Trainers Corner

Games Trainers Play

hats not fair! I had it first! She always wins! I never get a turn! Im not playing anymore! We have all heard these comments from children during group games. We have listened to the complaints, comforted the hurt feelings, and have tried to help restore peace. We recognize that most children need adult support to negotiate the complexities of group dynamics and to learn how to resolve conflict. But what happens when these adults themselves become part of a group? In my past experience as a trainer, I have often heard adults utter the very same comments as their much younger counterparts, wondering whywhen engaging participants in teamworkmy group activities led to animosity and anger. My experience as an early childhood educator, college teacher, and High/Scope trainer told me there were many good reasons to involve participants in group games. Games would allow participants to share common experiences, develop relationships, and to see the benefits of teamwork. They would all have a chance to be both leaders and followers, to practice problem solving, and to try out new experiences. Most important, they would develop a sense of community. By engaging in group games they could in fact become a group! My intentions were good. I often used games with winners as a way to have fun. I thought individuals would feel successful if they won! They would be happy with their

by Moya Fewson, Senior High/Scope Trainer, Sheridan College, Brampton, Ontario set up in my training sessions? In my quest to actively and creatively involve participants through group activities, I ended up setting them against one another, creating hostility, fear, and resentment in the process. By encouraging winners, I had also allowed others to see themselves as losers. What was I thinking?! goal. Suddenly, it just didnt make sense to put adults in competitive group situations! Cooperative games build a community of learners. It is only through interacting with each other that we learn about empathy and respect. It is only through being part of a group that we learn problem solving. As I replaced competitive games with cooperative ones, people began to see that working together towards a goal was more productive and more efficient than working in opposition. People became less anxious. Take, for example, the Culture Game, in which I assign a ridiculous culture to each person in the groupsilly things like, In my culture when you meet someone you pat their knees, or In my culture when you meet someone you shout hello really, really loudly. Participants introduce themselves to each other as a member of their culture. No one knows why theyre behaving so strangely! This is a fun introductory activity that helps group members examine biases and think about the importance of communication. There are many books available for ideas on cooperative games. Terry Orlicks Cooperative Games books, although written for children, are easily translated for adults. Alfie Kohns No Contest: The Case Against Competition tells us about the damaging effects of a nonsupportive environment on the individual. I have also esteem and communication. They also teach specific components of the High/Scope Curriculum, such as active learning, the daily routine, key experiences, and adultchild interactions (as indicated in the parentheses following the game description).

Bingo
In this version of Bingo, I create one big card only, taping the carpet into large squares. Each player receives an index card describing another participant (e.g., the

Creating a Safe Learning Environment

It then occurred to me that a different approach might yield better results. I thought about how I approached games with childrenmaking sure everyone was involved in the game and that they worked together

I knew how I approached games with childrenmaking sure everyone worked together. Why couldnt this approach work with adults, too?
rather than against one another. With children, the motivation of the gamethe prizewas the intrinsic pleasure of working with others. Why couldnt this approach work with adults, too? I decided to take a good look at how adults learn. Adults, like children, need to have control and influence over what they learn. In other words, they are more likely to learn things that are of interest to them. No one, I realized, is interested in being the loser. Children are intrinsically motivated, and develop self-confidence, when their effortsnot their achievementsare encouraged and supported. Not surprisingly, adults are the same. In short, learning happens best when intrinsic motivators are present (e.g., sense of enjoyment, control, interest; probability of success; feelings of competence and self-confidence, etc.). And all human beings, not just small ones, are curious, intrinsically motivated, and selfdirected when, and only when, they feel safe. The creation of a safe learning environmentthrough the use of cooperative rather and competitive gamesbecame my

People began to see that working together towards a goal was more productive than working in opposition.
person who has the longest hair, the person who drove the greatest distance to get here, etc.) and must go around the room to find this person; that person then sits in one of the squares. Our goal is to fill the whole square, making sure that everyone has a spot on the carpet. (arranging two sets of objects in one-to-one correspondence)

Playing Ball
Instead of hitting targets with a ball, participants throw a ball of wool to someone who has made an impression on them during the training session. This person holds onto one end of the wool and throws it to another person, and at the end of the group we end up with a web that attaches us to each other. A good ending activity. (expressing feelings in words, changing the shape and arrangements of objects)

In my quest to creatively and actively involve participants through group activities, I ended up setting them against one another.
prizes; their peers would congratulate them. I was fairly sure these games were more interesting than listening to me lecture but (except for the last part), I was very wrong. What were the effects of the competitions I

The creation of a safe learning environmentthrough the use of cooperative rather than competitive gamesbecame my goal.
found it very useful to use elements of the High/Scope Curriculum as a basis for games (e.g., the culture game is based on building relationships with peers and adults). Other ideas I have used are simple adjustments to traditional games for adults and children of all ages. The following games teach teamwork and trust as well as help to develop self-

Musical Hoops
In this game, participants move to music with Hula Hoops. If they are still moving when the music stops, they lose their hoop. At the end of the game, the goal is for players to work together to make sure that each participant has a part of his or her body inside the remaining hoop. (moving to music, starting and stopping an action on signal, solving problems encountered in play)
continued on p. 24

High/Scope ReSource

Spring 2006

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