Hi, there!
I know that you are getting tired of the same old, same old method of reading the minutes of the latest BOE meeting. I mean...HECK...you just did that last week. Enough of the vicarious thrills!
So...it's time to vary our instructional methods. This sage is stepping off his stage and assuming the much touted role of guide on the side. It's time for a simulation game...let's call it "Reality BOE Meeting"!
Establishing the proper educational environment is crucial to our learning experience. For our game, choose an acceptable location for the simulation...what we will call the "learning center". There are no special requirements for the learning center except that it be hot and stuffy, have no chairs, and no refreshments.
Now...call a dozen or so of your friends. Be sure to assemble your friends in a fairly comfortable, air-conditioned room, complete with a table of refreshments. Once everyone has arrived, call the game to order...6:01 p.m. is a good time.
Here is a standard scenario:
- Begin the game by having your friends write their names on pieces of paper and placing them in a container. You should then draw and announce seven names at random...we term this phase of the game "Roll Call". (The individuals answering "Roll Call" will play the Executive Version of "Reality BOE Meeting". The remaining individuals will play the Standard Version.)
- The Executive Version participants should pick one of their own to be President.
- It's purely optional, but sometimes it adds interest to the game to plant a couple of "suits" in the group...to get people asking "Who are they?" The educational advantage is that participants pay closer attention to their simulation game agendas...and finally notice that the District's attorney(s) was (were) to be present.
- The President shall ask those not chosen if they have any comments to make. (It usually makes the game more interesting if a couple of people come forward playing the role of irrate parents...wishing to complain about an employee. The BOE President will remind them that such matters need to be considered in closed session.)
- The Executive Version participants should then vote to approve the agenda for the meeting.
- The Executive Version participants should then vote to move any items listed on the approved agenda to closed session.
- The Executive Version participants should then vote to go into closed session...6:07 p.m. is a likely time.
- Now...escort the remaining individuals to the "learning center"...you remember...the hot and stuffy location that has no chairs and no refreshments.
- Next...do NOT tell them how long this exercise will last...that takes all the mystery and fun out of it! Simply let them sit and wonder...discuss and be disgusted...at what the Executive Version participants are talking about.
- After an appropriate time...say 2 hours and 50 minutes...have one of the Executive Version participants go get the Standard Version participants...inviting them back into the comfortable, air-conditioned room...and what's left of the refreshments.
- The President should then announce that there is no action to be taken on what was discussed for the past 3 hours.
- Finally the Executive Version participants should vote to adjourn...8:57 being a suitable time.
- If participants seem to want more...(and who wouldn't?!) a debriefing exercise can be added to the game in which the Standard Version participants try to corner the Executive Version participants as they try to leave your house and find out what the heck they talked about all that time...and whether the refreshments were tasty!
Now...wasn't that special!
Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter
