Reflection: Workshop - HOD Workshop (2nd run)

Preparation of the workshop

This is the first workshop where so many brains and hands are put together... really, can't tell it's good or not:

• Good sign that all are contributing, helping - I think, along the way, it helps to synergise... but in a stressful manner. By thinking and discussing together, it helps us to better understand what we are into... what we are delivering...
• Not good as we are all working towards last minute... also, because of the very first version of the workshop is really bad??!!

In fact, I agree with Sai Choo when she says this, "Make sure you look smart when you are standing in front, conducting the workshop." In fact, before SC eventually said these, Poh Heng has already been emphasizing it through - constant reminders on the knowing and understanding what we are delivering, to an extent of getting us to dry-run... in fact, getting us to do debrief after the session - well, all these are part and parcel of building our capacity. Yes, when we attend workshops, we look up to the trainer as someone who knows and provides anwers to our queries. That will mean we must be ready to dish out answers or suggestions at any one time... well, say as you like, it's to be 'kiasu' and over-prepare... once we lost the participants in the first day, it's going to create snow ball effect... 人言可畏！It's back to the 'emotional bank account' thingy (mentioned in an earlier post).

In fact, in those few days, the team was like preparing for an exam! of course, with SC as our chief examiner! who else? On the other hand, just wonder... maybe we are destined to learn via the hard way? BTW, it's not easy to be a 'bad' person who consistently have to post pressure... to be picky for the better... I can remember to occasions when blood shot up to my brain when looking at pieces of work! 辛苦了你，也辛苦了自己.

Session 1

• In terms of confidence level, there's a definite improvement - when delivery the cycle at the beginning... in fact, it's 头头是道, I must say. Except the tone, which I realised, each time I hear the word "you", it hit me as if it's a lecture. Putting myself in my old shoes - as a HOD, I won't like someone there to lecture me... Anyway, I think it's also the delivery/presentation style that comes in play here... of course, the hand in the pocket or at the waist raised the wall between the audience and the presenter, too...
• For content, I think there's a big improvement - for explanation, as well as the materials handed out to the participants. It's definitely a result of the hardwork put in by everybody.
• For purpose and instructions to activities: There is still room for improvement.
• It is necessary to communicate to participants the purpose of the activity, eg. how the document facilitates the activity - to capture our learning over the next 2 hours(?), to complete it along the way, as we go through various stages - otherwise, it will be ended up as a form filling exercise (as a couple of them cited at the end-of-session feedback) - when the operation clouded the purpose.
• Realised the usefulness of puting up the instructions of activity in the slides to guide participants, too...
• In fact, it is also the first time that we all stayed back after the workshop and immediately go through AFIs of the workshop so that these can be addressed by the next run. Think about it... it's good to have more than one run of the same workshop... it really helps in improving the practice over time.
• We have been told it is necessary to include a slide that describe the activity; however, the seem-to-logical reason was not communicated to us. Er... I personally thought it was because that helps us to communicate the instructions. Indeed, the word "Activity" is to capture the participants' attention on what's on the way.

Some areas for improvement (for the workshop delivery)

• Familiarity of the slides and remember where examples come... Remember to describe the example before pointing out to participants where to get resources
• Explain to participants how to document is being used - each time, will fill up one column.
• Extend the example - beyond the "Learning Gap" stage - as a guidance to the participants. Another suggestion:
• When going through the different tools, more can be done when participants shared... we can elaborate more... on how the tool can be used, in what way...
• Interesting, a few participants pointed out that the 'setting' of the eVideo has been quite out-dated (eg. nowadays, pupils will not be able to associate to typewriters).

Session 2

• coming soon...