{"product_id":"difficult-conversations-september-28-2026","title":"Difficult Conversations – September 28, 2026","description":"\u003ch1\u003eMonday, September 28, 2026\u003cbr\u003e2:00 – 3:30 pm ET\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTeach Students Skills for Meaningful Dialogue \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eToday's college students arrive on campus with strong opinions but limited experience navigating disagreement. Conversations about identity, politics, current events, and controversial topics often become polarized, shut down entirely, or leave students feeling anxious and disconnected. At the same time, faculty, staff and administrators are increasingly expected to create learning environments where meaningful dialogue can occur while balancing student wellbeing, educational dynamics, and institutional expectations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eJoin us on September 28, 2026 for this practical webinar designed to equip faculty, student affairs professionals and other academic leaders with evidence-informed strategies for transforming difficult conversations into meaningful learning opportunities. Rather than avoiding challenging topics, participants will discover how structured dialogue can strengthen critical thinking, foster belonging, reduce polarization, and deepen student engagement across disciplines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eDrawing from dialogue facilitation techniques, our two expert presenters, Rhonda Fitzgerald, the Executive Director of the Sustained Dialogue Institute (SDI) and Marit Dewhurst, the Director of Art Education and Professor of Art and Museum Education at The City College of New York, will introduce practical strategies that you can immediately incorporate into classrooms, co-curricular programs and campus conversations. You will learn how to facilitate discussions across differences, respond to misinformation without escalating conflict, encourage respectful participation from diverse perspectives, and help students develop the communication skills essential for success in college, the workplace and civic life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTopics Covered\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eGain tools and strategies to help you:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"p1\"\u003eUtilize practical instructional techniques, adaptable dialogue frameworks, and a shared vocabulary for fostering productive conversations that support learning, connection and student success – both inside and outside of the classroom.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"p1\"\u003eTeach students how to ask curiosity-based questions, listen with empathy, suspend judgment and disagree diplomatically.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"p1\"\u003eChallenge students to regulate their emotions by developing skills to handle challenging conversations and ideas with poise and professionalism. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"p1\"\u003eDescribe features of successful dialogic models, prioritizing collective intelligence and collaborative meaning-making over one-way, authoritative instruction.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"p1\"\u003eUnderstand the checklist of skills required to practice and use dialogue in and outside the classroom.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"p1\"\u003eUse a method for inquiry to keep a group engaged.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"p1\"\u003eClarify common misunderstandings, rather than make assumptions.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"p1\"\u003eAdapt these facilitation moves for both the classroom and informal settings outside of it.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePresenters\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0595\/5171\/1405\/files\/Rhonda_Fitzgerald_Headshot_2026_circle.png?v=1785259594\" width=\"100x100\" height=\"100x100\" alt=\"Headshot of Rhonda Fitzgerald\" style=\"margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 20px; float: left;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRhonda Fitzgerald\u003c\/strong\u003e is Executive Director of the Sustained Dialogue Institute (SDI), where she oversees the reach of the Sustained Dialogue model to new communities, campuses, workplaces, and countries. \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/paper-clip.com\/pages\/panelist-bio-rhonda-i-fitzgerald\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eClick here for full bio.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0595\/5171\/1405\/files\/Marit_Dewhurst_Headshot_Circle.png?v=1785257114\" style=\"margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" width=\"100x100\" height=\"100x100\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarit Dewhurst\u003c\/strong\u003e is the Director of Art Education and Professor of Art and Museum Education at The City College of New York. \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/paper-clip.com\/pages\/presenter-bio-marit-dewhurst\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eClick here for full bio.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"PaperClip Communications","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52122513211612,"sku":"AC2248 Difficult Conversations 09.28.26","price":429.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0595\/5171\/1405\/files\/09.28.26DifficultConversations.jpg?v=1785257668","url":"https:\/\/paper-clip.com\/products\/difficult-conversations-september-28-2026","provider":"PaperClip Communications","version":"1.0","type":"link"}