On Monday, January 12, the K-16 CFG met in Janet's classroom at Johnston. Present were me, Michaelann, Janet, Tim, Madelyn, Mary, Marcela, Lance, Josephine, Catherine, and Marilyn. It was nice to have a larger group of people to interact with and learn from.
After enjoying box dinners from Murphy's Deli and participating in an icebreaker called "Commonalities," we divided into two groups. Tim led one group through the "Peeling the Onion" protocol to look at his work with literacy coaches. I asked my group to help me with this big question: How do I as the CFG support person and we as a group of facilitators recruit more highly qualified facilitators to be a part of the ongoing CFG work in this region?
My group helped me clarify my thinking around this question--but now I have more questions! How do I nurture the corps of facilitators that is already contributing so much to CFG work in Houston? How do I make the facilitator selection process for various clinics and seminars more transparent? What skills does it take to be a really top-notch facilitator? What skills am I lacking and how do I develop them?
This consultancy helped me change my focus from just building a longer list of facilitators to building a stronger group of facilitators.
Excerpts from Reflections
"This felt like a productive meeting--started on time, learned new energizer, got through the calendar needs quickly, and really looked at work. . . . Learned new protocol. Learned more about people in this group, learned a lot from looking at work--felt a little overwhelming to bring so many questions to light. If I had been that presenter, I don't think I would have wanted so many questions, but I learned that that was what he wanted. There are so many important questions and wonderings about the work I do, related to the work of the presenter, that I sometimes feel more stressed about it all, but, it's good to feel the compassion and commitment of others in the group."
"I learned a lot from the presentation around literacy issues and the work of the literacy coach. It left me wondering:
--How can the program be 'chunked' into smaller, more strategic parts and thus made more efficient?
--What role does strategic planning play in the program?
--How valuable is/was our input?"
"I really enjoy having the opportunity to focus on our work. Also- I like having choices during the looking at work time based upon my interest and perceived expertise.
This was my first rime participating in the Peel the Onion protocol--it was challenging. One result that I liked was that we asked more questions vs. "telling" someone our thoughts.
We might want to consider in the future the preparation and pairing of the facilitator and presenter. . . Not sure if this happened for us today."
"I enjoyed the icebreaker. There is great value in getting some time to continue to get to know each other.
Working on 'peeling the onion' was gratifying. It helps to hear the different perspectives and experiences present when discussing a dilemma. That the dilemma is 'real' makes our opinions that more valuable, and in the process of being heard, we validate not only our colleagues, but ourselves"
"This was a very interesting night because of the opportunity to experience a new protocol. Although I felt frustrated by it, I came away knowing how valuable it could be to use this protocol (Peeling the Onion).
I love the teambuilder and can't wait to use it. It is quite often we meet people and work with people and never have the opportunity to find out the things we have in common. I was enlightened."
"The 'Peeling the Onion' protocol allowed me to lay out my currrent work for focused examination, without spending a lot of time being validated. I now have much to reflect on and some ideas of next steps to keep the literacy coach training aligned with authentic needs of the 24 high schools. The protocol allowed for the deeper analysis and feedback that is hard to get otherwise."
"I really enjoyed using the consultancy protocol at this meeting. It was very appropriate for the problem that was presented. I am left now with even more questions about the current status of local CFG coaches. Are we doing enough to let the public know what we are doing and how it impacts student learning? As CFG coaches I feel we should expand and broaden our horizons."
"I would like to see more variety in work presented--(I know I could volunteer. . .). It seems like we do similar work often and it is interesting, but variety is also good.
I also wonder if a "focus" discussion with the whole group could be good--what is our goal, what do we want to learn together, etc. Would the work be deeper with a focus? Does it need to be/get deeper?"
"Glad we had more people. . . . Thought the consultancy was interesting and make me think--maybe I am not growing and need to seek other avenues for new learning. Why do I keep coming? I am pretty sure it is just because of the people--not the process. Would I attend for just content--NO--maybe it isn't because of the connection to the work--but no connection to the people--why the list has dropped off. Should the K-16 list group be edited--and drop those who do not attend, or is it a revolving door? There are times we all have to miss but when it is constant--I wonder."
"I often wonder about the overall goal of CFGs. The coaches are trained to work in their schools, but the skills that the training provides can be used in many aspects of life such as church activities, interaction with family and friends, social situations, and professional development outside the school setting. Is it time to revisit the goals and objectives of the training? How do we make the work attractive to a broader base of people?"