This evening as I sit cutting out quotes with "new year" and "new beginnings" themes in preparation for some upcoming workshops, I have been reflecting on the power of strong beginnings. Here is an excerpt from my upcoming book Inspired Educator, Inspired Learner that explores this...
A century ago, John Dewey emphasized the importance of engaging learners in reflection. He believed that our experiences shape us, and when reflective practice is part of the learning, meaning and relevancy is created, initiating further growth and change (Dewey, 1933). Reflection is a key...
Reflection brings learning to life. Reflective practice helps learners find relevancy and meaning in a lesson and make connections between educational experiences and real life situations, increases insight, and creates pathways to future learning....
The art of teaching and group facilitation requires a careful balance of challenge, observation, encouragement, guidance, and the ability to know when to step in to help learners, and when to step back and let them learn through struggling with a problem. Sometimes educators have...
In today's post, I offer another activity that is useful for exploring how complicated communication can be, and how miscommunication arises. This activity is sure to initiate meaningful reflection and dialogue with the groups you work with....
In yesterday's post I shared one of my favorite activities for jumpstarting reflection and conversation with groups about communication and the pitfalls of miscommunication called "Telegraph". Others that I use for this purpose are "Zoom", "Tin Can Pass", and "Communication Break Down" which I...
One of the most fundamental aspects of team-building and developing a positive learning and working environment is effective communication. Communication skills are an incredibly important social-emotional skill necessary for success in the 21st century workplace. Group facilitators and educators often look for activities to practice...
The teachers, corporate trainers, high school advisors and other educators I work with are constantly trying to create a balance of learning in their classes and groups. These interactive strategies help learners practice, review, synthesize and discuss academic material. Through playful collaborative learning teachers increase...
During this "back to school" and fall program kick off time of year educators engage groups in introductory activities, ice-breakers and get to know you activities. Regardless of the types of groups you work with it is useful to have a repertoire of simple and...
On Thursday I shared one of my favorite methods for sparking conversation and building rapport in groups that I call "Team Tally". This group commonalities questionnaire serves as a “get to know you” or group celebration activity that involves friendly competition between teams of students...
It's time once again for back to school and fall program kick off. Here is an activity that is perfect for building rapport in new groups coming together for the first time, or for exploring commonalities and group building in existing groups of all kinds. Team...
My summer travels forced me to take a break from the blog. Today I’m inspired to write again after reading Adam Clark’s comment on my June post about “Making the Most of Transitions”. “Great post here with lots of useful suggestions for transitions! Even though we...
Here in New England schools are wrapping up for the year. Over the past few weeks I have been working with a number of local schools to facilitate transition activities such as “step up day” and graduation celebrations. Teachers and advisory group leaders often ask...
A number of group facilitators and teachers who visit my site asked about the pictures of dominoes they have seen in some of my workshop and classroom activity photo albums. Per these requests, this post offers ideas for using dominoes to engage groups of all...
To be playful and serious at the same time defines the ideal mental condition.- John Dewey
Play, Brain Research and 21st Century Learning
We learn some of our most basic life skills through play. Play contributes to the development of one of our most important...
In today’s post I share another example of using this group building and dialogue activity to create context, inspire inquiry into a subject, and facilitate formative assessment. As Jessica Dubie showed us last week, variations of this technique could be used in a variety of...
In my past two posts I explored an active dialogue activity “Trade and Share” that can be used as a rapport builder, and for reflection. In the next couple of posts I am offering variations of this technique to explore and reinforce academic content. After using...
As discussed in the February 2013 article, using postcards, image cards and objects are powerful ways to spark introductory conversations and initiate meaningful individual and group reflection on learning experiences. They are also effective techniques for using metaphor to reflect upon and celebrate the strengths...