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Facilitation Quick Tips: Head-Heart-Feet
By Teagan Drawbridge, MEd, MSW, Shira Cahan-Lipman, MEd, Jennifer Hart, MPH | March 28, 2016
Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts
This end-of-the-training activity gives participants a chance to reflect on what they’ve learned, identify key takeaways and inspire one another by sharing practical action steps they plan to take.
Title: Head-Heart-Feet
Setting: Appropriate for in-person trainings and adaptable for live virtual events.
Time: 20 minutes (may be longer with a large group).
Purpose: To close out the training, reflect on learning, identify key takeaways, energize participants to use new knowledge, and end on a heartfelt and introspective note.
Best Used: As the final activity at the end of a training or a training day
Materials/Space Needed:
- PowerPoint or poster of Head-Heart-Feet images (see “Preparation” below)
- A space large enough so participants can comfortably form a circle
Preparation
Before the training, prepare a PowerPoint or poster as follows:
- Choose three images—one representative of heart (feeling), one of head (thinking), and one of feet (doing). Put them onto a single slide or poster.
- These images can be photos of animals or people, cartoons, or other types of artwork.
Examples
Head: Scratching head, question marks, brains
Heart: Hugging or cuddling, heart shapes, animals or people creating heart shapes with their bodies
Feet: Boots or shoes, running, jumping, dancing
- If you’d like suggestions and advice for finding and using free graphics, check out this post by Tracy Wright.
- Be thoughtful about the images you choose. This is the final activity of the day so the images will have impact. Choose strong images while avoiding any that might be off-putting or offensive. Your goal is for everyone to leave on a positive note, energized to implement what was learned at training.
Steps
1. Show the Head-Heart-Feet slide and/or poster.
2. Provide the following instructions:
- This is the final activity for our training session.
- It is designed to provide time for your reflections on the entire training.
- These three images represent:
- Head. After participating in this learning process, what is one thing you’re thinking?
- Heart. After participating in this learning process, what is one thing you’re feeling?
- Feet. After participating in this learning process, what is one new thing you’re excited about doing or implementing?
- Take a minute and silently think about each of these images and ideas.
- After one minute, ask participants to form a circle. (This will move most quickly if everyone stands, but make adjustments as necessary if any participants need special accommodations.)
- With the full group, ask participants to share out their reflections for one of the three dimensions—Head, Heart or Feet—or for all three. Note that sharing is voluntary.
- Allow people to share as they are comfortable. They do not need to go in any particular order.
Note: If there are particularly great quotes or takeaways shared by trainees, the facilitator(s) may want to write these down to share (e.g., with colleagues, funders, in follow-ups with participants). - After all the participants have had an opportunity to share, share your thoughts as the facilitator(s).
- Thank everyone for participation in the training. Congratulate participants on their hard work and conclude the training.
Using the Activity in Live Virtual Events
Facilitators can use all of the steps in this activity in a live virtual event, except “form a circle” in Step 3. Instead, skip Step 3, and alter Step 4 by asking participants to share out verbally or type their reflections into a chat box.
Teagan Drawbridge, MEd & MSW, is a Get Real Trainer at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts and a member of ETR’s training cadre. She can be reached at tdrawbridge@pplm.org.
Shira Cahn-Lipman, MEd, is the Manager of Youth and Professional Education at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. She can be reached at scahn-lipman@pplm.org.
Jennifer Hart, MPH, is the Director of Youth and Professional Education at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. She can be reached at jhart@pplm.org
