Why are we sometimes afraid to present our idea to a diverse group? How can we overcome this?

How can we appreciate everyone else's idea and make them feel appreciated, even if we do not agree with their idea?

What is the best way to compromise?

What feelings come from working together all in one group?

What barriers have we begun to break through today?

To have the students work cooperatively in a big group with the retirement members and feel a sense of belonging

To find an appreciation for everyone and take the good from the ideas the other people in the group have to offer

Have a morning meeting for 45 minutes:  talk about the importance of everyone's ideas in hopes that the students will become more confident in speaking up about the banner at the retirement home, encourage them to appreciate everyone for having an idea, remind them to take the best from everyone, have them share one quality they would like to express that day

Drive to the retirement home

For 30 minutes, have snacks in the lobby with the retirement members and start talking to them about the banner that they would be making that day

(30 minutes) everyone come together and brainstorm on a piece of paper ideas for the banner

(10 minutes) Have someone talk about the importance of the banner and what it symbolizes.  (breaking down barriers between different groups of people)

(20 minutes)  Decide on specific content of the banner

(20 minutes) Decide on format for banner

Get started on the banner for an hour

Lunchtime for 45 minutes outside on the picnic tables

Finish the banner and hang it up on the wall and clap in celebration of it's collaboration

(20 minutes) Come together for a gratitude session on how you may have broke through any specific barriers you may have been facing

(10 minutes) As a group, quickly debrief on how well they worked together and have them say as a team, what skills they used and what skills they should have used more of

Say thank you to all of the members and head back to campus

Was the idea of breaking down barriers a good theme for the day?  Did it keep its ring since the first time they landscaped together or has it lost it's touch?

Was it a good idea to revisit the same place again?  Did two visits make a huge impact instead of having just one?

How well did you help students become aware of the stereotypes that people have for others?  What could you do differently to make them understand this more?

How well did the students listen to each other?

How well did they cooperate with the retirement members compared to the time before?

How well did they build on the skills that they had previously sharpened two weeks before?

Did the fact that this project involved brainstorming, better communication skills and more cooperation change anything?  Why?

Did the fact that the students and members have to work together in one big group make it more difficult for them all to communicate their ideas together?  If so, how did this method strengthen the group as a whole?