[nabs-l] Facilitation tips

Sun Feb 16 05:35:44 UTC 2014

I have one more thing to add with this discussion. I have limited experience
with this, but when I was in middle school I was in a program that
essentially helped younger students adjust to middle school. There would
basically be two people leading a group of 6-10 people that would talk about
goal setting, getting involved, stuff like that. I did what Darian mentioned
and had people raise their hands and say their name. I knew the girl who was
leading with me because we were in elementary school together, so she knew
how it was best to work with me in certain situations such as calling on
people. 
I wouldn't recommend you calling on everyone, rather you and your partner
sharing the work when it was  appropriate to do so. 
The thing I have to add is, you have to really, really know what you are
doing, and you have to be confident. You have to project this confidence so
the group can feel it. Otherwise, no one will take you seriously and will
not consider you an equal. For example. If the lesson for me was on goal
setting, while everyone else would just generally look down at the sheet
while talking, I would memorize the sheet and what were supposed to do. 

HTH

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Arielle
Silverman
Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2014 12:03 AM
To: sandragayer7 at gmail.com; National Association of Blind Students mailing
list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Facilitation tips

When I am leading a discussion as a teacher or presenter, I always start by
explicitly saying that I can't see raised hands and that people should speak
up if they want to participate. In my experience, people usually speak one
at a time even if you don't require them to say their names. I have found
that sometimes students, in particular, feel awkward about saying their
names so I just suggest they speak up if they want to participate and that
if multiple people are speaking at once I will ask for names and specify the
order that people should speak in. People usually pick this up pretty
quickly especially if no one reinforces them if they try to raise their
hands.
Another technique I learned from Adrienne Asch is to allow people to raise
hands but require the first discussant to speak and then have that person
call on the next person who has a hand raised. The second discussant calls
on the third, etc. Adrienne has had good luck with this method. I have not
used it yet myself because in my classes we have not had extended
discussions (usually just 1-3 responses at a
time) but it may work well for your group. It can help build a stronger
sense of camaraderie between group members.

Arielle

On 2/14/14, Sandra Gayer <sandragayer7 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello,
> I've taught in small groups and I didn't have an assistant, sighted or 
> otherwise. It depends where you are in the room, in relation to the 
> other people because I found it easy to tell who was lost, who was or 
> wasn't concentrating so I would home in on them without their having 
> to ask. Sometimes, of course, children will have questions and they 
> just prefaced with my name automatically. However, I would echo what 
> has already been said. Start as you mean to go on. Suggest to your 
> assistant that he or she stands at a distance from you and only 
> approach you if you give a signal that you need help. (This can be 
> prearranged and doesn't, necessarily, have to be a visual one). Ask 
> people to address you by saying your name, followed by theirs, (if you 
> can't identify everyone by ear yet). Above all, have fun with it and 
> deliver your rules in a fun, personable way.
>
> Very best wishes,
> Sandra.
>
> On 2/14/14, Carly Mihalakis <carlymih at comcast.net> wrote:
>> Hi, Julie,
>>
>> Or, just make it known to everybody in the group of your blindness 
>> and encourage people just to speak up upon having something to say.
>> "All ya gotta do is make your blindness known to all. The rest, 
>> should happen organically. No fuss, no muss!
>> for today, Car
>> 408-209-3239
>>
>> sp10:06 PM 2/13/2014, Julie McGinnity wrote:
>>>I agree.  You should definitely establish that rasing hands won't 
>>>work, since you can't see it.  You should also tell your 
>>>cofacilitator and ask him not to acknowledge when someone raises 
>>>their hand.  That might be a bit weird, but it will help the 
>>>reinforcement.  It definitely can be facilitating groups.  Just 
>>>remember to speak up, and you can make it work.
>>>
>>>On 2/13/14, justin williams <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> > Establish your rrule set before you start.  Make sure everyone 
>>> > knows that you can't see, and to please remember that and just say 
>>> > something.
>>> > Ask
>>> > for
>>> > everyone's cooperation. Talk it over with your fellow facilitator.
>>> > Also,
>>> > if
>>> > you have a counseling department, then see if a group counselingg 
>>> > professor can give you more tips.
>>> >
>>> > -----Original Message-----
>>> > From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of minh 
>>> > ha
>>> > Sent: Friday, February 14, 2014 12:40 AM
>>> > To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> > Subject: [nabs-l] Facilitation tips
>>> >
>>> > Hi all,
>>> >
>>> > I am in a student organization called FACES, which promotes and 
>>> > fosters healthy dialogue on my campus regarding issues of race and 
>>> > privilege.
>>> > Recently, we began hosting book groups for students to read books 
>>> > on subjects of race and I am acting as a facilitator along with 
>>> > one other member. Anyway, the first meeting was tonight and I 
>>> > found it extremely hard to capture the attention of the students 
>>> > in my group.
>>> > When they had something to say, they would either raise their hand 
>>> > or make eye contact with my co-facilitator for him to give them 
>>> > the ok to talk.
>>> > It
>>> > was super frustrating for me because I felt like I wasn't helping 
>>> > leading the discussion at all, instead just acting as a 
>>> > participant. Have you guys lead discussions of this nature before 
>>> > and what tips did you use to help you be a better facilitator? Any 
>>> > suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>>> >
>>> > Cheers,
>>> > Minh
>>> >
>>> > --
>>> > "All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the 
>>> > dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was
vanity:
>>> > but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on 
>>> > their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible." T. E. 
>>> > Lawrence
>>> >
>>> > _______________________________________________
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>>>
>>>--
>>>Julie McG
>>>National Association of Guide dog Users board member,  National 
>>>Federation of the Blind performing arts division secretary, Missouri 
>>>Association of Guide dog Users President, and Guiding Eyes for the 
>>>Blind graduate 2008 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only 
>>>Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have 
>>>eternal life."
>>>John 3:16
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
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>>>t.net
>>
>>
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>
>
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