Trust Excercises for small classes

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Matthew Vola on January 18, 2010 at 4:13pm

What exactly are you trying to accomplish? I'm not sure I understand what "trust" exercises are exactly but would love to know. Is it like when you have someone fall backwards and someone catch them?

Permalink Reply by Kelly Grounds on January 18, 2010 at 6:43pm

In the beginning of our Swedish class for freshmen, we do 'icebreaker' type of excercises. We do the typical circle where someone is in the middle falling and the circle catches them. I did the 'lifeboat' excercise where the class is divided into two groups and they have to decide from a piece of paper who gets to be on the lifeboat. The point of these exercises is twofold; to make the students physically feel comfortable with each other and to break the ice and promote class bonding.
I have a class of 8 people who are not bonding yet. We're into our fourth week of Swedish and they still are timid in touching each other. And I have never had a class so quiet! Most of these folks are introverts, so breaking out of the shell is very difficult. They also have armoring issues when the work is being done on them. Suggestions? I am all ears <..>
o

Permalink Reply by Nancy Toner Weinberger on January 19, 2010 at 7:23am

Maybe you are trying too hard. Trust them to learn massage from you, in their own way. As you model trust, perhaps they will trust each other more. One thing you can't do is turn an introvert into an extrovert. If they are really introverts, it would actually damage trust to make them work this out verbally in the group to your satisfaction.

Obviously I am not the one in there with the students, so this may not turn out to be the issue or the way to go at all! I trust that you will know if it fits the situation. Namaste.

Kelly Grounds said:

In the beginning of our Swedish class for freshmen, we do 'icebreaker' type of excercises. We do the typical circle where someone is in the middle falling and the circle catches them. I did the 'lifeboat' excercise where the class is divided into two groups and they have to decide from a piece of paper who gets to be on the lifeboat. The point of these exercises is twofold; to make the students physically feel comfortable with each other and to break the ice and promote class bonding.
I have a class of 8 people who are not bonding yet. We're into our fourth week of Swedish and they still are timid in touching each other. And I have never had a class so quiet! Most of these folks are introverts, so breaking out of the shell is very difficult. They also have armoring issues when the work is being done on them. Suggestions? I am all ears <..>
o

Permalink Reply by Kelly Grounds on January 19, 2010 at 9:12am

thanks, Nancy, for your insight. As an extrovert, it's hard for me to understand hard core introverts. I'll just let it be for awhile and see what happens. I'm just having a hard time teaching folks about massage when they have aversions to working on each other! How will they work on clients who just walk through the door (which they begin doing in 5 weeks).

Nancy Toner Weinberger said:

Maybe you are trying too hard. Trust them to learn massage from you, in their own way. As you model trust, perhaps they will trust each other more. One thing you can't do is turn an introvert into an extrovert. If they are really introverts, it would actually damage trust to make them work this out verbally in the group to your satisfaction.

Obviously I am not the one in there with the students, so this may not turn out to be the issue or the way to go at all! I trust that you will know if it fits the situation. Namaste.

Kelly Grounds said:

In the beginning of our Swedish class for freshmen, we do 'icebreaker' type of excercises. We do the typical circle where someone is in the middle falling and the circle catches them. I did the 'lifeboat' excercise where the class is divided into two groups and they have to decide from a piece of paper who gets to be on the lifeboat. The point of these exercises is twofold; to make the students physically feel comfortable with each other and to break the ice and promote class bonding.
I have a class of 8 people who are not bonding yet. We're into our fourth week of Swedish and they still are timid in touching each other. And I have never had a class so quiet! Most of these folks are introverts, so breaking out of the shell is very difficult. They also have armoring issues when the work is being done on them. Suggestions? I am all ears <..>
o

Permalink Reply by Nancy Toner Weinberger on January 19, 2010 at 9:09pm

Yes, well, I am an extrovert married to an introvert. So I get your position.

Only 5 weeks. Have they had clinic yet? Or is that what you mean- that they will be starting clinic in 5 weeks?

