World Caf

Purpose Creates a space for large/small classroom conversations to take place. Its reliability comes from the types of questions that are framed and the opportunity facilitators allows participant s to move between tables and meet new people, therefore allowing for new perspectives to be exchanged. Allows for new insights to emerge as they engage each other in conversation and sharing of opinions. It can be used in classrooms of all age ranges, as well as in meetings.

Directions: 1. Have a group choose a seat at various tables around the room. 2. A facilitator and a recorder assigned to each table. 3. The group will be asked to respond to the questions in round one. (see below for Round 1, 2, and 3 questions). 4. After 10-15 mins. the teacher will ask the table to move to another table they choose. It is ok for a few people to stay put at the same table. (Time allotment can vary depending on group, and purpose of questions). 5. The group will then repeat the process responding to questions in round 2 and then round 3. 6. After completing the rounds of questions, invite the group to come together for a Community Debrief to reflect upon the responses.

Sample questions Round 1: In your Classroom, what does the following mean to you? Respect and support of all peers Access and inclusion for ALL means that Active engagement in decision making means that Accountability means

Round 2: In the classroom, what does the following mean to you?

An informed society that A supportive and enabling environment means that Personal and Social connectedness means that

Round 3: What makes your classroom/School Community great to be in? What grade level activities happen in your school? Round 4: What opportunities do you see in our school community? Are there small things that we can easily change to become more friendly and open to all? What would it take to get us where we want to go? What steps do we need to take to enhance or ensure access to all in our school community?

Additional Questions: How would you describe your school greatest potential? How does each of us make a contribution? How can small changes make a difference? What opportunities can you see in this situation? What other groups/people do we need to engage with to expand on whats working and start new initiatives? How does a school community work through adversity and adapt to change? How can we help to turn our school community potential into reality?

Reflective Questions: What had real meaning for you from what you heard today? What did we learn about our school community as a whole? About ourselves? What insights emerged from todays conversations and how will they influence out thinking and actions for both today and in the future? How can out school community deal with the challenges of becoming open access for all? What needs out immediate attention going forward? How can we support each other in taking the next steps? What unique contributions can we each make? How can we meet challenges that we might encounter? What conversations, if began today, could ripple out in a way that created new possibilities for the future school community? What seeds might we plant together today that could make the most difference? What are you prepared to do to move this forward?

This handout has been adapted from the Ontario Seniors Secretariat Regional Age Friendly Communities Forums Fall 2009