as time allows, please model or demo an activity on the agenda at the weekly planning meeting.
ask preceptors, What types of things do you notice they are doing to get everyone involved?
consider pairing preceptors that are not partners to practice leading–you two lead this activity.
Draw the Dog
- Introduce the activity by stating that we’ll collaborate to draw a dog, each person contributing one piece of the picture. The purpose is to practice stimulating participation.
- You start by putting up a neutral arc or line. Hand off the marker. Remind everyone that nobody “wants” to go next, so plan to use a different phrase (make sure you do, too).
- After 1/3 of the participants have gone, change the rules by directly asking the next person to “resist.” Be really positive and encouraging to the marker-holder who is trying to hand off!
- Name the strategy that each remaining marker-holder uses, as they sit down after successfully handing off: Lower the Bar (“it’s ok, we’ll help”), Prime the Pump (“how about adding legs?”) or Body Language (standing close or handing/tossing the marker in a playful and encouraging fashion).
- At the end, take a picture of your dog drawing and send to Maegan for immortalization on FB.
Join the party (part of assertiveness training)
- This only works with a group of 5+. Introduce the activity by saying that preceptors are going to combine the skills of reading body language and assertiveness to practice navigating an awkward situation: joining a conversation at a party where you don't know anyone.
Assertiveness Training
Brainstorm an activity for a given topic
- Create an agenda as usual, but with a blank space associated with one of the topics.
- Tell your preceptors that you all, as a group, will brainstorm and test one or more activities to use for practicing that topic.
- Give them time to think solo, then discuss with a partner (if your group is 4 or larger, otherwise skip to next step).
- Get all ideas out onto the floor - no evaluation or judgment allowed at this stage! Just make a list on the board, you or a preceptor scribing. It's ok to summarize an idea. Encourage preceptors to be really creative and think of wild ideas - nobody is locked into doing anything in particular at this stage!
- Evaluate. I suggest telling preceptors "now we have to pick, so let's talk about what's going to work for us. I also suggest asking preceptors one or several of the following questions to help them evaluate the activities themselves, if needed: Which activity is best-suited to the size of the study group we're likely to have? Which activity is easiest to explain? Which one requires the least amount of preparation, either from the preceptors or the attendees? Which one is more flexible if something unexpected happens? Which one seems like it will "work best?"
- Note to you, the SP: it is ok for different pairs to end up doing different activities as long as there is a reason. For example, a study group that is expected to be large might use a different activity than a study group expected to be small. It's also ok to end up with a really short list - pick another activity on your agenda as a comparison and evaluate as above.
Closed to Open Questioning
- Introduce the activity by sharing our working definition of open questions and closed questions. Closed: 1 or 2 right answers (usually short) or yes/no. Open: a list of 3 or more, or multiple right answers, or opinion questions that aren't right or wrong.
- Give an example of contrasting closed and open questions, preferably from your subject area! "What's the first step in process X?" vs "What are some of the early steps in process X?"
- Ask each preceptor to share a question he or she asked in a recent study group, and as a group decide whether it's open or closed. Don't be scared if preceptors say a question is in-between - these are like endpoints of a spectrum, and there are some ambiguous questions that are hard to categorize. You can tell preceptors that if it comes up.
- "Open questions promote participation, so we're going to practice turning closed questions into open ones. And we're going to practice letting silence hang, so we get more comfortable with that. People need time to think when they've been asked a question." Or something like that, in your own words.
- Each preceptor ask a closed question to the group, wait silently for at least 5 full seconds, then ask an open question over the same or similar topic. Everybody takes a turn. If someone talks before 5 seconds are up (this is likely to happen), interrupt them and ask them to start over. Even though you'll be counting 5 seconds, try NOT to cue the preceptor - it's more effective if each question-asker has to do his or her own counting.
Guide, not giving answers
One of my preceptors' main concerns was not knowing what to do when someone didn't know the answer to a question or didn't know what to do without "giving away an answer". I decided to do something similar to what we did during our SP training with making the PBJ sandwiches.
First round:
1 preceptor to direct the others.
