Today I introduced the Center for Life Skills participants to the art group with an activity using Play-doh. In past experience at Longview, the group really seemed to enjoy this project. Because of the medium's non-permanence, I thought it was a good way to encourage the participants to begin thinking on the process level.
We were a little pressed for time and the atmosphere was just a little chaotic because the participants had just finished their lunch break. I passed out the Play-doh and let them choose which colors they wanted to use. I told them that we were going to try to communicate with each other using the Play-doh-- which definitely intrigued some of them. Next I asked them to partner up and use the Play-doh to say something about themselves (favorite food, favorite activity, etc.) without talking to each other. The participants came up with a variety of objects at the conclusion of the group. One individual made a person on skis and another in a kayak, three others made models of their pets. There were models of a pie, a flower, pot roast, children, a dancer, and a smiling face.
One of the participants seemed to have very little verbal communication, and she really seemed to enjoy this activity the most. She used her communication board to confirm that hers was a dog sleeping in his bed. Another participant was a little apprehensive about touching the clay. Her communication is also limited, and she said: "Don't like it." Once she saw the other participants enjoying themselves however, she began putting her hand in the Play-doh, and by the end had made a model of her dog. When we were cleaning up the clay at the end, she said to me: "Like it." "I knew you'd like it if you gave it a try," I said. "Cold, firm, hard to mold, like it," she said.
The overall dynamic of the group was really great. I've worked with some of these individuals before, and I've seen how well they all get along and how great the atmosphere is with them. For the most part everyone was laughing and chatty and commenting on each others' work. They really seemed to enjoy this activity.
The only examples of inhibition or apprehension I saw today were more related to frustration than anything else. I was really excited that I didn't see any real evidence of anxiety about creating something in front of the rest of the group.
We were a little pressed for time and the atmosphere was just a little chaotic because the participants had just finished their lunch break. I passed out the Play-doh and let them choose which colors they wanted to use. I told them that we were going to try to communicate with each other using the Play-doh-- which definitely intrigued some of them. Next I asked them to partner up and use the Play-doh to say something about themselves (favorite food, favorite activity, etc.) without talking to each other. The participants came up with a variety of objects at the conclusion of the group. One individual made a person on skis and another in a kayak, three others made models of their pets. There were models of a pie, a flower, pot roast, children, a dancer, and a smiling face.
One of the participants seemed to have very little verbal communication, and she really seemed to enjoy this activity the most. She used her communication board to confirm that hers was a dog sleeping in his bed. Another participant was a little apprehensive about touching the clay. Her communication is also limited, and she said: "Don't like it." Once she saw the other participants enjoying themselves however, she began putting her hand in the Play-doh, and by the end had made a model of her dog. When we were cleaning up the clay at the end, she said to me: "Like it." "I knew you'd like it if you gave it a try," I said. "Cold, firm, hard to mold, like it," she said.
The overall dynamic of the group was really great. I've worked with some of these individuals before, and I've seen how well they all get along and how great the atmosphere is with them. For the most part everyone was laughing and chatty and commenting on each others' work. They really seemed to enjoy this activity.
The only examples of inhibition or apprehension I saw today were more related to frustration than anything else. I was really excited that I didn't see any real evidence of anxiety about creating something in front of the rest of the group.
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