Forestry Training Manual: Inter-America Region (Peace Corps, 1986): Session IV

Forestry Training Manual: Inter-America Region (Peace Corps, 1986)

		(introduction...)
		Acknowledgements
		Trainer guidelines
		Training program overview
		Forestry observation guide for site visit
		Getting ready
		Conducting the training program
		Weekly evaluation form
		Session I - Welcome, expectations, and evaluation criteria
		Daily schedule for technical training I
		Session II - Special projects
		Session III - The forest of the world, Peace Corps forestry goals, the individual volunteers' roles
		Session IV - Language class
		Session V - Record keeping
		Session VI - Journal keeping and setting
		Session VII - Flowers, seeds, the beginning
		Session VIII - Spanish language class
		Session IX - Non-verbal communication
		Session X - Basic site selection, planning and layout of a nursery
		Session XI - Spanish lesson
		Session XII - Cultural values
		Session XIII - Soil preparation, seed bed sowing, and reproduction by clippings
		Session XIV - Spanish language
		Session XV - Communication through illustration
		Session XVI - Fertilizers, watering and containers
		Session XVII - Spanish language
		Session XVIII - Protection and record keeping
		Session XIX - Individual interviews
		Weekly evaluation form
		Session XX - Planting trees
		Session XXI - Spanish language session
		Session XXII - Introduction to extension
		Session XXIII - The principals of pruning and thinning learning how to make and use a diameter tape
		Session XXIV - Spanish language
		Session XXV - Volunteer's role as an extensionist
		Session XXVI - Pacing, plane table, rustic transit and compass
		Session XXVII - Spanish language
		Session XVIII - Forestry extension
		Session XXIX - Forest menstruation
		Session XXX - Spanish language
		Session XXXI - Working with groups as an extension worker
		Session XXXII - Agro-forestry
		Session XXXIII - Spanish language
		Session XXXIV - Lesson plan and use of visual AIDS in teaching
		Session XXXV - Small research projects
		Session XXXVI - Individual interviews
		Session XXXVII - Soils
		Session XXXVIII - Spanish language
		Session XXXIX - Community analysis introduction
		Session XL - Soil erosion
		Session XLI - Spanish language
		Session XLII - Problem analysis
		Session XLIII - Watershed management
		Session XLIV - Spanish language
		Session XLV - Review of expectations - Mid way
		Session XLVI - Spanish language
		Session XLVII - Species report
		Session XLVIII - Forestry issues
		Session XLIX - Spanish language
		Session L - Field trip overview
		Session LI - Ecology teams give presentations
		Session LII - Individual interviews
		Session LIII - Review of field trips
		Session LIV - Project planning: Goal setting
		Session LV - Spanish language
		Session LVI - Resources
		Session LVII - Compost heap. Insect collection. Light gaps
		Session LVIII - Spanish language
		Session LIX - Cultural shock - Are we ready for it?
		Session LX - Grafting and fruit trees
		Session LXI - Spanish language
		Session LXII - Professional approaches to interaction with host country officials
		Session LXIII - Final interviews
		Session LXIV - Graduation

Session IV - Language class

Total Time:

1½ hours

Goals:

- To provide trainees with language classes to hold language capabilities at entry level or if possible, increase language proficiency.
- To integrate technical language as part of language training.

Overview:

In this first language class, it is important for teachers to set the ground rules for class. Basically classes are to be conversational, but grammar will also be stressed. Proper pronunciation of words will also be stressed.

Procedure

Time	Activities
1½ hours	1. Teachers will be given the activities of each session. They will discuss in Spanish the activities of proceeding sessions.
	2. Teachers will go over vocabulary list for each day helping participants with pronunciation and putting vocabulary words into sentences using correct grammar.

Vocabulary list

Afforestation - reprobación forestal; aforestación
Tree class - classe de árbol
Ecology - ecología
Flower - flor
Forest - mante, bosque
Forestry - técnica forestal, dasonomia
Fruit - fruta, fruto
Leaf - hoja
Nut - nuez
Reforestation - reforestación
Root - raiz
Seed - semillia
Site - sitio
Tree stem - tronco, tallo
Tree - árbol
wood - madera

Feedback and Journal Writing

Total Time:

1 hour 45 minutes

Goals:

- To review how to give and receive feedback;
- To learn more about ourselves;
- To become more skillful in obtaining and understanding information about the effectiveness of our behavior;
- To become more sensitive to our reactions to others and the consequences of these reactions;
- Participants will understand the importance of keeping a journal.

