Reviewing for Different Ages

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~ 2 ~ ARTICLE: REVIEWING FOR DIFFERENT AGES

by Roger Greenaway with examples from Bill Krouwel, Irmelin

Küthe, Jacob Lindeblad, Karin Murris, Katriona Rioch, Kaye

Richards and Richard Coaten.

How do we learn differently at different ages and stages of life?

And how can we help others learn from their experiences at

different ages and stages in their lives?

In his book 'What is the difference?' Professor Alan Rogers

claims that adults and children learn in much the same way. This

challenges the dominant view in adult education theory that

adults and children learn in different ways.

My own view is that other factors can be more significant than a

person's chronological age - but age is still a factor. In my own

writing about reviewing and reflection I do not usually

distinguish between different ages and stages of life. This one-

size-fits-all approach recognises the potential for using any

idea with any age - if you are prepared to make adjustments.

'Age-neutral' writing gives you access to a wider range of ideas.

A game from early years playwork can become an astute

intervention for a business consultant - and vice versa.

I do accept that if you speak to a 5 year old as if they are a

senior manager (or vice versa) you may not be successful. But

then again you just might be! Every time I am tempted to make a

generalisation about what is and is not suitable for different

ages, exceptions spring to mind.

For example, Dorothy Heathcote (a professor of education)

developed a drama-based technique called 'Mantle of the Expert'

in which very young children are treated as if they are much

older - and they rise to the occasion. When treated as if they

are responsible and wise, children respond as if they are

responsible and wise (at least within the structure of 'Mantle of

the Expert').

And as for the value of people 'old enough to know better'

playing like children, I have many tales I could tell. There are

many who specialise in this area of play for all ages such as

Bernie de Koven (Major Fun) found at <http://www.deepfun.com> or

the FunFed in London who 'whole-heartedly believe in joy,

upliftment and laughter for adults' <http://www.thefunfed.com>

Now that you have read several paragraphs without an 'active

reviewing tip' in sight, I will now place these general

observations about age-appropriate activity in the context of

reviewing.

What should we bear in mind when reviewing with different age

groups? How can we adapt the same reviewing activity for

different age groups? Or do people automatically adjust and take

part in a reviewing activity at their own optimal level?

Here are my current thoughts about reviewing with different age

groups - mixed in with stories from friends and colleagues who

have kindly contributed to this article with their own

experiences of reviewing with different age groups.

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE APPEARS TO BE AN INNATE QUALITY

[Ages 0-5]

A lot of learning happens in the first five years of our lives.

Some of this learning is fed to us, but much of it happens

through active learning - through active curiosity, playing,

exploring and experimenting. Under fives have a lot of patience

and persistence when things don't work on the first attempt.

Under fives were not taught how to learn from experience.

Learning from experience appears to be an innate quality. Under

fives are naturals at active learning. And they get a bit

restless if they are expected to sit still and listen to long

lectures. They prefer listening to long 'stories' but they often

interrupt, ask questions and like to participate.

> And the funny thing is that most of these observations hold

true for over 5s, over 20s, over 50s and over 80s.

ENQUIRY AND REFLECTION FOR ALL AGES

[Ages 5-100+]

P4C = Philosophy for Children + Philosophy for Communities

Philosophy for Children is an approach to learning that

emphasises enquiry and reflection. For work with younger children

Professor Karin Murris's 'Teaching Philosophy Through Picture

Books' (now 'StoryWise') has had considerable impact on primary

school education, along with the growing P4C movement promoted by

SAPERE: the Society for Advancing Philosophical Enquiry and

Reflection in Education. Communities of Enquiry can be created at

any age - from very young to very old: SAPERE has a partnership

with Age Concern in its work with Philosophy for Communities.

<http://www.dialogueworks.co.uk/index.php/storywise>

<http://www.sapere.org.uk>

As with Dorothy Heathcote's 'Mantle of the Expert'...

> You are unlikely to discover the wisdom of children unless you

provide them with an opportunity to demonstrate their wisdom.

> Also - Pictures seem to be a good way in to philosophy.

Philosophy is not just about ideas that are expressed in words.

REFLECTING ON VALUES - USING PICTURES AND DECIDING LINE

[Ages 10-12]

Jacob Lindeblad writes ...

