I-A



YOUTH PQA ROUND ONE ANECDOTESLeadershipNo mentoring observed.LeadershipThe first hour was homework time. The second hour the youth played various games. Several games involved listening, working together, etc. For example, in one game they had to communicate with their eyes closed.LeadershipYouth took turns leading games. Each of the five youth present led a game. For example, one led a human knot game.Emotional Safety Tony said, “Man, you fouled me.” Greg says “You a mamma’s boy.” Tony replied, “At least I ain’t ugly and poor!” Another youth, pointed and laughed at Greg. Greg smiled and they continued playing.Emotional SafetyVery positive emotional climate throughout. Example: In an international game similar to duck-duck-goose, the counting ended on the same student twice. He smiled big and laughed the second time.Active EngagementThe video talked about “dancing your feelings” and after the videos the group discussed this; that is, staff said, “What does it mean to dance your feelings?” Then they practiced positions. The discussion was abstract, but the practice was concrete.Active EngagementStaff said, “Okay, you had some time to practice positions. Next week we’ll work on your routines for the show. We’re going to have a great performance!” The tangible product is the show, but staff choreographed the dance, chose music, etc.Active EngagementThe majority of the time was spent watching a dance video (and 5-minute conversation after). But in the last 10 minutes they practiced their dance positions in front of the mirror.Active EngagementSome of the youth answered staff’s questions about their progress. That was really the only time anyone talked about what they were doing. Session FlowSession was spent quickly going through agenda items. Youth appeared engaged throughout, and they appeared to get a lot done (not too slow; not too fast).Session FlowSession was scheduled for 3:45-4:45. It started at 3:50, and finished at 4:15 (all youth gone by 4:20).Session FlowAll staff directions were clear. Example: “Okay, stand in a circle over here, away from the chairs.” Youth got up and made a circle.Session FlowStaff distributed ‘Reflection Journals’ – bound notebooks with hard covers – but she was 2 short. She said, “There aren’t enough for everyone.” She gave two youth scrap paper to write on instead.Session FlowStaff had pencils ready for everyone at the beginning of the session. But during discussion, some questions came up and she told a youth, “Go to my office and get the yellow papers.” The youth returned and said she couldn’t find them.ChoiceStaff said, “You all have an article and a picture. You have 10 minutes to come up with a creative way to present those to the rest of the group. Make it exciting! Any questions?”ChoiceStaff said, “Okay, you get to choose. You can either play checkers, chess, or cards.”Warm WelcomeStaff was sitting at table as youth rolled in. He was talking with one youth about the college football game as several youth entered. But later, when a youth arrived late, he said, “Kareem, glad you could make it!” with a smile.Warm WelcomeStaff was negative throughout. It was often in a teasing way but targeted youth never smiled. Examples: “You don’t really expect me to believe that, do you?”, “R thinks the bathrooms are nasty—who thinks he should clean them?”Warm WelcomeStaff smiled & made eye contact during icebreaker, but during youth presentations he kept looking at his watch. David said, “Why do you keep lookin’ at your watch?” He frowned and waved his hand (dismissing concern).Accommodating EnvironmentRoom is large enough for all youth to participate in team building activities and work at tables for a small group project.Accommodating EnvironmentChairs and tables can be moved around to accommodate the different activities.Accommodating EnvironmentThere are enough chairs for all youth, but the chairs were obviously intended for much younger children and are too small for most of the youth to sit comfortably.Accommodating EnvironmentProgram is in a partitioned room in a larger space used by multiple groups. Youth can do any activities, but because sound isn’t blocked, they have to whisper and move quietly during presentations and games.Adult PartnersYouth are creating a play about a social issue. Staff guides youth through brainstorming and selecting a topic, then guides them through a planning process to decide what type of committees they should have. Adult PartnersStaff says, “Please sit quietly when you have finished your paper so that the students who have not finished can concentrate.” No other behavioral guidelines given.YOUTH PQAROUND TWO ANECDOTESThe youth work together to create a single fruit salad display.Each group of three youth has an assortment of fruit that they are to prepare for display in a fruit salad.One youth rinses the fruit, the second cuts