Kelly Grounds said:

thanks, Nancy, for your insight. As an extrovert, it's hard for me to understand hard core introverts. I'll just let it be for awhile and see what happens. I'm just having a hard time teaching folks about massage when they have aversions to working on each other! How will they work on clients who just walk through the door (which they begin doing in 5 weeks).

Nancy Toner Weinberger said:

Maybe you are trying too hard. Trust them to learn massage from you, in their own way. As you model trust, perhaps they will trust each other more. One thing you can't do is turn an introvert into an extrovert. If they are really introverts, it would actually damage trust to make them work this out verbally in the group to your satisfaction.

Obviously I am not the one in there with the students, so this may not turn out to be the issue or the way to go at all! I trust that you will know if it fits the situation. Namaste.

Kelly Grounds said:

In the beginning of our Swedish class for freshmen, we do 'icebreaker' type of excercises. We do the typical circle where someone is in the middle falling and the circle catches them. I did the 'lifeboat' excercise where the class is divided into two groups and they have to decide from a piece of paper who gets to be on the lifeboat. The point of these exercises is twofold; to make the students physically feel comfortable with each other and to break the ice and promote class bonding.
I have a class of 8 people who are not bonding yet. We're into our fourth week of Swedish and they still are timid in touching each other. And I have never had a class so quiet! Most of these folks are introverts, so breaking out of the shell is very difficult. They also have armoring issues when the work is being done on them. Suggestions? I am all ears <..>
o

Permalink Reply by Kelly Grounds on January 19, 2010 at 10:42pm

They don't have clinic until week 11. This is week 6 now. I was informed one of my students dropped out of the program tonight and he was the one I was most concerned about. There are two others that also concern me left in this class. Our marketing department sells people on one ideal of what massage is and when they get into the actual program, it's actually quite hard. It's not just 'cruise ships' and 'getting massages from classmates.'
Maybe some will have epiphanies tomorrow and magic will come from their hands. I've never had a class quite like this one, so it's a learning experience for me too.

Permalink Reply by Nancy Toner Weinberger on January 21, 2010 at 2:33pm

Well, if they are not going to be good massage therapists, or enjoy what they are doing, it's best for everyone that they find out now. In fact the sooner the better so they don't drag down the others in the class who could be more inspired. I'm sure the whole class mood will change once the bad apples are gone. Just teach to those who are willing to be taught and let those adult learners make their own choices. And just think, the next class could be an enthusiastic group,and then you can look back and chuckle at your own angst.

Kelly Grounds said:

They don't have clinic until week 11. This is week 6 now. I was informed one of my students dropped out of the program tonight and he was the one I was most concerned about. There are two others that also concern me left in this class. Our marketing department sells people on one ideal of what massage is and when they get into the actual program, it's actually quite hard. It's not just 'cruise ships' and 'getting massages from classmates.'
Maybe some will have epiphanies tomorrow and magic will come from their hands. I've never had a class quite like this one, so it's a learning experience for me too.

Permalink Reply by Kelly Grounds on January 21, 2010 at 11:47pm

I actually ended up loosing two students. The tone of the whole class has changed! For the first time, everyone laughed and relaxed. It was refreshing. I'm looking forward to teaching them again tomorrow. Funny how one or two people can bring the energy down for a group.

Nancy Toner Weinberger said:

Well, if they are not going to be good massage therapists, or enjoy what they are doing, it's best for everyone that they find out now. In fact the sooner the better so they don't drag down the others in the class who could be more inspired. I'm sure the whole class mood will change once the bad apples are gone. Just teach to those who are willing to be taught and let those adult learners make their own choices. And just think, the next class could be an enthusiastic group,and then you can look back and chuckle at your own angst.

Kelly Grounds said:

They don't have clinic until week 11. This is week 6 now. I was informed one of my students dropped out of the program tonight and he was the one I was most concerned about. There are two others that also concern me left in this class. Our marketing department sells people on one ideal of what massage is and when they get into the actual program, it's actually quite hard. It's not just 'cruise ships' and 'getting massages from classmates.'
Maybe some will have epiphanies tomorrow and magic will come from their hands. I've never had a class quite like this one, so it's a learning experience for me too.