve all the spaces you will need on campus. Form a core team and meet weekly Through conversations, shared readings, etc., develop a sense of common purpose and the work ahead. Share responsibilities and make decisions collaboratively. Establish administrative support from an existing office or create a staff (we hired two talented seniors); online skills are important. Make alliances with the academic administration Find institutional allies (we had the early support of the Dean of the College). Form a steering committee and meet once a month Include chairs (if possible) and faculty in related areas, center directors, campus sustainability officer, student representatives. Launch the committee with a conversation about hopes for the Teach-‐in, and develop a shared list of intentions. Draw on the input, feedback and resources of the committee throughout the process. Gather funding Funding may be required for speaker honoraria and expenses, videography and media services, administrative salaries, website and print design, printing of posters, flyers and schedules, and refreshments. We had a budget of $15,000 from the Student Council, the Dean of the College, three research centers and several departments. Develop Teach-‐In program and schedule The Teach-‐In can be assembled in a variety of ways; it may include speakers / plenaries, teach-‐in sessions and panels, Council sessions (see below), a film festival, etc. We balanced joint sessions (plenaries) with four periods in which multiple sessions were held concurrently, drawing on the interests and expertise of the faculty. We also held a special campus-‐wide Council session. Build faculty buy-‐in Send a save the date message several months in advance, requesting that faculty participate by leading a teach-‐in session, canceling classes, giving related assignments, etc. Cultivate involvement through one-‐on-‐one conversations with faculty and others by members of the core team, the steering committee and Council members. Offer common readings, videos, etc. in reminder messages leading up to the event. Offer an orientation to running teach-‐in sessions in meetings held in the two weeks prior to the event (see guidelines attached). Build student buy-‐in Coordinate with existing ongoing efforts (we worked with the Sustainable Clark network of student organizations, and were the highlight of their annual Earth Week). Encourage faculty to spread the word, and give assignments and/or bring their classes to sessions. Build buzz through a Facebook page, Twitter, word of mouth through students involved in planning. Hold a Council session during the Teach-‐In Council is an intentional conversation in which to address significant questions, when a more authentic level of engagement based on trust is needed. We held a campus-‐wide Council in the middle of the Teach-‐In day; groups of 12 met to consider a set of common questions. Invite a group of faculty, staff and students to serve as Council facilitators; offer a training on running a Council session a week in advance of the event (see Council guidelines attached). Hold a Council on the Uncertain Human Future prior to the Teach-‐In This Council practice allows for an honest and penetrating conversation on the climate challenge – what is happening and why, what it means for life on Earth, and how we wish to conduct ourselves in the face of these challenges. The information and resources needed for holding such a conversation are available at: http://www.clarku.edu/higgins-‐school-‐of-‐humanities/initiatives/council-‐on-‐
uncertain-‐human-‐future.cfm We convened a Council among ten faculty members in the three months prior to the Teach-‐In; they became key supporters of the project. Publicity Do a full range of publicity, including a press release, posters and flyers, a website with details including the schedule of teach-‐in sessions and the live stream, a Facebook page, a Twitter account, etc. Offer events through the day to alumni and others through live-‐streaming. Follow-‐up After the event, thank all the presenters and invite them to a de-‐briefing session to review what happened and vision next steps. Hold an analogous session with students. Celebrate, and carry the momentum forward! Climate Change Teach-‐In Core Team Sarah Buie, Senior Associate and Past Director, Higgins School of Humanities Professor, Department of Visual and Performing Arts Ellen Foley, Interim Director, International Development, Community and Environment Associate Professor of International Development and Social Change Amy Richter, Director, Higgins School of Humanities; Associate Professor of History Dianne Rocheleau, Professor of Geography; Director, Global Environmental Studies Christopher Williams, Associate Professor of Geography For further information, see our website at [email protected] or contact Sarah Buie ([email protected]) or Ellen Foley ([email protected]) Guidelines for Teach-In Sessions, Climate Change Teach-In
March 26, 2015
Locations around campus
Thank you for facilitating a Teach-In session. Your sessions are the primary substance of the
Teach-In day, and an important opportunity to engage students and others in this vital
conversation.
Logistics for location and media
If you've not already done so, please let us know if you have a preferred space in which
to conduct your session — a classroom that you already use, or a room in your building
available at the time of your session. Otherwise we will schedule you in a space we've
reserved. And unless you are using a room of your own, please let us know what media
support you require; contact Gaia Khairina ([email protected]).
