McDonald, Mohr, Dichter, & McDonald Power of Protocols, Facilitating

McDonald, J.P., Mohr, N., Dichter, A., & McDonald, E.C. (2003). The power of protocols: An
educator’s guide to better practice. New York: NY, Teachers College Press.

Summary:
    The book begins with a rationale for using protocols and engaging in facilitative leadership. The last three chapters (Ch. 3-5) list and describe a variety of protocols for the reader’s use.

Chapter 2: Facilitating (PD, CHANGE THEORY)
    •  “Facilitating is about promoting participation, ensuring equity, and building trust (p. 15).”
    •  Facilitators must be “appointed” either formally or informally.
    •  The Facilitator’s Core Tasks
        o    Promoting participation
        o    Ensuring equity
    •    Facilitators must “make room for dissidence, (sic) and may even stretch colleagues’ capacity for learning from it (p.17).”
        o    Building Trust
                •    “Educators educating themselves rely on each other’s honesty, insight, and experience (p.17).”
                •    “They invite the collective experience of the group to serve as the arbiter of their own growth (p.18).”
    •    The Facilitator’s Moves
        o    Opening
            •    “Preparing educators to give and get sensitive feedback is not a lightweight distraction or lure (p.18).”
            •    Just like with teaching, a little initial investment can pay off in the end, saving the extra time spent in the beginning.
            •    Should always consist of, at the bare minimum: introductions, context review, and norm-setting.
            •    Introductions serve to get everyone to speak and for everyone to learn something about someone else.
        o    Intervening and Closing
            •    Facilitators’ participation varies and usually depends on the requirements of the individual protocol as well as the nature of each individual session.
            •    “Intervening moves try to preserve or revise the learning process, while closing moves try to ensure the learning itself carries over into the educators’ ordinary work life (p. 21).”
            •    Three very helpful questions (p. 21):
                    •    What? What have I learned about the topic that brought this group together?
                    •    So what? What difference does it seem to make?
                    •    Now what? What steps can I take to make the most of what I have learned?
    •    Types of Brief Protocols
        o    Postcards
        o    Reflection on a Word
        o    Pair-Share
        o    Clearing
        o    All-Purpose Go-Round
    •    Types of Longer Openers
        o    Fears and Hopes
        o    Setting Norms
        o    Diversity Rounds
        o    Marvin’s Model