1 - Principles of Presenting Material Effectively

We’ll explore pedagogical elements regarding skillful presentation of the 10 Steps including:

• Creating a safe, supportive space that allows participants to get in touch with their own wisdom
• How to lead guided meditations
• Setting up engaging experiential exercises for each step and harvesting the information
  
• Salient information: The basic principles within each step and the most important points to communicate.

2 - Teaching Role – Issues of Identification and Projection

There are common challenges when in a leadership role. We’ll explore these common experiences and how to work skillfully with them as our own practice.

• Identification with the teacher role:
  Can be negative - “Who am I to be sharing this stuff? Am I good enough? Will they like me? What if they find out I’m not an expert?”
  Can be positive - “Wow, look at me, leading this group! I’m pretty good at this! They must really think I’m an expert! It feels really great to have everyone looking up to me!”
  
• Projection from others can be challenging too:
  Negative - “Who do you think you are?” Feelings of jealousy, resentment or subtle/overt undermining can occur.
  Positive - “I think I’ve found my teacher! Wow, you’re amazing!”

3 - How to Bring Out the Best in Others

One the main principles of being a good leader is learning how to draw out the wisdom of the group participants. Some people are introverted, others are extroverted. Some have low self-esteem, others think they know it all. We’ll explore how to instill confidence, humility and create a connected feeling of group support.

4 - Mentorship by James

Trainees will participate in regular 90-minute video calls conducted throughout the course every other week. You will meet with James and other trainees discussing the art of teaching and presenting the material, discussing the process of leading a group and presenting the course material and questions as they come up.

Regular video calls with accepted trainees will take place from 13:00 to 14:30 California time (GMT/UTC-8) every other Monday, starting January 20, 2020. Check the time it will be in your location by entering "13:00" and "California" on the left side and your area on the right side on the time conversion page.

5 - Small Group Peer Community of Trainees

As part of the training you will be encouraged to participate in a small peer group as you go through the training with others. Through mutual support you can learn from each other. More information on Peer Group formation will be presented during the intial phase of the training in February.

6 -Sharing the Training with a Practice Partner

You’ll be encouraged to share your experience with another person in the training. That way you can support each other, learn from each other and give each other feedback as to what is working or not working in your sharing of the materials. You will be able to find a Practice Partner either through Peer Group formation or through the Forum.

7 - Supportive Material

We will provide other material such as pictures, quotes, poems and other information to support you in giving engaging presentations.

8 - Authorization

If, in the opinion of Awakening Joy, it appears that you have not met our requirements and standards you will not be guaranteed approval to lead groups. In order to be approved by James and Awakening Joy to share this material you must complete the following:

1. Demonstrate that you’ve successfully led a group through the course and the materials. The group should start by March 1st (unless otherwise given permission by James and the Awakening Joy team).
    
2. Submit a final paper on your experience in leading the group including what you’ve learned, the highlights and challenges you’ve had and how you intend to apply the training.
   
   
3. Along with your own evaluation you will be asked to submit feedback from the group members at the end of the course including their experience being in your group, what they’ve learned, the benefits and challenges in the group and how their evaluation of you as a leader.

9 - Cost of the Training

The fee for the training is $500. In addition to training support as outlined above this will entitle you to access all the course materials that all course participants will receive as they go through the 2020 Awakening Joy course together. We will give scholarships on a case by case basis to those for whom finances are a concern.

Forming the Group You Will Practice Teaching

The best way to learn how to share the Awakening Joy principles and practices is first hand experience. In order to get this practical experience as part of the training, you will be expected to lead a group and go through the AJ material together with them. You should have your group formed by March 1st. (There may be exceptions on a case by case basis if, for example, you cannot start teaching with a prison group because of restrictions by the institution.) 

There are a few different possible ways to form a group:

1. Forming a Group with Friends
   The simplest and perhaps most fun method is to invite friends, relatives and/or colleagues from your circle to go through the material together. You already have a bond of friendship and trust. Supporting each other in more well-being will deepen that connection. You will likely be more able to be just yourself and not have thoughts of needing to prove anything to anybody. You will also be more easily able to ask for and hear feedback as to what works and what doesn’t in your leading the group. The best way to develop your skills is getting honest, kind feedback.
   
   Members of your group can sign up to take the course and receive the materials online with everyone. We suggest they can sign up for the group rate of $200. However, as is the policy for the course, we don’t want finances to get in the way of participation. If someone wants to be in your group and budget is a consideration they can offer a lower amount that can work for them.
   
   
2. Forming a Group through an Organization You Know
   Many people have shared the material with a group they’re associated with. If you are a member of a church they might appreciate being part of your Awakening Joy group. This has been a common venue for many groups. Senior Centers or Retirement communities have also had leaders come in and share the material with great success.
   
   You might consider sharing the material with other groups that could benefit from and appreciate your generosity. As I mention in the Introduction to the paperback edition of Awakening Joy, a number of people have led groups for prison inmates with great success. If you choose to lead a group like that, the members will not have online access to the material and obviously won’t be able to sign up for the course, see the class recordings or receive the other online materials. But I would be delighted if you led such a group. If you share the materials with other underserved communities, that would be most welcome. These groups, of course, would have any course fees waived.
   
   
3. Leading a Group of Current Online Course Participants
   Course participants in the 2020 course will have the opportunity to join a group led by people who, like you, have signed up to get trained to share the material. If you do not wish to form your own group from the above options, you can use the AJ Forum to share any relevant information about yourself, what motivates you and what your vision is for leading a group. People can get a sense of who you are and sign up to be a member of your cyberspace group. I’ve led small groups online and they can be very effective. When your group is filled you can simply inform people of that fact. I suggest groups be no more than seven or eight members, including yourself.

Policies and Expectations for the Group You Will Practice Teaching

1. Members of your group will be expected to participate with a genuine commitment to do the program to the best of their ability. They will be asked to show up for the group meetings, unless some emergency prevents them from doing so. Mutual commitment makes for a strong group where people are really supporting each other.
   
   
2. Group members will be asked to give an evaluation of the group at the end of the course so you can learn and we can feel confident in your ability to skillfully lead groups.
   
   
3. Members will be able to take the course for Continuing Education credits.