Facilitation Quick Tips: Pledge, Boogie & Own It!

By Debra Christopher, MSM | December 10, 2014

This activity was developed as a closing activity for participants attending last September’s Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) Training Crafting Trainings That Work for All Adult Learners. We got so many positive comments about it, we wanted to share it here.

 

Title: Pledge, Boogie & Own It!

Purpose: To stamp key learning into memory, cross-pollinate ideas with others, and set up a post-training network—not to mention firing people up with plenty of physical movement!

Best Used: At the culmination of a learning session.

Materials: Some great boogie music. We like “Boogie Shoes” by K.C. and the Sunshine Band (“I wanna put on my my my my my boogie shoes.”)

Steps

1. Think. Ask participants to take a moment to think about key learning over the course of the workshop or training. Phrase your question in a way that focuses on the primary objectives of the training. For example, in our workshop, we said:

“Think about personal behaviors or thoughts that might be creating barriers to implementing best practices in your work. Then identify behaviors or thoughts that can strengthen your approach and help you overcome barriers.”

Give participants a minute or two to think this over. It’s fine if people want to jot down notes.

2. Pledge. Ask participants to make a pledge based on the things they realized about barriers and solutions.

Give them a format to use to construct their pledge. We suggest writing the following template out on butcher paper or board:

3. Own it! Have participants share their pledges with a partner in the following lively fashion.

1. When you hear the music, look far across the room. Make eye contact with another training participant, someone you haven’t met or don’t know well.
2. Boogie across the room and connect with that person.
3. Boogie til the music stops! Then exchange names (if you don’t know one another) and share your pledges.

Play boogie music for the appropriate period of time. As pairs finish up their conversations, move to Step 4.

4. Own it beyond your pair! Next, have participants share their pledges with a quad (two pairs).

1. When you hear the music again, boogie with your partner—and with some attitude—to find another pair.
2. Boogie til the music stops! Everyone should be in a quad.
3. Have people introduce their partners, then share their partners' pledge with the group.

Again, play boogie music for an appropriate period of time.

5. Own it beyond this event! We suggest that facilitators encourage participants to “own” their pledge beyond this event. Invite pairs to make a plan to call or e-mail their partners on, or close to, the date they designated on their pledge.

Your turn! What ideas do you have for reinforcing learning and creating post-event networks? Contact ETR and let us know. With your permission, we will pass them along.

Debra Christopher, MSM, is Director of Professional and Organizational Development Services at ETR. Contact her at debra.christopher@etr.org.