Contents


Dedication and Preface to the Third Edition……………..…….v

1. Creating the Instructional Framework………………....….1

2. Credentials, Personality, and Preparation……………….…15

3. Execution…………………………………………………………21

4. Basic Course—Content……………………………..………….29

5. Basic Course—Methods………………………………………..55

6. Intermediate Course—Content………………………….……59

7. Intermediate Course—Methods………………………………83

8. Advanced Course—Content and Methods…………………..87

9. Distance Learning and Short Presentations—
Content and Methods………………………………….….95

10. Evaluation……………………………………………………....99



Chapter 4.

Basic Course—Content


There are three schools of thought regarding what content is appropriate for a basic course. One school says that it should concentrate on a few definitions, the basics of participating, and motions (reserving other topics for an intermediate course). The second says that it should deal with a few definitions, the basics of participating, some common motions, and some other topics of frequent interest that are easy to comprehend, such as officers’ duties or nominations and elections. The third says it should deal lightly with a few definitions, the basics of participating, many motions, and some other topics (with the assumption that, in an intermediate course, the same items would be revisited in more depth). Of these three schools of thought, only the third is invalid: it might work at the basic level but falls apart at the intermediate level.
Perhaps the easiest method is that of the first school. Its content corresponds to the first half of RONR (through page 333) for the basic course and to the second half of that book for the intermediate course. If a different book is used as a textbook, some alterations can be made. (Students dislike jumping around among the chapters of a textbook—they like to take things in order.) If a basic course is being taught without a subsequent intermediate course, either the instructor can cover only the material shown in this chapter, or he can select some items from this chapter and some from the later chapter on the intermediate course.
Some practitioners of the first school omit as many initial definitions (such as those about governing documents) as possible or defer them to the end of the course; in that way, they get the students involved in the use of motions as early in the course as possible, which they and the students find desirable.
The present book subscribes to the first school, but it would be easy for a teacher who prefers the second school of thought to use the information in this and the later chapter on the intermediate course to put together his own course. Thus, the following is the recommended content of a basic course. These notes on content generally follow the sequence of topics in RONR, which is very logical. Page references are to the tenth edition.

Initial Information:

The instructor should welcome the students to the course, distribute any materials, explain what the course will and will not cover, reveal the main methods (such as lecture and mock meetings), and introduce the textbook. In some cases, some forms will have to be completed.
There should be brief remarks on the history of parliamentary procedure, including the major books, and on the applicability of the material to meetings, conventions, and boards (with less applicability to legislatures), followed by some information on general principles of parliamentary law, such a majority rule and minority rights. (See XLVII in RONR.)
Next, the teacher should describe the governing documents one finds in organizations as levels of authority. These include national laws, such as tax laws and labor union laws; state and local laws, such as nonprofit corporation laws and fire ordinances; a charter from the state (called “articles of incorporation”) or from a parent body; the constitution and bylaws, including the advantages of having just a comprehensive set of bylaws rather than two documents (explaining that a constitution does not deal with topics such as boards, committees, the parliamentary authority, or details); and three kinds of rules: rules of order, special rules of order (which take priority over rules of order), and standing rules (note definition on page 18 of RONR).

Motions:

Motions should be introduced as way to get things done in meetings, but the importance of preparing for a motion by gathering facts and composing the wording with care should also be emphasized. A motion is a formal proposal by a member, in a meeting, that a certain action be taken, even though the actual action may be minimal, such as approving an opinion. Students should be told that a motion is often known as a “question,” though it does not literally ask a question. The varying lengths of motions should be mentioned, as should their intensity (that is, their use of words like “may,” “shall,” etc.). Many teachers point out at this time that students might attend meetings and hear language that does not precisely match that of the book—many people alter it slightly. On the one hand, they should be given examples and told to accept such language in its intention, but on the other hand they should also be told that certain terminology is correct.
The instructor should explain how to introduce a motion, stressing “I move that” as correct and making sure to discourage the use of “I so move,” and he should then go on to describe the processing of the motion without going into too much detail. He should teach the formula, “Are you ready for the question?" but note that many presiding officers say, “Is there any discussion?" He should also briefly explain voting on a motion, including terms like “simple majority,” which is the same as “majority,” and “absolute majority,” which is more than half of the membership, though RONR does not use these terms; he should also include the terms “two-thirds vote,” “plurality,” and “general” or “unanimous consent.” He should explain succinctly the methods of taking a vote.