Sharing Knowledge Begins!

Hola everyone!
Yesterday I was in class with the students and we were learning about Goals and Objectives in Recreation. The teacher was explaining how recreation helps with team building. He asked me to explain to the group why we had brought the hockey equipment to their school, I responded, “to give a taste of our culture and to enhance community building”. The teacher than continued by asking one of his students to name their peers one, by one and to my surprise, the students could not name everyone’s names. He therefore proved his point that the class needed team building activities. 

The students participating
 in the activity. 

The teacher told all of the students to take out a sheet of paper and take it to their backs. He than gave us all 15 minutes to walk around the class and write one thing we didn’t like about each individual on their back. Students were laughing and enjoying themselves and after the 15 minutes we were asked to take the paper off our backs and read the comments of what our peer had written. Than one by one we had to go to the front of the class, choose one comment that we disagreed with about ourselves and tell the class why we thought differently. This was an eye opening exercise for the class. The activity definitely helped students communicate and in team building.  Students were able to reflect upon themselves and see how people perceived them.

The students and Jesus at work.

            In the afternoon Yari, Kendall and I, planned another team building activity for Monday. This activity is planned for the 30 students involved in the Gardening project. I translated the rules of the game in Spanish and Kendall and I make a poster with the translated instructions for students to understand. We also labeled every of the 30 students name on the Dawson College reusable water bottles. The water bottles and eco-staplers will be offered as a gift to the students after the activity.

            Today after class a few students went to check the compost to see how it was doing. The students started to turn the compost and noticed that it was very dry. It was not in very good shape. The students began to explain to us the difference between the signs of good and bad composting and how it should be maintained. After discussing about and feeling the compost, we concluded that a hole need to be dug to place the soil underground in order to keep the soul in good condition. Jose Camir, “a very knowledgeable student,” explained that by having the compost under the ground and covered from the sun, the moisture would be kept in the compost for a richer soil.

        It was incredible to see how the students worked so well together, even though the gathering was spontaneous and unplanned. They all had the good will to help each other and have their compost succeed. It was inspiring to see the teamwork and I was glad to further exchange our knowledge with the students. 

All of us working together as a team and exchanging knowledge. What a great day! :)