Run meetings that educators look forward to and leave feeling invigorated. Interactive structures make staff meetings, study groups, and other PD sessions more engaging, meaningful, and productive. Easy to do and to lead, the learning structures in this book have been honed by facilitators in Responsive Classroom workshops. You'll find ideas for large-group brainstorming, small-group problem solving, partner idea exchanges, and much more. Use them to: Introduce new materialDeepen understandingReflect on learning and develop action stepsAssess comprehensionSolve problems collaboratively Includes a guide to help you choose the best structure for the adult learners in your group, practical tips for success, variations to keep things lively, and examples showing each structure in action.

Infuse staff meetings with enthusiasm and purpose, and breathe new life into school culture! Could your staff meetings use a zap of energy? Do you want more participation and less reluctance when you gather your team? Good educators know that fun, emotion, meaningful connections, and high expectations drive learning and committed attention to a task. This sourcebook overflows with strategies, activities, and resources designed to bring these all-important qualities into the faculty meeting. Teacher leaders will discover the keys to improved collaboration, teamwork, and productivity—and new tools to improve group processes. By modeling best practice at staff meetings, leaders also give their teachers new engagement tools that they can put directly to use in their classrooms. The authors demonstrate how to reduce the "chore" factor of meetings by: Lightening the atmosphere with creative approaches Starting with purpose-focused theme music and other energizers Building relationships within the team that transform the school culture Overcoming barriers to productivity Rewarding and appreciating staff in innovative ways Closing the meeting with a bang—and a plan As the energy from your staff meetings ripples through the school, every teacher and classroom will experience the motivation and focus that you create!

Use eye-popping visual tools to energize your people! Just as social networking has reclaimed the Internet for human interactivity and co-creation, the visual meetings movement is reclaiming creativity, productivity, and playful exchange for serious work in groups. Visual Meetings explains how anyone can implement powerful visual tools, and how these tools are being used in Silicon Valley and elsewhere to facilitate both face-to-face and virtual group work. This dynamic and richly illustrated resource gives meeting leaders, presenters, and consultants a slew of exciting tricks and tools, including Graphic recording, visual planning, story boarding, graphic templates, idea mapping, etc. Creative ways to energize team building, sales presentations, staff meetings, strategy sessions, brainstorming, and more Getting beyond paper and whiteboards to engage new media platforms Understanding emerging visual language for leading groups Unlocking formerly untapped creative resources for business success, Visual Meetings will help you and your team communicate ideas more effectively and engagingly.

Designed for administrators who are assigned to facilitate stakeholder groups, such as parents, site-based management teams, faculty & staff, & accountability teams, this book offers advice in keeping meetings positive, productive & efficient.

Explains how to make meetings more productive by using lighthearted humor and fun.

To learn well, children need to move! A few minutes of playful moving, laughing, chanting, or singing promote more—and more productive—learning. The energizers in this book are easy to teach and learn. You can use them: Anywhere: Inside or outside the classroom, with children circled up, at their desks or tables, or waiting in line energizers work everywhere! Anytime: Between long instructional blocks, as Morning Meeting activities, when children need to calm down, and when they need to perk up energizers work throughout the school day! With any grade level, K-6: For quick selection, the energizers in this book are labeled by grade level but we've included variations and suggestions to help you adapt them to fit your group.

If your meetings start at 9:00 sharp & end at 11:00 dull, this book is for you! Here is the answer to the classic complaint about boring or time-wasting meetings. Jeanie Marshall, author & Empowerment Consultant, weaves traditional meeting effectiveness strategies with innovative approaches to create an exciting, energizing book. Readers are talking about ENERGETIC MEETINGS. Jeff Hutner, Publisher of New Paradigm Digest, says, "ENERGETIC MEETINGS presents a powerful set of practical tools for facilitators & participants who want to energize & enhance their meetings." Sharon Matthias, Organization Consultant, says, "ENERGETIC MEETINGS is energetic! Wow! Now we can shift the reputation of meetings from bad to energetic!" Ozzie Bermant of The Concordia Systems Group, says, "ENERGETIC MEETINGS offers a wonderful combination of approaches to cooperative & procedural issues & addresses the spiritual needs of participants." The book gives information about creating a climate of positive energy through energy awareness & transformation principles & techniques, understanding group needs & dynamics, & making effective meeting arrangements. When considering how to generate positive contributions, the author focuses on empowerment principles & meeting mechanics. Powerful energetic release techniques are described & illustrated. Suggestions for twenty-two difficult behavior patterns are listed. The book includes ideas about transforming difficulty into empowerment & an excellent list of related books for further reading. Jemel Publishing House, P.O. Box 977, Santa Monica, CA 90406-0977; 310-458-1172 for additional information. For book orders call New Leaf Distributors 800-326-2665 or call Publication Services, Inc., 800-460-5855. Visa & MasterCard.