Conducting a session
Ideally teach-in sessions will combine conveying substance and / or exposure to new ideas
with an opportunity for those present to interact around the questions raised. Many of
you have already used dialogic processes in your teaching, whether by meeting in circles,
asking students to consider a question together in pairs and return to the group to report
out, breaking out into small groups that report back, or other practices. The Conversation
Café model uses simple agreements and going around the circle, and is a good reference
point. http://www.conversationcafe.org/hostQuickHowTo.htm (This does not need to be
done with a talking piece.)
Building an audience
Cancel your classes, and send them to the Teach-In with incentives! Take a moment to
send an email to your students. You can send them link to the website
https://climatechangeteachin.wordpress.com/teach-in-sessions/
Encourage colleagues to join as much of the day as possible. Spread the link to your
networks of professional colleagues as well.
De-briefing the day
We’ll hold a gathering in mid-April for all who’ve participating in the Teach-in to debrief and consider steps going forward. Stay tuned for information on the timing.
We’re breaking ground with the Climate Teach-In, and modeling it for others in the higher ed
community. Please spread the word to others you think might be inspired to launch one in
their own institutions.
Thanks again for all you are doing.
See you on Thursday!
Guidelines for Council Sessions, Climate Change Teach-In
March 26, 2015 from 11:45 am to 12:45 pm
Locations around campus (you will be given a location)
Meet in the Atwood Lobby following the Susi Moser Plenary (11:25)
We will make an announcement from the stage for facilitators to leave first.
Thank you for facilitating a Council session. This is one of the distinguishing aspects of the
Teach-In, a time for the community as a whole to slow down for individual and collective
reflection and reckoning. We appreciate your help in making it possible.
Council guidelines You should mention these guidelines at the start of your session.
Council is an intentional space with a set of simple guidelines for participation. The basic tenets
for Council practice are four in number:
• to speak authentically
• to listen with attention and receptivity
• to speak with brevity, aware of sharing the time with others
• to be spontaneous in speaking (rather than rehearsing which precludes listening)
It is always fine to pass, and members of the group agree to observe the confidentiality of the
circle. The guidelines encourage honest speaking and active listening, and this more conscious
practice furthers trust and capacity for creativity between its participants. We also use a talking
piece to support this process (see below).
The basic form of a Council meeting includes an opening circle (check-in), a first go-around in
response to a question or prompt, a second round in which the circle is open for responses
(popcorn), and a closing round. The sequence (following the opening circle) is repeated as each
new question/prompt is raised through the Council session. In this Council session, you may only
have time for one round for each question.
Council questions today Begin by going around the circle for introductions and a response to the
question like Why are you here? From there, ask the first question. The questions for the Teach-in
Council are these:
• How do you understand what is taking place in terms of climate?
• What is the next thing you need to learn about it, or want to commit to doing about it?
What is a first step can you take now toward that?
You can end the Council with a closing round using the prompt What will you take with you from
this circle? or something similar.
The talking piece A symbolic and purposeful aspect of Council practice, the talking piece serves
to slow things down, underscoring the process of speaking and listening underway. It can be a
stone, a stick, or other appropriate small object (bring or find something on the way!). When a
question or prompt is put to the group by the facilitator, the talking piece is passed to the first
member who wishes to speak. When the speaker is finished, they pass the talking piece to the next
member, moving around the circle.
BASIC GUIDE TO COUNCIL SESSION
Council guidelines
You should mention these guidelines at the start of your session.
The basic tenets for Council practice are four in number:
•
•
•
•
to speak authentically
to listen with attention and receptivity
to speak with brevity, aware of sharing the time with others
to be spontaneous in speaking (rather than rehearsing which
precludes listening)
It is always fine to pass, and members of the group agree to observe the confidentiality of the
circle. We also use a talking piece to support this process.
Council questions today
Begin by going around the circle for introductions and a response to the question like Why are
you here? From there, ask the first question. The questions for the Teach-in Council are these:
• How do you understand what is taking place in terms of climate?
• What is the next thing you need to learn about it, or want to commit
to doing about it? What is a first step can you take now toward that?
You can end the Council with a closing round using the prompt What will you take with you from
this circle? or something similar.