it into bite-size pieces with a plastic knife and the third arranges it in a bowl for display. The only planning that occurred was a short discussion about how to spend the group’s $100 speaker budget—some youth wanted a band and some wanted a speaker.Staff simply asked youth how they wanted to spend the $100 speaker budget—“What’s our plan for this money?” and the group discussed.While the youth were working in pairs, staff circulated and interacted with each group at least once. Staff asked questions but only during pair activity. Examples: “What’s next?” “What is your idea?” “How can we make that happen?” The rest of the session was directed by staff and few questions were asked.Staff uses mostly evaluative language, but at one point says, “The solutions you’re presenting demonstrate that you’ve really considered all of the alternatives!”Snack consisted of cola and cookies.Drinking fountain is located in the hallway outside the room where the students meet. A couple youths use it on their way in and several youths get a drink during a break.Snack was served at 3:45pm. One youth came up at 4:00pm and said, “Man, you all are greedy! I didn’t even get one snack bar.”Staff said, “Wyman, what caused you take the money?”Wyman said, “I tried to put it back but she saw me.” Staff said, “Here’s the solution: tell her you’re sorry and give it back.”Staff, “What happened after you stole? What was the consequence?”Wyman: “I feel bad and she’s mad.”Staff, “Would you do it again?”Staff acknowledged conflict (see above) but I didn’t observe any follow up. There was a conflict between two students: Kathy said Wyman took money out of her backpack. Staff said angrily, “I told you guys to work it out. You’re in high school. You should know better.” Staff said, “What did you all think of that?”J said, “It was cool.”No one else said anything, but two youth nodded their heads.Youth seemed to know each others’ names and had some inclusive conversation. Example, “L, you goin tonight?” Two youth, however, did not talk, and left as soon as activities ended. Staff did not attempt to engage these youth.Most of the session was spent preparing photography kiosks for upcoming public show (this Saturday). Every youth had a panel of the kiosks to arrange with their work.At the beginning of the session, staff said, “We’re gonna go around. Say your name and if you were a superhero, say who you would be.” Each student did this.First aid kit is clearly marked and visible—it’s on top of a cabinet in the game room.There are exit and emergency procedures posted by the door. A diagram shows which door to exit in case of a fire. There is also a list of what to do for other emergencies.At the lifeguard station there are numerous water safety devices—a tube, life vest, rope, etc.There is no outdoor program space.Front door is unlocked (youth center is in a busy downtown commercial area). There is a sign-in sheet by the door but no one monitors the door.Fire extinguisher is charged and on the wall in the room next to the one where the activities are. You can see it only from some places in the room.No structured youth presentations observed.With 5 minutes left, staff distributed index cards and asked youth to “write one thing you liked about today’s session and one thing you would have changed.” She then collected the cards.After a racism simulation, staff had students write for ten minutes: “Write about how you felt and what came up for you during that experience.” She then had pairs discuss. Then she facilitated a full group discussion.They did reflection in three ways: writing about simulation, discussing, and moving to areas of the room based on how they felt about the activity.Youth says, “I’m stuck! I can’t do this.” Staff says, “Sure you can.” Then staff asks youth a series of questions to help him figure out what went wrong with his design and what he can change.Staff says, “Today we’re going to experiment with gravity.” All youth work on designing and building a toy wagon. Then, staff challenges them to see which design will go the furthest after rolling down a ramp.As staff circulates, she interacts with individual youth. “What do you need to do first?” “Let’s start with the wheels, what would you like to make those out of?” Staff does not interact with all youth in this way.All youth are challenged to build a design that goes the furthest.Room is clean and there are no safety hazards.Staff explains the task and gives suggestions, but does not model skills.Space is well ventilated and mostly well lit. Youth in one corner complain about not being able to see enough to draw. Staff allows them to move.Program space is clean.Several youth complain that the room is too hot, but instructor says that they are not able to open the windows or turn up the air conditioning. ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download