Next time, deliver your training and finish by putting the “CREAM” on top!
C – Celebrate
Participants have invested time, money, and energy in attending an engaging training. As such, it is important to honor and recognize their contribution and investment in learning. Celebration can take many forms. It could involve formal recognition through the presentation of certificates and other learning awards at the conclusion of training or the broadcasting of student success via newsletters and other communication formats. It could also be conducted in a less formal way through a round of applause, a high-five, or the use of a team chant.
R – Revisit
It is important for the participants to go over the content in an interesting way one last time prior to the conclusion of the engaging training. This will help them to promote reinforcement.
E – Elicit Responses
The trainer needs to create moments to check for understanding and have participants involved with their own learning. Common concluding activities that elicit responses include quizzes, game show-style questioning, and final presentations made by individuals or groups.
A – Action Plan
Give the participants some time to reflect upon the important concepts or ideas learned in the session. Essentially, you are giving them the opportunity to provide advice to themselves for future implementation. Therefore, action planning helps the participants transfer what they have learned in the training room to their own situations. By spending some time reflecting and writing, there is a much greater chance that they will both retain and apply the content.
M – Movement
This may be the simple movement out of a classroom, or it could be movement to a collage of ideas or a transition to a different space for new learning. Having bodies in motion will help the participants to stay focused and engaged. However, it is a good idea to consider what you want them to do when they are moving. Do you want them to write a response on a Post-it note and add it to a poster? Do you want them to do a physical exercise? Do you want them to review a series of posters and summarize the content? Do you want them to connect with other learners as they move around? The key is to have them move with purpose rather than move for the sake of moving. Be sure to provide clear instructions on what you need them to do.
The closing of an engaging training session is just as important as the opening, as it helps to tie things together. A session shouldn’t end simply because the time is up. Moreover, it should be a considered and controlled process that maximizes the impact of all the learning. It is the trainer’s final opportunity to remind the participants of the key messages of the training event and should provide time for both reflection and forward thinking.
