Take a Quiz to Find Your Style

Martha McCormick on August 19, 2009

It’s always interesting to find out more about yourself. I think that’s what life is really about–finding out who we are and then becoming the best of that. So, whether it’s the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or the Chinese Horoscope (I’m a Tiger, rrrawrrr) on your placemat at your favorite ethnic restaurant, it’s fun to look at what it says about you and decide whether it fits or not.

Here are some links to quizzes that can provide some insight to your preferred personality, learning, thinking, relationship styles. Follow the links for free or inexpensive web-based assessment tools–

Some of the above are research sites; some may be more scientific and reliable than others. Please use your best judgement as you explore your inner tiger, boar or rooster!

Upset the Stagecoach

Martha McCormick on August 11, 2009

This is a great game I learned when I first started working in Urban 4-H with Rick Hofmaster. It is hilarious and has a sneaky way of helping people become comfortable speaking in front of a group, even if all they say is “The stagecoach upset!” You can adapt it to holidays or themes like “Santa Claus is Upset,” “The Rocket Crashed,” “The Fruit Basket is Upset.” You get the idea.

  • Players sit in chairs placed randomly around the room. Make sure each person can stand up and run around her chair at the same time everyone else is running around their chairs.
  • Have your group generate a list of stagecoach parts, equipment, and passengers. For Example–Driver, Suitcase, Shotgun, Brake, Horses, Bank roll, Wheels, Whip, Robbers, Bumps in the road, Wheels, Harness, Seat, Luggage
  • Have each player choose an item from the list. The same name may be given to more than one player if the circle is very large.
  • Start out as the storyteller and make up a story about the passengers, parts and equipment.  As the storyteller mentions a part or passenger, the player who represents that part stands quickly, runs around her chair once, and sits down. Make sure to use all the items on the list so people really have to listen and run around their chairs a lot.
  • Each time the storyteller says “The stagecoach upset,” all the players have to change seats and the storyteller tries to get one of the places. The storyteller can actually try to steal a chair any time one is open. This makes the running around the chairs more suspenseful. The player left without a chair continues the story.

Run Like a Kenyan

Martha McCormick on August 11, 2009

How hard would it be to make a living running marathons? Salina Kosgei has done so since she was 16 years old, and won the 2009 Boston Marathon by 1 second. She trains hard, several times a day, and at 33, knows she won’t be able to run forever. She thinks of returning to prison work so she can be near her family, but what she really wants to do is run a camp to help other young Kenyans learn to run for a living.

This story about Salina is part of an American Public Media series called “Working.” The program profiles one worker from outside the US each month with the idea of connecting us to others who are like us, produce something we can relate to, connect us with the shrinking world around us. There are additional segments on a child laborer, a circus performer, a chocolate taster, cabinet minister, CEO, electronic recycler and pop singer.

Here are some questions to ask your group after you’ve listened to the program, about work and careers–

  • What do you think about this career field?
  • How does this type of work make a difference in the world?
  • Can you see yourself working in this type of environment?

Develop Young Voices

Martha McCormick on August 11, 2009

Providing opportunities for making choices and speaking out are critical components of a model positive youth development program. But it’s challenging to do this with a large group of kids who may want to go in 30 different directions. These skills and qualities empower youth to plan for groups they belong to and for   advisory councils and committees. Make sure to help the kids you know develop these skills!

Visit the Art Center!

Martha McCormick on August 11, 2009

You and your group really should see the Tara Donovan show at the Des Moines Art Center. It blew me away! The scale, texture and rhythm are astounding, not to mention the materials she uses! Tara Donovan is a young woman artist who has made a name for herself across the country. The show lasts until September 13, 2009.

Rachael Jackson, Outreach Coordinator is anxious to set up programs and classes for your organization. Contact her and tell her Martha McCormick sent you. Their schedule is online so you can pass it on to your members or register for a class yourselves.

Teach an Easy Card Game

Martha McCormick on August 11, 2009

I’ve taught and played Speed for about a million years now, with literally generations of kids. I still love it but unfortunately my daughter can almost always beat me. I usually have to play until I catch her off guard though, just because.

Speed is a great game that also teaches math skills and reading readiness through patterns. I found this Internet version when I was searching for the directions and I kind of got hooked. Some of your girls may already know how to play the game; it would be a great opportunity to set up mentor pairs and have them teach their peers.

Prairie Meadows Race Track and Casino will donate gently used playing cards on request. Email Kay Alcantar or call her at 515-967-1311 or 800-325-9015 x1311 and she will collect them and have them at the front desk for you.

