Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
Hints for facilitators. . . <br />• Think through the statement that is to be completed carefully with the <br />group leadership. Completing a statement and thereby affirming <br />something seems to work better than responding to a question. <br />• If using 5x8 cards rather than post -it notes, prepare an adequate <br />number of tape strips in advance - -these can* be <br />lined up on tables near newsprint. Saves time and confusion. <br />• Be sure to remind people to keep their ideas to three or four words <br />and to write large so that later they ideas can be seen by everyone <br />for the clustering step. <br />• Be sure to allow 3 or 4 minutes for individual brainstorming after <br />posing the statement -- otherwise some participants won't have time <br />to collect their thoughts and their wisdom will be lost if they don't <br />participate. <br />• If you bypass the small team discussion, you will be less likely to <br />get everyone's ideas and a few people may dominate the discussion. <br />• Ask participants to cluster the cards and rearrange them or tell the <br />facilitator exactly where to place them - -this is a group decision. The <br />facilitator shouldn't be the one to organize ideas but should ask <br />questions to clarify meaning and help the group come to a consensus. <br />• Think ahead of time about the importance of the ideas being <br />generated. Conclude with a question about implications or next <br />steps. This gives people a chance to see the value in their thinking <br />together. <br />• Keep additional cards handy to use in labeling clusters of ideas. <br />NASW's Meeting of the Profession, Baltimore MD, Oct. 6, 1997 5 <br />