Lindeblad worked with 5th and 6th graders who were mocking each

other. By using pictures with the decision line the children

reached a common understanding of what good comradeship was all

about. The children used the decision line for choosing pictures

that best represented their ideas about good comradeship. Now the

chosen pictures are hanging in the classroom as a visual reminder

of what they need to have and to see: good comradeship.

Jacob Lindeblad <www.lindeblad.dk>

Deciding Line (with pictures)

<http://reviewing.co.uk/toolkit/deciding-line.pdf>

> Deciding Line generates high involvement, and the use of

pictures and appreciation makes it easier to achieve consensus.

CHANGING A NEGATIVE PEER CULTURE - WITH CREATIVE FEEDBACK METHODS

[Ages 15-16]

When working on a residential youth programme, we were visited by

a facilitator who was working on adult programmes at the same

centre. He was astonished at how soon in a programme these

teenagers were able to give and receive feedback.

My reply was that the young people were giving lots of feedback

to each other when they arrived - and it was 100% critical!

Because this created such a negative environment for learning, we

worked hard to change this from the very start of the programme.

One method we used was to have young people lie down on paper

(from a newsprint roll) and have their outlines traced by a

partner. Using pens and paint everyone would then move round each

other's life-size portraits adding colour, features, clothing and

items as a way of sharing their impressions of that person.

Collective Portraits:

<www.evaluationservices.co.uk/dlo/CollectivePortraits08.pdf>

Other visual feedback methods:

<http://reviewing.co.uk/feedback.htm>

CREATING A SAFE PLACE TO TALK FRANKLY - THE DIARY ROOM

[Ages 15-16]

Dr. Kaye Richards tells me that she and Alison Butcher created a

novel but familiar context when interviewing young people for a

research project at Brathay <http://www.brathay.org.uk>. They

recreated the Big Brother Diary Room. The young people would go

into the diary room one at a time and sit in the comfy chair. Big

Brother's voice would come through from the other side of a

screen.

This appeared to have the effect of encouraging young people to

speak more openly than might be the case in a 'normal' interview.

It is novelty that captures imagination and shifts people into a

different way of thinking and communicating. And if the idea is a

good cultural fit, the chances of success are greater.

> A change of context can help to engage people more deeply -

especially if the context is both novel and familiar.

LETTING YOUNG PEOPLE EXPLORE THEIR WORLD - THROUGH IMPROV DRAMA

[Ages 15-16]

I was teaching the 'leavers class' - the class that would be

leaving school with few or no qualifications. In fact many of

them had left this class already and my first task was to track

them down and persuade them to attend. To cut a long story short,

we ended up doing improv theatre about changes in the local

community that were already affecting employment - and their own

employment prospects. The drama we were creating together was

directly related to an issue that mattered to all of them. Their

acting skills were better than their reading and writing skills,

so I helped them produce a playscript closely based on their own

improvisations.

The 'leavers' performed this play (about leaving) again and again

- sometimes changing roles, sometimes adding new scenes and even

writing their own scripts. Unfortunately they did not have the

confidence to perform the play to other students, but they did

allow the playscript to be used by other classes. Just before

leaving school they gained an unlikely reputation as playwrights.

This is probably the closest I came to 'active reviewing' as a

teacher (before encountering it as a trainer). The work stayed

close to the experiences and concerns of the young people. The

primary method (improv acting) was something they enjoyed and it

played to their natural talents rather than dwelling on their

lack of ability in reading and writing. As their confidence in

acting grew, they got drawn in to reading and writing the

playscript. And they received congratulatory feedback from many

students from other classes who had read and performed the play

which they had created.

> Finding an active way in which these students could reflect on

their experiences as 'leavers' helped to engage them in the

learning process.

> Genuinely believing that these students had the ability to

create and perform a play was also an essential ingredient.

COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS - WITH THE HELP OF A CLAY MODEL

[Ages 15-16]

Katriona Rioch told me this story when she was project leader at

the Clydesdale Youth Project ...

