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First for First
Welcome to the first edition of the First for First email newsletter, created especially for NEW RIT 365 Facilitators!
Each month from now through December, you’ll receive a newsletter during the first weeks, filled with helpful insights, updates, and resources. Our goal is to support your success, connection, and growth as a new Facilitator on the RIT 365 team. We hope you find the information valuable and relevant throughout the semester!
As a note: This newsletter is a supplement to the weekly PULSE newsletter which is filled with additional important information and reminders. Please also read your emailed copy of PULSE.
In this issue you’ll find:
CLASS ENGAGEMENT:
Interested in some quick and fun check-in questions to get the class connected and started each week? Check out what seasoned Facilitators have shared:
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Campus Questions. Discovering together. What is their favorite place to eat, study, nap?
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This or That. Asking questions of comparison. Example: Salty or sweet treats?
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Trivia Question of the week. Example: Who can name all of the Presidents on Mount Rushmore?
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Highlight of the week: Sharing something good from the previous (or current) week.
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Campus Event Group Share. What’s going on in the clubs & organizations they are members of?
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Name Share. Last Names A-M answer a specific fun question, and N-Z answer a different fun question. Example: Would you rather go hiking or skiing? Carving pumpkins or eating pumpkin-flavored foods?
Are you still working on getting to know your students' names? Consider some of these creative avenues to connect with names:
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Create Name Tents: Have the students create a card stock name tent with their name for you and your co to refer to. (Hint: you can also record on the back of this missing class work or incomplete items, as well as attendance.)
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Name Tent Placement: When you arrive to the classroom; place the name tags at the seats where you know your students sit. Or, as you call attendance, deliver their name tent to them.
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Picture list: Print out a list of pictures from the Student Information System (SIS) to reference as you are calling their names.
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Association: Determine a way that you will remember each name. (Either someone you know with the same name, or a theme that you can find, or…….
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Name Repeat: They say repetition is a way to remember. Practice repeating their name after they share it.
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Co-Quiz: Together with your Co Facilitator quiz one another on class member names.
FACILITATOR RESOURCE HIGHLIGHT:
Below is a resource section highlighted from the Facilitator Resource Site. The site where ALL links can be found for Administrative Essentials, Facilitator Support, and Class Planning Resources.
In this issue we’ve featured the Administrative Essentials section. We hope that you make the most of these resources as you navigate the semester!
You may have already explored some of these, but it’s always worth taking a fresh look for specifics about coaching, missing work & attendance issues.
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Coaching Appointment Resources: (located in the Administrative Essentials section): Includes a list of most common coaching questions, and a resource guide to support students.
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Individual Reflection: options if a student missed part of the cycle. Guidance for how to still support this student's completion of their reflection.
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Attendance: Alternative ways to make up attendance for students in concern.
CONNECTION CORNER:
Theme: Co-Facilitator Connection
Consider the following…
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As Co-Facilitators, have you both committed to a weekly meeting time? If not, please be sure to set your weekly time now so that it becomes a routine part of your week. Not only is this a requirement for planning for your weekly classes, but also a chance to connect together, check-in about class happenings, and to build your partnership.
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Have you been making the most of your designated meeting time together each week? How might you need to adjust your time to ensure that you’re staying on top of the class requirements?
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How does planning ahead fit into your time together? As you move throughout your planning weeks, how can you both support the on-going needs and upcoming requirements?
Theme: Class Planning
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Are you using your Class Planning Workbook weekly as an outline to ensure that essential class components are included in each class? If not, begin to use the workbook each week.
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What types of activities from the Facilitation Activity Guide have you used in class? What activities worked well, and what others are you excited to incorporate into future classes?
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How have you engaged with the information included on your personalized Experience Guides to plan interactive, dialogue based class activities?
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How can you plan to support your class personality? Is it time to break some patterns, ‘shake things up’, try a new activity or group size? Check page 32 in the Facilitation Activity Guide for some ideas.
BEST PRACTICES FOCUS:
Student Connections and Contributions
Here is an excerpt from the Observation in Practice form. As you continue through this first cycle and beyond, keep this in mind as you and your Co-Facilitator engage your class in meaningful dialogue throughout your planned activities.
Perhaps you and your Co can select a few to intentionally try in your next class?
EMPHASIS ON STUDENT ENGAGEMENT: Supports students as co-learners and the mutual sharing of perspective.
Best Practice: Bridge connections to feelings, values, and experiences between students
What it looks like: “I hear J saying nature is a soothing place and important place while K is saying it can be scary. How do you all think the same thing can be so different for different people?”
Best Practice: Validate and honor student contributions
What it looks like: “Thank you for sharing your POV, it’s one we haven’t heard in this space before and it’s really important we understand multiple perspectives”. “I appreciate you also sharing that POV J.” Thanks for bringing that into the space as well.”
Best Practice: Engage all students to encourage a positive impact on the class community
What it looks like: “Can we hear from someone new today? All voices are important in our space.” “How about we begin with thoughts from the back row or left side of the room today?” Encouraging students to work in small groups until they are ready to share in large group.
Best Practice: Encourage students to consider the perspectives of others in the space
What it looks like: “OK I’m hearing you think xyz, can someone offer a different perspective on that to consider?” “Let’s remember to speak from the ‘I’ out of consideration for other perspectives”
Best Practice: Structure the space intentionally for student engagement
What it looks like: Circle up student chairs/desks whenever possible. Get students moving around the room. Intentionally assign student groups to encourage engagements and exposure to different perspectives.
Best Practice: Give the role of expert to students who will determine the direction of the conversation
What it looks like: Same example as center on students. There is not a set agenda; go with the flow of the conversation. Remember to be an active listener.
Best Practice: Encourage students to respond and question each other rather than responding only to the Facilitators.
What it looks like: After a student shares, “Does anyone have a question or comment for J?”
“Does anyone have a question, comment, or similarity to share with J?”
REMINDER:
Please read the PULSE newsletter, emailed every Tuesday afternoon, for timely reminders, requirements, tasks, and important updates. If you ever feel out of the loop, reviewing PULSE will likely provide the details you need. An archive of past issues is available HERE.
Thanks for being a part of the RIT 365 Team! We’re here to support you throughout the semester.
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