Effective Group Facilitation in Education: How to Energize Meetings and Manage Difficult Groups

by John F. Eller

Overview

Tap into proven do's and don'ts for facilitating dynamic and productive meetings. Get tips on team building, brainstorming, motivating, delegating, and more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506318462
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	03/18/2004
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

John Eller has had a variety of experiences in working with adults over the years he has been in education. His experiences include work educational leaders at Virginia Tech University, developing teacher leaders in a Maters program, serving as the Executive Director of Minnesota ASCD, work as a principal’s training center director, a position as an assistant superintendent for curriculum, learning, and staff development, and several principal positions in a variety of settings. In addition to the work he does in training and supporting facilitators, John also does work in the areas of dealing with difficult people, building professional learning communities, employee evaluation, conferencing skills, coaching skills, strategic planning strategies, school improvement planning and implementation, differentiated instruction, leadership for differentiation, employee recruitment, selection, and induction, supervisory skills, and effective teaching strategies.

He has his PhD. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Loyola University-Chicago and his MS in Educational Leadership from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. John has authored books on substitute teaching, wrote The Training Video Series for the Professional School Bus Driver, The principals’ Guide to Custodial Supervision contributes articles for the publication Superintendents Only. He wrote Effective Group Facilitation in Education: How to Energize Meetings and Manage Difficult Groups, and co-authored So Now You’re the Superintendent, the best selling, Energizing Staff Meetings and Creative Strategies to Improve School Culture all through Corwin Press.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
1. What am I Getting Into?
Why do We Get People Together to Meet?
When Do We Use Teams?
The Impact of a Facilitator on the Effectiveness of a Group
The Unique Position of a Group Facilitator
Internal Versus External Facilitators
Characteristics of Effective Facilitators
Your Mission as a Facilitator
Summary
2. Get Ready, Get Set...
The Importance of Planning to a Successful Session
Factors to Take Into Consideration When Planning Meetings
Breaking the Meeting Tasks Into Parts
Planning for the Effective Delivery of Directions
Summary
3. Go
Setting the Proper Tone for a Meeting
The Use of Music
Foundation-Setting Activities
Good News
The Use of Framing
Active Learning Strategies
Watching Team Member Behaviors During the Start of a Meeting
Opening the Session
Setting Norms and Ground Rules
Summary
4. Connecting All Members of the Team
Interdependence/Community and Its Importance to Team Operation
Community
Team Building
Conflict Resolution
Conflict and Chaos
Protecting Team Members During the Decision-Making Process
Protecting Team Members When Announcing the Results of Their Decisions
Keeping Uninvolved Stakeholder Groups Informed About Decision Progress
Summary
5. Reaching Peak Performance: Connecting Their Minds
The Need to Minimize/Maximize Energy
Diagnosing Group Energy
Working/Processing Combinations
Grouping and Regrouping Strategies
Other Group Processing Strategies
Summary
6. Working the Brain
Brainstorming Techniques
Brainstorming Strategies and Ideas
Summary
7. Reaching the Goal
The Problem with Goals
Typical Issues Inhibiting Goal Implementation Success and Facilitator Implications
Other Important Considerations for Success in the Goal Process
Summary
8. Putting On Your Oxygen Mask
Important Factors for Facilitators to Track
Importance of Self-Protection
Understanding Your Role as the Group Facilitator
Use of Positive Presuppositions
Gesturing
Use of Charts, Papers and Other Visuals to Deflect Anger
Use of Positioning in the Room
Developing an Exit Plan
Reflect Emotions/Content Back to the Group
Summary
9. Transforming a Difficult Group
What is a Difficult Group?
Problem People
Identification Strategies
Starting a Session
Music and Difficult Groups
Foundation-Setting Activities
Framing
Use of an Agenda
Summary
References
Index