Build a Team with Keys

Martha McCormick on August 11, 2009

I had the neighbors talking the day I cleaned and took apart 12 old computer keyboards for the Chrysalis After-School Kits out on my front deck last fall. Each CAS kit has a set of these keys. Eric Martin and I developed these teambuilding activities and I’m sure you can come up with some more. We started with the International Association of Teamwork Facilitators by Tom Heck.

We used the keys at CAS Facilitator Training 2008 for introductions. Each person got a key and used the character on that key to tell something about herself. Then each facilitator took a letter key and the group formed as many words at they could in a set amount of time. As a group got together to form a word, the leader made a tally mark on a flip chart or white board.

Download the Keyboard Team Building Activity for more ideas–Keyboard Team Building.

Bust the Cliques

Martha McCormick on August 11, 2009

Cliques, gossip, put downs and relational aggression continue as difficulties for the girls’ groups. On the spring survey, about half the girls said gossip and put downs happen at least sometimes in their groups, and only about half the girls say they are stopped when they do happen.

In 2007, I worked with a small group of 7th grade girls at Brody Middle School to put together a video about cliques. One of the things the girls learned when they interviewed their teachers and counselor, was that adults have cliques too. When we played Group Juggle yesterday, people dealt with “gossip” by putting it in their pockets or throwing it on the floor so it wouldn’t interfere with the real work of the group. The real life parallel would be not passing it along or confronting the gossip with how hurtful it is.

Along with the video, the girls at Brody put together a program for the rest of their Chrysalis After-School Group. Here are some of the components–

  • The girls developed this survey to get an idea of what other girls in their CAS group thought about cliques. Mikhaila worked with small groups of girls in the afterschool program to complete it. Then I created this Survey Monkey version and entered their paper surveys; you can complete the survey here. The funny thing is that people around the country complete this survey every once in a while. Find the results here.
  • Brianna worked with small groups on sociograms. You can download a PDF of the directions for the Click Mapping activity here.
  • Missy facilitated a discussion around the “Circle of Courage” developed by Brendtro, Brokenleg & Van Bockern of the Reclaiming Youth at Risk. Download a PDF of the instructions for the Click Circle of Courage.

Touch Someone Who…

Martha McCormick on August 11, 2009

Yesterday at CAS training we worked on compliments, one aspect of giving and receiving honest feedback. Compliments are difficult to receive, especially for women it seems to me.The Chrysalis After-School mentors and facilitators discussed the kinds of compliments we like to get–about our work, being on time, and those we are not so fond of–our looks, the back-handed kind, those that draw unwanted attention.

This processing activity, adapted from Michelle Cummings at Training Wheels, is a nice way to show appreciation to others, even though it is done silently and anonymously. It’s a very moving closing activity and should be done in complete silence.

Materials Needed: Deck of Playing Cards

Directions:

  • Divide the group into 3 or 4 smaller groups by having them choose a playing card (heart, diamond, club, spade). They should look at their cards but not show it to anyone else. Make sure you have equal numbers of each suit to pass out.
  • Have the group sit comfortably around the room, either on the floor or on chairs, so there is space for to walk around.
  • Ask everyone to close her eyes. They should keep their eyes (and mouths) closed for the whole activity. Explain the activity while everyone is sitting with their eyes closed.
  • Let them know that you will ask each group at a different time to open their eyes and stand. Then you will read a statement, beginning with “Touch someone who…” The standing group will then quietly walk around and gently touch the arm or shoulder of someone for whom the statement applies. Again, there should be no talking. This is a silent and anonymous activity.
  • Give enough time for the standing group to touch a number of others before reading the next statement. Come up with at least 3-6 unique statements for each group. After each group finishes its last statement, ask them to return to their seats and close their eyes. Wait for them to settle before you ask the next group to open their eyes and stand. Repeat with all the small groups. Allow a minute or two of quiet reflection after the last group returns to their seats.

Examples of Statements:  Touch Someone Who…

  • you’d like to get to know better
  • you think is a good leader
  • inspires you
  • you appreciate
  • you look up to
  • you admire
  • you trust
  • you wish you knew more about
  • makes you laugh
  • communicates well
  • is a positive influence
  • works well with others
  • you have learned from
  • you enjoy being around

Learn about Women’s History

Martha McCormick on August 11, 2009

Even though I’ve been around for several decades, I’m still sometimes surprised by how much I DON’T KNOW about the part women have played in history and the evolution of women’s rights around the globe. Right now I’m reading a book called Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. It has some pretty excruciating descriptions of foot binding and the second class status of women in China a couple centuries ago. Girls growing up today have more freedom and options than even 100 years ago but…

“History helps us learn who we are…when we don’t know our own history, our power and dreams are immediately diminished.”

—National Women’s History Project

The National Women’s History Project’s Resource Center recognizes and celebrates women’s accomplishments through educational materials, information and programs.