At our parents' evening it was rare to see so many parents

turning up and showing an interest in their sons. A lot of the

conversation was about the clay models that the boys had taken

back home. Each model was a self-portrait in clay. Few parents

knew (or cared) much about what was happening in this group until

they saw the clay models. The models prompted conversations with

parents about the young person's self image, how they saw

themselves and thought about themselves. For many this made a

welcome (if awkward) change from being ignored or reprimanded.

The clay model and the subsequent discussions with the young

person and then with their youth workers resulted in parents

showing renewed interest in their sons and in their

responsibilities towards them.

> A creative process (such as the making of a clay model)

promotes reflection and dialogue - with all who see the product.

GIVING FEEDBACK - USING A FOOTBALL METAPHOR

[Ages 18-22]

A group of apprentices were talking a lot about football. Perhaps

they understood the world of football better than any other. So I

used their interest in football and their knowledge of the game

for setting up and managing a feedback session.

The starting point was to identify the skills and qualities

needed for different positions on the field of play. I then asked

them to put aside any knowledge they happened to have about each

other's footballing skills. Now they had to place each other

(physically) on the field of play, giving reasons why they were

suited to a particular position. For example, a centre forward

might be seen as a talented individual who does very little until

someone shouts at them; or a defender might be seen as someone

who is reliable but is always cutting others down. Once they got

going, the quality of feedback was surprisingly sophisticated -

much more so than if I had asked them to give straight feedback

to each other.

> Start from strengths and existing knowledge. These apprentices

knew about teamwork on the football field but had not so far

applied these insights to their own teamwork and team roles.

REFLECTING ON WORKING, RELATIONSHIPS AND CHANGE - WITH MUSIC

[Ages 25+]

A participant in a management development programme told me ...

"We decided that in our drama we wouldn't use words, we would

just use drama and music and percussion, and be fairly creative

... The theme was "working relationships and change". So we were

thinking about chaos into harmony. Percussion and wind

instruments - discord, trees, panic and fear and harmony and we

brought together the rhythms, and with the harmony and the tune

at the end and that was very powerful because it wasn't

constrained by jargon or language or anything ... That was why it

was powerful ... because it was a totally different setting and

yet we were asked to produce a drama on working relationships and

change and we did!"

Source: <http://reviewing.co.uk/research/ivw9.htm#m8>

> Using music for reflection removes the normal constraints of

words and jargon and can lead to a deeper understanding.

For the use of music in organisation development see:

<http://www.facethemusic.com>

REFLECTING AND LEADING - CREATIVELY

[Ages 25+]

The Center for Creative Leadership has explored and developed the

use of creative methods in leadership development. The research

findings of Charles Palus and David North are described in The

Leader's Edge. Among their proposed six key competencies for

leaders are imaging, serious play and crafting.

> Creative arts have a useful role to play both in reflecting on

leadership and in being effective leaders.

The Leader's Edge is at the top of the list in the leadership

section of the Active Learning Bookshop:

<http://reviewing.co.uk/reviews/leadership.htm>

REVIEWING WITH A DEFENSIVE GROUP - LETTING THE GROUP DECIDE

[Ages 25-35]

Bill Krouwel writes ...

Working with a group from the I.T. department of a financial

institution, we found that we just couldn't penetrate the rather

defensive attitude which the group seemed to share.

At our wits end, we shared our concerns with the group and gave

them space (45 minutes) and a place (the group room) to reflect

on this. After 20 minutes or so, we heard thumps, bumps and silly

laughter. A little later we ventured back into the room to find

the group playing "tig" (AKA "tag").

After the game was over, there was a relaxed and cheerful

atmosphere...

On reflection I think they were probably a little wary of making

fools of themselves in front of each other - but after "tig",

nothing we might inflict on them would look as silly...

So the group adopted a children's game....

Bill Krouwel

> Sometimes the smartest move is to share your concerns, leave

the room and let the group surprise you with their solution.

OLDER PEOPLE - REFLECTION THROUGH MOVEMENT, DANCE AND SONG

[Ages 70-100+]

Dr. Richard Coaten finds that people with dementia may have

difficulty with cognitive approaches because their cognition is

damaged. But they can access their remaining potential through

other senses, especially those which are embodied. They are

especially responsive to dancing, movement, singing and

reminiscing with objects. Stimulating memories through smells,

food, music, dance and pictures matters even more when people are

so vulnerable and frail - because reaching them through these

senses may be the only route left to communicate with them.

