TLC - Finish speeches and build relationships

Materials: 2 chairs in the back of the room, podium in the back of the room, stopwatch, blindfold

Objective: Introduce themselves to the class and begin the process of becoming comfortable in front of their peers.
Start building trusting relationships with one another.

Opening journal: No Journal. Got right into "good things" and speeches.

Good Things

We needed to finish 2 speeches. Go over the procedure of the speech: 3 volunteers will go up first (1 speaker and 2 support people). The speaker will begin when ready and have 1.5 minutes to introduce themselves. They must stay up there the whole time even if they finish early. I will raise two hands when they have 10 seconds and one hand when time is up. After the speech, the audience will applaud and give 2 affirmations and one constructive criticism (the speaker must call them by their name). The speaker will sit down and a support person will step up to the podium. Another student will go the open support chair. We will continue this until all the students have gone. When the student is done speaking they are to grade themselves with the grading rubric and turn it in to me. The students will get full credit if they just do the speech. I am not grading them with the rubric.

After the two speeches, discuss the speeches. What did they think? How did they feel? Good thing, bad thing? What was difficult? What about the time limit? Any general Comments?

When the discussion is over move to the trust walk.

Trust Walk:

Have the students pair up with another student they don't know very well. One student is going to lead them only with their voice (no touching), while the other is blindfolded. Have the leader move into the computer lab next door while the follower gets the blindfold. Go with the leaders and give the first destination instructions:

Out the door. Down "main street". Weave them in and out of the lockers. Out the end doors. Down through the stadium. Up to the press box (put their hand on the railing).

When everyone is finished have a discussion with everyone about how it went. How did you feel as the leader? How did you feel as the follower?

After the discussion, switch roles. Tell the new leaders their new destination while the followers are getting their blindfolds on.

Back down or around the stadium. In through the athletic office. Down through "main street" or back out the athletic office. Take them into the back door of my room.

When everyone is back into my room have another discussion about the whole process? Why did we do it? What was the point? Why is trust a big thing? Have you been in a relationship without trust? How did it go? Have you been in trusting relationships? How did they go? Which would you rather have? How does trust relate to leadership?