This Friday is a professional day. All of the PVP's from Sea to Sky are meeting in a Vancouver hotel to discuss/plan/share around the theme of Striving for Excellence. I have been given the task of warming them up with a team building activity and then leading an hour session on the second day. I've shared many activities and energizers with the group over the years. You may remember the stories. While playing "What are you doing?" someone said, "Scratching my bum." On another occasion, when writing down a little-known fact about himself for us to guess "Who am I?" one fellow wrote, "I'm kind." To which a prankster added, "...of weird!" They don't always play as nicely as the students do.
I've chosen three activities. To start in the morning, we'll do Extended Name Tag. Name in the middle, favourite colour top right, favourite place in Vancouver bottom right, title of last book you read or movie seen bottom left, one thing you'd like to leave the two day knowing top left. Then, I'll put them into groups using Occupations - what would a bus driver say, etc. They'll share their name tags in their small groups. I'll try not to forget the reflection questions at the end: content, process, personal.
Another activity I have prepped is one that I found on a website listing lots of different "ice breakers." I've filled a bag with 30 eclectic objects from around my house: flashlight, elastic band, paper clip, marble, penny, Pez dispenser, screwdriver, spoon, etc. Each person will draw an object from the bag and then think of two ways they are similar to that object, then share with the large group. Reflect, reflect, reflect.
Finally, at the end of the second day, we'll do Client/Consultant. On the other side of their name tags, each PVP will write a nagging question about their practice - one that bugs them in the middle of the night - like, "How can I get my teachers to read their email?" or "How should we be dealing with students and cel phone use in elementary school?" In groups of four, each person will have a chance to ask their question and hear some responses from their colleagues.
I hope it goes well. If I can just get them to turn off their Blackberries....