In Dialogue Education we talk a lot about the 6 Core Adult Learning Principles and the conditions needed for adults to learn well. We talk about Safety, Respect, Inclusion, Engagement, Relevance, and Immediacy as essential conditions we intentionally create in learning spaces. Over time, I have come to realize that my understanding of these principles began long before I had the language to describe them.
Receiving and Offering Feedback: An Organizational Culture Worth Building
Cultivating a culture of healthy feedback – receiving and offering it – takes time and intentional work in multiple areas. It can begin during onboarding and run through to the exit interview. Leaders can model healthy feedback processes and ensure commitment at all levels of an organization. It can take place in one-on-one settings as well as collectively in groups, personally and professionally.
Documenting Stories of the Daily Struggles of Vulnerable Families
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) has been a leader in the fight for TANF reform. Their leaders have presented at national congressional hearings related to the necessity to reform the welfare system, with emphasis on the TANF Program.
How to Ensure Effective and Efficient Meetings
At the end of our graduate class “Community Development: The Art of Facilitation and Design” with Jeanette Romkema we reflected on how principles and practices of Dialogue Education could also help ensure more effective and efficient meetings. It was eye-opening! Most...
A Structure for Effective Check-Ins*
While facilitating a day-long or week-long learning event, setting aside some time for a “check-in” can give participants the pause they need to process and prepare for what’s next. It allows them to reflect, re-energize, and reconnect before jumping back into a...




