Here’s a team building game that puts your old keyboard to use.  Use the keyboard that you were thinking about throwing away anyway. Here’s a way to creatively recycle it and use it to develop your “key” leaders. This is a great activity for developing confidence, presentation and public speaking skills.

First remove all the keys off of your key board.  This is usually a pretty easy task…but,make sure that it is really a keyboard that is not going to be used …you won’t be able to put the keys back.  You’ll end up with about 60 pieces.

Next, have everyone randomly select a keyboard key as they enter the room. Don’t give any prior instruction.  When the time is right and you are ready to begin the activity say something like this:

“I pulled all of these keys off of one keyboard.  If one of the keys was malfunctioning or missing (before I dismantled the keyboard) then it would not be possible to operate the computer at its full potential.  Each key brings a unique attribute to the keyboard (the team/community).  What does the key you’ve selected say about an attribute  you bring to a team (you bring to this/our team)?  Get in groups of three and share your thoughts and insights.”Give the groups of three enough time to talk and then ask everyone to re-focus their energy on the large group.  Ask if there are any insights or new understandings that people would like to share with the large group.

Other variations:

1. The key you’re holding represents a certain skill that you bring to the group…describe your skill….

2. The key you’re holding represents something you’re thankful for…describe….

3. The key you’re holding is actually a vitamin…what does this vitamin do?

Learning Concepts:  Recognizing individual strengths of group members - Understanding others - group warm-up

Time requirement: 35-45 minutes

This activity was taken from the book “Teambuilding With Teens” by Mariam G. MacGregor, M.S.  This activity is great to use in a wide variety of group settings especially where the members of the group may be unfamiliar with each other.

Overview:

Group members write their strengths on small slips of paper, put them into balloons, and blow up the balloons.  One by one the balloons are popped to reveal what each person brings to the “party”. As the group learns about the unique talents each person has to offer,  the information is transferred onto a large wall banner so people can see all of their strengths together.

Goals:

1. Identify how a new or existing team wants to work together
2. Learn how individual members view themselves as part of the group
3. Learn how to recognize strengths in order to get the most form every member of the group

Materials needed:

1. Large sheet of banner paper
2. marker
3. masking tape
4. medium-sized balloons, one or more for each participant
5. pens, pencils, markers for each participant
6. small slips of paper
7. sturdy wooden tooth picks with pointed ends ( to pop balloons)

Get Ready:

 On the banner paper, draw a large bunch of balloons. one for each teen in your group.  Hang the banner on the wall in a location where it can be seen by all.  Clear an area in the room where the group can sit in a circle with space in the middle for a pile of blown-up balloons.

Activity:

Have participants sit in a circle.  Pass out materials and let participants know that they should wait to blow up their balloons. Explain the activity using words like these”

“You’ve all been invited to a party.  It’s a kind of pot luck, but instead of bringing food to share, you’re bringing yourself and the strengths you believe you contribute tot his group.  For example, you may be a creative thinker, or very organized, or able to keep others motivated. On the slip(s) of paper you have, you’ll write down the strengths of talents that you bring tot he group “party”.   Once you’ve written these down, careful put the slip(s) of paper into our balloon, blow it up, tie it off, and put it in the middle of the circle.”

 Allow 5 minutes for this part of the activity.  When every is done, invite a teen to start the “Popping” process by picking a balloon from the pile, popping it with a toothpick, and reading the slip(s) inside. After a slip has been read, as the author to step forward, share a little more, and then write his or her name and strength in a balloon on the was poster.  This person becomes the next one to select a balloon from the pile, pop it and read the slip. The process is noisy, but fun!  Continue until all the balloons have been popped and everyone’s names and strengths are written on the wall banner.

Variation:

Conduct the activity without using balloons.  Instead ask teens, one by one, to step up to the banner and write their name and strengths in one of the balloons.  This variation is more effective for a group that already has a good deal of rapport.

Discussion Questions:

1. How can what you’ve learned from others be used in the future to improve the way this group works together?
2. Are there any people who you think overlooked one of their strengths? who? What is the strength? ( if you wish and you don’ feel you’re putting that person on the spot, you may want to ask this individual: Did you know others view this as one of your strengths? Do you agree that it is? why did you over look it?)
3. How can you make the most of strengths and talents of group members and still allow everyone a chance to try new things or use new talents?
4. Imagine the group was going to assign official jobs for each member.  Based on the strengths people shared, what roles do you think people should have?
5. Is the group missing any strengths? What are they and how can you build them?  What if you can’t?  How can you overcome not having certain strengths or prevent the lack of them from becoming a group weakness?

