AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

° to clarify where are the groups oriented - to aims or process?

° how does the group make decisions

° what's the difference between speaking activities and silent activities?

° to clarify how much common feeling the group has

METHOD:

Participants divide into 2 equal groups - A and B.  Both groups have the same first task.  There is the possibility to choose whether the task will be done by all participants or only by 2.  The groups decide on that separately.

Task 1
a bowl of water is 7 meters distant from an empty cup.  There are some spoons.  The participants from the groups have to fill the cup of water using spoons.

The second task is performed by both A and B groups.  The whole group or half of it only can perform the task.  It's up to the group to decide.  The participants stand in the line and tie their legs - one's left with the neighbour's right and so on.

Task 2
Participants have to get over several obstacles (bench, rope, etc) with their legs tied together.  They are not allowed to speak during the exercise, but they are allowed to discuss before starting.

There is a time limit for completing both tasks: 40 minutes.

MATERIALS:

2 bowls full of water
spoons (depending on the number of participants)
sticky tape or rope (for binding legs)
long rope
scissors
 

REFLECTION:

° How did you make the decision about how many participants will do the first task?  Why?

° How did those feel, who didn't take part in the exercise?

° How was it to stand in one line?  How much effort did you have to make in order for others to hear you?

° How do you think that making task 2 silently helped or disturbed you?

°  How did you feel being silent?
 

CREATING & RUNNING THE EXERCISE AT BEBRUSAI

During the planning of the exercise we had several ideas, then a lot of them.  Even after the decision on the exercise was made, we changed it a bit.  We decided one of the team will introduce the exercise and the other runs the reflection.

After introducing the exercise, the groups made fast decisions on how many participants will take part in it.  One group: all 6 participants, the other just 2 participants.  The task was completed at nearly the same time by both groups.

The second exercise was done by all participants.  Long discussions took place after the legs were tied.  Standing in one line made communication difficult.  It took much effort to hear each other.  After the discussion the way was completed pretty fast.  Inability to talk helped the group. There was still some time left from the time limit.

© Vidas and Jovita