{"content":{"sharePage":{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"16087759","dateCreated":"1256780909","smartDate":"Oct 28, 2009","userCreated":{"username":"andrewpt","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/andrewpt","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1256789756\/andrewpt-lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/varsity-development.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/16087759"},"dateDigested":1532287612,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Critical Friends Groups","description":"From: MORGAN, Gaylyn
\nPosted: Monday, 19 October 2009 2:10 PM
\nSubject: Critical Friend Groups
\n
\nKey points
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\n\u00b7 Strict procedures for meeting
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\n\u00b7 Connection time is set for 10 minutes, (social)
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\n\u00b7 Everyone who wants to speak gets a chance to speak once only, until everyone has spoken.
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\n\u00b7 2 minute warnings are given for when the conversation must end
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\n\u00b7 Set articles that have been read in own time are then discussed
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\n\u00b7 The \u2018group leader\u2019 is friendly but firm to keep everyone on track
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\n\u00b7 After about 45 min into the meeting teaching situations are discussed
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\n\u00b7 The group created this time to check to ensure each member has carried out their intentions
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\n\u00b7 Someone is given the floor to discuss an improvement that they want to make in their teaching and ideas are shared about how this may be done.
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\n\u00b7 The group leader clarifies the task
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\n\u00b7 After the activity is clarified the group engage with the task as if they were the students. (For 10 min)
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\n\u00b7 The person whose activity it was steps back from the group discussion and just takes notes. (for 20 min)
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\n\u00b7 The group offers positive and constructive comments referring to articles the group has shared
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\n\u00b7 Then the group works on ways of how to improve the task the teacher was going to be giving the students
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\n\u00b7 Group leader ensures they only speak for the 20min and gives a two minute warning
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\n\u00b7 Based on the discussion, the next month\u2019s topic is decided upon.
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\n\u00b7 The meeting went for 2hrs
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\n\u00b7 Members of CFG have roles so things run smoothly
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\n\u00b7 Protocols guide the meeting
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\n\u00b7 There are regular meetings
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\n\u00b7 Which protocols to be used are selected prior to the meeting and this is related to the sort of task that is presented
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\nSteps
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\n1. the facilitator or coach arranges the meeting, including securing a location and disseminating the agenda, articles for discussion, reflection sheets, and other materials
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\n2. the facilitator or coach and presenter meet in advance to discuss the work to be presented
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\n3. Everyone closely reads the assigned texts
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\nSteps within the meeting
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\n1. Typically CFG meetings begin with some kind of a bridge activity, similar to team building
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\n2. During the first meeting only, the CFG sets the norms
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\n3. The group next uses structured conversations, about a half-hour long, focusing on an agreed-upon text to build the group\u2019s common understandings
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\n4. the group moves on to about an hour of structured conversation (using a protocol) about the presenter\u2019s work
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\n\u00b7
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\nRequirements for success
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\n\u00b7 The facilitator should be a trained coach
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\n\u00b7 Most successful CFGs are when everyone is well prepared and have completed set tasks and tried what they set out to
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\n\u00b7 A place to meet
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\n\u00b7 The person presenting the task chooses the protocol of the meeting with the facilitator
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\n\u00b7
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\nPotential inhibitors-
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\n\u00b7 Its name
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\n\u00b7 If it was mandated
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\n\u00b7 Unwilling participants
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\n\u00b7 Time
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\n\u00b7 People not sticking to the group\u2019s norms
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\n\u00b7 Teacher burn out
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\n\u00b7 Personal issues and responsibilities of teachers
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\nWhat could this look like at Varsity College?
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\n\u00b7 More social and relaxed than the group discussed in the paper
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\n\u00b7 Meeting at a local establishment away from the school
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\n\u00b7 Only a few of these groups would exist because not everyone would choose to participate
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\n\u00b7 Some staff members would feel extremely strongly about NOT wanting to participate because they would have to do it in their own time
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\n\u00b7 No time or money would be allocated to it
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\n\u00b7 Short term or semester long CFGs
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\n\u00b7 Many groups would have IT as their focus
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\n\u00b7 Teachers would be requesting resources to implement ideas discussed","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"16087807","body":"Reply Reply
\nPicture: BUZOLIC, Mark
\nBUZOLIC, MarkNo presence information
\n
\nGreat summary Gaylyn. I appreciated your points about how it would look at Varsity and the name being a potential inhibitor! :-)
\n
\nI'm always intrigued by the need to specify rules (protocols I guess) for basically what amounts to having an intellectual discussion. Is it just that we assume that because we give students rules like how many seconds they are allowed to speak, we need to do the same with teachers? Or do we really need to treat teachers this way because our interpersonal skills are so poor?
\nPerhaps the rules could include some initiation rites, a secret meeting place, a password, handshake, funny hats and badges.","dateCreated":"1256780969","smartDate":"Oct 28, 2009","userCreated":{"username":"andrewpt","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/andrewpt","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1256789756\/andrewpt-lg.jpg"}},{"id":"16087847","body":"Reply Reply
\nPicture Placeholder: YOUNG, Debra
\nYOUNG, DebraNo presence information
\n
\nI'm in with the funny hat - got mine already to go!","dateCreated":"1256781002","smartDate":"Oct 28, 2009","userCreated":{"username":"andrewpt","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/andrewpt","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1256789756\/andrewpt-lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]}],"more":false},"comments":[]},"http":{"code":200,"status":"OK"},"redirectUrl":null,"javascript":null,"notices":{"warning":[],"error":[],"info":[],"success":[]}}