As with cooking, facilitation is an art that involves a combination of practice, observation, knowledge of theory and creativity. Effective facilitators act as a good chef does, adding together the important elements in the right amounts at the right time to create a palatable and hopefully meaningful experience. Through careful observation of all of these elements involved in a group’s personality and setting, they intentionally choose and order activities or “ingredients” in order to maximize learning opportunities.

Many educators call this important aspect of facilitation and teaching “sequencing”.
Sequencing involves consciously and thoughtfully presenting activities in a specific order to maximize learning outcomes and maintain the emotional and physical safety of the group. Being thoughtful, observant and intentional in your planning, presentation and evaluation of activities is one of the essential aspects of effective group facilitation teaching, and team building.

There is no one specific “recipe” for sequencing activities or lessons that fits every group. In cooking there is a lot of room for creativity, style and adaptation but there are key rules and fundamental ingredients needed in order for a cake to rise or a sauce to thicken. The same is true for the facilitation of group learning experiences. Approach sequencing as a dynamic process that takes into careful consideration the personality and dynamics of the group, your strengths and style as an educator, participant’s emotional and physical safety, the group’s goals and agenda, available activities and materials, allotted time, and the physical environment.

In cooking the timing and ordering of ingredients is key to the success of many dishes. Ingredients often need to be added in a certain amount, a specific order and cooked for just the right duration for best results. Good facilitators are in tune to the importance of activity choices, and the ordering and timing of experiences. Effective facilitators pay attention to the group development process, and allow time for trust building. It is important to balance the level of the activity and or challenge presented and the participant’s ability to meet the challenge or activity. Leaders need to continually observe their group in order to be sure the activities they select fit the needs and goals of the group and the specific situation.

The time needed for participants to create relationships and build trust is different for every group. When interpersonal connections and sense of community is developed groups will take learning further and get more benefit out of the activities they engage in. Allow time for this happen by choosing activities that build upon each other.

When sequencing learning experiences be sensitive to the time of day and the physical comfort and attention span of group members. Being flexible as a facilitator in dealing with the unexpected is key. Listen to your group and be prepared to change your plan midstream in order to adapt to the ever changing needs of the group and to take advantage of new opportunities for learning that emerge as a group works together.

Careful sequencing maximizes participation by allowing people to engage at a pace that works for them. Experiential group work can be very powerful. If groups are ready to engage in the process great things can occur. Conversely, if a group is not emotionally or physically ready to encounter certain “learning adventures” the experience could be damaging or inhibit growth and learning. An effective educator approaches activities with intention, thoughtfulness, and flexibility—continuously evaluating their group and refining their plan as they need to.

Sequencing Suggestions

• Be ready with a continuum of activities. It is important to have a repertoire of activities that build upon each other. Having activities in your “back pocket” allows you to be ready to deal with changes in direction and learning opportunities that arise in an ever-changing group.
• Be flexible enough to throw out or let go of that well developed plan if the group needs are different than expected.
• “Indicator” activities are helpful. Know some activities that help you read and evaluate the group and introduce challenges incrementally. For example, over the years I have facilitated many challenge/ropes course programs. These involve physical touch and responsibility on the part of the participants to manage “spotting” each other. Before going on to the course and teaching safety systems I facilitate a series of partnered tag activities that involve moving around in a small space, appropriate physical contact, and the need for be aware of those around them. This introduces the idea of appropriate touch and close personal space important to the spotting techniques the group will be learning. It also helps me evaluate whether the group is engaged and ready to take the responsibility of balancing fun with safe focused behavior.
• Let participants know what is expected of them and the type of activities they will be participating in. Informed consent is critical. Let participants/students know what is expected of them and the type of activities in which they will be participating.  Informing the group about the upcoming activities doesn’t have to give away the novelty of your approach.  Think about informed consent as empowering participants with needed information.  If reluctant students make a choice not to participate, they will at least know what opportunities they might be missing.
• Continually observe your group and re-evaluate your plans in order to be sure the activities fit the needs and goals of the group and the specific situation.
• Be sensitive to the time of day and physical environment when presenting activities
• Take time to build relationships and trust between group members
• Be prepared for the unexpected
• Take advantage of teachable moments. Ongoing processing or reflection is key to moving learning forward. Reflective practice is best when it is a dynamic ongoing part of your lessons, not just something you facilitate as a follow up (see previous posts for processing ideas)
• Choose activities that build upon each other
• Be willing to let go of your agenda to meet the needs of the group

Recognize that each group is unique.  Every group has a different personality and participates in activities in a different way.  Even when working with groups with similar characteristics, in the same setting, with the same program goals, I have found that the actual lesson plan changes with each different group in response to that group’s particular personality and needs.  Activities you carefully plan prior to a workshop or group session may be specifically relevant for one group’s personality and needs and not another’s.  This is one of the exciting aspects of group facilitation.

