Introduction

These five accounts explore a common process of people deciding to do some form of community education because their experiences have been left out of the public discourse about an issue. We see that the first step in the process is to find our personal connection to a topic or issue. How has it touched our lives and what do we want to tell others about it? How do we make sense of new information in light of our own experiences, and how do we help others do the same?

The stories and “prep and practice” activities in this section address the skills needed to listen to people’s experiences, examine and clarify our own perspectives, analyze information from other sources, and determine the stories and messages we want to share with others.

Here are some questions to keep in mind as you review this section:

1. How do we balance critical examination of ideas and experiences with non-critical support for people expressing themselves?
2. What is the value in bringing our knowledge to others?

EFF Common Activities

_X_ Gather, Analyze, and Use Information
___ Manage Resources
___ Work Within the Big Picture
_X_ Work Together
___ Provide Leadership
_X_ Guide and Support Others
___ Seek Guidance and Support from Others
_X_ Develop and Express Sense of Self
___ Respect Others and Value Diversity
___ Exercise Rights and Responsibilities
_X_ Create and Pursue Vision and Goals
___ Keep Pace with Change
___ Use Technology & Other Tools to Accomplish Goals

EFF Skills

Communication Skills
_X_ Read with Understanding
_X_ Convey Ideas in Writing
_X_ Speak So Others Can Understand
_X_ Listen Actively
_X_ Observe Critically

Decision Making Skills
___ Use Math to Solve Problems & Communicate
_X_ Solve Problems and Make Decisions
_X__ Plan

Interpersonal Skills
____ Cooperate with Others
___ Advocate and Influence
___ Resolve Conflict and Negotiate
___ Guide Others

Lifelong Learning Skills
___ Take Responsibility for Learning
_X_ Reflect and Evaluate
_X_ Learn through Research
___ Use Information & Communication Technology