The principles of active and creative reviewing seem to apply

even more to people with dementia. This conjuring up of memories

through several sensory channels helps to instill a sense of well

being which supports personhood in dementia. Those who care for

them can also be enlivened through such work because they can

more readily connect when communicating in these enriched ways.

People with dementia do not like being referred to as 'patients'.

They can be just as resistant to negative labelling as teenagers.

>From the perspective of active learning, labelling people in the

passive role of 'patient' instantly places them in an inactive

role as a recipient of services - rather than as an active

participant in their own well being.

Thank you Richard for miraculously arriving in my office while I

was writing this article about reviewing with different age

groups.

These insights come from Richard's PhD thesis: Building Bridges

of Understanding: the use of embodied practices with older people

with dementia and their care staff as mediated by dance movement

psychotherapy. (University of Surrey, 2009)

> If chatting over a cup of tea isn't working, remember that

there are whole other worlds and channels through which people

can recall, reflect and discover.

REVIEWING WITH DIFFERENT AGES - WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

When I set out to write this article about 'Reviewing with

Different Ages' I thought I might end up with a reasonably tidy

list of age-related tips. But looking through all these examples

I have ended up with just one 'extra big' age-related tip - which

is to take care that you do not limit your choices based on

assumptions about what is (or is not) 'age appropriate'.

Of course, what you choose needs to be appropriate for the people

you are working with. And if you are not sure what is

appropriate, then try letting the people choose. Some of the

above examples show how groups and individuals have chosen how to

reflect on their experiences - and made good choices.

A recurring theme, in the examples above is the value and

richness of moving beyond purely verbal approaches and making

reflection a more active and creative process. In some of the

examples, there are no words at all, but the usual story is that

the greatest power comes from a mix of methods that engage the

whole person in the process of reflection.

Here are the key points again. They make more sense if you can

relate them to the original example. And they make even more

sense if you can relate them to your own experiences. Given my

'extra big' age-related tip above, I have removed most references

to age in the summary below.

* Learning from experience appears to be an innate quality that

can last a lifetime.

* Enquiry and reflection for all ages > You are unlikely to

discover the participants' wisdom unless you provide them with an

opportunity to demonstrate their wisdom.

* Reflecting on values - using pictures and deciding line >

Deciding Line generates high involvement, and the use of pictures

and appreciation makes it easier to achieve consensus.

* Changing a negative peer culture - with creative feedback

methods > If everyone knows that they will each have their own

turn at both giving and receiving feedback, they will readily

become more responsible and conscientious about doing so.

* Creating a safe place to talk frankly - the Diary Room > A

change of context can help to engage people more deeply -

especially if the context is both novel and familiar.

* Letting people explore their world - through improv drama >

Finding an active way in which these people could reflect on

their experiences helped to engage them in the learning process.

> Genuinely believing that they had the ability to create and

perform a play was also an essential ingredient.

* Communicating with the help of a clay model > A creative

process (such as the making of a clay model) promotes reflection

and dialogue - with all who see the product.

* Giving feedback - using a football metaphor > Start from

strengths and existing knowledge. These football enthusiasts knew

about teamwork on the football field but had not so far applied

these insights to their own teamwork and team roles.

* Reflecting on working, relationships and change - with music >

Using music for reflection removes the normal constraints of

words and jargon and can lead to a deeper understanding.

* Reflecting and leading - creatively > Creative arts have a

useful role to play both in reflecting on leadership and in being

effective leaders.

* Reviewing with a defensive group - letting the group decide >

Sometimes the smartest move is to share your concerns, leave the

room and let the group surprise you with their solution.

* Reflection through movement, dance and song > If talking isn't

working, remember that there are whole other worlds and channels

through which people can recall, reflect and discover.

