Introducing myself | REFLECT PROJECT

23/01/2017

18.		Name of activity: Introducing myself
	Organization presenting this method: Via Experientia
A	Number of people reflecting:			x Solo (1 person)	x Small group (< 20 people)		⁮ Large group (> 20 people)
B	The way(s) of sharing:
Verbal:				x
Non-verbal:				⁮ Pictures / x drawings	⁮ Text	⁮ Embodied	⁮ sculpture	⁮ Other forms of expression
Digital:				⁮ Padlet	⁮ Social media		⁮ Digital diary
C	Place of reflection (where)			x Indoors	⁮ Out of doors		⁮ On-line
D	The connection with guidelines: What guidelines are you taking into consideration, while organizing your reflection?
X			Don´t direct content, direct process in order to co-create the reflective process.
⁮			Develop relationships based on trust, openness, empathy, honesty, dialogue and feed-back
X			Facilitate growth in awareness in learners, help them to “own” their learning, In a personal and meaningful way.
⁮			Try to manage the paradox, involved in steering of an intrinsic learning process, ie to create a heightened reflective attention of learners.
X			Slow down and value moments of not-knowing, while progressively deepening your reflection questions.
X			Recall that reflection can never be imposed, only kindly invited.
			Be careful of how you assess reflection – if you assess it at all.
X			Always consider reflection as a broad and deepening process, that should be holistic.

Goal of activity:

The goal is to tell something about yourself (or introduce yourself to a group) and reflect on the meaning that this introduction/description has for you.

Context:

and

Aims:

The method has been used during a 3 day workshop on Gestalt approach in experiential learning. The method has been used at an early stages of group development (however it was not the first activity) after the group has had joint experiences of approaching each other in silence.

The group members sit in a circle and are asked to be blindfolded and to draw a self portrait on a piece of paper. After this activity, participants are given some time to look at the drawing and feel what it means to them and to add colors to the parts of their portrait they would like to highlight.

The facilitator then invite people to introduce themselves by showing the picture or by telling the others what happened to them during the creation and review process.

The activity can take place indoors or outdoors. In this case it’s very important to choose an isolated and comfortable place, where participants can sit in a circle without being disturbed for the entire duration of the process. This activity has been carried out with a group of 18 trainers.

Setting the reflective practice:

Group members are asked to sit blindfolded in a circle and in silence draw with a pen or a pencil their self portrait on a piece of paper.
After taking blindfolds off, participants are given colors to eventually highlight any part of the self portrait they think it’s relevant.
Participants are given the time to look at the drawing, see what it means to them and reflect on the process they had gone through in carrying on the activity.
Group members are invited to share with the others who they are and what their creation represents and what emotions and insights are linked to it.
The facilitator takes care that everyone has a proper space and time to speak and ensures that no reactions or comments disturb the person who is sharing.
The facilitator asks further questions to allow group members in reaching a deeper level of self awareness.

Story from practice:

One of the participants had drawn a portrait that was presenting a person with two faces. One was gently smiling and the other one had a sort of snigger on her face. She said that at a first glance this image was somehow scary as it suggested her she had a double personality as doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde. When it was time to introduce herself to the rest of the group, she shared that at the beginning she didn‘t want to show her picture to the rest of the group as she was afraid of the idea other people could have about her. However she reflected on the fact that what she was afraid of was that the others could judge her as unreliable. By reflecting on this and looking at her picture, in the end she showed everybody her self portrait and shared with the others about what she had gone through and what emotions she was living in that moment. Her insights and learnng out of this experience were that:

– self acceptance was the base for convening the energy towards growth instead than toward struggling aganst what she didn‘t like about herself. Being aware of her dark side and aknowledging its existence was the starting point for change.

– self acceptance was necessary for listenng to the others by suspending her judgment as well

– sharing with the others the process for introducing herself could create the basis on which to build the trust necessary to learn from each other

Timeframe:

2 hours