What Touchstones Looks Like

The Six Steps of the Touchstones Lesson Plan

Step 1 – Ground Rules

The Ground Rules are posted and reviewed
prior to each class

Dr. Chelsie Hawkinson introduces the Ground Rules to students in a first-year seminar class at UNLV in their first Touchstones discussion.

Step 2

Text for Discussion

Texts serve as tools to support inclusive group dynamics and raise ideas that participants can explore.

Touchstones co-founder, Howard Zeiderman, reads a text aloud during a Touchstones Fellows online course.

Step 3

Independent Work

Individual activities provide space for participants to connect personal experiences and opinions to the ideas in the texts.

Seniors at the Annapolis Senior Center reflect on their own thoughts on a text before discussing with the group.

Step 4

Small Group Work

Group roles and fewer people helps participants begin to practice cooperative learning.

Mr. Alex Doyle’s 5thgraders at Washington Latin Public Charter School engage cooperatively on separating truth from deception.

Step 5

Whole Group Discussion

Participants explore ideas together while learning to recognize their own strengths and make space for others to enter.

Seniors at the Annapolis Senior Center reflect on their own thoughts on a text before discussing with the group.

Step 6

Discussion Evaluation

Our tools help you and your participants reflect, recognize, and take responsibility for group dynamics, and set goals for improved future discussions.

Colleagues at the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency analyze the discussion they just had to set goals for their next discussion.