Arrive an Hour B4hand

this post is about a general rule of training:  always plan to arrive in/at the training room an hour before the training starts - something will alway go wrong in the set up.

this hour will allow you to sit in unexpected heavy traffic, sort out any issues in the room before the students arrive, have a cup of coffee and collect your thoughts.  and still be on time for the start of the training event.  mostly those 60 minutes are a buffer to stop any potential panic attacks and help to keep your image professional. 

loosing your trainer credibility is incredibly easy; just arrive at 08:56 for a class that starts at 09:00 and find it impossible to switch on the PowerPoint presentation and then start blaming the technician for the entire fiasco [see here for some ideas on what can go wrong].  students will rightly snigger, enjoy the show and wonder if the trainer actually knows what they are doing.

the extra hour will give you time to sit in traffic, find a technician, sort out any issues which plague plugging in and switching on computers, as well as allow you to sort out your PowerPoint presentation and look rested and ready to train when the students arrive at 08:55.

image taken from here

Take These Things with You

on the night before the training takes place, make sure to have the following items ready to go:

1. white board pens & eraser
2. camera 
3. attendance sheet [see here for more details]
4. handout materials [see here for more details]
5. stationary for the students tables [see here for more details]
6. note pad 
7. realia [re-arr-lee-ah] actual items
8. computer & powerpoint presentations [see here for more details]

image taken from here

Introduce an Activity

this needs to be done correctly, or a great big horrible mess will take place and the trainer will be slap bang in the middle of it.  

the students will be annoyed, you'll feel frustrated and some serious self-flagellation is likely to take place later that evening.  the main thing to remember is this; when introducing a topic prepare before hand.

at the very minimum it is suggested you think about the following points, it is also suggested your thoughts are written down at least 24 hours before the training session:

1. the reason for including the activity; how relevant is it to the aims of the training session?
2. now re-think; does the activity really suit the aims of the overall training event?  is it included simply because it was the first thing that came to mind?
3. what are the three key learning points which will be gained by the students by taking part in this activity?
4. can the activity be improved?  the answer is usually a, "YES!" now think; how can it be improved?  what can be added or taken away?
5. what will the students gain by doing this activity?  what is the WIIFM?  can this be explained clearly to the students? [click here for more info on WIIFM]
6. what steps need to be included in the introduction?  is it better to separate the instructions into two or three distinct parts?
7. what will happen if the students don't understand the instructions?
8. what questions can be asked to help the students understand the task?
9. do the students have all the skills needed for this activity to take place?  does anything need to be pre-trained/ taught before this activity is introduced?
10. is the activity organised so the easy/ easier parts happen before the more difficult/ difficult parts? 
11. what do I need to prepare for this activity?  do I have those items available?  can the students do it instead of me and as part of the overall learning experience?
12. will the students need to be moved into smaller groups before the activity starts?  what size is best for this particular activity?  for this particular group?  for this particular room?
13. how will the students move from one chair to a different chair in the training room you're using?  what difficulties could happen?
14. anything else you can think of and which is not listed here

when you start as a trainer always prepare notes on how you're going to introduce the topic.  run it through in your mind before carrying it out in the training room and review.  think about what could go wrong, what might be better and review, review, review.

it goes without saying the students need to understand each part of the above.

when the activity starts watch the students.  ensure the task which you wanted the students to carry out is actually been done by the students.  if not, stop the class and re-explain.  it's easier to re-explain to the entire class than one by one. 

Benefits

1. trainer appears professional
2. students will actually do the activity you want them to do
3. no wasted time in the classroom trying to explain a task, then explain it again, and then yet again
4. no need to repeat instructions and re-state to each group

Practice

try introducing an activity something like this:

1. the name of the topic
2. the reason it's included - how it fits in with the overall training session that is being run
3. the reason the students need to understand and/ or do this
4. the activity - what is to be done
5. who is to do what, where and with whom
6. approximate timing & what is to be achieved in that time
7. ask, "does any one have any questions?" or "what else do you need to know?" wait 5 seconds [click here for more info on waiting 5 seconds]
8. pick a student who looks most confused and ask them to describe what is to be done
9. check again, "does anyone have any other questions?"  wait for 5 seconds and then 
10. start the activity

image taken from here

10 Key Points

1.       Respect all participants

2.       The trainer is the person who controls the training room

3.       Slow is more effective than fast

4.       Less is more effective than more

5.       Use open questions whenever possible  [see here for more details]

6.       Wait 5 seconds before answering your own question

7.       ‘Listen’ contains exactly the same letters as ‘silent’

