EDTS 517 - Feedback is a Gift: Framing Difficult Conversations (3)

No one likes difficult conversations, but as educators, we cannot avoid them. Whether the conversations are with students, colleagues, administrators, or parents, we are often responsible for navigating sensitive topics and strong emotions, all while remaining positive and professional. Although this balance can be challenging to strike, as you become better equipped at framing difficult conversations, you’ll discover that these tough interactions are actually opportunities for both parties to grow and build a stronger relationship.

In this course, you will learn how to become a confident, model communicator even in the face of disagreement, withdrawal, uncertainty, and difficult feedback. Clearly explaining issues can significantly impact how a conversation turns out, so you will explore rich resources and empowering exercises to show you how. In addition, you will cultivate strategies for being both a conversational leader and an active listener, and how to initiate conversations to address problems before they arise, even with the most reluctant communicators.

Using the techniques from this course, you will be able to transform even the most difficult conversation into one that not only allows you to breathe deeply and sleep better at night but also helps you feel satisfied with the outcome of the exchange.