During the event, I got into conversations with many teachers and student alike regarding different subject matters (prompts given to us by the PSE department). Lots of experienced teachers gave me personalised feedback on how to have a successful conversation that leads to a beneficial outcome. These are my biggest takeaways from that event :
1. Draw from a personal experience or connection you shared with that person. This is not always possible as you may not always know the person prior to your conversation. However, if you do, it is always beneficial to build from an experience you shared (school trips, service events, etc) – that may lead to your requests being taken more positively.
2. Make sure there is no dominant speaker in the conversation, it might send the wrong message or paint yourself in a different light. Be sure that each participant speaks a fair amount and listens a fair amount – this balance promotes a positive connection that can be formed between the participants of that conversation.