8.       Always reuse an activity whenever you can

9.       Students prefer to leave training with a skill or knowledge (something/ anything) they can use in the workplace immediately

10.   Prepare and/ or print the handout materials the night before the class takes place

image taken from here

Close an Activity

when designing a training course activities will often be given a proposed amount of time.  remember, it's not set in stone and can be changed.  think about your students, what has gone on earlier in the day, the group as a whole and what you aim to achieve by the end of the session.  would it make sense to expand it, time wise?  will the students gain if it is expanded?

as a general rule of  allow all activities to finish naturally.  wait until most participants have completed the task, (even if it means allowing it to run for an additional half hour) and then wrap it up and carry out the review.  

if you do stop an activity before the students have finished, you’ll find you hear cries of, “just five more minutes”, "we haven't finished yet", "ohhh no" and will receive some dirty looks.  in general, students never want to stop an activity if they haven't finished it, even if they weren't too committed to it when they started.

if you want students to speed up, give them time warnings so they can move faster at their own pace, e.g. "you have five minutes left", "you have one minute left", "you have half a minute left" etc., etc.

Practice

1. in your lesson plan write additional relevant activities into your lesson plan, then if an activity finishes quicker than you expect, you'll have extra tasks for the students to carry out
2. before the training starts, work out which activities in your lesson plan might take longer than you expect and then work out which tasks can be shortened

image taken from here

Power Point Presentations

key Thoughts

1.  people come to hear you, not to watch a PowerPoint presentation.  your PowerPoint should support you and your presentation, not be the presentation
2. talk to your participants and not the PowerPoint presentation
3. always tell your participants if there will be handout copies of the PowerPoint slides
4. never stand in front of your PowerPoint presentation
5. 
   

PowerPoint Presentations

1. no more than 36 words on one slide.  ever.
2. some of the best PowerPoint presentations have no words, only pictures
3. no more than 30 numbers on one slide.  ever.
4. font size should be between 18 and 30
5. animation should be kept to a minimum - use only once (or not at all) in a presentation
6. graphics/ pictures should be high quality and not taken from the internet – they will be blurry
7. pictures, videos and audio help participants remember your message
8. in general a new presentation, if you are taking it seriously, will take 1 hour to design each slide.  leave enough time to design the slides rather than staying up all night
9. keep the background to your slides white whenever possible – its much quicker and cheaper when printing.  it’s also easier on the student's eyes
10. when printing the slides as handouts, print three, four or six slides to one A4 page.  never print one slide to a page, it looks as if you are inexperienced.  print on both sides of the page when you can - again it makes printing quicker and cheaper

 

picture taken from here

Print Course Materials

it is suggested handout materials are printed on a photocopy machine so changes can be incorporated easily and handout materials remain up to date.  sending handout materials to an external printer can save you money when you compare the cost of photocopy ink with the cost of printing outside the organization, but remember:

1. the handouts will become out of date if changes take place inside the organization 
2. whenever possible, remove information from your handouts which changes regularly e.g. organisational charts, job titles
3. printers will charge for a minimum quantity of items printed

printing using the photocopier
with course materials it is suggested they are printed on white A4 paper, using both sides of the paper.  the papers should be either stapled together, using two staples on the left hand side of the page, or punched and inserted into an A4 file.

remember, when you are printing handout materials, no one else will be able use the printer and you will make a lot of people angry if you block up a photo-copy machine all day.  if you have a lot of printing to do, ask all users before you start to print if it's OK to do so, and then print for a maximum of 10 minutes at a time - be sure to let other office staff use the photocopier.

print only the number of copies you need for each course; one for each participant + one copy extra for the trainer.  the trainer should write updates and information to be added to the course on their copy and once the course is finished, the material is updated as soon as is possible.  if you leave it till the next time you run the course, not only is it unlikely to happen, all the improvements will have been forgotten.

count the pages
before you start printing handout materials, count the number of sheets of paper needed.  that way you should have time to order additional stock or find it from somewhere else.  always keep spare paper somewhere in the office so you don't run out. 

leave yourself enough time to print, and factor in something will go wrong such as:

1.  printer will break down, it's a weekend and the maintenance can't be called
2. the ink will run out
3. the toner waste will fill up
4. the paper will run out
5. the paper won't feed through the photocopier
6. the computer won't connect with the photocopier

include the date
if you print off lots of spare copies, in addition to wasting resources, you're likely to find they'll be out of date when you run the next course.  it is suggested the date is printed on the bottom of all handout pages so students are aware which is the latest information when/ if they compare handout materials.  

