DESIGNING AND FACILITATING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES -Sharon Lampard Red Deer Public

The best way to get a good idea is to get a lot of ideas. -Linus Pauling

Today’s Agenda Section A: The Facilitator’s Toolbox 1. Qualities of an Effective Facilitator 2. Adult Learning Theory 3. Communication Techniques 4. Handling “Challenging” Participants

Section B: The Workshop: Planning for Success 1.Behind the Scenes 2.Workshop Planner Formats 3.Ideas for Beginning Well 4.Ideas for “the Main Event” 5.Ideas for Ending Well

Section C: Workshop Reflections Reflections: 1. Participants’ Assessment 2. Facilitators’ Assessment

Major Models of Professional Development Training Involvement in a Process Individually Guided Activities Observation/Assessment Study Groups Inquiry/Action Research Mentoring

Workshop Goals 1.Examine qualities of effective facilitators 2.Examine characteristics of effective workshops / inservices 3.Provide a toolbox of options for facilitators 4.Provide examples that encourage reflective practice. 5.and…..

Workshop Goal #5 ? 5. Enable participants to leave this workshop thinking….

Bring it on! I can do it!

LIKE ME…

PARKING LOT Process: Use stickies and post ideas/questions as they occur Purposes: Ideas are not lost Focus of the workshop is not interrupted Allows facilitator to meet unidentified needs at the appropriate times.

Protocols Q. # 1 : Why might we need them? Q # 2 : If needed, what would be included? Strategies: Reporter/ Recorder Brainstorm / Pass

Gallery Walk (also known as Carousel) Instructions: 1.Groups of 5 - five questions posted for discussion 2.Each group begins at a different question/station 3.You have 3 minutes to write your responses to each question 4.Groups rotate clockwise after each 3 minutes 5.Once back to your original question, review all responses and prepare to report to the group at large

Gallery Walk Questions (also known as Carousel) 1.What characteristics/qualities are evident in workshops that you most enjoy being a participant? 2.What are the characteristics/qualities of workshops you believe were least productive and/or produced the least learning? 3.Identify unique (and not so unique) qualities of the Adult Learner – your colleagues. 4.In T-Chart format, identify challenging behaviours you have witnessed in workshops as well as suggestions for facilitators to handle these behaviours. 5.In T-Chart form, identify the characteristics of effective workshop facilitators and quality professional development.

Dotmocracy

Conversations have the capacity to promote reflection, to create and exchange craft knowledge, and to help improve the organization. - Roland Barth

Effective Facilitation

Role of the Facilitator 1.Assure a pleasant atmosphere 2.Begin with introductions – modeled by the facilitator 3.Establish the ground rules 4.Clarify the roles of the group members 5.Set time limits – clarify them on a sheet / overhead visible to participants. For each activity, be certain the participants are aware of the time constraints. 6.Manage the energy of the group and maintain discussion – know when it is time to wrap up one activity and begin another 7.Involve everyone in the discussion 8.Clarify/summarize comments as appropriate 9.Evaluate the workshop

A Strong Facilitator… Exhibits genuine enthusiasm for his/her role and topic Is prepared to modify his/her expectations of the participants Is clear about the expected outcomes/objectives well in advance of the workshop Is prepared to modify the agenda, if needed Plans ways for all participants to learn more from each other as well as from what you present on the topic Knows when to be quiet and let others speak Knows when to be quiet – even if there is silence. This may promote more thinking prior to a response. Welcomes questions and does not become defensive Has techniques for involving participants meaningfully Models the behaviours expected of the participants Asks for feedback

A team will out-perform a group of individuals every time. - James B. Miller

- Colleagues are engaged in conversations about teaching and learning and encouraged to reflect on ways to improve their practice.

-Teachers work collaboratively to generate ideas that enhance learning for everyone.

- Teachers develop professional relationships with other teachers that enable them to observe one another and share best practices

The Magic Number 6 An Idea presented only once has a 10% chance of being retained after 30 days… but an idea intermittently reviewed six times has a 90% chance of being retained after 30 days. - Albert Mehrabian Silent Messages

“Chunk” Content The average adult can listen with understanding for 90 minutes, but with retention for only 20 minutes. Even better is the 10-2 rule: After every 10 minutes of content spend 2 minutes interacting with the content. - Tony Buzan Use Both Sides of Your Brain

PERCENTAGE OF INFORMATION RETAINED After 3 hoursAfter 3 days TELL ONLY70 % SHOW ONLY72% SHOW and TELL85% Delivering Effective Training Sessions p. 71 Geri E. H. McArdle

PERCENTAGE OF INFORMATION RETAINED After 3 hoursAfter 3 days TELL ONLY70 %10% SHOW ONLY72%20% SHOW and TELL85%65% - Delivering Effective Training Sessions p. 71 Geri E. H. McArdle

The Workshop Behind the Scenes: planning a workshop Refer to Sections A, B and C.

Wrapping Up…

Techniques practiced today…

PREPARATION/ CONTENT Start on Time - Greet people Workshop Planner / Agenda/ Goals Time limits vs. Flexibility Aware of adult learning theory Chunking Overplan Evaluations/Assessment

STRATEGIES Line up Protocols Like Me Parking Lot Gallery Walk / Carousel Select a reporter: Pound, Pound, Pound, Point Select a Reporter/Recorder - other ways Dotmocracy Reporting to the large group Think / Pair / Share Revisit Goals Reflection / Assessment Exercise Facilitator Assessment (Line-up revisited, as one assessment tool)

Staff development leaders have to ask themselves which strategies make sense to use at what particular time with that particular set of teachers for a particular set of outcomes. -Susan Loucks-Horsley

Goals Revisited 1.Examine qualities of effective facilitators 2.Examine characteristics of effective workshops / inservices 3.Provide a toolbox of options for facilitators 4.Provide examples that encourage reflective practice. 5.and…..

Workshop Goal #5 ? …Enable participants to leave this workshop thinking …. Bring it on! I can do it!

things I learned today 2 observations I made about my learning today 1 “ah-ha” insight I had today

The discussions that lead up to the creation of the vision are a form of professional development and adult learning that generates a sense of “ownership” of new ideas and practices, rather than mere program ‘buy-in.’ -Tony Wagner