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Effective Facilitation 

WSASCD Conference, October 15, 2010 

Spokane Convention Center, 10:15 – 11:45 

Vickie Shea (VickieSh@spokaneschools.org) and Sue Vingelen 

(SuzanneV@spokaneschools.org) 

Big Ideas 

How can effective facilitation promote & support professional growth? 

Planning with the purpose and group (colleague) in mind helps the facilitator 

make choices regarding helpful structures and strategies. 

Learning is socially constructed but individually integrated. Reflection is key. 

Teachers are worthy; not needy. 

Facilitators are neutral. 

Facilitation Goal and Most Important Point 

“Effective Facilitation” WSASCD Conference, October 15, 2010

Notes or Journal Reflections 

“Effective Facilitation” WSASCD Conference, October 15, 2010 

Page 2

Effective Facilitation: Agenda 

• Activate and Engage 

– Overview: What, Why, How 

– Activate Prior Knowledge/Build Community 

– Norms 

• Explore and Discover 

– Planning, Problem Solving, Reflecting 

– Support, Challenge, Professional Vision 

– Goal Setting 

– Inviting Thinking with Language 

• Organize and Integrate 

– Most Important Point 

– Feedback & Questions 

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Learning- 

Focused 

Conversations 

A Continuum of Interaction 

________________________________________ 

Consult Collaborate Coach 

Activating and Engaging 

• Contextual information 

• Information about event or situation 

• Presenting issues and concerns 

• Perspectives and perceptions 

Exploring & Discovering 

Planning/Problem Solving 

• Goals and outcomes 

• Indicators and evidence 

of success 

• Approaches, strategies 

and resources 

• Potential choice points 

and concerns 

Fully Attend 

Toolkit 

Pausing 

Paraphrasing 

Inquiring 

Probing 

Extending 

Exploring & Discovering 

Reflecting 

• Weigh priorities 

• Search for patterns 

• Compare/contrast 

• Analyze cause-effect 

relationships 

Organizing & Integrating 

• Connections 

• Generalizations 

• Applications 

• Personal Learning 

Based on the model of Cognitive Coaching developed by Art Costa & Robert Garmston [Costa, A. & Garmston, R. (2002) Cognitive 

Coaching: A Foundation for Renaissance Schools, Norwood MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishing along with Laura Lipton and Bruce 

Wellman's Mentoring Matters: A Practical Guide to Learning-Focused Relationships, Sherman CT: MiraVia (2003). 


Effective Facilitation 

Structures and Strategies for Promoting Growth 

Why Facilitate? 

Facilitation is becoming a core competency for anyone who’s on a team, heading up a 

committee or teaching. Effective meetings happen when proper attention has been paid to 

the process elements and the proceedings are skillfully facilitated. Leaders must know how 

to create buy-in, generate active participation and empower people to take charge. At the 

core of instructional coaching, collaborating, mentoring, and teaching is the skill of 

facilitation. With its focus on asking instead of telling, as well as listening and building 

consensus, facilitation is the essential skill for working with others. 

--Ingrid Bens (2005) 

How is Facilitation unique? 

Whether a teacher leader takes the stance of Presenter, Collaborator, or Facilitator when 

working with a group depends upon the function that is needed for the task. (Examples: a 

presenter might present the improvements of a new curriculum and give steps for 

implementation; a collaborator might brainstorm or co-plan with colleagues; and a 

facilitator might help a group analyze their math curriculum or make decisions on how to 

begin the process of curriculum mapping.) 

A group facilitator may need to transition to presenter or collaborator to meet the needs 

of the group; whereas a mentor/growth agent may need to transition from coach, to 

consultant to collaborator depending upon the needs of their colleague in a 1:1 

conversation. 

To facilitate means to ―make easier.‖ Facilitators maintain focus on the goal while 

managing the energy and pacing for the group. The group generates the information. 

