Reaching for connection in the compassionate communication course

In this article, I describe two activities conducted on the second day of my Compassionate Communication course and explain how they cultivate critical community reflexivity. The activities—Crossing the Line and Tangles—move students through an experience of identifying individual and group differences, noticing what belonging/not-belonging feels like in a learning community, and collaborating to solve a physical challenge. The small group debrief and class discussion invite reflection on individual and class dynamics. The intentional, early inclusion of these embodied, communal activities highlights connections between individual actions and emerging social norms that will support dialogue throughout the course.