There is great variety in group experience and varying opportunities facilitate learning. With experience, facilitators develop the art of reading their group and adjusting activities in a creative way throughout group process to move learning and change forward. This is the beauty of experiential education, nurturing spontaneity of experience to take advantage of teachable moments. The art is in balancing this spontaneity and creativity with the key ingredients and timing to make it all come together successfully.

In past articles I have compared group facilitation and teaching to cooking in the sense that successful educators vary ingredients all the time to keep things interesting or to “spice up” their teaching/group facilitation. In doing so they always keep in mind the key components that make it happen. There is a lot of room for creativity, style and adaptation in cooking but there are key rules and fundamental ingredients needed in order for a cake to rise or a sauce to thicken.

Over the past few months I have been inspired by my experiences facilitating workshops with educators from all over the US and Canada who are committed to enriching the lives of the youth and adults they work with. As I reflect on the feedback from participants in these workshops there were common “ah ha” moments or key learnings that participants took away from these group experiences. These all had to do with the importance of taking time to build a strong foundation of understanding, empathy and trust within groups, empowering learners with choice and control, thoughtfully sequencing activities to maximize learning outcomes and the importance of reflective practice; all key ingredients in recipes for group success. In the next few posts I will share articles on these topics.

Here are some of the “key” ingredients or techniques educators should consider as they build a strong foundation for learning within groups and classrooms:

The experience starts the moment a group enters the room (or even before).

Create a “Hook” to engage participants as they walk in the door. The first few minutes of a class or group session can be a great opportunity to draw learners into a positive learning experience and increase engagement. This can be a way to welcome group members or students into the classroom or meeting space and focus their attention on the tasks at hand. It can help learners transition from the experiences at home, on the commute, or in the hallway that impact learning so that they can be fully present in the learning space. Research on the brain and learning is demonstrating that the first moments of a learning experience are a key opportunity to increase engagement and retention (for more on this subject check out the series on engagement in March and April’s Inspired Educator blog posts).

Start off with style!

Introductory activities set the tone for a program and future group interaction. Think carefully about using appropriate beginning activities that build rapport and trust in incremental ways. Take time for this process. When people are given an opportunity to interact and share with each other step by step they gain comfort with the group process and build the capacity to go more in depth later on.

Make thoughtful choices, beware of the “ice-breaker”.

When choosing “ice breakers” or introductory activities find those that build rapport, camaraderie, connections, shared understanding, commonalities and goals in an enjoyable and non-threatening way. Often icebreakers can do the opposite of what was intended when people are put “on the spot” too early in the group process. When people are asked to perform a task like memorizing names or speaking/standing in front of the whole group before they have built comfort and basic trust they actually might “check out”, become embarrassed, and/or form negative associations with the experience. Try beginning with partnered sharing activities. This gives participants an opportunity to warm up by interacting with just one or two others at a time before sharing with the larger group. Thoughtfully sequence activities to build the capacity of trust and sharing over time.

Choice and control are essential.

People learn best when they perceive a sense of control, they have choice and ownership over their learning experiences. Think about creating opportunities that build this sense of choice and control for participants or students from the very beginning of the program or school year. Empowering learners to set reasonable parameters around their participation creates an atmosphere of healthy trust and will actually increase involvement from reluctant participants. In experiential group work, facilitators often aim to create change by pushing comfort zones and challenging learners. People do learn from challenges, but there can be a fine line between a challenge that helps move learning forward and what the educational philosopher John Dewey (one of the earliest proponents of the philosophy of experiential education) would call a miseducative or potentially damaging experience.

Create opportunities for students/participants to make choices within an experience. Consider techniques such as:

• adding rules to an icebreaker that allow the “it” person a way out or an option to participate at their own pace
• inviting participants to volunteer rather than calling on them to share
• allowing participants to pass during group discussion

This will help participants experience what John Dewey called “perceived internal freedom” and help them buy into the group process.

Creating situations that allow introverted group members some kind of out or aid gives them an opportunity to participate fully and warm up to the group process. They learn to trust that you won’t put them in a situation that is embarrassing or puts them on the spot before they are ready. This technique used during a warm-up game can pay off later in the group process.

By building trust in this way, group members start to share and engage at their own pace and become more willing to push their comfort zones later on when it really matters.

It is important for groups to learn and honor names.

Knowing and using each others names in a respectful way builds trust and positive communication establishing a supportive group environment. A person’s name is very important to them and should be honored with correct pronunciation and proper use. Presenting a series of activities that help participants use and practice names can be very helpful to establishing a strong foundation of trust and understanding. I like to weave name activities and practice into introductory activities in a “natural” way starting with simple partner greetings and sharing before engaging participants in a whole group name activity. I try to avoid contrived name activities that put people in the “on the spot” too early in group process or require them to feel under pressure to memorize. In upcoming posts I will share some of my favorite methods for introducing and reinforcing names in a palatable way.

Establish and reflect on healthy group norms.

Help group members create an environment where they feel responsible for themselves and each other and are willing to speak up when there is a breakdown in communication or an issue that affects the safety or potential experience of the group. It is ideal when the group takes that responsibility rather than the facilitator or teacher. Group norms are the behaviors that exist in every group, good or bad. It can be helpful for groups to formalize agreements about acceptable behaviors to improve their ability to work together. In my experience it helps to not do this on the first day or hour of class or group but rather after they have spent some time together so they get to know about their group dynamics and what they will be encountering together. Norms should be reflected upon and revisited throughout the year or program. (There can still be leader imposed ground rules or expectations put forward on day one, but participants should be increasingly involved in defining group norms as they move forward and encounter challenging situations together as a group).

Reflect and “check in”.

Intentionally making time for the group to reflect, and “check in” with each other is integral to group process, so that experiences can be built upon one another and related to real life and future learning.

Reflection brings learning to life. The educational philosopher John Dewey (1933) who is known as one of the forefathers of experiential education believed that in order to truly learn from experience there must be time for reflection. Reflection creates relevancy and meaning in an experience and helps learners make connections between their educational experiences and real life situations. The practice of reflection itself is one of the most useful human skills in that it develops insight, one of the hardest important tools to teach and learn.

Regular “check-ins” create a forum or opportunity for participants to share what is working, what they need from each other, and for celebrating successes along the way. Reflective practice is best when it is a dynamic ongoing part of your lessons, not just something facilitated at the end of an experience or as a follow up.

Take time up front to build your group.

It takes time to sequence and build healthy trust between participants and teacher/leaders. Time and experience together can build comfort enhancing meaningful group sharing of thoughts, ideas and feelings. This builds the foundation that will allow you to engage learners in more challenging activities, fosters more responsibility and control over their learning and increases their ability to move learning forward. You will find that time spent from the beginning of your program or school year building relationships, ownership and reflective skills pays off later in many ways!

Like any good good cook, remember to experiment and blend your own personality, creativity and style with the chemistry of the group into the recipes for positive group experiences. Mix it up and add a little spice here and there, just don’t forget those key ingredients that hold it all together and help make the full flavor of the group come experience through.

-Plato

Starting Off with Style:

Research on the brain and learning is demonstrating that the events or activities experienced the first time learners are exposed to information greatly impact their ability to retain the information. John Medina, author of Brain Rules states: “If you are trying to get information across to someone your ability to create a compelling introduction may be the most important single factor in the later success of your mission”(Medina, 2010).

The first few minutes of an experience or lesson are a key time to hook and engage learners. Evidence shows that people remember most about the first few minutes of a learning experience, and secondly, the last few minutes of a learning experience. (Sousa, 2005, Willis, 2010).  Some educators and cognitive neuro-scientists call this the primacy-recency effect (Sousa, 2006).

I have found this research exciting because it validates a practice I have embraced in my own teaching and group facilitation:  the value of offering an engaging opening activity and providing some reflective prompt to “tie it all together” or “bookend” a learning experience. This research suggests it also might make sense to create as many introductory and closing moments as possible in your teaching and group facilitation approach.

Find a hook!

Engage participants from the moment they walk in the door.  Avoid using these precious moments in taking attendance, collecting homework or other administrative duties.  Instead involve learners in an activity that helps them transition into the learning environment, make positive connections with their peers and introduce or review the academic or program material at hand. A novel activity engages learners right away and helps them shift their focus to the here and now.

In this article and in upcoming posts I will share a few of my favorite ways to “hook” learners as they enter the room:

Using pictures from magazines, postcards, or other images can be an engaging way to draw in participants.  I often use my postcard collection as a “get to know you” activity on the very first day of a program or school year, as a way to welcome students and teachers back after school vacations, or clients back after a break between sessions.

For an introductory rapport building activity I lay out a collection of postcards or image cards on a table. As participants walk in the door I ask them to choose a card around a reflective, goal-setting, or “conversation starter” topic. Topics might be: a card that represents what their summer break was like, or a card that represents a goal they have for the program or unique perspective they bring to the group.

Mid-way through a program I often lay out my postcards during a break or before a session. I ask participants to choose a card they would send to a friend to describe the training, conference experience, or in classroom settings to describe their school year so far.

This technique is not only great for building community and initiating reflection, it also is an effective way to reinforce or review academic material. For example, a language arts teacher who is looking to introduce or reinforce the idea of  theme might offer a selection of postcards and ask students to choose a card they are drawn to. They would then ask students to identify their interpretation of the card’s theme.

A social studies or science teacher might gather images that center around a specific topic they will be covering in class.  They would display the images on a table or floor. As students enter the room they would be asked to choose an image that “sparks their interest” or represents something they know or care about. This could jumpstart discussions or initiate inquiry about the topic at hand.

Depending on your group, you could then have participants share their choice with a partner, write about their choice, or share with the entire group. You can attend to the business of taking attendance, handing out materials or collecting homework while participants are engaged in choosing and discussing their card.

