Crafting a Training Agenda
Cover page:
- Name of the Training
- Goals of the training
- Time: (No single training should be longer than 2.5 hours; but a training can have sub-sections (some required, others optional). And these sections can be whatever length makes sense up to 2.5 hours.)
- Overview of Agenda
- Materials needed (ie. butcher paper, markers, hand outs, visuals)
Trainers agenda
- The Trainers agenda should have all content and format that a trainer will need, as well as notes where their are multiple options or flexibility
- Each section of a training should have: a clear title, time allocated, objective or question it aims to answer
- The training should include at least 2 of the facilitation Techniques/Training Exercises (see below) that ensures bringing out the collective wisdom in the room through interaction between participants
- Every Training should have an evaluation (either written or outloud) (evaluation template: here)
- Spectrum exercises: IE. one side of the room is Yes, middle is Maybe, and the other side is No. Ask a series of questions and spark conversation based on where people stand
- Theater exercises - silent, with noise, with words -- includes prep and debrief (ie. "make a sculpture with your bodies that represents "leadership")
- Art Projects
- Silent reading / reading outloud
- Quotations on strips of paper out on a table, have people read a bunch and chose one, go around and say whey they chose it
- Gallery walks (ie. post pictures or text on the wall and have people walk around and look at/read them)
- Silent writing
- Silent writing in response to something - write down responses or questions and fold up and put into a hat - go through the hat and respond to what is on the paper anonymously
- Role plays:
- Traditional role play
- Beep in role play (have different people "beep in" to pick up the scenario when they current role playing has hit a challenge or just to try a different tactic)
- Role play where someone knows information the others don't (ie. a phone call where a core member knows s/he didn't come through on a task, but the "cc" in the role play does not know that yet)
- With continuous questions being shot at someone
- Open Questions digging (ie. a role play of an indy where the purpose to practice asking open questions not solving the person's problem for them or telling them what to do)
- Other Discussion formats:
- Pair and Share
- Go around
- Small groups
- Report backs
- Popcorn discussion (open)
- Brainstorms (no responding to other people, no idea is a bad idea)
- Debates
- Timed Talking
- Watch a video as a discussion prompt
- FISHBOWL DISCUSSION
- A few members of group form circle in the middle of the room.
- Everyone else forms a larger circle around them.
- Inner circle discusses responses to particular questions.
- FACILITATED GROUP DISCUSSION
- Question is written on the wall.
- Facilitator guides group discussion beginning with the framing question and then guides group responses to other questions that might spin off.
o Form A: Individuals who form outer circle may "tap into" inner circle when they want to make comments.
o Form B: After a certain amount of time, outer circle and inner circle switch.
o Form C: Inner circle discussion is brought to a close and the outer circle reflects on and responds to the inner circle's discussion.
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THINK- PAIR- SHARE
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Step 1: Individuals write a response to a prompt.
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Step 2: Pair up and share.
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Step 3: Regroup and discuss.
- SPEED CONSULTATION
- Step 1: Each participant picks a question to explore.
- Step 2: Pair up and respond to question.
- Step 3: Switch several times, each time asking the same question (collect multiple responses to the same question).
- BREAK-OUT GROUPS AND GALLERY WALK
- Small groups break-out and discuss responses to a question.
- Each group chooses how to represent their reflections/questions/responses on large paper (i.e. notes, timelines, flow charts, images, quotes).
- Group rotates throughout the room in a "gallery walk" viewing each others' responses.