Change Hurdles

• Organize into groups of 4-6 and then form triads with the groups. For example, if there are 30 people we would form six groups of five and two triads of three groups.
• Each table needs one sheet of newsprint and a couple of markers.
• The lead question for the first charge is:

What are the hurdles (obstacles) for improved teaching and learning in this building?

The group is to brainstorm obstacles and record them on the newsprint. Coach them to generate ten or more obstacles.

This generally takes around 20 minutes.

• Within the triad, rotate the list. The new charge is to review your colleague's list and scratch the least insignificant three.

This generally takes around 10 minutes.

• Within the triad, rotate the list. The new charge is to review your colleague's list (one that now has three scratched) and to circle the three most significant obstacles.

This generally takes around 10 minutes.

• Now return the list to the originating group. The lead question is:

Do you agree or disagree with what has been scratched and circled? Would you circle something different?

This generally takes about 5 minutes.

• Have a spokesperson for each group report out on their circled obstacles. The facilitator should record the obstacles on new newsprint. If an obstacle is repeated, tally next to the obstacle so that we gain some sense of the most often mentioned obstacles.
• In debriefing with the whole group, help them define hurdle. A hurdle doesn't stop the race. Hurdles have been jumped, crawled under, run around and knocked down. The challenge is now that we have identified the hurdles, how can we strategize to move over, under, around or through?
  

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