Regardless of the educational setting you work in, there is great opportunity for positively influencing learning outcomes with participants through strong beginnings. The tone we set in the learning space, and the frame and context we set for a lesson can greatly impact participant engagement and retention of information.

Look for more ideas for creating a “hook” to engage participants in upcoming posts!

References:

Medina, John. (2008). Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home and School. Seattle, WA: Pear Press.

Sousa, David. (2006). How the Brain Learns. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Willis, Judy. (2006). Research-Based Strategies to Ignite Student Learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

This is a follow up on a popular post from last fall that offered ways to actively engage learners in the classroom, boardroom, training or group counseling setting.

Research on the brain and learning emphasizes the importance of breaking up lecture and direct instruction with activities that involve learners socially, emotionally and physically as well as intellectually. Getting learners away from their desks and moving helps them engage more readily and retain lessons longer (Willis, 2010, Sousa, 2006, Medina, 2008).

Here is another favorite activity I have been using to “break up” lecture sessions and get participants moving, reviewing and reflecting:

Many group facilitators and educators use the well known “get to know you” game Have You Ever? as a way to build rapport and an understanding of commonalities in group team-building sessions. This game is known by many names and has many variations. I first learned it from Karl Rohnke (Quicksilver by Karl Rohnke and Steve Butler, 1995).

Have you Ever? is very popular and used in a variety of settings because it is fun, interactive and easy to play. Participants tend to “buy into it” because there is choice and control built into the game (i.e. participants can choose whether they move when a question is asked).

• In the original “commonalities” or “get-to-know you” version of the game, the facilitator provides a spot marker for every person in a circle on the floor.
• Traditionally one person stands in middle.
• They ask a question such as “Have you Ever Flown a Kite?”
• Then anyone who has flown a kite leaves their spot and tries to find a new one.
• Someone new ends up in the middle and asks another question of the group sharing something about themselves and looking for commonalities with other group members.

You can increase involvement in this activity when you acknowledge that participants who are more introverted can sometimes find this game fear-inducing. When some people are put on the spot to come up with a question they can experience enough of a stress overload to actually decrease cognitive engagement (Willis, 2010- Perry, 2009).

• I add more opportunity for choice & control within the game by providing a buzzword such as “Bananas” that group members in the middle can use if they can’t think of a question to ask.  When this buzzword is used everyone has to move.
• Or, as my colleague Michelle Cummings once suggested don’t have a middle spot at all. Instead provide a “blank spot” or alternative color spot for the question asking spot.

I have come to prefer this version of the game because the question asker can see the whole group and no one has his or her back to half of the group circle.

Lately I have been re-purposing this activity for reflection and academic review. With some variations, Have You Ever? works as a kinesthetic way to review academic material in the classroom, assess a group’s knowledge around a subject, pre-teach, or jumpstart a group discussion. I have used it effectively in the classroom, training programs and team-building sessions as an active way to engage a group in dialogue and reflection.

To re-purpose the Have You Ever? game into an academic review or reflection activity:

• Change the question from Have You Ever? to Anyone Who…
• In this version the person on the “questioning” spot asks a review or reflection question about the experience or topic at hand.
• For processing or reflection group members pose reflective statements about an experience such as: “Anyone who had fun today” “Anyone who tried something new” “Anyone who stepped up as a leader “ etc.
• For academic review you can prepare relevant questions on an index card such as: “Anyone who knows the capital of Canada”, “Anyone who knows the freezing temperature of water” “Anyone who knows what happened at the Alamo?” etc.
• There are a number of ways to share the questions and answers in the game. The person who ends up on the questioning spot could share the answer when they arrive there, or they could ask for input from others who moved.
• I have participants design the rules of the game in a way that works best for their group.

I have found Anyone Who can be a great way to start a dialogue about reactions to a reading assignment or to review material right after a lecture or direct instruction. This can be a method for assessing knowledge of a subject within a group, or as a technique to introduce a subject prior to a lesson or group experience.

Whether you are a classroom teacher, college professor, corporate trainer or counselor you will find that incorporating movement into your lessons and discussions can increase engagement and help learners better retain and synthesize information from your lessons. Activities that were originally created as ice-breakers can be easily re-purposed for review and reflection. Hopefully this variation will inspire you to think of ways in which some of your own favorite activities could be re-invented as active review methods.

References:

Variations on the “Have You Ever” activity are referenced in many publications; I first ran across it in Karl Rohnke and Steve Butler’s Quicksilver, 1995 Project Adventure/ Kendall Hunt Publishing.

Patrick Torrey contributed a reflective variation of a similar game “All My Neighbors Who” in the 2005 book A Teachable Moment-Cain, Cummings & Stanchfield.

Resources on the Brain and Learning:

Medina, John. (2008). Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home and School. Seattle, WA: Pear Press.

Ratey, John. (2008). Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. New York: Little Brown and Company.

