Service and Innovation Review

After taking multiple weeks to create the 13 Ranking Motions Jeopardy game, and worksheet for the students of the Midd-West FFA Parliamentary Procedure Team, on Monday November 19th I officially presented it.

Along the way, I was stretching myself thin trying to make sure the worksheets lined up with the presentation to make sure that the students had to work hard first, then they could play harder in the competitive spirit of Jeopardy. The packets themselves consisted of a lesson preview, charts for main motion, subsidiary motions, incidental motions, and privileged motions, a score card for the jeopardy game, and a review sheet outlining what we had accomplished. There was extra time allotted for questions before and after the activity to make sure there were no questions.

The Power of Service and Innovation

The Midd-West FFA Parliamentary Procedure Team invited me to complete my service project in the classroom with them. Little did I know, was that I would learn more through the creation of my innovation project than the students I was teaching. It took me multiple tries to get the perfect mix of fun and knowledge in my innovation project, but I believe I accomplished just that when the six students joked with each other over who would be winning the grand prize in Jeopardy.

I created a Jeopardy game for the 13 Ranking Motions of Parliamentary Procedure. The activity began with a preview of materials that the students would be covering. I was shocked when right off the bat, they began asking questions to pick my brain about the 13 ranking motions they struggle with. Before they could have fun though, they needed to add in some extra work so they knew every answer to the Jeopardy. I utilized the charts that Dr. Foster provided for us, and handed out blank copies that they would fill out for future reference. After allowing them time to search through RONR for about 10 minutes, I reviewed the answers with them to make sure they had the correct answers moving forward. The students by that point were itching for a fun, competitive game of Jeopardy. As we moved from question to question, each student group of 2 built up their own stake of points until there was a defined winner of bragging rights until the next fun Midd-West FFA Parli Pro competition. The game was followed with review, where the students still had more questions to ask exploring the 13 ranking motions as deep as they could to understand them the best.

As I grew throughout the Midd-West FFA, we did not push the need for the 13 ranking motions for business meetings. I feel extremely confident in the power that these young members now have to correctly and efficiently run business meetings, and compete in the competition at a higher level. This experience really opened me up to the power of education in activity form, and I am thankful that they allowed me the time to work with them on the 13 ranking motions.

Session 2 - Motions: the Nuts ‘N’ Bolts of Parliamentary Procedure - January 22nd

Responses to your Tickets Out from Session 2!

What are you curious about?

• The progression/malleability of Robert's within an org. What liberty is acceptable?
• Each organization will allow different levels of liberty. The point is to ensure that business is always being conducted efficiently.
• The 13 ranking motions:
  1.       Fix Time to Which to Adjourn (P)
  2.       Adjourn (P)
  3.       Recess (P)
  4.       Question of Privilege (P)
  5.       Call for the Orders of the Day (P)
  6.       Lay on the Table (S)
  7.       Call for Previous Question (S)
  8.       Limit or Extend Limits of Debate (S)
  9.       Postpone Definitely (S)
  10.   Refer to a Committee (S)
  11.   Amend (S)
  12.   Postpone Indefinitely (S)
  13.   Main Motion (M)
  * P indicates “privileged motions” – They will be discussed in depth on February 1st
  * S indicates “subsidiary motions” – They will be discussed in depth on January 25th
  * M indicates “main motions” – it was discussed in depth tonight on January 22nd
• Why can you not attempt to drown out a disorderly member with the gavel? They are being disorderly, so you should be able to obtain order. 
• See RONR, p. 387
• What is the best way to study the 13 motions?
• We will cover tips and tricks throughout learning the motions, but I personally found creating a table with the motions and their requirements helpful.
• What happens when a member is censured? Are there common punishments?
•  Each organization will have different punishments for a censured member in their Bylaws.
• If the Chair does not know can s/he ask a member for help?
• Of course. Many organizations have a Parliamentarian for these situations though. Also, many Chairs have basic Parli Pro rules and motions on a sheet in front of them when they are running a meeting.
• Gavel procedure
• Some common practices:
• One tap: completion of business, members sit, meeting adjourned
• Two taps: call meeting to order
• Three taps: signals members should stand
• Several sharp taps: restores order
• Learning about all the secondary motions, there are way more than I thought there were!
• We will be covering the secondary motions (subsidiary, privileged, and incidental motions) during the next 3 sessions! 
• Subsidiary motions
• Next Wednesday!
• Proper timing and use of common motions
• We will be covering how to effectively use motions as we learn each one.
• The proper use of objections
• See RONR, p. 267-270 

What did you learn?

• 13 motions and how they are ranked
• That we should motion to introduce legislation
• Original motions are the motions to bring new business
• Anyone can move to "object to the consideration of a question" but the motion requires a two-thirds vote to pass
• Division of the question is allowed if you agree with only part of a resolution
• Motions can only be reconsidered by people who were on the prevailing side
• How to appeal the Chair's decision
• The 10 rules of Parli Pro

1.  The rights of an organization supersede the rights of individual members.
2. All members are equal and their rights are equal.
3. A quorum must be present to do business.
4. The majority rules.
5. Silence is consent.
6. Two-thirds vote rule
7. One question at a time; one speaker at a time
8. Debatable motions must receive full debate
9. Once a question is decided, it is not in order to bring up the same motion, or one essentially like it, at the same meeting.
10. Personal remarks in debate are always out of order.
    

• The 6 steps to make a motion (see RONR, pp. 32, 42, 120)

1. Making the motion
2. Another member seconds the motion
3. The Chair states the motion 
4. Debating the question
5. Putting the question
6. Announcing the result of the vote

• Some common mistakes in making motions
• We improperly run our UPUA meetings
• About the main motions and meetings
• There are 2 types of main motions: original main and incidental main
• The lowest ranking motion is a main motion
• The consequences of a censure is determined by the organization's Bylaws
• Object to consideration of a question
• Primary and secondary motions
• Proper use of the gavel
• A lot! There is much to be learned about Parli Pro, but the subject matter is accessible
• Gavel taps

What do you want to learn more about?

• Parli Pro strategy and loopholes and how to implement Parli Pro when one is not chairing the meeting
• We will be learning tips and strategies throughout the semester to run meetings effectively whether one is Chair or not! You will have lots of practice in either position.
• How, as a future educator, can I teach Parli Pro to my students effectively?
• Pay attention to how Dr. Foster is teaching you, he is a great Professor!
• Proper use of the gavel 
• Some common practices:
• One tap: completion of business, members sit, meeting adjourned
• Two taps: call meeting to order
• Three taps: signals members should stand
• Several sharp taps: restores order

•  The 13 ranking motions
• There are 13 ranking motions and we will be learning them in the next three sessions
• Properly stating a motion
• "I move to..." or "I move that..."
• Can you ask the Secretary to restate the main motion?
• The Chair must state the motion (#3 of the 6 Steps to Make a Motion). You can ask him/her to restate the main motion whenever you need. We will be learning how during session 5 on February 8th. 
• To read about how to ask for this, see RONR, p. 294-295
• Secondary motions
• We will be covering the secondary motions (subsidiary, privileged, and incidental motions) during the next 3 sessions!
• I want to act out examples to retain the information better
• We will be doing interactive activities every week!
• The small details in specific motions
• We will be learning the most important details when we learn about each individual motion. Keep doing your reading for the smallest details!
• More efficient ways to run meetings
• Stay tuned this whole semester ;)
• The process of postponing indefinitely
• Next Wednesday!
• Incidental motions
• See you at session 5 on February 8th!
• Parliamentary inquiry
• See RONR, p. 294-295