Quote of the Day

Typically there are three major stages in program planning: analysis of purpose, structure of the activity, and individual differences. Each stage suggests a number of key questions:

What is the major purpose of the activity: specific treatment intervention, behavioral management, positive reinforcement after group discussion, assessment, skill building, or some special purpose (for instance, to introduce new members into the group)?
What is the precise nature of the activity, and what special requirements will it impose on participants? What rewards does it contain? How restrictive is it? How much does someone need to know to be able to participate? What is the rule structure, and how is it enforced?
What do we know about the participants as individuals (their skill, motivation, and on-tap control) and as a group (the general level of development, communication, and the like)?

Another factor to consider is the physical setting for the activity. In planning an activity, we are creating an atmosphere; and in this respect no factor is more important than the physical space in which the activity will occur. Last-minute room changes on a regular basis connote a sense of impermanence and unimportance. A regular meeting place and time for group activities is crucial, as is the physical appearance of the space itself (see Churchill, 1959). The children’s right to privacy also must be respected; if they are to be observed, either directly or on videotape, they must first agree to such procedures. Similarly, we need to define spaces in the group living environment where solitary play can occur legitimately and uninterruptedly.

The most critical intervening variable in the successful implementation of program activities is the child care worker’s own level of comfort. The worker must feel free to really enjoy playing and should be aware of activities that may be threatening or unfamiliar to him or her. Playing with children demands full involvement, and this may mean a psychological shift away from the other “adult” activities which the worker has just come from – activities such as staff meetings, home visits, or case conferences. Children are quick to sense adult discomfort at participating in games and activities through subtle nonverbal cues, such as clothing that says “I don’t want to get messy,” even when the verbal message is to the contrary.

Since much of program planning is done on the run, the work of activity analysis often occurs after the session has been completed. Staff meetings and supervisory conferences can be fruitfully used in developing an activity profile for the total group as well as for individual children. Key questions include: For which of the five major purposes are activities being used in the life space? Are there additional areas in group living where activities could be used effectively? Typically, one finds overreliance on a single favorite activity, or activities used only for a single purpose, or a conspicuous absence of activities during times of the day when they might be most useful (for instance, during transition times). Similar questions can be raised from the point of view of the individual child’s activity preferences, dislikes, reactions to large-group and solitary play, and the like.

The result of the planning process should be a common understanding of the group’s likes and dislikes in activities and a working knowledge of activities that can, variously, bring the group together, take it apart, generate enthusiasm, “put a lid on troublesome behavior,” teach specific social skills, facilitate discussion, and further the specific learning goals of individual children. One useful outcome of the planning process is the creation of a card file organized around some of the variables previously listed and citing not only the particular requirements of various activities but the reaction of both the group and individual children to them.

JAMES WHITTAKER

Whittaker, J., K. (1979) Caring for Troubled Children. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, p.p. 106 – 107.