Parliamentary Procedure is an event that is often avoided by HOSA advisors and yet can provide the most comprehensive, long-term benefits for student participants.

Here is what students gain from participation in this event:

• Basic knowledge of parliamentary procedure they will use in church, clubs and business meetings for the rest of their lives.
    
• A real “team” experience.
    
• Practice in thinking, speaking and debating.
    
• Participation in a democratic process that:
    
• Enables a group to transact business with speed and efficiency.
    
• Protects the rights of each individual.
    
• Preserves a spirit of harmony within the group.
  

After only three days in the classroom, students will be able to demonstrate basic parliamentary procedure skills!
  

Day One

Divide students into two or three classroom teams of five - eight members per team. Ideally, the teacher should create the teams to provide diversity and balance among team members. Post the teams before the lesson begins, and have students sit with their team members. For the next three days – they’re a team!

1. Give each student a parliamentary procedure information packet that includes the HOSA event guidelines and instructional materials.
     
2. Explain the three day process.
     
3. Introduce students to parliamentary procedure using the “Parliamentary Procedure PowerPoint.”
     
4. Instruct students to select team officers: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Program Committee Chairperson.
     
5. Have students review the process and materials.
     

Day Two

1. Allow students the entire class period to practice.
     
2. Remind them to wear “business attire” for their demonstration the following day.
     

Day Three

1. Identify the judges. Invite an alumni member, business professional, or school administrator to be one of the judges. Allow each team to select a team member to serve as a judge. The HSTE teacher should also serve as a judge.
     
2. Randomly draw order of performance.
     
3. Write two-three secret problems (depending upon the number of teams). Give each team a different problem and give them five minutes to discuss the problem. Once the time is up, non-competing teams should NOT discuss their problem further, but rather should pay attention to the performance of other teams.
     
4. Allow teams to present their meeting.
     
5. Debrief the experience with the class.