If space allows,  keep the banner hanging in the room for future meetings.  It can remind members of everyone’s strengths and guide them when trying to determine who is the best person for a team task.  If space doesn’t allow, type  of have a teen volunteer type a summary sheet of the strengths people bring to the “party” and give teens copies to keep in their journals or notebooks.

For the past 15 years, communities across the United States have set aside the first full week of May as Teacher Appreciation Week, with the first Tuesday being the National Teacher Appreciation Day. Celebrated on the Tuesday of the first full week of May, the actual date varies each year. In 2008, National Teacher Day takes place May 6.  During this special week, students and administration are encouraged to award their teachers with well-deserved gifts of thanks.

History:

The origins of National Teacher Day are murky. Around 1944 Arkansas teacher Mattye Whyte Woodridge began corresponding with political and education leaders about the need for a national day to honor teachers. Woodbridge wrote to Eleanor Roosevelt, who in 1953 persuaded the 81st Congress to proclaim a National Teacher Day.

NEA, along with its Kansas and Indiana state affiliates and the Dodge City (Kan.) Local, lobbied Congress to create a national day celebrating teachers. Congress declared March 7, 1980, as National Teacher Day for that year only.

NEA and its affiliates continued to observe National Teacher Day on the first Tuesday in March until 1985, when the National PTA established Teacher Appreciation Week as the first full week of May. The NEA Representative Assembly then voted to make the Tuesday of that week National Teacher Day.

Here are some great heart felt/ low cost ideas to help recognize and appreciate your teachers.

visit the nea website for great downloads and ideas: http://www.nea.org/teacherday/active.html

Plan a small gift or event every day during teacher Appreciation week.  Remember that the attitude of gratitude is contagious.  So make each symbol of recognition as prominent and special as you can.

• Decorate Teachers’ Doors with Construction Paper posters with a positive quote or expression of appreciation.
• Offer Coffee Tea and other special snacks and treats in the teachers lounge all week long.

• Have an appropriate poem or rap ,that expresses Teacher appreciation, recited over the PA System during Announcements

• Deliver goodies and gifts to the teachers in their class rooms for added effect and for other students to see and model
• Have a special message to the teachers from the principal spoken over the PA system during announcement time.
• Call a popular local radio station and ask the DJ to dedicate an appropriate song to the teachers at _________High School.  Have the broadcast recorded and played during PA Announcements.
• Do a teacher scavenger hunt where students find clues about each teacher and are entered in a drawing for getting all the answers correct.

In order to make winning decisions, we must persevere.  We must assess our habits from the past and determine to change and mold them according to our mission statement for the future.  If we stay mired in the muddy pit of self-defeat, guilt, and shame over past missed opportunities and wrong choices, then we will never experience the freedom to restore our trajectory to our destiny’s flight plan.  You will never soar when you’re too busy wallowing in self-pity and blame-shifting.” T.D.Jakes- Maximize The Moment (Berkley Books, New York)

Many times a schools’ recognition program responsibility falls on a “select” few individuals who add this project to their other school duties. The “Bravo” program has been very successful in our schools because the programs success is shared among all the staff members.  Teachers and Staff are eager to participate and keep the program going because everyone wins and the program is easy to implement.  We have found that this program builds instant morale and unity as the entire school works together to achieve its goals.  It is also very inclusive and designed to edify the entire student body and not just those students who may regularly receive recognition and other accolades.

Here is the basic “Bravo” program outline:

1. Each Teacher or staff member is given 5 “bravo” note cards at the beginning of the school year or semester. (More Cards are made available for those who need more.)

2. When the teacher or staff member wants to encourage or acknowledge a student he/she writes them a “Bravo” note of recognition. (ex:  Dear Johnny,  I can see that you are making the extra effort to get to class on time.  I am very proud of you….).  This note is mailed home or simply hand delivered to the student at school.
3. The Card is perforated on the bottom and has blank lines that the teacher fills in with the students name, the teachers name and a brief summary of the reason for the recognition.
4. The Perforated tear off is placed in a container for a monthly prize drawing.  The prize can be big or small.  Items can be donated from local business etc. School logo pride gear like tee shirts make a very coveted prize.

Of Course this program can be used to enhance current school recognition programs or modified depending on the need and culture of your school.

Bravo cards can be customized for your school and ordered from National Achiever Services  We can also supply you with school pride wear ( Tee shirts etc.) Contact our office at 1-800-800-4083 for more information.

