My View

My View © is a 90-minute exercise that produces the following outcomes:

1.    Bonding among students
2.    Awareness of the importance of developing interpersonal skills
3.    Practice with skills of listening, articulating a view, and suspending judgment on others' views
4.    Exposure to unique messages on our common humanity, compassion and diversity appreciation

How My View Works

1.    Students read short booklet that introduces them to the exercise (10 mins)
2.    Students watch student-version of documentary film, ONE (39 mins)
3.    Students react to film and engage in skills practice session (30+ mins)
4.    Students process and share reactions to practice session (10mins)

The facilitated portion (steps 2-4) was designed so novice facilitators will be successful. It can be viewed as a development opportunity for upperclass students and staff.  

The bonding / skills practice session engages students in a structured conversation where they take turns answering the same questions posed in the film, ONE. The session produces a deeper awareness of our similarities, further reinforcing the film's messages of our common humanity.

Login or Register with us and you can view and print an evaluation copy of the booklet and a partial copy of the Implementation Guide.

Why My View is Needed

If retention and development of inclusive behavior among students is a desired end goal, then we suggest the sequencing of student experiences is vitally important. Specifically, students should first discover what they have in common and develop bonds. Seeing their peers "in a new and positive light" is an outcome of connecting with each other; not of learning the shadowy, dark side of human tendencies to jump to conclusions and stereotype others. Alternatively stated, appreciating differences is largely influenced by first understanding and appreciating similarities.   

Diversity and other programming that focuses on differences, stereotyping, bias, injustice, and exclusion should be an integral component of your overall curriculum but offering it too early tends to separate students. Unfortunately, for many, this content is met with indifference or serves as a lightning rod for controversy. Our experiences indicate that groups and teams do not readily "come together" through this type of training. For this reason, we believe it should be offered after sufficient student bonding has developed.    

"I found the program was helpful for bringing me closer to my fellow co-workers"

Barbara Bruner, R.A.
Madonna University