Facilitators remain neutral. On the other hand, collaborators work alongside the group, 

co-creating information, and presenters bring expertise of the topic to the group. 

--L. Lipton & B. Wellman (2003 & 2010) 

Content vs. Process 

Presenting is about the content; and facilitating is about the process. The content is what 

is being discussed. The process is the how things are run—the format, structures, 

procedures, strategies, and tools used to engage with the content and work toward the 

goal(s). Facilitators plan for both the content and the process when developing their 

agenda. 


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What’s Good Facilitation? 

A facilitator… 

• Acts more like a referee than a player 

• Provides leadership or invites thinking without taking the reins 

• Offers methods for groups/individuals to develop their own answers 

• Helps members define and reach their own (clear) goals 

• Remains neutral, nonjudgmental 


An effective facilitator . . . 

• Implements procedures to help a group reach their goal. 

• Manages the energy, focus, and communications of the group. 

• Invites thinking through creating a safe place for reflection, planning, problem 

solving, brainstorming, collaboration, etc. 

• Stays neutral on the content and focuses on the process elements. 

• Listens actively to understand, using attentive body language and eye contact. 

• Asks questions to test assumptions, invite participation, and probe for additional 

information. 

• Paraphrases to make sure members know they’re being heard and to clarify key 

ideas. 

• Summarizes periodically to check for understanding, revive a stalled discussion or 

to bring a group to consensus and wrap it up. 

• Ends with final reflections or next steps. 

Facilitator Functions: 

A facilitator simultaneously balances support, cognitive challenge, and professional vision 

for a group or colleague to promote their professional growth. 

We offer Support by establishing rapport, providing a non-judgmental sounding 

board, paraphrasing, providing information and resources, offering organization and 

structures that support thinking. 

We Challenge cognitively by asking questions, considering possibilities, analyzing 

values and beliefs. 

We facilitate professional Vision by developing clear goals and promoting exemplars 

and ideals. 

Support without challenge and vision offers only comfort but no growth. Challenge and 

vision without support can lead to anxiety and frustration. Support and challenge without 

Vision can leave us wandering, looking at the ground beneath us but not the road ahead. 

--Lipton & Wellman (2003) 

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Best/Worst Facilitator Practices 

Some of the best things that facilitators can do include: 

• Assess the needs of the members 

• Create an open and trusting atmosphere 

• Help people understand why they are there 

• View yourself as servant of the group’s needs 

• Make participants the center of attention 

• Speak in simple and direct language 

• Encourage everyone to participate 

• Stay neutral 

• Display energy and appropriate levels of assertiveness 

• Treat all participants as equals 

• Protect participants and ideas from attack 

• Stay flexible and ready to change direction if necessary 

• Take public notes that reflect what participants mean 

• Listen intently to understand what’s being said 

• Help the group communicate 

• Paraphrase 

• Periodically summarize related ideas 

• Know how to use a wide range of discussion tools 

• Provide feedback so the group can assess their progress and make adjustments 

• Teach and empower others to facilitate 

• End each gathering with clear next steps 

• Insure that members feel ownership for agreed-to actions 

• End on a positive and optimistic note 

Some of the worst things that facilitators can do include: 

• Remain oblivious to what the group thinks or needs 

• Fail to listen carefully to what’s being said 

• Lose track of key ideas 

• Take notes that change the meaning of what is said 

• Try to be the center of attention 

• Get defensive 

• Get into personality battles 

• Put people down 

• Ignore or avoid conflict 

• Let a few people dominate 

• Never check how it’s going 

• Be overly passive on process 

• Push ahead on an irrelevant agenda 

• Have no alternative approaches 

• Let discussions get badly 

sidetracked 

• Let discussions ramble without 

proper closure 

• Be oblivious about when to stop 

• Be insensitive to cultural diversity 

issues 

• Use inappropriate humor 

“Effective Facilitation” WSASCD Conference, October 15, 2010 


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Benefits of Public Recording 

Public Recording, when using participant’s own words or asking permission to paraphrase: 

• Helps the group focus on the task 

• Supports visual learners 

• Depersonalizes ideas 

• Creates a third point—a depersonalized document. Also used with data. It 

becomes safer to discuss the data when it is an object separate from the person. 

