Can you remember back to a time when you were at a party and someone you barely knew asked you to dance? Do you remember how you battled in your head if you should say "yes" or "no"? If you refused, no one could force you to dance. If you accepted, there were the first awkward moments of getting into step with your partner. If the person leading was a skillful dancer, it seemed easy. Sometimes the rhythms never completely meshed, and it felt like a wrestling match.

The reason for this example is that it is very similar to the process of teaching and learning. Not everyone brings the same mental or physical talents to each learning opportunity. Some refuse our efforts, and we cannot force them to learn, because they have decided against it. The process of learning requires an open mind. It is like a dance between partners: one leads and the other must follow. There are some more skilled at it than others; some get the steps right away while others must practice just to comprehend the rhythm. A good educator is patient and perceives with heart as much as mind in the process of teaching.

The first step in successful learning is to give learners a choice, even if a session is mandated. We can create choice by asking learners what they plan to learn while in the session. There are various ways to accomplish that task. My favorite requires that you create a list on a sheet of paper or flip chart of the topics you are going to teach in the session. Obtain adhesive, colored dots from an office supply store. Distribute one dot to each person as he or she enters the room. Ask the individual to read the list of topics and vote by placing a dot next to the topic the he or she is most interested in learning, or one that he or she believes is most important. This creates a thought process in which the learners must think and choose. People tend to support decisions they are involved in making. This also shows that we want their input; from the beginning, we are involving them in the process of learning.

Once all have arrived for the class, view the list to assess how the votes were cast. If the topics are nonsequential, I often start with the topic that received the most votes and continue through based on the distribution of votes. I address the first topic by saying, "There are 20 votes for 'How to Deal With Difficult Learners,' so let me begin with that topic." Educators who typically teach a program in a specific order are sometimes surprised by this strategy.

If the topics are sequential and the majority of students have picked, for example, the third topic in a set of five, I present the topics in sequential order. At question and answer phase of the class, I focus on topic three. I then ask, "What is the most important information you have gained about topic three?" or "How will you use this information on the job?"

This approach acknowledges that we recognize learners' interests as important. It asks them to think and choose one final time before class ends. We can thank them for their involvement and for their partnership. We can be thankful for the opportunity to connect with them in a meaningful way. We can learn from them. Just as we feel when a dance is over, we can be thankful for the adventure, the choices, the surprises, and the joy of the learning experience.

Good luck and enjoy!