Sousa, David. (2006). How the Brain Learns. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Willis, Judy. (2006). Research-Based Strategies to Ignite Student Learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Jen Stanchfield

My last few posts have explored the power of play to help learners build decision-making, and conflict resolution skills. I have emphasized that educators can intentionally “weave in” opportunities for groups to practice these skills throughout their day- to-day lessons. Processing discussions can be one of those great opportunities to maximize learning. My favorite method for engaging a group in reflection or “processing” also involves the practice of group decision-making and consensus building.

I really enjoy using postcards, “Chiji Cards” and objects as a tool for facilitating meaningful dialogue and processing with groups. Over the years, I have learned that using objects and imagery in processing and reflection leads to more in-depth discussions and outcomes with my groups. These methods are effective because participants can attach their thoughts to an object that can be touched and shown to a group.  Because the participants can talk about the object or image rather than themselves directly, they can express thoughts that would otherwise be left unsaid.  When groups use pictures and objects in reflective discussions, the thoughts, ideas, and connections seem broader and deeper than when using dialogue alone.  A visual representation of an experience can be effective long after the experience is over, reminding a group or participant of the key lessons learned(for more on this subject see my October 19th WNB blog post “Bringing Learning to Life Through Reflection”).

For many years, especially during my time working with small groups in treatment programs I used tools such as processing cards (from a collection of postcards or a deck of Chiji cards) or objects (from a collection of household objects, found objects or charms) in just one way. I would have each individual choose a card or object that represented their personal strength, their, or his or her perspective about an experience or activity.

Then I made a major shift in my facilitation approaches about 10 years ago when I moved from working with small groups in the therapeutic setting to larger groups in classrooms public schools, and business groups in the training setting. When working with these larger groups I couldn’t always use the cards and objects in the same way that I had with my therapeutic groups of 6-12 participants. It was impractical (and potentially tedious) for 24 group members to pick individual cards and share out in dialogue circle or in a class session. But I still wanted to use the cards!

So, one day after a group challenge in the physical education classroom I experimented with spreading out a whole deck of Chiji cards on the gym floor and asked the group of 24 students to come to agreement on one card that represented what they achieved together. I was amazed at the results….

The students immediately were drawn in by the cards. They were seeing this as another engaging activity or challenge rather than that “that boring processing thing you do after the fun activity”. It was if they were unaware that they were processing.

I became hooked on this method after hearing the rich dialogue that occurred as the students discussed the rationale for “their card” and worked on coming to consensus on one card for the group. The student’s shared profound insights about the cards and their connection to the activity learning as they came to consensus (without even realizing they were debriefing or processing).

I noticed that many group members who usually didn’t speak up during class or group sessions were expressing a great deal as they made an argument for their card. They often took the lead instead of the other loud voices by suggesting an alternative card that blended concepts put forward by different group members. Though it was a rich and meaningful discussion it also fit into the time parameters available in the short class time.

Since that time this has become my method of choice when using cards or objects in group processing or debriefing regardless of my group size. I have continued to witness this kind of interest and engagement in the activity and meaningful discussion stemming from the process of coming to consensus, sharing ideas and perspectives, and even arguing about what best represents the group. The rich dialogue that emerges from this method is great, as is the opportunity to practice group decision- making.

Examples of “Consensus” methods in processing:

ONE CARD OR OBJECT TO REPRESENT “Our Achievement”:
• After an activity/important moment/ end of session I just ask the group to come to agreement on one card/object that best represent their experience as a group, the strengths of the group, or something they have achieved together.

THREE CARDS TO TELL A STORY of “Where We Were, Where We Went and Where We Are Going”(Dave Lockett at Stevens Point School District sparked this idea when I was using processing cards with one of our groups on the challenge course):
• Have the group use the cards to tell a story of their experience together. Ask them to come to agreement and pick three of these symbols to describe:
• Where they were when they arrived, or first came together as a group
• Where they “went” as a group,
• Where they are Going next and/or what they plan to do with the learning
• This has become one of my favorite methods for helping a group tie it all together and connect experiences to future learning. I often use it as a closing activity or as way to “check in” halfway through a program. This gives participants an opportunity to influence the direction of their remaining time together.

SKILLS TO CARRY WITH US
• In the midst of a program or course have the group pick three objects s that represent important skills they used in completing that challenge that will be useful in upcoming activities, challenges, or day to day work life. Have them carry these objects on with them to the next activity. The group often spontaneously refers back to these objects/skills when they are engaged in a future challenge. You can also ways to intentionally integrate them into the next activity to carry lessons forward.

I have found in my work with ongoing groups when groups agree on an object or symbol that represents their collective experience, this symbol can often end up carrying a great deal of power for a group and emerges again later in different ways. It can be integrated later on into symbols for their group’s success, for “group norms symbols” or sometimes morphs into a group or team “mascot”.