• Enhances memory 

• Frees participants from taking notes 

• Develops shared ownership 

• Prevents repetition 

• Respects individuals’ ideas 

• Enables each participant to check for accuracy 

• Increases sense of accomplishment 

--R. Garmston & B. Wellman (1999) 

Characteristics of Adult Learners 

Know your group. Begin by acknowledging their expertise, even if it is only years of 

experience. Know their history with the topic. Surface their questions. They will engage 

in learning activities if they know the purpose for them. 

Adults . . . 

1. need to know the goal and why it is important. 

2. want to be self-directed and are reluctant to give up control. 

3. will use their wide experience base for learning. 

4. readily see application of new learning. 

5. are practical. They are mostly interested in skills and knowledge. Be sure to provide 

the underlying principles and theory, but provide plenty of knowledge and skills to 

go with it. 

--A. Sandvold & M. Baxter 

Paraphrasing 

Paraphrasing is a powerful tool—it helps folks know they have been heard and helps us 

move forward. We no longer say ―I heard you say…‖ or ―I think I heard you say…‖ because 

if the paraphrase is not accurate, our colleagues would need to tell us that we are wrong 

(rather than the paraphrase being wrong). When paraphrasing: 

Attend fully—Pay attention to body language, expressions, breathing. 

Listen with the intention to understand. 

Reflect the essence of the message rather than all of the details. 

Pause to ensure that the speaker is finished talking before paraphrasing. 

Use ―you‖ rather than ―I.‖ 

Paraphrase before asking a question. 

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Effective Facilitation: 3-Circle Audit 

Worth being familiar with 

Data 

Discussions 

 

 

 

 

Tools 

Planning 

Framework 

Agenda 

Norms 

Etc. 

Knowledge & Skills 

Engagement Strategies 

Just Like Me 

Public Timer 

Public Recording 

Third Point 

Etc. 

Consensus 

Building 

Planning 

Clear Goals 

Know Audience 

3 Phases of 

Learning 

Communication Tools 

Verbal & Nonverbal 

Listening for 

Understanding 

Inviting Thinking 

 

 

What, Why, 

How 

3 Functions 

 

Adult Learning 

Big Ideas 

 

 

 

 

 

How can effective facilitation promote & support 

professional growth? 

Planning with the purpose and group (colleague) in 

mind helps the facilitator make choices regarding 

helpful structures and strategies. 

Learning is socially constructed but individually 

integrated. Reflection is key. 

Teachers are worthy; not needy. 

Facilitators are neutral. 

--from Wiggins 

& McTighe, 

Understanding 

by Design 

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Planning Framework 

Date: 

Group: Recorder: Time and Place: 

Facilitator(s): 

Purpose: 

Topic & Time Content, Learning Activities and Purpose Resources 

Activate & Welcome 

Engage 

Introductions 

Norms Activity Posted Norms 

Activate & 

Engage 

 

 

Agenda 

Goals 

o What, Why, How 

o Big Ideas/Essential Question(s) 

 

Posted Agenda 

Explore & 

Discover 

 

 

Strategies for Interacting with Information 

Discussions, Sharing 

 

Information 

Organize & 

Integrate 

 

 

 

 

Summarize/Synthesize Information 

Most Important Points 

Next Steps 

Feedback 

 

 

Exit/Feedback 

Slips 

Chart next 

steps 

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Language Choices for Facilitation 

To invite thinking, use positive presuppositions. The use of plurals and tentative language 

also help questions be more invitational for thinking rather than to provoke. Below are 

examples that show the positive presuppositions in italics. The plurals and tentative 

language have been underlined. 

