Gwyn Williams March 17th & 19th TEAMMATES ask listen encourage

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Agenda  Welcome  Why think about positive interaction?  ASK effective questions  LISTEN actively  ENCOURAGE success  Closing

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Ask-Listen-Encourage Workshop Objectives Participants will…  understand the concept of positive, purposeful interaction with youth.  learn the characteristics of effective questions.  understand the concept of active listening.  learn how the characteristics of effective positive responses to youth and their work.

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Ask-Listen-Encourage and the Youth Program Quality Assessment (PQA)

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Opening Activity Who supported you?

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Positive, Purposeful Interactionpage 7 Why Ask-Listen-Encourage?  Stimulate deep thinking and problem-solving  Encourage genuine youth-adult partnerships  Empower youth  Build relationships  Help adults understand youth  Improve conversation Ask EncourageListen

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Business Card Mixer 5 questions in 5 minutes Photo courtesy of Freddthompson

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Convergent vs Divergent Questions Convergent questions are “close-ended” and based on factual information.  They converge on a “right” answer, often “yes” or “no.”  They elicit a minimal response.  The questioner usually has the answer in mind.  Common in tests. QUESTIONONE ANSWER

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Convergent VS Divergent Questions Divergent questions are “open-ended” and do not have a single right answer.  Usually a range of possible responses.  Stimulate conversation.  May elicit long, in-depth answers.  The questioner doesn’t necessarily have a correct answer in mind. QUESTION MANY ANSWERS

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Questions Practice Converting Convergent Questions pg 16  Replace each convergent question with a divergent one. Creating Divergent Questions pg 17  Write three divergent questions related to each topic.

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE ASK Effective Questionspage 8  Ask lots of great questions.  Divergent  Relevant  Challenging  Balance questions with comments and dialogue.  Make sure every youth in a group has input.

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE ASK Effective Questions What makes a question relevant?  Relate to the youth interests.  Relate to context of situation.  Move the process or conversation forward.

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Ms. Johnson and Michael page 18  What gets in the way of Ms. Johnson and Michael communicating?

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Roadblocks to Communicationpage 27  Ordering  Warning, threatening  Preaching, repeating “should” and “ought”  Offering solutions  Lecturing  Judging, criticizing, blaming  Name calling, stereotyping, labeling  Interpreting, analyzing, diagnosing  Praising, agreeing, giving positive evaluations  Reassuring, sympathizing, consoling  Questioning, interrogating  Distracting, being sarcastic, diverting

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE LISTEN Activelypage 10  Show that you're listening.  Identify feelings and empathize.  Hold back and let youth speak.  Remember context and details.

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE ENCOURAGE Successpage 11  Participate alongside youth.  Encourage youth to describe plans, feelings, and goals.  Make specific comments.  Avoid judgement and be honest.

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE The Definitions…  Praise: 1.An expression of approval 2.To express favorable judgment of (value-driven) 3.To glorify, attributing perfection  Encouragement: 1.To inspire with courage 2.To spur on; stimulate 3.To point out the positive aspects of behavior 4.To show appreciation for contribution Adapted from: Nelson, Jane (2006) Positive Discipline. New York: Ballantine Books by Ashley Cooper, M.Ed.

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Defining Praise and Encouragement  Praise = ME telling you about you.  Encouragement = YOU telling me about you.  On the Youth PQA:  Praise alone gets a score of 3  Encouragement with or without praise gets a score of 5

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Some believe that young people need praise. But… “…All kids need food too, but it's the kind of food that we give that's important to think about.“ -Jan Gravley “Think of praise like a big, thick piece of chocolate cake. It tastes great and is good every once in a while. But we couldn't survive just eating cake. Encouragement is the nourishment our emotional body needs.” - North American Montessori Center- Blog March 11th 2008

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Criteria for Determining Effective Encouragementpage 12 EffectiveIneffective Evaluation Are we helping youth evaluate themselves… Or are we evaluating youth? Self- Determination Are we helping youth feel a sense of control… Or are we manipulating their behavior? Intrinsic Motivation Are we creating conditions for youth to become deeply involved in what they are doing… Or are we creating conditions for them to try to win our approval?

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Applying Ask-Listen-Encourage page 37 Ask Ask lots of great questions (divergent, relevant, challenging) Balance questions with comments and dialogue. Make sure every youth in a group has input. Encourage Participate alongside youth. Encourage youth to describe plans, feelings, and goals. Make specific comments. Avoid judgement and be honest. Listen Show that you're listening. Identify feelings and empathize. Hold back and let youth speak. Remember context and details.

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE

Reflection

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Thank you!  Lingering Questions?  Evaluations  Contact Us… 124 Pearl Street Suite 601 Ypsilanti, MI

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE ALTERNATE ACTIVITIES Ask Listen Encourage

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Construction  Your structure will be awarded points on:  Design—Up to 10 points for use of materials and construction  Survival Factor—Up to 10 points for how well the egg survives or how tall the tower is.  Creativity—Up to 10 points for the aesthetic incorporation of materials

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Interesting Objects  Select an object.  Ask and answer the question on your card, and only the question on the card.

David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · ASK – LISTEN – ENCOURAGE Role Play  Write a scenario involving a youth and an adult.  Act out the scenario and practice your skills for Ask, Listen, and Encourage.