Materials:

- Flip charts, marker pens, tape, note books with tabs for journals.

Exercise I - Feedback

Total Time:

1 hour

Overview

The purpose of this exercise is to remind participants that although they may have had lectures and some practice in feedback, that giving timely, skillful feedback needs to be practiced.

Procedures

Time	Activities
5 minutes	1. Trainer should acknowledge that everyone of the trainees has been through feedback practice at the CAST, CREST, or Staging and that many may have had an introduction to feedback even earlier.
5 minutes	2. Ask individuals to jot down as many feedback rules as they can remember off the top of their heads.
15 minutes	3. Trainer now produces newsprint with the following rules;

FEEDBACK RULES

1. It is honest and frank rather than diplomatic or subtle. It is true reporting your real feelings and reactions to the behavior of another person. This implies that you are aware of your reactions and are willing to run the risk of possible rejection by sharing them with the other person.

2. It is specific rather than general. To he told that one is dominating will probably he as useful as to he told that: "Just now you were not listening to what the others said, but I felt I had to agree with your arguments or face attack from you. "

3. It is focused on behavior rather than on the person. It is important that we refer to what a person does rather than to what we think or imagine he is. Thus we might say that a person "talked more than anyone else in this meeting" rather than that he is a "loudmouth". The former allows for the possibility of change; the latter implies a fixed personality trait.

4. It takes into account the needs of the receiver of feedback. Feedback can be destructive when it serves only our own needs and fails to consider the needs of the person on the receiving end. It should be given to help, not hurt. We too often give feedback because it makes us feel better or gives us a psychological advantage.

5. It is directed toward behavior which the receiver can do something about. Frustration is only increased when a person is reminded of some shortcomings over which he has no control or a physical characteristic which he can do nothing about.

6. It is solicited, rather than imposed. Feedback is most useful when the receiver himself has formulated the kind of question which one can answer either by observing him or through actively seeking (soliciting) feedback.

7. It involves sharing of information rather than giving advice. By sharing information, we leave a person free to decide for himself, in accordance with his own goals, needs, etc. When we give advice we tell him what to do, and to some degree take away his freedom to decide for himself.

8. It is well-timed. In general, immediate feedback is most useful (depending of course, on the person's readiness to hear it, support available from others, etc.). The reception and use of feedback involves many possible emotional reactions. Excellent feedback presented at an inappropriate time may do more harm than good.

9. It involves the amount of information that receiver can use rather than the amount we would like to give. To overload a person with feedback is to reduce the possibility that he may be able to use what he receives effectively. when we give more than can he used, we are more often than not satisfying some need of our own rather than helping the other person.

10. It concerns what is said or done, or how, not why. The "why" takes us from the observable to the inferred and involves assumptions regarding motive or intent. Telling a person what his motivations or intentions are more often than not tends to alienate the person, and contributes to a climate of resentment, suspicion, and distrust; it does not contribute to learning or development. It is dangerous to assume that we know why a person says or does something, or what he "really" means, or what he is "really" trying to accomplish. If we are uncertain of hits motives or intent, this uncertainty in itself is feedback however, and should be revealed.

11. It is checked to insure clear communication. One way of doing this is to have the receiver try to rephrase the feedback he hats received to see if it corresponds to what the sender had in mind. No matter what the intent, feedback is often threatening and thus subject to considerable distortion or misinterpretation.

	Trainer asks how many of you remember all eleven rules?
	4. Trainer now gives the following reasons why we want to practice and become more skillful at giving and receiving feedback.
		a. By learning to give and receive feedback skillfully, we help ourselves and others become more effective as volunteers.
		b. The more we learn about ourselves in this training and about how effective our behavior is, the more we will be prepared for our two years as an effective volunteer.
		c. We will also become more sensitive to our reactions to others and the consequences of these reactions in our interpersonal relationships.
15 minutes	5. Trainer now asks group to break into groups of five and brainstorm ways in which we can become more skillful at giving and receiveing feedback and list ideas on newsprint.
5 minutes	6. Trainer now asks groups to present their list to entire group.
	7. By way of summarizing, two trainer models for giving and receiving feedback through short role plays are used.
	The feedback should he real, perhaps based on the record keeping exercise that they took part in. This would help set a climate of openness. It is also important to model positive feedback.