Effective Group Facilitation in Education

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.

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