It is important to understand one another reactions to things. Most importantly, it is important to have warmth, positivity and cooperation since this is a fairly new group working from the ground up we should all not bring stresses from our daily lives into this group. By having a warm and positive environment the team will work smoother and get better results in the end. I am looking to build a team where teachers along with paraprofessionals have these attributes and can provide an effective and valuable support group. It is important to choose team members that will work together effectively but since this topic is very sensitive to many we must also choose trustworthy teachers. The article, “Let Us Not Forget to Support LGBT Youth in …show more content…
I would like to start each group session with using the autobiographical introduction activity I did in my CRCRTH 618 course if there are new faces (it does not need to happen every time). The autobiographical introductions lets students get to know one another and express why they decided to join the support group. It also lets students practice their listening skills and connect with others. I found that this activity helps students become more comfortable around others and “breaks the ice” among a group of students. Another activity I would like to implement is large group discussion within the support group. An example of the large group discussion is “Fearfully Asked Questions” which creates an opportunity for students to ask questions they are afraid to ask with less risk. During this discussion students are able to talk about certain topics that are unknown to them. Students can learn from one another whether that be students who do not identify as LGBTQ and those who do identify as LGBTQ. A second activity I would like to implement is small group discussion which is more intimate and personable. An example of small group discussion is “Scenarios” which is an opportunity for students to practice and game plan how they would handle particular situations regarding gender, sexuality, and LGBTQ issues in everyday life. An example of this can be “You are walking to class and you hear someone bullying another student on her sexuality what do you do? Do you intervene or do continue walking away and why?” we sometimes let questions like this pass and we move on and forget about it and we never have a deep conversation as to why and how can we change that behavior. The activities listed are only some of the many activities I have planned for this support group. In Senge, “The Fifth Disciple Fieldbook: Strategies and Tools for Building a Learning