Reply #108: Running your group at school [View All]

[specimenfred1984]

My wife is a professional facilitator and has been organizing teams and running group processes for 25+ years. She strongly recommends the book by Ingrid Bens, Facilitating With Ease! A Step-by-Step Guidebook with Customizable Worksheets on CD-ROM.

The reason is that you can pick up this book with lots of templates and tools that will help answer some of your questions and concerns about how to keep things moving on the right track, and from disintegrating into gripe sessions. If you structure the process and then trust and stick to it, you will be set up for success. One of the most important things to remember when you are in this leadership role, is to recognize that the energy and impetus of the group will drive itself to a large extent. Think of it as an organic process (which is what you have described), and trust your instincts. If you are a teacher and have been running classroom processes, you have the basic set of skills that transfer. The difference is that working with adults is not the same as working with kids. The felt need is what drives the adults, and the participation in problem solving. Don't try to control, try to facilitate.