Find a simple drawing online (we used an owl cartoon). Only the director knows what the drawing is. They have to guide people through the drawing, adding one part at a time (similar to draw the dog). However, they can't directly say what the part is. They can describe the function, say a shape, size, direct positioning, etc. (So the people drawing are really clueless about what they are drawing).
Second round:
New preceptor directs the 1st director in drawing a part of the figure (new picture now). The director, once they are done, can then come help the new director in giving instructions, however other preceptors can ONLY listen to the instructions given by the newest director.
**Simulate one preceptor helping another in working through something and helping other students. Encourages working together**
Third round:
Two preceptors who haven't directed before are directing. They each guide one student in drawing each part of the picture. However, they can only guide their student, and they can't communicate with each other.
**Stimulates working together blindly, not knowing what to expect from the other preceptor.**
My preceptors seemed to really enjoy this game, and I like how it turned out! We also talked about servant leadership at our meeting this past week, and I was surprised that none of them had heard that term before.
big thanks to Morgan Merriman SP sp15 for sharing this!
Impromptu Speeches
- Print out a pair of quotes on a slip of paper for each preceptor in your group. Quotes are available from the attached document Impromptu Quotations.docx or you can find your own. The two quotes on each slip don't have to be related.
- Tell preceptors that each person gets about 15 seconds to read the two quotes and select one, 1 minute to plan, and 2 minutes to speak. The speaker should read the quote, state whether he or she agrees or disagrees with what the quote is saying, and give a specific example from his/her own experience. It's ok to use notes.
- You or someone needs to keep time - no pauses between planning and speaking - each person literally gets just over 3 minutes from start to finish. Do interrupt if a speaker goes more than 10 seconds over, and move on to the next person. Do give a brief, specific bit of praise for each speaker.
- Do not give any negative feedback or "areas of improvement." This activity is really, really hard for some people, so be really, really gentle.
- You may choose whether to participate. If you do, go first (fearless leader) and let the preceptors choose the quote pair for you. You'll lose credibility if you have a prepared speech. It's ok to spread this activity out over 2 or 3 meetings if you have a large group.
Practice Explaining Concepts
Round Robin/Popcorn
PURPOSE: Improve study group participation and encourage discussion. Key to this is to set the expectation that everyone contribute something; we're hear to learn, and that means to try.
- Use a pen or other small object to pass around.
- The person with the pen starts off and explains/discusses a questions/concept.
- The person then passes the object to another person in the group, who will continue to explain the topic or question.
- The object will be passed around through the group until everyone has participated/ the topic has been thoroughly discussed.
- If at any time a member of the group can’t explain a topic, pause and engage everyone in the group to help explain the topic. When the person with the object can explain the concept, they will then pass it to another member and the group can continue.
Interrupting
PURPOSE: Help preceptors bring study groups that have gone awry back to the topic to be discussed.
In pairs, have each person take turns starting off a story.
Have the other person devise a way to interrupt the person and bring them back to what needs to be done right now (i.e.: Coming back to the agenda topics to move the study group forward.
Resilience
Developing Self Leadership
Games
For topics that seem boring or you are not motivated to study at first, you might try playing a game, using whatever you have on hand, such as the chalkboard, index cards, slips of paper, or molecule kits. To start, each individual is assigned a chapter or lecture in which to create questions or topics for the game (use index cards if you have them). All the questions get pooled and someone volunteers to be the host and pairs of contestants take turns answering questions from the pool. Some examples include: Jeopardy, Trivial Pursuit, Wheel of Fortune, Races (which team can put together a certain molecule the fastest), Who Wants to Be a Chemist/Biologist.
Practice Tests
For test preparation, especially after everyone has studied and knows which material is be likely to be tested, make up a practice exam. Assign a chapter or lecture to each individual in the group. Each individual looks through his/her notes to devise at least five challenging test questions. Ideally, the questions would resemble the types of questions (multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, short answer, essay, etc.) and represent the range of question levels (knowledge, comprehension, application, etc.) you might encounter on the real test. Each individual shares his/her questions with the group so everyone takes away a full set of questions. If time allows, you can start tackling the questions, preferably without the use of your notes to simulate the real test situation.