Negative Example: Have you been able to write a lesson plan? 

Positive Presupposition: Thinking about that lesson plan that you are writing, how’s it 

going? 

Negative Example: Why didn’t that go well? 

Positive Presupposition: As you reflect on that event (or lesson), what might be some 

reasons that it didn’t go as planned? 

Negative Example: What do you need to be successful? 

Positive Presupposition: Keeping the goals of the meeting in mind, what are some possible 

road blocks that you might want to keep in mind during your planning? 

Practice: Please select one question from below and modify it to add positive 

presuppositions, plurals and tentative language where possible. Feel free to write a 

question for your own context. 

1. Why did you do that? 

2. Why aren’t you finished on time? 

3. Why aren’t you managing your classroom? 

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References 

*Bens, Ingrid. (2005). Facilitating with ease! San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 

Burgoon, J., Buller, D., & Woodall, W. (1989). Nonverbal communication: The unspoken 

dialogue. NY: Harper and Row. 

Costa, A., & Garmston, R. (1993). Cognitive coaching: A foundation for renaissance 

schools—Syllabus (3 rd ed.). Berkley, CA: Institute for Intelligent Behavior. 

Garmston, R., & Wellman, B. (1999). The adaptive school: A sourcebook for developing 

collaborative groups. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc. 

Garmston, R., & Wellman, B. (2002). Syllabus: The adaptive school: A developing 

collaborative groups (4 th ed., revised printing). El Dorado Hills, CA: Robert 

Garmston and Bruce Wellman. 

Hoffman, C., & Ness, J. (1998). Putting sense into consensus: Solving the puzzle of making 

team decisions. Tacoma, WA: VISA Associates. 

*Lipton, L., & Wellman, B. (1998). Pathways to understanding: Patterns and practices in the 

learning-focused classroom. Sherman, CT: MiraVia LLC. 

*Lipton, L., & Wellman, B. (2003). Mentoring matters: A practical guide to learning-focused 

relationships (2 nd ed.). Sherman, CT: MiraVia LLC. 

Lipton, L., & Wellman, B. (June 25, 2010) Booklet used at work session in Spokane School 

District. Leading groups: Effective strategies for building professional community. 

Sherman, CT: MiraVia LLC. 

McDonald, J., Mohr, N., Dichter, A., & McDonald, E. (2003). The power of protocols. New 

York: The Teachers College Press. 

Sandvold, A., & Baxter, M. The fundamentals of literacy coaching. 

Wellman, B., & Lipton, L. (2004). Data-driven dialogue: A facilitator’s guide to collaborative 

inquiry. Sherman, CT: MiraVia LLC. 

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (expanded 2 nd ed.). Alexandria, 

VA: ASCD. 

Page 12 


Reflecting on the 

roadblocks that you have 

encountered with the 

project, what are your 

Considering the goals for 

this event, in what ways 

When you think about 

your students, what are 

Some responses to 

language activity: 

1. Why did you do that? 

were your actions in 

alignment with the goals? 

2. Why aren’t you 

finished on time? 

hunches about why it is 

more time consuming than 

predicted? 

3. Why aren’t you 

managing your 

classroom? 

some ideas for classroom 

management routines that 

could support their 

academic achievement? 

Quotations: 

• Relationships grow when: shared norms and values ensure psychological 

safety for all group members, group members behave congruently with 

agreed upon norms and filter choices and decisions through agreed upon 

values. 

--Laura Lipton & Bruce Wellman, Data Driven Dialogue 

• When different talents and ideas rub up against each other, there is 

friction, yes. But also sparks, fire, light and – eventually – brilliance! 

--Nancie O’Neal 

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Feedback 

I 

expected 

to 

receive: 

I received: 

I valued: 

A suggestion I 

have: 

A question I still have: 

If you would like to receive a response to your question(s), please give your e- 

mail address. Thank you, Vickie and Sue

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