Each group is very different in how they approach the decision- making aspect of this activity. For some groups it can be a great opportunity to discuss the difference between voting and consensus. It often inspires discussion around quick methods for coming to consensus such as “fist of 5″ of thumbs up which the groups continue to implement throughout their time together. Some of the most powerful discussions arise when there is disagreement as individual group members argue for their individual choice and then someone suggests an alternative card that combines many of the ideas put forth by others. Regardless of the final decision, it always seems to lead to rich discussion.

References:
Stanchfield, Jennifer. (2007). Tips & Tools for the Art of Experiential Group Facilitation. OKC. OK: Wood ‘N’ Barnes Publishing.

Cain, J., Cummings, M & Stanchfield J. (2005). A Teachable Moment: A Facilitator’s Guide to Activities for Processing, Debriefing, Reviewing and Reflection. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing

Simpson, S., Miller D., & Bocher B. (2006). The Processing Pinnacle: An Educator’s Guide to Better Processing. Oklahoma City: Wood ‘N’ Barnes Publishing

Resources for Using Objects and Images in Reflection:
www.chiji.com
www.experientialtools.com
www.training-wheels.com

I was working with a 2nd grade classroom in Middleton, Wisconsin, helping a teacher implement community building activities in her classroom.

Early in the session I used the “partner choice/which one” scenario for dividing the class up into teams in preparation for a game of Play dough Pictionary (see November 23rd entry).

I had them imagine they were at the circus and seeking out cotton candy. After waiting in line for the cotton candy they found that there was only one blue and one pink cotton candy left at the stand. The students had to decide who would get which one… One pair of students started arguing rather intensely about who should get the blue. Everyone else was ready to move on.

Instead of intervening directly with the students who were arguing. I decided to get everyone’s attention for a moment and ask a pair of students who had decided to share how they came to their decision to the group. One of the students shared: “Well, we both wanted the pink cotton candy, but I am okay with blue AND I wanted to find out what you are going to have us do with those spots and the play dough, so I let her have the pink one.”  Immediately the undecided pair looked at each other and quickly came to agreement.

At that point the student’s teacher and I took a few minutes to talk about the meaning of “compromise” and why we sometimes let go of our first choice to make things work for the group and ourselves. We moved on to the other cooperative activities we had planned for the day and forgot about the conversation.

That evening the teacher called me to tell me that a few hours after I left the students were lining up for lunch when a squabble erupted about who’s turn it was to lead the line to the cafeteria. Just as she was going to intervene, a little voice from the back of the line said: “You know guys, this is just like the cotton candy. We all just want to get to lunch.” This ended the squabble immediately- without adult intervention.

Sometimes the simple exercises we engage students in have more of an effect than we realize. Over my years working with groups I have noticed that some of the best “successes” in teaching come by accident; or the most profound lessons can come from the seemingly “less important” activities you engage a group in rather than the intense problem- solving lesson you carefully designed for the group.

Think about those “simple” opportunities you can weave into the day to day activities you plan for your group that practice these important life skills…

Reference: Tips & Tools for the Art of Experiential Group Facilitation. Jennifer Stanchfield. 2007: Wood ‘N’ Barnes Publishing.

The Disappearance of Neighborhood Games of Kick-the Can, Part Two: Strategies for Helping Participants of All Ages Learn Through Play.

In Monday’s post I mentioned that I had observed a trend of children and adolescents missing out the development of important social & emotional skills because of a lack of time for “free play” without adult intervention.

I believe we can intentionally bring some opportunities for this kind of peer-to-peer learning and conflict resolution practice in our structured settings such as school, camp, and other recreational programs. When I work with people of all ages in experiential team building programs I purposefully create situations/opportunities for participants to practice coming to agreement on the rules of the game, a team name, a team symbol etc. I use methods that involve pairs and then groups making simple choices together and work up to practicing consensus.

Here is one of my favorite simple strategies for helping learners of any age practice these important skills:

Which one? Partner Decision Making Method for Dividing Into Teams: This activity came from my time teaching in Stevens Point, Wisconsin School District’s Experiential Education program. I started getting bored with the old counting off “1-2″ method of dividing students into teams or groups for a project or activity. I discovered through experimenting with this new method that I had found a fun and engaging way to divide into groups or teams for an activity or classroom project while at the same time helping participant’s practice communication, decision- making, consensus, making a compromise with peers.

Directions:

• Have everyone find a partner.  In many situations a student will often pick a buddy you would rather they are separated from. This is fine, even preferable, because they will be splitting up soon. This method of dividing honors their need to partner with a friend because it gives the friends something to do together before they split up.
• Present a hypothetical situation with two choices. For example: “Imagine it is summer and the two of you are near a river. You want to play on the river, but the only boats available are a kayak and a one-person canoe. Which one of you will take the kayak, and which the canoe? Or: You are at an ice cream stand and the freezer has broken down, there is only one cone of chocolate, one of cookie dough. Who gets which? Cookie dough’s become one team, chocolates the other. Other scenarios I have used: cotton candy flavors, roller blades or skateboards, toboggan or saucer sled etc.

