Last week our class got to experience two presentations in one night! The first group facilitated several art activities aimed at serving participants with visual impairments. Thus, all of the activities involved lots of tactile and auditory stimulation. We made "shakers" using noodles, peas, pennies, sunflower seeds, etc.; necklaces using circular shaped foods (i.e. fruit loops, cheerios, life savers); artwork using tissue paper; and sculptures and drawings using shaving cream! During the activities we were even able to experience what it would be like to have a visual impairment through the use of blindfolds and foggy goggles.
My group presented next, and we facilitated several drama activities targeting youth at risk. Participants were able to express different emotions and identities by acting out different character roles based on the interpretation participants had of their provided costumes. Participants also were able to write and act out a short skit using the props provided. At the end of the night, everyone felt the activities were very therapeutic in that they were able to forget the stress of school and just enjoy laughing!
What I learned from these activities that will help me in my professional development was that some of the most positive and therapeutic moments in an activity cannot be planned! They are often spontaneous! What I learned about myself this week was that all of this practice of facilitating small groups is paying off! The small drama group I facilitated had some positive feedback on my leadership style that was very encouraging to me! What I did to strive for excellence during this class was to not ask more from the participants than I was willing to do myself. When it came time to act out some things during the drama group, I jumped right in with them! It was a great experience!
No comments:
Post a Comment