The Human Knot

We also tried a team building challenge today. We divided the class into two groups to keep it manageable. Each group formed a circle. We reached out and held onto other people's hands from across the circle. The hand holding results in a very large "human knot."

The goal is to get untangled without letting go hands. Trust me, this is not an easy task. It requires patience and LOTS of communication. I gave the children only two pieces of advice - be safe, talk and LISTEN. It was so interesting for me to listen as they puzzled through the challenge. Some kids are silent, they do as their peers ask. Others pop in with an idea now and then. Still others are huge leaders - directing the group confidently and respectfully. It helps me to learn so much about the kids as I observe.

The end result - one group got untangled. The other group ended up sprawled on the grass. :o) No problem. We'll try again next week. I think it will be interesting for half the class to participate and the other half to observe and listen. I hope this will provide for a rich conversation about the group dynamics and the communication that needs to happen to solve problems as a team. I'll keep you posted. :o)