Leadership Workshop

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I go about getting a Leadership Poetry Workshop started at my school?
The first step is to contact the Project Manager in the ICL Seattle office, and set up a meeting between you and your agency decision makers, with the development staff of ICL. ICL staff will come make an initial introductory presentation, and begin the process of creating an understanding of what you and your school or program would like to see achieved in conjunction with Leadership Poetry Workshop programming. Once the determination has been made to move forward with a workshop, ICL staff will set a meeting to conduct the Vision Setting process outlined above.

How do we set dates and times for a Leadership Poetry Workshop©?
Once the Vision Setting process is completed, ICL staff work with your staff to set a date and time which fits your school's needs. Workshops are generally offered Mondays through Thursdays. For pullout models, the times can be set the same for each week, or rotate between class periods. Some schools integrate the Leadership Poetry Workshops in a specific classroom settings infusing the curriculum in course content. This way, students do not miss other academic courses.

In what parts of the country do you currently offer Leadership Poetry Workshops©?
ICL has active coaching staff in Western Washington and Eugene and Portland Oregon, Miami, Florida and the Greater Bay Area of California. Additional sites may be considered based on regional resources and scope of proposed project.

How are student workshop participants selected?
ICL staff conduct a Vision Setting process for each new workshop. From this Vision Setting process, a Job Description for the student participants is defined. ICL staff makes suggestions to the school personnel on recommended group composition that will best facilitate achieving these specific workshop objectives.

In general, workshops are the most successful that have the greatest diversity in the room; age; gender; socio-economic background; linguistic; academic; racial and cultural; regional and "cliché" or group representation as possible. Strongly homogenous groups have well defined social routines and engraved peer dominance and rituals. The workshops are designed to assist students in getting out of their comfort zones, and go deep into where they come from, and what is their purpose in life. These discussions and explorations happen best with diversity in the room.

What is the role of the teacher or school staff?
A teacher or school staff is encouraged to participate in the workshop as a participant, initially. As teacher's comfort level with the curriculum grows, they might decide to take on a Coaching role within the context of the Leadership Poetry Workshop. Attendance in the classroom is optional. Many of our workshops are presented without school staff in attendance.

Who supervises the Games or out-of-school activities?
All out-of-school activities are coordinated and staff by the certified coaching team of ICL. Games are highly structured, and ICL staff provides transportation. Students meet together at a common gathering place, an ICL office or school lobby for example, set the purpose for the activity, set a tone, then travel to the Game together, conducting "Workshops on Wheels" Students read nonviolence principles, practice their speeches, discuss the purpose for the Game, and Coach one another.

After the Game, students evaluate their roles individually and collectively. They Coach one another on how they might have done an even better job of achieving the purpose. Students are then transported home or to an agreed upon site where parents have arranged to pick up their students. Students are under direct supervision of ICL staff at all times.

How do Leadership Poetry Workshops support the need for teachers to address Standards Based Outcomes and various state testing requirements?
Leadership Poetry Workshops are a literacy-based program. Students read, write and read what they have written in each session. LPW improve student performance in areas of reading, writing, listening, public speaking, oratory and social skill development. Students evidence dramatic improvement in respect for self and others. More detailed information of ICL's compliance with Washington State Standards (Essential Academic Learning Requirements) is available upon request.

What is the cost for the workshops?
Costs vary, depending on region and scope of service. A typical eight-week workshop with the five components listed above runs about $5,400.00.

How do schools and community organizations fund the workshops?
Some workshops are funded at the district level, others by individual school. Administrators have accessed reading, Safe Schools, anti-violence, gang or substance abuse dollars in the past. The impact of the workshop is broad, allowing for greater flexibility in funding sources. Some schools have utilized the community component to encourage the private sector to sponsor the workshops. Many have added workshops to Action Plans or annual budget process and covered the fee out of standard budgetary sources.

What about after school models?
ICL prefers to present workshops in the context of the academic school day. This assists students, families and teachers in making the organic connection between changing school climate, confronting fears and obstacles, and developing inner realm capacity to courageously confront inequities much easier. After school programs struggle to retain that direct impact. We will consider doing after school workshops, but would need to define the role of the student's within the schools day very carefully.

What do we need to provide on-site once we have determined to start a workshop in our school or program?
Workshops generate a lot of noise, energy and love. A room that is free from loud or strong visible or auditory distractions is preferable. Also, a room where our noise will not interrupt others is also important. Students write in workshops, so chairs with tables or good comfortable writing surfaces is key. That's it. ICL Coaches provide all workbooks, pencils, paper, easel and supplementary materials needed for the workshop.

Do students get to keep the workbooks?
Yes. Workbooks are given to the student participants at the end of the workshop, so they can take them home to study and continue their pursuit of nonviolence. An online study program is also available for graduating students.

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