If you wish to add in your own examples, it is never too late

because this is a web text to which I will be more than happy to

include your own contribution to this growing document. Please

write with your comments or contributions to:

roger@reviewing.co.uk

The full article, including all examples received so far is at:

http://reviewing.co.uk/articles/reviewing-for-different-ages.htm

~ 3 ~ ACTIVE LEARNING MANUAL: NEW VIDEOS WANTED

The Active Learning Manual demonstrate active learning methods

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minute videos of a similar style and quality to the pilot videos

For a limited period I am offering a third day's training free in

exchange for two minute videos that I can add to the Active

Learning Manual collection. To discuss this, or other

possibilities, please write to me at: roger@reviewing.co.uk

4 ~ ACTIVE LEARNING BOOKSHOP: FREE UK DELIVERY UNTIL 2010

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~ 5 ~ STORYLINE: MAKING THE EXPERIENCE CENTRAL TO THE REVIEW

Storyline is a chart made by participants showing their 'ups and

downs' over a period of time. The chart can serve as a personal

record of their 'journey' through a course or programme. Or it

can chart their ups and downs during a challenge that is relevant

to their learning goals.

People talk quite naturally of their 'ups and downs', 'highs and

lows', being 'as high as a kite' or 'down in the dumps'. A

Storyline is a timeline showing these fluctuations.

Storyline was originally used to chart emotional ups and downs,

but it can also be used for charting anything that fluctuates,

such as involvement, motivation, effort, difficulty,

understanding, relevance, confidence, performance, or a specific

emotion.

The real power of Storyline is when it is used as a communication

aid. A chart makes it easier for speakers to communicate. It also

makes it easier for listeners to follow the story and to ask good

questions to the storyteller.

>> Why would I use Storyline?

To give participants thinking and preparation time before telling

their 'story'. This is especially useful for people who lack the

vocabulary or the confidence to tell their story.

To help participants focus on a particular theme in the telling

of their story (eg involvement, motivation, effort, difficulty,

understanding, relevance, confidence, performance ...)

To help participants notice similarities and differences in each

other's stories, and to stimulate interest, empathy and support

between them.

To provide you with greater insights into what makes each

participant 'tick', and some important clues about what motivates

and demotivates each person.

To give participants a framework for presenting content that is

relevant to all - such as when a participant is reporting back on

an individual project.

Tip: When first using Storyline, use it for stories with a happy

ending or a successful outcome - because stories of frustration

or disappointment may not be suitable for paired work.

>> What do I need for setting up Storyline?

For making individual Storylines, each participant needs pen and

paper. Blank paper is easier for you, but graph paper, squared

paper or a customised chart template is easier for participants.

For a more active version, provide participants with ropes of 4

or 5 metres for charting their story on the floor or ground -

which they then walk along while telling their story.

For paired work (with ropes) you need one rope between two and

plenty of space. If ropes or space are limited, participants can

tell their stories one at a time to the whole group.

You will need a good supply of suitable questions if you want to

go beyond storytelling and encourage the analysis and discussion

of the stories.

>> Exploring a Storyline

After a participant has told their story (ideally while walking

along their line) these questions can be asked by a partner (or

facilitator) to help the student analyse their story.

1. Can you name five emotions that you were feeling at different

points in your story?

2. What caused your high points? How did you (or others)

contribute to these high points?

3. What did you or others do to help you bounce back from your

low points?

4. How did your feelings influence what you said or did?

5. How do you think your feelings influenced what others said or

did?

6. How did the feelings of others influence what you said or did?

7. In a similar situation in future, how would you like your

‘Storyline’ to be different?

>> Things to watch out for

Stories that end on a low point. Solution: check to see whether

this is a problem that needs attention - especially if the story

is a recent one.

Stories that do not arise above zero. Solution: check to see

whether this is a problem that needs attention. Point out that

there are relative highs and lows to talk about even if all are

in the negative zone.

Participants who do not have a story to tell. Solution: change

your briefing so that everyone can find a suitable story that

they do want to tell.

>> Reviewing a group project or event

This process applies to the charting of an event in which the

whole group has taken part.

Explain that the purpose is to chart personal ups and downs.

The event to be 'charted' should be divided into about ten parts.

To bring out individual differences, include moments when people

seemed to be going through different experiences from each other.

Optional: save the first one or two scores for the period leading

up to the start of the event.

Optional: save one or two scores for feelings since the event.

Each participant records a number from minus 10 to plus 10 for

each of the ten or so occasions that have been agreed.

Either each participant constructs their own Storyline, or they

can construct a multicoloured group version.

>> The multicoloured group version

The group version can take some time to construct - so weigh up

the value of time invested against the likely value of the

learning.

The chart should be big enough for each person's line to be

clearly seen - such as a whiteboard, blackboard or an equally

large sheet of paper.

Each participant chooses a different colour and draws their line

on a large chart signing their line at each end.

If there are not enough colours to go round, lines can be

individualised using dots, dashes, crosses etc.

See 'Exploring a Storyline' above for ideas about questions for

discussion.

>> A quick evaluation of Storyline

PLUS: Storyline helps participants of all abilities to give

structure and shape to a story and helps them become much better

communicators.

MINUS: Storyline can get into personal areas that participants do

not wish to share with others - in which case you can make it a

private reflection exercise, or make it a safer subject.

OTHER: When walking the line participants naturally use body

language - which assists communication. The line is a wordless

prompt that brings out the essence of the story.

If you are a provider of facilitation training, please send me

the details if you would like the details included in future

issues of Active Reviewing Tips.

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~ 7 ~ ARCHIVES: HOW BALANCED ARE YOUR QUESTIONS?

Just in case you missed the very first issue of Active Reviewing

Tips (or have forgotten what it was about) here are some tips

about asking questions from Active Reviewing Tips Issue 1.1 ...

However active or creative your reviewing style, the chances are

that you will be asking a lot of questions. And that the chances

are also that most of your questions will be 'looking for

trouble' rather than 'looking for success'.

Here is a list of some commonly used questions paired with some

success-focused alternatives.

- Negative or neutral question

+ Success-focused alternative

- What are your needs?

+ What are your strengths?

- What did you learn?

+ What did you learn to do better?

- What issues shall we put on the agenda?

+ What issues can we now take off the agenda?

- How can you improve?

+ What strengths could you make more use of?

- What's missing from this group?

+ What are the assets of this group?

- What would you do differently next time?

+ What would you do the same next time?

- What do you want to achieve?

+ What is your recipe for success? And what will you now apply

For more questions, for more background and for several pages

about reviewing success, start at the Questions For Success page:

from where you can find several more pages on the subject!

Success is that important!

You too can search the archives by going to this index page:

~ 8 ~ PREVIOUS ISSUE: REVIEWING WHEN SHORT OF TIME

'Reviewing When Short of Time' is now at:

<http://reviewing.co.uk/archives/art/11_3.htm>

~ 9 ~ NEXT ISSUE: THE BEST ISSUE EVER!

What would make the next issue of Active Reviewing Tips 'the best

issue ever' - for you?

Your answer will help me to write for readers just like you!

Topics I am considering for future issues include:

* Reviewing for a change

* Reviewing for self-development

* Reviewing for different outcomes (using the same activity)

* Reviewing for teachers and lecturers

* Reviewing for consultants

* Reviewing one-to-one

* The art of improvising

* Programme design with reviewing in mind

* Reviewing as a takeaway skill for participants

Please send your suggestions (or votes) to:

<roger@reviewing.co.uk>

Feedback on this issue is also very welcome.

~ 10 ~ About Active Reviewing Tips

EDITOR: Dr. Roger Greenaway, Reviewing Skills Training

9 Drummond Place Lane STIRLING Scotland UK FK8 2JF

Feedback, recommendations, questions: roger@reviewing.co.uk

phone (UK office hours): +44 1786 450968

SUBSCRIBE: http://reviewing.co.uk/_ezines.htm Tell a friend!

ARCHIVES: http://reviewing.co.uk/archives/index.htm

The Guide to Active Reviewing is at http://reviewing.co.uk

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COPYRIGHT: Roger Greenaway Reviewing Skills Training

POSTSCRIPT
I enjoyed the co-authoring aspect of this issue about reviewing for different ages. As often happens when I write, it was also a learning journey. I look forward to opportunities for other kinds of collaborative writing in future issues. I think it is a win-win-win formula: better for authors and readers. Is anyone interested? Proposals welcome!

ACTIVE Reviewing Tips for dynamic experiential learning

Reviewing for Different Ages

ACTIVE Reviewing Tips
for dynamic experiential learning