make sure to print the latest edition and destroy any old digital versions you may have stored in your computer.  having said that, wait to destroy the old version until the course using this version has finished (you'll want to print the same version if you have late joiners).

course materials should be updated regularly as the course changes and new items are added and redundant parts are removed.  if it’s a new course which is being run, the handout materials will be updated daily as you realize what you want changed.  

image taken from  here

I forgot to bring ...

students often forget items when attending a training session - here's a suggested list of items to put on the students' desks so training is not interrupted by cries of, "pencil teacher".  this list can be added to and/ or changed, depending on your training needs and corporate culture.  I put all items in to an old photocopy paper box lid (the top part) and then place two of these on the desks.

one box contains spare A4 paper 
suggest holes are punched in before the training so the notes can be dropped in to the handout files and don't get left behind

whilst the second box contains:

1. pens & pencils
2. eraser 
3. marker pens
4. high-lighter pens
5. post-it notes
6. paperclips
7. stapler

image taken from here

Book the Training Room

first, get yourself a booking system if you possibly can.  online booking apps or programs are available and allow users to book a specific room, on a specific day, for a specific amount of time.  easy!

many of us are still using excel and a frustrated administrator to organize training rooms.  be kind.  be nice.  be gentle.  it is suggested you give as much notice and flexibility as you can muster, even on days when you're not feeling very hospitable or charitable ...


when booking a classroom check:

1. what will the room look like to the students  (a good place to spend 4 days? messy? uninviting? dirty?)
2. what time the room is opened on the day the training takes place. is there a cleaner who 'owns' the keys? how can you contact this person? and what if you want to start before, and/ or end after, the allotted opening hours?
3. computer  (does it exist?  how is it used? do you need to bring my own?)
4. internet connection (how bad is it?)
5. projector  (does it exist? and if it does, where is it? is there a zapper/ buttons to use the projector?  and where is it located? how does the projector work? are there any tricks to ensuring it work? and is there a technician if it doesn't? is there a wire to connect the computer with the projector or do you need to bring one with you?)
6. light switches  (where are they? how do they work? does the electricity regularly disappear at any point ?)
7. air conditioner/ heater  (where is the temp switch? does it work? do I have to share it with other people/ training rooms?  who do you contact if it stops working?)
8. how do the curtains open? can the windows be blacked out if you need to show a film?
9. how do the windows open?
10. does the door close?
11. minimum and maximum number of participants which can fit in the room?
12. how many tables?  (can they be moved? are the legs attached to the table top?)
13. how many chairs?  how many of those are broken?  where can you find extra chairs if you need them?
14. are there any noises which will interrupt your training?
15. is there anything you might trip over?
16. layout of the classroom and can that be changed to suit your needs?
17. space for leaving your belongings and training materials
18. flip charts & stand  (is there spare paper? does the stand fall over when pressed lightly?)
19. board markers  (do you need to bring your own?)
20. spare paper & pencils/ pens for students
21. water fountain  (where is it? how do you refill the water when it runs out?)
22. where is the the tea, coffee, water and small food items? what is the system for ordering?
23. are there any restaurants nearby?
24. bathroom locations
25. emergency exit location, where is it? outside meeting point, where is it?
26. what has gone wrong in this room previously?
27. are there any rules that you must follow when using this training room?
28. is there any thing else you should know about that hasn't been asked?

Practice:

1. book the room as far as possible in advance
2. be as flexible as you can be when someone desperately needs 'your' room.  in the end, it isn't 'your' room, even if you booked first ...

picture taken from here

WIIFM? What's In It For Me?

when you introduce a topic and/ or activity to a class, always think about the reason/s it's been included today.

trainers should be able to state the benefits of each and every activity - what will a reluctant student gain (or what's in it for me? WIIFM?) by learning about this topic and/ or doing this particular activity?

not understanding why something has been included in a training session can easily make a trainer nervous or unassertive; it doesn't seem relevant so what's the point of doing it?  students seem to be able to smell when something has been included simply to use up time.

if there are great big question marks in your mind about a particular topic, be very careful. if the trainer doesn't know the reason it's there, how on earth will the students know why they have to learn about it?


benefits

1. students understand the reason for being in class and can see the training is relevant to their job
2. students are likely to undertake the activity in a positive way, as they know practice

practice

1. you're running an induction course and the students are to tour the company premises.  it is cold outside and they have to walk around the factory site.  what are the reasons for the students to leave a warm classroom?  What's in it for them? (WIIFT?)

image taken from here

Computer Malfunctions

anything and everything can go wrong with a computer when you're running a training session. in fact it's probably better to presume something will go wrong and contemplate how to recover when it happens.

it is strongly suggested trainers appear at the training room an hour or so before the training begins.  that way, when something goes wrong, there's time to fix it.  then you can sit and drink coffee and laugh about how awful it could have been if you'd arrived later.

