Purpose: To help participants recognize the innate ability they have to learn new material.

 Time Required: 10 to 15 minutes.

 Size of Group: Unlimited, but participants should work in “rotating” pairs.

 Materials Required: None.

 The Exercise in Action: Carol Houseman, director of educational services for Mercy General Hospital, asks the class to form two concentric circles, with each person facing a partner. With the first partner, they share their answers to this question: “What is a skill you learned as a child that you still do well?”

Once each partner has given an answer, the inner circle rotates one person clockwise, and the new partners discuss a second question: “What is a skill you learned as a child that you can’t do well now?”

They rotate again and answer a third question: “Why did you retain that skill?”

They rotate to new partners once more and answer: “Why did you lose that skill?”

Finally, in small groups, ask participants to generate a series of learning points to help them retain the skills they learn from that particular class.