drawing by Matt Groening (a Captain Beefheart fan)
This is a description of activities
before and after the hike.
Each group had a different life and used different activities.
GROUP 1:
* Knots in the rope
* Spider's Web
* Exchanging experience ( to cross
the river )
* Find the tree
* Mine field
* Trust fall
* Vehicle feedback
GROUP A
* Ball name game and time challenge
* Turn the tarpaulin over
* Electric wall
* First reflection
* Two blind squares
* Second Reflection
* Spider's Web
* Third reflection
* The Hike Reflections
*Johary windows
We start with Group 1 with Jacqueline,
Kristina and Dirk, who wrote this part of the report.
The activity took place near the
bridge at the small river.
The group was split up in two,
each group on one side of the river.
They all had five objects , symbolising
their experience and knowledge.
The task was: to cross the river
without touching the ground, or touching the bridge.
The groups had to change side and
take their knowledge and experience with them.
They could communicate with the
other group by fax - one of the team members was the fax.
Both groups received the same material
to make a construction. ( ropes, carabinas , harness, etc...)
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The task for the group is to cross
the mine field with the whole group . They have 15 min. time to find a
strategy for that. After these 15 min. they are not allowed to make any
more noise.
Only one person can be in the minefield
at the same time and they cannot use anything to mark the squares. Team
members make the sound of an explosion if someone steps on a square with
a bomb; and that person has to return to the beginning and allow someone
else to try.
Group A: led by Bart, Evija and
Artûras (with the "Third Eye" watching and writing)
* Ball name game and time challenge
Group stands in a circle. Say someone's name and throw the ball to that person. Make sure that each person receives the ball.
Repeat the exercise, this time remember who you receive the ball from and to whom you throw the ball.
Now, repeat the exercise without names. Very good, I'm going to time you, make it faster, everyone should touch the ball. Yes, very good, but I'm sure you can make it faster.
[Challenge continues until the group
achieves a time of less than two seconds by placing their hands in a descending
line and the ball rolls down the incline.]
* Turn the tarpaulin over
The whole group stands on a tarpaulin
which is just big enough to accommodate everyone. The task
is to turn the tarpaulin over without anyone touching the grass.
* Electric wall
The group holds hands in a circle.
A rope is tied between two trees
at approx 1.20m height. The rope represents a solid electrified wall.
The task for the group is to get over the rope without touching it.
If anyone touches the rope the whole group has to start again. They
are allowed to make one break in the circle, but the chain of hands has
to remain in place.
The trainer spots the participants.
* First reflection
What would you like to share?
How did you feel?
* Two blind squares
The task for the group is to make a pattern of two squares using the two ropes provided. There is one hour for the exercise.
Things are made slightly more complicated
by the fact that blindfolds are worn for the whole exercise, starting immediately
after the introduction by the trainer.
[The group finish the exercise in
53 minutes].
* Second Reflection
What was the group process like?
Pay attention to the three P's of groupwork:
Process (how are people feeling)
Procedure (what is the plan?)
Product (what is the result?)
* Spider's Web
A "spider's web" is constructed with thin ropes between two trees. There are holes of different sizes and shapes.
The task for the group is to pass
each person through the web without touching the ropes. They can
choose one hole to pass two people through, otherwise the rule is: one
person, one hole. If anyone touches a rope, the group must start
again.
* Third reflection
How was the product? the process? the procedure?
What are your wishes for the future
in this group?
* The Hike Reflections
During Group A's hike, the participants took decisions for all the steps along the way. The trainers were to keep quiet when it came to taking decisions and they managed quite well.
There was one reflection session
after breakfast at the campsite (24 hours after the hike began).
Each person found a symbol representing the hike so far and responded to
two questions about :
° what do I like?
° what do I not like?
The day after the hike we spent
the whole morning on two rounds of reflection.
First each person reported on their
general feelings about the hike.
*Johary windows
Then Artûras introduced us to Johary Windows.
Name of JOHARY comes from authors: Joe Luft and Harry Ingman. I don't know original source, but I took it from "Practical guide for youth leaders" written by: Andrea Mewaldt and Þilvinas Gailius (you should know him), published in Vilnius "Vyja", in 1997.
A - open part of the personality
- "I know and other people see it"
B - part of the personality unknown
to the person him/herself - "I don't know, but others see it"
C - part of the personality known
to the person him/herself "I know, but others don't"
D - part of the personality unknown
to anybody "I don't know and others don't see it"
In group life, we see people explaining "C" to each other and, one of the greatest opportunities we have here, "B" can become clearer to us (if the conditions are right) through feedback.
So, each person spent quite some
time thinking about all the other members of the group: drawing a symbol
representing each person or finding some words about the others.
Then, in turn, each person showed and described their ideas about everyone
else. It was agreed by the whole group that the contents of this
feedback session would remain private.
Mark, 27.10.98