Depending on the importance of the training, I sometimes take two computers with me, a PC and a MAC.  no need to bring out the second computer if it's not needed, but hell yeah, I want the training session to run smoothly and to keep my hair.


Benefits:

1. you look professional in front of your students
2. no panic attacks because the computer isn't working.  it was, but now it's fixed

Practice:
think about how you would

• fix the problem
• recover the training session when it starts again
• deal with the bored students

if any (or all) of the following happened during your training session

1. the computer jams up and then dies in the middle of a PowerPoint presentation
2. the computer is lost the night before, someone 'borrowed' it
3. the battery in the computer is not fully charged, it stops working and there's no lead
4. the volume does not work, or there are no speakers
5. the internet connection does not work and it's impossible to use the main youtube video in your training
6. the IDSL wire from the TV can not be attached to your computer because the computer  you've been given is too old
7. you're using a mac and there's no wire to connect your computer to the screen
8. the USB which contains your presentation was forgotten/ lost on the way to the training session
9. the computer is cleared away during the lunchtime by the cleaners and the training hasn't finished
10. the technician who is supposed to connect your computer to the screen is unable to work out how to use the computer
11. the projector/ TV screen isn't working
12. the batteries in the mouse are not working
13. the screen is broken or can not be used with your computer
14. the battery starts smoking
15. the wall plug is not the same type as the plug on your computer  

image taken from  here

Start with the End

Set Learning Objectives

ensure you know what you hope to achieve in your training session before you go anywhere near a classroom.  ask yourself:

1. what are the key learnings for this training, for these students, today?  
2. can this be achieved in the time we have available?
3. what will the students be able to do at the end of the session that they couldn't do at the beginning? or,
4. which specific skills will you have developed?

don't worry too much if these questions can't be answered when you start writing your lesson plan, the answers do/will emerge as you contemplate the training.  However, never go into the classroom without the answers to the above sitting at the front of your mind.

It is strongly suggested a maximum of three learning objectives are written for each lesson plan.  this is to ensure the objectives take place during the lesson itself and the trainer is able to explain what will happen, and then action it.

Example:  students will learn how to bake a cake

having set the general task (or goal) of baking a cake, take each word and pull it apart.  What does it mean?  Will I be able to train this, or do I need to think about what needs to happen before this can be introduced.  This will allow you to create an objective: 

1. what sort of cake will the students make and then bake?
2. will the students actually make the cake, will they talk about making a cake, or will they be expected to just listen to you talk about making a cake?
3. do the students need to understand the ingredients and the background to baking? and will this need to be explained before the baking begins or in a previous class (also known as pre-teaching)
4. will the students need to buy & bring the ingredients to class?
5. will the cake need to be edible after it's been cooked?  what happens if it isn't?
6. will the cake need to be decorated?  if so how?
7. what about serving the cake?  will the students need to decorate a table for afternoon tea? and does this need to be pre-taught?

at the beginning this can all seem like too much thinking.  all these questions!  and even worse, deciding upon the answers.  however, this thinking and preparation allows us to now write the following: 

students will learn how to:
     a. make an edible, 7", victoria sponge cake 
     b. bake this cake
     c. apply raspberry jam as a filling

Benefits:

1. the other answers to the questions stated above will help in writing the lesson plan
2. by being specific, learning objectives can be set for the lesson

3. lesson planning is easier when you have specific objectives
4. when students go off on a tangent during class, the trainer is aware the lesson is off-track and then can be more responsive in bringing it back towards the objectives

5. students respond positively to an organised class and relevant learning - their time is not being wasted, there is a reason to be in the training
6. students know what will be assessed
7. the trainer knows what should be assessed and can carry out relevant assessments of the students

Practice:

1. write 3 objectives for a task you have planned to do tomorrow, or later in the week
2. start each objective with the a verb (or doing word)
3. is the verbs the correct one to use?  think about this carefully, can a more relevant verb be used?
4. can the objectives be more specific? and once they are more specific, ask again, can the objective be even more specific? 
5. write another 3 objectives for the follow on lesson