Counselor Tools: Landing and Launching: 101 Checkins and Checkouts #2:How to Use the Book

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

The activities in this book are divided under two sections:

1)      Landing

2)      Launching

Landing activities, which can be referred to as check-ins, are best used when your group arrives whether it’s the first class of the morning at an elementary school or the first hour of a long retreat. These activities can also be used as simple get to know you activities. I have spent over 20 years doing groups ranging from kindergarteners to adults in early recovery. Consequently this book covers that range. I have found through experience that a 40 year old man in early recovery from addiction may be less adept at processing emotions than a five year old. Indeed they may share the same three emotions of anger, joy and tears. Landing activities create space for people to integrate what they have experienced in the past whether that past is years ago or the night before.

Launching activities, which can be referred to as checkouts, come either at the end of group, the end of the day or the end of a long trip or retreat. Launching activities provide a cognitive anchor point and a summary of your audience’s experiences. Many times counseling groups or expeditions can be emotionally intense. Kids of all ages need a way to summarize what they have been through. The activities in Launching will help you create space for that awareness.

Both Landing and Launching are divided into four sections

1)      Low Concept

2)      High Concept

3)      Nature

4)      Spiritual

 Low Concept

Low Concept activities are generally most appropriate for elementary children but can also be adapted to audiences that have been emotionally shut down. Surging straight into high concept feeling states with people unused to processing feelings can be counterproductive. I generally suggest these activities for elementary children at the beginning of the day. Most elementary classrooms begin with a morning circle. If you are an elementary teacher and you still get to indulge in a morning sharing time we highly suggest beginning with low concept and then progressing. Emotional Intelligence can be compared to learning to read. While we certainly hope our students will advance to Emily Dickinson and William Shakespeare we generally begin with “Goodnight Moon.”

High Concept

High Concept activities are best suited for audiences age 11 on up. I have found that there is a magical cognitive leap between ages 10 and 11. A child who could not understand abstract concepts in fourth grade can suddenly make those leaps a year later. I try, however, not to limit myself or my clients. Sometimes advanced groups as young as 8 or 9 can follow these concepts easily. I have worked with quite young children who can grasp ideas that high school students and adults struggle with.

Nature

Nature activities are generally oriented toward outdoor programs and expeditionary learning but some like the “Leaves” activity can easily be done with your class gathered outside in the fall in the shade of a large tree. The Nature sections have not been divided into High and Low Concept but the distinctions should be apparent.

Spirituality

“Seek wisdom where you find it.” anonymous

Having different notions of spirituality than most I was reluctant to put spirituality into a separate category. I find spirituality in everything from putting vegetables in my compost to gazing at a rosary. Taku skan skan as the Lakota say, the spirit that moves in all things, the force that gave life to us all is just as present in a tree as me. However, the general population still engages in dualistic thinking. This is school. This is work. This is religion. This is work. We put nice neat lines between ideas and call this reality. In one group many years ago I quoted Buddha, Jesus, Gandhi and Bertrand Russell on the value of forgiveness. The only quote objected to was Jesus’. The activities in the section on Spirituality were are most appropriate for youth groups, private schools or mature open minded audiences. I spend a lot of time with high school students in early recovery from substance abuse and finding a higher power is part of that process. Consequently I spend a fair amount of time helping them explore options for a higher power. I will be honest and admit that I advocate following a spiritual path is part of a healthy life. I also emphasize that I don’t care what path they choose. Dancing around this subject for years I have developed a few guidelines.

1)      Students may discuss any and all beliefs.

2)      Students may not judge or disparage any other student’s beliefs.

3)      I do not discuss my personal beliefs.

The third rule is difficult for some of the more fervent believers. If pressed I tell them that I believe in the Constitution of the United States of America which expresses a clear separation of church and state. Being a school employee paid with state and federal dollars makes me an agent of the state. That keeps it simple. I really wanted to represent more major and minor faiths but for purposes of brevity I ended up cutting a lot out. Please do not feel if your faith is not represented.

GETTING STARTED

The activities in this book run the gamut from quite simple to more abstract. Some use props which are easily available in many schools, props you can make yourself or can purchase cheaply or cards with images. To make image cards following this procedure:

1)      Open up Microsoft Word.

2)      Go to Envelopes and Labels under Templates.

3)      This will bring you several Templates. I prefer the 2x3 size but you can customize the size to your preference.

4)      Insert individual pictures of clip art onto each card.

5)      Save, print, separate and cut!

For years I purchased various processing cards and I still use those that have proven their value such as Chiji and Angel cards but many of the images I suggest here are unavailable commercially. In these times of tight or nonexistent budgets for materials you will find it is easy and fun to create cards with images using programs such as Microsoft Word.

Look around your classroom or school and see what objects inspire metaphorical thought. Most of these ideas came from using stuff that others had no use for. The matruska doll is a simple example of an object that can be imbued with meaning. I also like to use objects from what I call Americana: Tinker toys, Potato Head and of course the car.