Strategy
– if you want to encourage people to use – state at beginning you will be
giving away poster to someone who asks meaningful questions.
Introduce by saying:
In order to meet all
Learning needs we have a parking lot.
If you have a question,
thought or idea you would like us to know but it’s not the right time or you
don’t want to ask it out loud – write it on a post-a-note and put it on Parking
Lot. We will answer throughout the session.
Hints:
If no one puts one up
anything in the first hour or so do one yourself then answer publicly like it
is anonymous.
If someone asks a
question you can’t or don’t want to answer at the moment ask them to write it
on a post-a-note and put on the Parking Lot.
Choose a fun poster or
drawing or something you want people to notice to put the post-it-notes on.
Fishbowl
Strategy:
Fishbowl is an
alternative to panel presentation.
Room set-up:
Arrange room so
that there are two concentric circles of chairs in room. Inside circle is for the people who will
speak first. In that circle there will be one chair for each person in fishbowl
and empty one chair. Rest of chairs are arranged circling that circle.
Moderator stands along side the inside circle
Introduce by Saying:
We will use the
Fishbowl to have a conversation about ways to encourage and ensure that
students have an active role in our group over the next couple of days. The
process we will use is the inside circle will talk first. If you as audience
member want to add a thought or join the conversation move to empty chair when
done return to your seat and leave the chair for someone else. When the inside
circle is done the outside circle will have a chance to react to what you
heard. We have given you a template to record your thoughts and questions on as
you listen. On one side we have a suggested format for organizing the
information. If this does not work for you feel free to turn it over and use
the blank side.
Tell participants we
will eavesdrop on conversation about the following questions:
Questions for center participants:
What can we do to
encourage the students to speak out and lead us through the student-centered
planning process?
What are some things
the group can do to make sure the adults don’t take over the process / conversation?
Hints:
Ask first question then
step back let people have conversation
Prompt as necessary. As
conversation winds down move them to next question.
Remember 8 second rule
– some people need 8 seconds of silence before talking
If people look at you instead
of fishbowl participants step further away and keep eyes on audience.
As conversation winds
down-close down the inside circle and if time allows physically move inside
circle to outside and outside circle in. Have people who just were listening process
what they heard. If not time to move just have conversation in place or have
them talk to a partner.
Strategy:
It is important
to teach and practice the silence starter so that we will be able to get room
quiet quickly. Research on education show that the average teacher, without a
silence starter, takes over 1 minute to get a class settled and ready to work.
With a silence starter it is down to 4 seconds. Imagine how much time is
saved!!
The way we will
use the silence starter is;
When we want
your attention we will raise our hand then you:
Raise your hand
Finish your
sentence
Let others
around you know that hands are up
Stop talking
Eyes on
facilitator
One trick to getting
quiet quickly is that if you see a hand up tell other groups/neighbors who
might not notice.
Example: What are you doing for (fill in an upcoming
event or weekend?)
Give people a chance to
start talking after about a minute raise you hand. Time how long it takes
people to get quiet-let know – Tell them goal is less than 4 seconds-we will
keep trying
Time the first few
times hands go up to call attention to it