Focusing Four

Focusing Four

Four steps to reaching a consensus, making a decision or determining where a group should focus its attention.

1. Brainstorm: Record brainstormed ideas on chart paper. Elicit ideas only. Discourage criticism or questions. Push for 8 to 18 ideas.

2. Clarify: Ask if any items should be clarified.

The author of the idea provides the clarification.

The facilitator observes the questioner during the clarification and stops the clarification when the questioner indicates nonverbally or verbally that he or she understands.

3. Advocate: Students may advocate for as many items as they wish and as many times as they wish. Statements of advocacy must be phrased in the positive. Statements of advocacy must be brief.

4. Canvass: Ask individuals in the group to identify the fewest number of ideas they feel are most important. To determine what a few is, use the following formula: one-third plus one (if there are 12 items on the list, ask the group to identify 5 that are most important to them; if there are 15 items on the list, ask the group to identify 6). The ideas do not have to be placed in rank-order. Take a hand count to determine which items are of greatest interest to the group.

Garmston, R.J., & Wellman, B.M. The Adaptive School: A Sourcebook for Developing Collaborative Groups. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc., 2009.