Group Dynamics and Social Skills in the Classroom

The course is based on the excellent results of the Comenius Course on Group Dynamics and Social Skills in the Classroom held earlier in Finland (2002) Cyprus (2004,2005 and 2006) in Portugal (2007) and in Italy (2009-).

School forms one of the longest consecutive phases in the life of children and young people. School years cover the very important and intensive periods of neurobiological development, personality development and development of social skills and group behaviour. School can provide a lot of support to the positive growth in all these aspects.

So far, school has focused more on academic achievements than the social competence and firm self-esteem. Because of the many structural and cultural changes taking place in our countries the need for supporting the development of social skills and competence are increasing in order to support the healthy development and prevent the marginalisation.

When speaking about the social skills it is much to do with interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to identify, express and understand emotions, to assimilate emotions into thought and to regulate both positive and negative emotions in oneself and others. EI includes also self-awareness and impulse control, persistence, zeal and motivation, empathy and social deftness.

The aim of the course is to give experience on and basic information on group dynamics and social skills, give tools to observe group process and also how to create better school and classroom climate and to discuss how to use this knowledge in the classroom.

Providing basic knowledge of group dynamics includes:phases of group development, emotions (feeling, naming and understanding the sources), roles in a group, communication, leadership, norms and conflicts and cohesiveness

Observing the group dynamics in the classroom includes:observing verbal communication, observing hidden meanings of communication and learning to analyse the social context: positions of group members, climate, resources and the weaknesses of the group

Providing tools to make positive interventions to the group dynamics includes:starting the group, supporting the partnership in a group, creating norms of a group, creating goal oriented group and finishing the group process.

Providing basic knowledge of social skills includes:intrapersonal skills, interpersonal skills, group skills and organisational skills.OBJECTIVES

Providing tools to create classroom climate which support learning social skills includes:creating safety and trust in a group, creating openness in a group, creating cohesiveness and tackling with conflict

Providing adequate methods to teach social skills includes: co-operation, discussions, giving positive and constructive feedback, games, playing, role playing and situational analysis

Learn to recognise our own power and weakness as a group leader includes:being aware and evaluating of own behaviour and its influence to the group, being aware and processing of own emotions and feelings in a group and being aware of those areas as a group leader one should develop.

METODE:

In the course the methods that will be used are action methods, group discussions, group analysis, pedagogical drama, sociodrama, co-operative learning, creative arts and lots of humour, peer support, exercises and excursions.

Teaching social skills is difficult with traditional methods e.g. lecturing and cathedral teaching. When speaking about the social skills it is much to do with interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.

It is much easier to teach social skills when using the active learning methods which help to reach the emotions and name the emotions. The action method exercises helps to get to know each others, removes the tension, releases the atmosphere, removes aggression, helps to express emotions, develops positive qualities, develops senses, refreshes and gives variation, gives possibilities to participation, teaches new things, increases knowledge and skills, helps in finding ones own skills and talents, gives self-confidence, gives insights and are exciting and gives pleasure.

During the methods used in the course it is also possible to observe and improve the group process, safety in the group, the roles in the group, the group spirit, team building and the co-operation in the group etc.

After the exercises are done it is important and also easier, to reflect the experience: what happened and what does it mean to the individual and to the whole group. This analyses and reflection will be done always after each exercise / method.

When using all the methods introduced in the course there has to be a true respect for everyones uniqueness and also that everybody has a possibility to behave creative way and spontaneously; everybody has a possibility to do something new, better, more creative than before.

SundayArrival Opening and WelcomingGetting to Know Each OtherGroup Dynamic Exercises + reflectionMondaySafety in the group exercises, reflectionLesson and exercises: Developing Emotional Skills in the classroom, USWorkshop: Intercultural Dialogue andGroup Dynamics in the Classroom, exercises and lessonWalking in the areaTuesdayWorkshop on Communication with Creation and PlayingLesson on Social SkillsPresentation on Italian School System and the observation taskParticipants presentationsWednesdaySchool visitsReflection on School visitThe European Food Party (country entertainment)ThursdayExcursion Roma including lunchFridayDrama workshopPresentation on Active Learning EnvironmentsReflection exerciseSaturdayExercise based on the reflection diariesEnding exercise, certifications and evaluationFarewell dinnerSunday Departure