Over the year’s I have noticed that kids of all ages have bought into this method of dividing teams without “pre-arranging” themselves the way participants often do with the old 1,2 count off method. I think it could be because they get to have the connection with their friend first- you are honoring their need to pair with who they are comfortable first before sending them apart.

It can be surprising how intense the discussions and negotiations around these imaginary decisions can be!

I have had many teachers report how they have appreciated this simple exercise for helping practice and reinforce conflict resolution, positive decision- making and the idea of compromising-coming to consensus. Adult participants share that they enjoy the sense of connection and humor from sharing and making decisions about these hypothetical scenarios.

Reference: Tips & Tools for the Art of Experiential Group Facilitation. Jennifer Stanchfield, Wood ‘N’ Barnes Publishing 2007

Middleton School District Experiential Education Curriculum; Jennifer Stanchfield, 2001

I started realizing this might be influenced by the fact that many students in today’s society don’t have the opportunity to engage in the unsupervised free play with peers that many of us who are now adults did during our childhood.

Our society is becoming increasingly isolative.  Children aren’t out playing pickup games of kickball or kick the can in their neighborhoods during free time after school, or on summer evenings as they once did. Parents are often fearful about letting kids play and roam the neighborhood on their own.

Children and adolescents participate in a great deal of solo video and computer games. Most often children’s group recreation these days involves team sports, clubs, and after school programs led by adults. There is obviously great value in structured team and after school programs, and a benefit to having excellent adult role models in these programs who positively impact students.

A downside of this shift is that kid’s are not gaining the important skills that are learned from interaction with peer only groups without adult intervention. They miss out on opportunities to practice being flexible and making compromises with each other in order to make a game work and learning that play is not always “getting their way” or winning. In peer only activities kids gain valuable experience in coming to consensus on the rules of play, decision-making, and developing social skills around communication and conflict resolution.

I remember as a kid having many opportunities for unstructured play in our neighborhood; pickup games of all kinds filled our summer days and after-school hours. Arguments about who was “it” or who won inevitably arose, but we figured out ways to work it out ourselves rather than interrupt the game to run home and get an adult to decide for us. It appears that in modern society with less participation in peer-only play, kids are missing out on opportunities to gain conflict resolution, problem solving and group communication skills. We can help students gain these skills by providing opportunities within our adult led structured programs to practice decision making and communication on their own.

After observing this trend in students I work with,  I started intentionally focusing on implementing activities that practice the use of decision-making by consensus. I purposefully create situations and opportunities that allow students to practice coming to agreement on the rules of the game, a team name, a team symbol etc. I use methods that involve pairs and then groups making simple choices together and work up to practicing group consensus. This a valuable practice for groups of all ages.

In the next few days I will post some of my favorite activities and strategies for helping learners practice these important skills. Please share your thoughts about the changes in the patterns of play, the value of “free play” and strategies you have found useful in helping students learn and practice these valuable life skills within structured programs.

Advisory group leaders report that they are always looking for new ideas for facilitating advisory sessions with students. Many educators are planning for the remaining few months of school, summer programs and the start of next school year. The Chewonki Foundation in Wiscasset Maine and the Southern Vermont Learning Collaborative in Dummerston, Vermont are each hosting a one day workshop designed for advisory group leaders, counselors, teachers, camp and after school program staff.

This workshop explores activities and experiential approaches that teach and reinforce important social and emotional skills such as positive communication, conflict resolution, decision making, reflection, community awareness, respect, responsibility and problem-solving. Attendees will leave with many practical activities they can use in any size space with simple materials. They will learn helpful facilitation tools and techniques and strategies for creating “buy in” from participants, building a positive environment for learning, and helping students make connections from activities done in advisory group to real life situations. These experiential activities and approaches can be applied to academic, therapeutic and recreational group work and adapted to all age groups.

This workshop is a great resource for any group leader!

• Workshop Tuesday May 11th 9:00-3:00 at the Chewonki Foundation in Wiscasset, Maine is $95.00 including lunch. For more information or to register, contact jen@experientialtools.com

• Workshop Tuesday May 18th 9:00-3:30 at the Southern Vermont Learning Collaborative, Dummerston, VT is $120 including lunch. For more information or to register visit: The Southeast Vermont Learning Collaborative
  

Experiential Approaches to Building a Classroom Community: Highlights from Jen Stanchfield’s Winter Workshops for Educators at the Southeast Vermont Learning Collaborative.

This winter SVLC hosted two days of workshops for teachers and school counselors focused on experiential strategies for building a positive classroom environment and active approaches to differentiating instruction.
Thanks to everyone who participated. Your enthusiasm and willingness to share about your experiences as teachers added a great deal to our discussions.

Building a Positive Environment in the Classroom:
On our first day we focused on strategies for building a positive environment in the classroom and school. Our group discussed the importance of taking time to focus on setting a positive tone from the very first day of school. Time spent during those first few days of school building rapport between teacher and student and peer to peer will pay off later in many ways.

