Australian schools are promoting open talk sessions in 2018

Bring these Let's Talk programs
​into your school in 2018

Teen Talk Topics - a comprehensive set of questions and reflections to encourage teenagers to express their views and to reflect on their values.

What Makes Teachers Tick? - This set of questions and reflections encourages teachers to explore their reasons for teaching and the aspects of teaching they find rewarding.

Boys Anger and Feelings - This program provides teachers with some background on masculine feelings, emotions and behaviours.

Girls Identity and Confidence  - A program to help girls explore who they are and when their confidence and self-esteem are strong.

Teacher Stress and Burnout - Explore the dark side of teaching and the pressures and expectations that drive many teachers into despair.

Healthy School Office Teams - A program to encourage non-teaching staff to create healthy practices and attitudes to their role within the school.

Teaching Primary Boys - a program to help primary school teachers develop boy-friendly strategies in their classrooms. 

Engaging High School Boys - a program to help teachers understand the learning preferences and motivators of teenage boys.

The Motivation to Teach - This reflection program will help teachers renew their motivation and confidence for the teaching profession.

Girls Empowerment - A program to raise girls confidence and to equip her with the motivation to make wise choices.

Staff Resilience - This program assists  all school staff to develop resilience awareness and strategies.

Teachers Mental Health - Exploring their mental health is an important wellbeing strategy for all teachers.

Women Teaching Boys - Being aware of gender differences is an important way for female teachers to be effective when teaching boys.

Working Happily Together - a program to show all school staff members ways to work in harmony and respectfully with their colleagues.

What's inside your Let's Talk program?

• Each Let's Talk program contains hundreds of question cards (jpeg files and pdfs) to stimulate meaningful conversation and reflection.
• A copy of Let's Talk board game with related question sheets.
  
• You also receive a Let's Talk facilitators guide.
• Each Let's Talk program contains a bonus section containing relevant files and folders to stimulate participants.
• A school licence to reproduce and use the resources within your school campus.  This includes uploading all resources to your school intranet site.

How to purchase a Let's Talk program

Copy and paste the information below in an email to info@moned.net.
NSW public schools should send their order to EDConnect and quote supplier number 100387105
Contact person
School 
Postal address
Postcode
Contact email
Please supply the following Let's Talk programs on CD @$49 each
No GST payable.
___ Teen Talk Topics CD $99
___ Boys Anger and Feelings
___ Girls Identity and confidence
___ Teacher Stress and Burnout
___ Healthy School Office Teams
___ Teaching Primary Boys
___ Engaging High School Boys
___ Girls Empowerment
___ Staff Resilience
___ Teachers Mental Health
___ Women Teaching Boys
___ Working Happily Together

Michael Auden
ABN 39 929 256 117
NSW Vendor ID 100837105
1 Wedge Court Glen Waverley Victoria 3150
Email info@moned.net

A quick guide to meaningful conversations

Ask open-ended questions. A conversation isn’t about speaking at someone, it’s speaking with someone. You’ll learn more about the person’s perspectives and experiences by asking questions. If the person tells you something, follow-up with a question that encourages them to keep speaking.

• Keep your questions open-ended so that the person can elaborate as they want to. A meaningful conversation is difficult to develop from “yes” and “no” questions.
• For example, ask, “What was it like when you got married?” or, “What was your proudest moment?”

Follow up with deeper questions. If you start out with a question, ask another one to get more information and help the person open up. For example, if you ask a general question, follow it up with a more specific question. Your questions should engage the person and help to create depth in the conversation.

• For example, if someone is talking about a memory, ask, “How did that impact your life?” or, “What did you gain from that experience?”

Find common interests and experiences. A simple, easy way to relate to someone is to find common interests, hobbies, experiences, and backgrounds with the person you're talking to. You may have grown up near each other, attended the same university, or watch the same television shows. Ask them about their background, and, if yours is similar, compare the two!

• For example, if your friend is upset about a job loss and you’ve been through a similar experience, you can relate on this and how difficult it is. Relating over difficult situations can often bring meaning and comfort to someone.
• Sometimes, being relatable means showing that you understand and are listening, even if you haven’t ‘been there.’

Be willing to be vulnerable. A meaningful conversation is difficult to build and maintain if those involved are unwilling to be vulnerable. Be willing to state your thoughts and feelings, even if they feel a bit uncomfortable. Meaningful conversations might include connecting with another person about a shared experience or memory. Be willing to open up, especially if you feel alone in something.

• If someone is being vulnerable with you, be sure not to judge them or criticise them for their experience.
• For example, if someone is struggling with depression, speak up and say, “I know how that feels. I struggle with depression, too.” This can help you connect and not feel alone.

The Talking Stick

The Talking stick, used in many Indigenous cultures, is an ancient and powerful “communication tool” that ensures a code of conduct of respect during meetings is followed. The person holding the stick, and only that person, is designated as having the right to speak and all others must listen quietly and respectfully.
Talking sticks are most frequently used in council circles, ceremonies and at the beginning of cultural events  and in storytelling circles. Some cultures do not use a Talking Stick per say but use an eagle feather, wampum belt, peace pipe or sacred shell.
A great many schools have adopted the Talking Stick principles in their classrooms as a way to teach children patience, self-discipline and to respect the speaker and his/her words. 
If you invited to attend a meeting that involves a Talking Stick, either ask about protocol in advance and/or follow the lead of others. Here are some basic rules that if you follow you won’t go far wrong:

• If an Elder is present, they speak first
• All in attendance are expected to listen
• Listen with respect, support, compassion and quietness
• Listen carefully - do not repeat information that has already been shared
• Allow ample time before your next appointment - do not check your watch
• Turn off your phone
• Interrupting is not allowed
• When the Elder, or whomever, is holding the talking stick has finished speaking, the stick is handed to the next person in the circle
• If the receiver does not wish to speak, it is passed to the next person
• If you are handed the Talking Stick and wish to speak, introduce yourself first
• When everyone who wishes to speak has spoken, the Talking Stick is handed back to the Elder for safekeeping

Talking Sticks can be elaborately carved, brightly painted, unpainted, adorned with symbolic items such as fur, leather, feathers or unadorned and simple - the wood, the figures, the colours and the adornments all carry meaning.

Make 2018 the year everyone in your school engages in meaningful conversations.