Last fall I was trained in an adult teaching method called “Facilitated Dialogue” by our National Operation Frontline Staff in Washington D.C. Facilitated Dialogue is a teaching method for adult learners which played heavily in the redesigned Eating Right curriculum that was released in Sept. 2008. To help our volunteers feel more comfortable with this teaching method, we are offering several sessions of training in Facilitated Dialogue this January, and will offer the training on a periodic basis in the future.
So far, the trainings have been met with much enthusiasm. We hope the tools learned and practiced in this training will help OFL volunteers to better use their creativity in engaging learners while respecting the wealth of life experience adult learners bring into class with them. My favorite teaching tool we discuss and practice during the training is making a pro-con chart. For example, say that we were teaching a lesson on the importance of eating breakfast. The pro-con chart might look like this:
Creating the chart allows the class to brainstorm about positive and negative aspects of making the change to eating breakfast, and then allows the class to see how some of the barriers to change can be overcome. In this example, “not feeling like eating when you first wake up” could be overcome by packing a portable breakfast to take with you to work.
Our trainings have been catered by Emily Gordon, our new AmeriCorps member for 2009. If the new teaching skills you will learn in the trainings aren’t enticing enough, the pizza is also a great reason to come! Don't worry if you missed the trainings this time around, stay tuned for information about the next set of trainings coming up soon.
-Claire Leamy, Program Supervisor
So far, the trainings have been met with much enthusiasm. We hope the tools learned and practiced in this training will help OFL volunteers to better use their creativity in engaging learners while respecting the wealth of life experience adult learners bring into class with them. My favorite teaching tool we discuss and practice during the training is making a pro-con chart. For example, say that we were teaching a lesson on the importance of eating breakfast. The pro-con chart might look like this:
Creating the chart allows the class to brainstorm about positive and negative aspects of making the change to eating breakfast, and then allows the class to see how some of the barriers to change can be overcome. In this example, “not feeling like eating when you first wake up” could be overcome by packing a portable breakfast to take with you to work.Our trainings have been catered by Emily Gordon, our new AmeriCorps member for 2009. If the new teaching skills you will learn in the trainings aren’t enticing enough, the pizza is also a great reason to come! Don't worry if you missed the trainings this time around, stay tuned for information about the next set of trainings coming up soon.
-Claire Leamy, Program Supervisor
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