Facilitator Certification in EnTeam Games
EnTeam facilitators use EnTeam Games to strengthen players socially and academically.
You are welcome to use EnTeam Games. They are freely available here. When you open a game on the EnTeam website, you will see game rules and suggestions for setting up the game.
If you would like help using EnTeam Games, you can download the EnTeam Resource Manual for Educators – it is available in the game portal with instructions for facilitating the games and strengthening players socially and academically. If you would like support using the games, EnTeam facilitators are ready to help. Also, you can become certified as an EnTeam facilitator by EnTeam Organization. The certification process gives you proficiency in the theory and practice of EnTeam with the EnTeam Sport or Game that you plan to use.
The principles on which EnTeam Games are founded are as simple as being a good neighbor – and as complex as collaborating with someone who may have conflicting views and values. When you become an EnTeam facilitator you fulfill two objectives:
- Understand the differences between traditional sports and games and EnTeam Sports and Games including how to keep score of improvements in cooperative performance.
- Demonstrate success in facilitating players as they develop their own strategies for improving their scores in a series of plays of the EnTeam Game.
Certification in one EnTeam Sport or Game makes it easier to become certified in other games. Each EnTeam Game develops distinct aspects of the principles and practices of collaboration – especially collaboration with people who come from diverse cultures and beliefs.
What is the difference between traditional sports and games and EnTeam Sports and Games?
Traditional sports and games keep score on a win-lose basis. One side can win only if the other side loses. The scoreboards used in traditional sports and games tell which side performed best. The opponent in traditional sports and games is the player or team on the opposing side.
EnTeam Sports and Games keep score on a win-win-or-lose-lose basis. Both sides lose — or both sides win — in EnTeam contests depending on whether they can increase their combined scores in a series of games. If the score does not improve each time they play, all the players lose. If the score improves each time they play, all the players win.
The scoreboards used in EnTeam Sports and Games tell whether the players are improving in their ability to accomplish goals collaboratively. The opponents in EnTeam Sports and Games are impersonal forces such as time, distance, fear, injustice, ignorance, addiction, disease, prejudice, or other obstacles to wellbeing and happiness.
Traditional sports and games strengthen players’ performance by challenging them to outperform the opposing side.
EnTeam Sports and Games strengthen players’ performance by challenging them to improve the results they achieve as collaborators striving to reach a goal that neither side can achieve alone.
For more information, see the comparison of win-lose contests and win-win-or-lose-lose contests here.
What is winning?
Most dictionaries give at least two definitions for “win.”
- to gain the victory in a contest
- to succeed in arriving at a place or a state
Players win in traditional sports and games by outperforming other players because the desired state is to be the best performer relative to the other players.
Players win in EnTeam Sports and Games by improving results achieved by working together to strengthen the performance of all the players.
How do you keep score of improvements in cooperative performance?
The purpose of keeping score in traditional sports and games is to measure who is best.
The purpose of keeping score in EnTeam Sports and Games is to measure whether both sides are becoming better at bring out the best in each other. The measure is the number of goals players score in collaboration with players from other sides.
Like most forms of measurement, scorekeeping can become complicated and subject to error. If the players are novices, keeping score can be a distraction and even harmful. Novices need to develop their skills before they focus on the score. These statements are true for all types of sports and games.
Keeping score of cooperative performance is like keeping score of competitive performance because each time players achieve a goal, they add to the score – provided they stay within the rules of the game. The difference is the ownership of the score:
- In traditional sports and games, each side has their own score.
- In EnTeam Sports and Games, players from different sides are working together to score points, therefore both sides own the score.
Since both sides own the score the earn in the EnTeam Game, they must play the game again to see if they can improve. If they can improve, they win together. If they can’t improve the score, both sides lose.
EnTeam Games have two scoring methods:
- Group-best scoring
- Group best is a simple comparison of the score two different times.
- The contribution that an individual adds to the scores is not easy to see.
- All-for-one scoring with EnTeam score sheets
Players can see on the EnTeam score sheet how they performed with each of their partners.
The scores in EnTeam Games may be quantitative or qualitative or both. More details and examples of EnTeam scoring methods are in the EnTeam Resource Manual for Educators.
How does a facilitator engage players in developing their own strategies for improving cooperative performance?
By asking questions and giving players time to reflect and talk together between games, facilitators encourage players to think together about changes that they can make to improve their score.
The questions should encourage players look back at their previous performances, draw lessons from their experience, and find ways to improve. Players need time to practice their new strategies before the start of the next game. Before starting the next game, ask players to predict the next score. Then ask them to tell why they believe the score will change.
Since the objective is to strengthen players ability to develop their own strategies, it is important that the facilitator avoid coaching or instructing the players. Open-ended questions – and Socratic questions that expose assumptions – encourage players to think for themselves.
See Experiential-Learning Flows for more information.
Who can be a candidate for certification?
Educators including parents, coaches, counselors are the people who use EnTeam Sports and Games. To use EnTeam Academic Games, it helps to understand cooperative learning.
Older students can be effective facilitators of younger students. Peers who become certified have more ways to help themselves and their friends – and strangers and even enemies – to build positive relationships.
Parents can use EnTeam Games to build their relationship with each other and with their kids.
Colleagues who lead EnTeam Games at work can increase productivity and make work more enjoyable and successful.
Why do EnTeam Games benefit players?
Games that keep score of improvements in cooperation give players opportunities to practice working with different people – especially those who may have opposing views, beliefs, or backgrounds.
Because EnTeam Games are brief, players can play several times within a short period of time. Between games, players need time to debrief their previous performance. By asking three questions, players can gather the essential information for improving: What happened? So, what did we learn? Now, what can we do to improve? If players reflect on these questions and listen for good ideas, they can develop strategies for improving their scores.
Where can candidates become certified by EnTeam Organization?
In-person or online workshops are available. You can contact us by email: info@enteam.org and see more information regarding EnTeam Workshops.
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