MASTER WORKER

Project Delivery

Performance Assessment

The achievement of Master Worker certification relies on the acquisition of the 16 competencies observed by facilitators. It is the student's responsibility over the course of the project to demonstrate these competencies. Periodically the students are interviewed by a two-person facilitation team, which gives them the opportunity to receive objective feedback and to formally justify areas where facilitators have not seen mastery.

"Carefrontation" Technique

We "carefront" students with the truth as we see it, in the moment, and only after receiving their permission. Then we communicate the feedback with care and compassion, making it clear that it is simply our perspective. We discuss the effectiveness of current behaviors and the prospect of alternative behaviors. We also encourage and facilitate the students' practice of this technique, offering them opportunities to build more effective relationships.

"Master Worker Inc." Business Meetings

A business simulation called, "Master Worker, Inc." is conducted to allow students to experience problems involved in conducting their own business and experiencing an employer's perspective on workplace challenges. The class controls several sessions to experience the evolution of their own organizational structure, leadership, teamwork, planning, project management skills, and to design their own learning experiences.

Portfolios

Students are charged with the responsibility of creating a portfolio that they individualize, to their own goals, experiences, and strengths. It is a major tool used in the certification interview process before the Board.

Learning Temperament Types

The Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory is used to help facilitators adjust program delivery to the learning styles of each particular class, as well as to assist students in understanding themselves and others.

Emotional Mastery

Learning to quickly recognize and effectively resolve strong emotional reactions is a key component of the Master Worker Project that we call, "emotional mastery." We facilitate emotional mastery in and outside the classroom by helping students continually enhance their ability to take responsibility for their feelings, to release judgments of self and others, and to seek equanimity when dealing with inner or outer conflict. The tool of journaling and a focus on the self-nurturing process are important keys.

Personal Coaching

We are implementing one-on-one "Coaching" with each student on a weekly basis as an adjunct to regular classroom participation. This process is significantly enhancing and accelerating individual personal growth called for in this "Intensive" format.

Distance Learning

We are experimenting with distance learning technologies to support this personal development process. Students are required to e-mail personal journals to a Journal Facilitator once a week. The facilitator conducts "Cyber Coaching"-two-way email consulting-with students motivated to go deeper in their personal development). Also, the Learning Facilitation Team meets once a week using a telephone "Bridge" line to review coaching caseloads, and to plan for future class sessions.

Humanizing the Facilitator

It is difficult to move students from the tradition of "pleasing the teacher" to taking the power into their own hands. They have been conditioned for a lifetime to defer to authority figures in the classroom. This issue is amplified when dealing with the challenges of underrepresented populations. Therefore, it is important to encourage students to carefront the facilitators. This may require facilitators to be generous about regularly sharing, displaying, and admitting their mistakes and weaknesses and to clearly show the students that we are human too. This goes a long way to providing the safety and trust needed for students to open up and take charge of their own learning.

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