This document provides best practices and suggestions for training sessions. It discusses making attendees feel welcomed and comfortable through proper signage, name tags, food and drink. It also offers tips for seating arrangements, presenter placement, encouraging participation and sharing personal stories. The document stresses contextualizing the curriculum for different types of attendees such as leaders, volunteers, newcomers or experienced participants.

1. Training Session
Best Practices

2. Thoughts on Hospitality
• Making Room
• Making Ready
• Being Available
From “Hospitality: More Than Warm & Friendly” (Women of the ELCA)

3. Environment
• Publicity
• Signs
• Attractive room
• Parking & signs to meeting space
• Greeters
• Veteran “adopts” a new person
• Info table or display

4. Environment (continued)
• Name tags
• Begin with welcome
• Handouts
• Registration & follow-up system
• Food & drink
• Stories
From www.elca.org

5. Training/Teaching
Techniques
• Seating arrangement
– Classroom
– Round tables
– Chairs in circle
– Living room
• Presenter placement
– Standing
– Sitting
– Podium
– Free range

6. Training/Teaching
Techniques
• Participant placement
– With teammates/friends
– With someone new
• Presentation style
– Discussion
– Dialog
– Presenter’s personal stories
– Participants’ personal stories

7. Contextualizing the
Curriculum
• Rostered/Lay Leaders
• Paid/Volunteer
• First Timers/Veterans
• Confident/Uncertain
• Be ready to be surprised.