I was not able to make it to this week’s class since I had to work but after looking over some of the other blogs I still want to comment on the activities that were done this week
The first activity described was called “take apart art” where groups were given cut up pieces of a puzzle or poster and had the task of recreating the original design. I think this is a great activity for a variety of populations because it is not very physically demanding. The only population that may struggle with this activity would be people with cognitive disabilities. However other than that this could work for a variety of populations such as the elderly, kids with emotional issues, people recovering from addictions , or people that are clinically depressed. This activity not only teaches people how to work in group together but it also teaches them how to socialize. By learning to socialize I mean learning how to communicate with group members, learning how to ask for help, listening to other people’s ideas and not being afraid to share your own.
The second activity discussed was titled toxic waste. This game was based on strong team work and communication. Strategizing a way of making sure than no waste fell on the ground and thus polluted the earth would require a great amount of cooperation and brainstorming. From what I read it sounds like the leading group challenged everyone else by changing the size of the containers that the cup full of waste had to be transferred to. I think that this would not only add a competitive edge to the game but make it more exciting as well. This activity did seem like it did have some physical demands so therefore it would be best used with kids or young adults. As CTRs we can use this activity to teach about how to deal with accomplishments and failures in an appropriate and constructive manner. We can help people express feelings of anger or frustration in safe ways and show how great accomplishment can feel when you put your mind to something.
The next was a presentation about the Crossfire program. I had heard about this program through a friend and she basically described it as a place for troubled teens to come and work on projects and work on activities. In one of the blogs it was mentioned that although this program has a religious affiliation there is not much about the program that deals directly with religion. This person also commented on that this would be a great thing to notify people about since people tend to shy away from religious programs unless they are highly religious themselves. I couldn’t agree more. Especially when you are working with teens the subject of God and religion can be hit or miss. When a teen is not looking for a religious outlet the worst thing to do is force them to listen to someone else’s ideas about faith. This seems like a more neutral program which certainly attracts more people.
Finally the class got to participate in wheel chair soccer. I am so jealous!! This seemed like it would be a lot of fun. Using wheelchairs although they may be fun and entertaining for a while we have to remember that some people use them all day every day. This is a way of life for some people and I think that should definitely be respected. One person mentioned how it is very important that during the relay race they realized how much more challenging it was doing simple activities that we take for granted. They also mentioned how as TR specialists we need to put ourselves in the position of our clients to better understand what they are going through. I definitely agree, although we cannot fully understand what it is like to use a wheel chair full time, experiences like these can help us to connect with a client on a more personal level.
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