For example:

• Research on the brain and learning validates the idea that students learn best when they feel safe and supported in their classroom environment.
• This time spent up front on community building activities helps establish positive behavioral norms and expectations in the classroom, helping teachers with classroom management.
• Starting with community building helps teachers differentiate instruction. By engaging students in activities that practice behaviors such as communication, problem solving, conflict resolution, respect and responsibility teachers can help increase  student’s ability to perform in small groups, stations, group projects and other differentiated approaches to teaching. Attendees later reported that they tried several activities from our workshop in their own classrooms with great success.

Below are two of these favorites:

Handshake Mingle:

This activity is great for introductions, reviewing names, and helping a group become comfortable with each other. It also makes a great active processing/debriefing or kinesthetic academic review activity.

Handshakes could be: high 5 partner, low 5 partner, ankle shake partner, fishing partner etc. Revisit each partner through the sequence. A variation is to combine the handshakes with “get to know you” questions, or later in a classroom group’s experience use this activity with reflection or review questions. It is always helpful to remind students to make sure they know their partner’s name as they rotate through the group. I am always amazed at how participants come out of this activity remembering names of people they have just met.

Directions:

• First, have everyone find a partner;
• Ask the group members to give each other a simple handshake greeting such as a high 5. Then have participants recognize this person now as their high 5 partner. Remind the partners to make sure they know each other’s names.
• Next ask them to find another new partner; for example this could be their low 5 partner (demonstrate). Introduce themselves to this new partner.
• After they greet that partner, have them go and find their High 5 partner, then their low 5 partners, moving around each other amongst the group to find those original partners.
• Then ask them to find a new partner; this is their ankle shake partner. Start the sequence again- find high 5, then low 5, then ankle shake partner.
• Next have students find a brand new partner who becomes their “fishing partner” (one is the reel and one the fish- demonstrate).
• With each of these rotations have students introduce themselves. Remind them to make sure they know their partner’s names.
• We used “dance” partners as well as “pop a wheelie” and demonstrated “lumber jack” and “Sumo” partners
• Have student’s help you come up with new handshakes, or present their own. I have used “rock on” partner, “butterfly” partner and “pop a wheelie” partners.
• Continue this sequence- adding on with new partner activities as appropriate. You will witness laughter, positive interaction and fun.

Participants really will remember each other.
 Later on you can use the partners to form groups, or as a closing at the end of a class activity have them run through this sequence to reflect on their thoughts regarding a class lesson with their partners.

Our group’s notes from this activity:

• Use handshakes that are appropriate for your group- taking into consideration, age, space, social atmosphere, setting, (but don’t be afraid to experiment!). Have students make up their own.
• Even more introverted or “too cool for school” group members “buy in” to this activity- probably because it starts with familiar and simple greetings like High 5 and Low 5, it moves quickly, and everyone is doing the activity at the same time- no one person or pair is in the “spotlight”. Also participants can participate at their own pace or comfort level- if they want to opt out of a handshake or adjust it, they can.
• Teachers noted that I started with simple handshakes that everyone was comfortable and familiar with such as “high 5’s” at first, and then led up to more “challenging” or “silly” handshakes as the group became more comfortable with each other
· This can be used as an active academic review method or reflection activity. The first time you introduce it, it can be community building/ice breaker- later are in a group’s time together you could use it again to reflect on specific questions/ academic content.

Reference: Stanchfield, Tips & Tools for the Art of Experiential Group Facilitation, 2007 Wood ‘N’ Barnes Publishing.

Name Meanings:

When people have more meaningful and interesting information to associate with a person it will help them make a stronger connection and better remember their name.
 In classroom settings where students already know each other’s names this activity helps them learn more about each other, and can lead to a discuss around the importance of honoring a person’s name i.e. pronouncing it correctly, using it appropriately etc.

Directions:

• Simply ask the group to line up silently by the number of letters in their name, or preferred nickname.
• Once the group is successful, have them go around and share their name and what they know about its origin, i.e. whether it was a family name, or what they know about its meaning.

This activity has become a particular favorite. Groups find it interesting and fun, helping them connect and learn more about each other. It even works with large classrooms. I have seen 24 middle school students successfully complete this activity-giving each other their full attention. Students seem interested in listening to and sharing this kind of “personal” information.
”Name Meanings” could stimulate conversation with students and their family members too. It can be tied into a family tree activity. We also talked about how it could support differentiated instruction by helping students get comfortable with “seminar style” classroom sharing.

Reference: I learned this activity from a group of teachers in Laconia, NH. Stanchfield, Tips & Tools for the Art of Experiential Group Facilitation, 2007 Wood ‘N’ Barnes Publishing.

Thanks to everyone who attended the workshops and shared your ideas and insights about teaching. I look forward to seeing you at another workshop sometime soon.

Join me and Marie Paige this summer at the Southeast Vermont Learning Collaborative for our 3 credit summer course July 6th-8th entitled: Experiential Strategies to Differentiate Instruction and Foster a Positive Environment for Learning.