Return-Path: <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id h8RBdqV11443; Sat, 27 Sep 2003 07:39:52 -0400 (EDT) Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2003 07:39:52 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <20030927113651.85710.qmail@web12503.mail.yahoo.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Ajit Gopalakrishnan <agopalakrishnan@yahoo.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:677] Re: [NIFL-AALPD] Re: Qualities of a Good Facilitator X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Status: O Content-Length: 6583 Lines: 165 Alden, > -- A really good night's sleep....the ability to be > very very centered, and present I concur. In my view self-preparation is perhaps the most important thing I can do to prepare for especially a "neutral" facilitation assignment. Ajit --- Aldenwrite@aol.com wrote: > The list moderator asked several questions. I agree > with and appreciated several of the responses so > far. My two cents on the last two questions... > > Question: What have you learned from your > experience that makes a good facilitator? > > -- Remember that you are just that -- a facilitator > of learning -- not the only one who knows, not the > only one who could present something new, not the > expert on the learners or their context. In any > point in the session, you could ask the learners to > present the material (in a way you creatively > structure), ask the learners what they agree with > what you are saying or not, find out how the "new" > applies or doesn't to their context or how they will > be applying what you are there to facilitate. > > -- If it is a meeting you are facilitating (and this > can be true for training too), keep clear that you > are a "neutral" ... freeing up participants to > equally participate ...presenting back to them what > you have heard (in summary form, as an emerging > consensus, as a key difference of view), what may be > ready for a decision, what on the agenda has been > covered or is yet to be, what choices there are for > the group as a next step if something has come up > unexpectedly. :>) > > --Keeping aware of BOTH "task" and "relationship" (I > am sure this is old hat to all on this list.) Task > including: the purpose for why all are there, > covering the goals in time allotted, etc. > Relationship including: the dynamics in the room of > comfort/safety, participants' respectfulness of one > another, energy/engagement in the room, > agreement/disagreement verbally and nonverbally, > seeing opportunity for learning moments, etc. > > -- Finding out as much as one can about the context > and learners ahead of time: why this facilitation > is needed, is it mandated or not, what participants > have experienced before as facilitation and liked or > didn't, goals for the time together by various > stakeholders, dynamics between participants and a > little about each person/program attending (if > possible). As a first activity, finding out more > (confirm timeframe, in what contexts might this > training materials be applied by each "back home," > prior knowledge of the topic, etc. Later in the > session, finding out more about contexts, barriers > that exist to applying the topic, resistances, etc. > > > -- A really good night's sleep....the ability to be > very very centered, and present > > -- I differ from a previous listserv poster, about > the adult brain's natural tendency to want to > logically categorize....at least that this is a > primary need. Instead -- basing this view on 25 > years in adult ed/literacy including my work and > book on contextual literacy with Tom Sticht in the > '90s, and my work and book on literacy for > empowerment with Paulo Freire in the '80's -- I > believe that good facilitation helps adult learners > in their natural want and need to: > > (1) Connect what is being learned to what is deeply > motivating (helps to remember...more from > heart/energy than head/logic, helps to want to > learn/apply it...Freire's "generative themes" is all > about this), > > (2) Tap into prior knowledge (this helps them to > remember best, and does help them to "categorize" > the new as it follows previously formed > neurochemical pathways leading to prior knowledge, > thus better enabling long term memory of this new > learning), > > (3) Critically reflect on what is presented rather > than passively be told to remember it, or that it is > right (learners internal wisdom being ultimately > respected). Ponder this: education is a political > act -- power defined here as: who has / who > doesn't, who knows / who doesn't, who decides / for > whom? While of course all is a continuum, one can > still examine what is at the deepest root. What > beliefs are underneath a > facilitator/trainer/training sponsor's beginning > assumptions about a training, the > structuring/decisions about the training, and in > tiniest choices or methods of the > facilitator/trainer? Education either indoctrinates > or education enables new creative thinking -- and in > so doing, education either rests power and respect > in the training sponsor/facilitator, or in the > learners/trainees. > > (4) Soon apply what is learned (which again taps > back into motivation for retention, new knowledge or > skill is best retained when it is applied or > facilitated with others, and puts in action what was > learned (in learners' own context) which makes > whatever-it-is better one hopes!) > > Question: And if you had the teachers/learners in > your group evaluate your facilitation of the > class/workshop/conference session/PD event, what > kind of feedback would > be most helpful to you, and to the event planners? > > -- While paper or group evaluation discussion at the > end can be helpful, I find most helpful to ask, > weeks or even months later: What learnings have > stayed with you? What have you done differently > because of that [class/workshop/conference session]? > Give specific examples in responses. What > questions do you now have? What support do you > need? > > -- At the end of the session, one might ask: -- In > what specific ways do you think you can apply what > you learned? How ready do you feel to apply this? > Is there any barrier still in the way of applying > this; if so, what are some strategies for these > barriers? -- What learning will most stay with you, > biggest "ah-hah"? -- What are your questions now? > -- How can you keep learning more about this or get > help in applying it? What support do you need to do > so? -- Would you recommend this facilitator to > another group; why or why not? -- Bests and worsts > (learning activities, parts of the day, parts to > keep/revise, etc.) and WHY? (Where possible I > always ask why.) > > Hope to hear other views! > > Alden Lancaster > Participatory & Contextual Training Design > 6708 Poplar Ave. > Takoma Park, MD 20912 > (301) 270-2222 (voice) / (301) 270-2042 (fax) > Aldenwrite@aol.com > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search http://shopping.yahoo.com
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