Is a leader the person who always takes credit for what he or she has accomplished? Always needing to be noticed? Remember, one of the leadership styles/characteristics is “Quiet leader”- the person who pushes others to do their best and needs no credit/validation. “The leader is, most often, the person in the background.”

  SOME DEFINITIONS OF A GOOD LEADER: 

-Empowers others

-Most often has a mentor, and is happy to be a mentor for someone else

-Tolerates debate; he/she is open to hear a variety of viewpoints (not the “my way or no way” attitude)

-Doesn’t take criticism personally

-Isn’t worried about being popular or unpopular

-Admits mistakes and learns from them

-You are confident in being the LEADER that God designed YOU to be!

A great debriefing activity after each project. 

Objective: Identifies,Recognizes and appreciates the strengths and qualities of individuals with in the group. 

Time:  15-35 Minutes.

Procedure:

1. At the completion of each project, inform students that they should identify team members that made contributions to the success of the project.

2. Discuss with students what are important qualities or skills that were needed for each particular task.  Have students recognize and compliment those people who helped the group.

3. In small groups, ask students to choose someone that they believe has exceeded expectations.  It can also be someone who possesses a characteristic that helped the team effort by being cooperative, artistic, persistent etc.

4.  Students can design or decorate awards for their team members using their skills/ strengths as the superlatives.  See Suggestions below.

5.  A short, fun ceremony should follow.  This will help to boost the morale of the group, encourage the development of both team and individual leadership qualities, and bring closure to the project.

6. The advisor should participate by joining a group.  Over time this will ensure that each student is recognized.

 AWARD CATEGORY EXAMPLES: Get Creative!

Best idea - Best team member - Best role model for students - Most enthusiastic - Most Organized - Most perspiration -Energizer Bunny Award…etc.

AWARD “PRIZE” EXAMPLES: Get Creative!

• Decorate Lolly pops (Round Sucker POPs  like “Blow POPS, or Tootsie Roll POPS” work best) Use Small Squares of Metallic wrapping paper and ribbon or pipe Cleaner to secure paper.  Create a Tag to attach to the stem of the POP to identify each award.
• Use construction paper, Glitter, markers and other available materials to make awards.  Certificates, paper origami or paper hats, Award ribbon cut outs ,  any other shape.
• Decorate Sugar Cookies with the specific award title and present to the recipients.

  Honor Students monthly for their achievement in one of the 
  five “A+”  Categories

  Attendance, Academics, Athletics, Arts,  and
  Activities/Attitude

Each month, recognize and award students who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in one of the five areas of your schools achievement standards.  Students are awarded with an A+ Tee shirt customized with your school colors and initials or symbol.  Students can be honored at monthly assemblies or once a month during the daily P.A. announcements.  As more and more students are honored and proudly wear their tee shirts more students are encouraged to achieve.  This has worked wonderfully to Motivate and encourage students.  Make sure students are not honored more than once a year so that more people have a chance to be recognized.  During the 4 years of high school each student has an excellent chance of being recognized for their excellence in one of the five areas of achievement.

September: Survival Kits (notepads, pencils, red pens, post-its, asprins, gum, etc.).  Make sign names for teacher class rooms.  Make decorated teacher door stops.

October:  Carve pupkins to decorate teachers lounge, Ghost-lollipops using tootsie rool pops, Kleenex and yarn ( Have a boo-tiful weekend! or Thanks for being Spooktacular!)

November:  “Turkey of the Week”  given to staff with a good sense of humor.

December:  Free gift wrapping services for staff, organize photos for teacher’s familiew & pets, personalized ordaments, candy cane reindeers (pipe cleaner antlers, red pom-poms for the nose)

January:  Exam blues reliever, staff buddy program to team build quieter staff, hot chocolate and cider i the teacher’s lounge, tie noe to confetti poppers that read ” Let’s start the year with a bang!”

February:  Hershey kill flowers, Happy Valentine’s day cookies decorated by staff, “Dime-on  d  pin”, Red Hot candies

March:  Hold leuncheon of sup sandwiches ( There is no SUBstitute for you!)

April:  Free car wash for all staff, Decorated boxes filled with candies

May:  Early bird staff breakfast, Package of seeds (”Thanks for helping us grow and learn.”)

June: Book mark the year by taking images and photographs that define the year and make a book mark that is laminated and presented to each teacher along with a thank you note.  Assign a student leader to help teacher clean and pack up their class room.  decorate a bottle of sprkling cider with ribbons and attach a note of “bon-voage” …have a great summer.

 I found the featured book to also be a great source of ideas for easy, low cost, staff appreciation and recognition ideas.