Working with a study budy 1 pot

HOW TO STUDY

136

Practice Tips

The next time you’re talking with someone, whether it’s a family mem￾ber, friend, or colleague, try using sensitive talk.

• Make sure you heard what the other person intended to say.

After your friend or colleague has spoken, say something like, “I

heard you say . . . Was that what you meant?”

• Keep in mind the magic word “I.” When you disagree with

something, don’t state a fact, state your opinion. Personalize your

reaction by saying something like, “I see it like this. . . .”

• In a notebook, write what it was like for you to use sensitive talk

in everyday conversation.

Have an instant buddy session with a classmate. (Maybe you’re doing

this already!) After class, begin a reflective discussion. Ask somebody

that you’re comfortable with a question like, “What did you think of

what the teacher said about the national debt in today’s class?”