Concept Maps
For making connections among topics and details within and among chapters, concept maps are a useful tool. Start by reviewing a particular section of your notes for 5-10 minutes. The group can decide what the main topics are, and write those in CAPS on the board or on a blank page in your notebook. With notebooks closed, take turns passing the chalk around so each person can add connections and details to the concept map. You will learn which concepts you know well and which ones you really need to study.
Mnemonic Devices
For processes involving many steps or cycles with lots of technical names, try coming up with songs, riddles, acronyms, cheers, rhymes, or limericks that help you remember the steps. Ex: SOHCAHTOA for trig functions or putting the Kreb’s cycle to music.
spinoff in practice--ask everyone to describe the history of their name to everyone else. Then ask everyone what associations and information helped them remember peoples' names. (Also a good tool to help remember people's names and get to know a little bit more about them.)
Modeling
For topics or processes that are difficult to visualize on paper or in your mind, you can use props like stickers, fruit loops, drinking straws, pipe cleaners, human bodies (hands, fingers, toes), or actual model sets to represent what you are learning in 3-D. This helps you visualize a process and physically manipulate the objects so that you understand why the process works in a certain way. Example topics: transcription, translation, pairing of nitrogenous bases, chromosome movement in mitosis and meiosis, cell biology structures, changes in molecular structure, how viruses get into a cell, enzyme specificity.
Agenda making
pass around sticky notes and have preceptors write down what they wanted on the agenda
makes agendas more helpful and tailored for the class, plans to continue (thank you Tony Garcia, SP SP15 for suggesting this!)
Facilitation
One of my preceptors' main concerns was not knowing what to do when someone didn't know the answer to a question or didn't know what to do without "giving away an answer".
First round:
1 preceptor to direct the others.
Find a simple drawing online (we used an owl cartoon). Only the director knows what the drawing is. They have to guide people through the drawing, adding one part at a time (similar to draw the dog). However, they can't directly say what the part is. They can describe the function, say a shape, size, direct positioning, etc. (So the people drawing are really clueless about what they are drawing).
Second round:
New preceptor directs the 1st director in drawing a part of the figure (new picture now). The director, once they are done, can then come help the new director in giving instructions, however other preceptors can ONLY listen to the instructions given by the newest director.
**Simulate one preceptor helping another in working through something and helping other students. Encourages working together**
Third round:
Two preceptors who haven't directed before are directing. They each guide one student in drawing each part of the picture. However, they can only guide their student, and they can't communicate with each other.
**Stimulates working together blindly, not knowing what to expect from the other preceptor.**
My preceptors seemed to really enjoy this game, and I like how it turned out! We also talked about servant leadership at our meeting this past week, and I was surprised that none of them had heard that term before.
(Thanks Morgan Merriman, SP SP15 for this!)
Team building/Personality
True colors workshop presented by the great folks at UT's Leadership and Ethics Institute (LEI).
After asking preceptors to complete a short personality assessment (first page) and identifying what leadership 'color' they are (second page), and learning a little more about their 'color' (pages 3-4). In 'colored' groups ask folks to identify traits others should know about them (strengths) in one column, and what they should be mindful of (areas for growth). A fun wrap up is to identify some theme songs for each color.
Conflict Resolution
Conflict resolution workshop presented by the fabulous folks at UT's Leadership and Ethics Institute (LEI).
After asking preceptors to complete a short conflict style assessment (first two pages) and identifying what conflict animal they are (third page), and learning a little more about their conflict animal traits (pages 5-6). Break into animal groups and ask folks to identify positive and negative traits they bring to a situation. Sharing out the results of this with everyone can help elucidate how everyone may need to be aware of what makes others uncomfortable and establishes goals to be assertive and respectful of all parties.
Icebreakers-Draw the Pig Personality Test
Leadership
http://leadership.uoregon.edu/resources/exercises_tips
Mentoring
http://www.researchmentortraining.org/index.aspx
Many thanks to Madhu Govindu, SP spring 13, and UT's LEI for significantly contributing to these ideas!