The Help Us Understand Forum brings together two perspectives, the objectivity of the data and the subjective knowledge of those who spend their days interacting with students in their schools.  The intention is to give space and a means to connect these viewpoints with the hope of achieving collective, thoughtful progress. 

In a larger sense, we want the forum to illustrate a robust model of effective dialogue.  We welcome all to participate and simply ask that everyone practice these principles fundamental to true dialogue:

1.     Listening and hearing others, spending time to think about the other person’s unique context and not only what they are saying, but why they may be saying it.

2.     Suspending beliefs, engaging with others for the singular purpose of learning as opposed to judging or resisting.

3.     Respecting the conversation, which begins with the rule that everyone has a right to be heard, but further, for effective communication and collaboration, there must be balance across the interaction.

4.     Authentic contribution, reducing your guard and sharing the wealth of your experiences and thoughts.

The forum will be organized around:

• Blog themes for the three surveys organized around grade levels, identity dynamics, and insights applying to the entire K-12 school experience.

• Open comments that may be catalysts for new themes.

• Opportunities for questions and suggestions relating to the forum, blog, or the Inclusivity Index survey as a whole or its specific versions.

The link on the right connects you to the Help Us Understand Forum.