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Roger's Active Learning Bookshop All profits go to Save the Children. [View total] |
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Age can make a difference, but there are so many exceptions, ensure that you look out for them! Old people can be surprisingly agile and still enjoy activities and challenges. Whereas young people can be lazy and conservative in their choices. This is one of the benefits of intergenerational work - the older folk can bring out the best in the younger ones and the youngsters can bring out the best in their elders. See intergenerational work and play for inspiration.
In my own work I have frequently adapted ideas from one age group to use with another.
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WORKING WITH CHILDREN |
WORKING WITH ADOLESCENTS |
WORKING WITH ADULTS |
WORKING WITH ELDERLY PEOPLE |
WORKING WITH INTERGENERATIONAL GROUPS |
INTERGENERATIONAL GROUPS (continued) |
Bernie DeKoven |
Review by Roger Greenaway: All sports started out as fun. Then they got organised. And during their transformation into sports with rules, competitions, prizes and professionals, much of the fun disappeared.
For those familiar with the 'Cooperative Sports' or 'New Games' movements this is not a new message. What is new is the idea of getting participants to design new games that they can then enjoy playing and adapting as they go. The idea of adapting popular sports provides a handy short cut - and appeals to the subversive in us all. Because Junkyard Sports encourages players' own creativity, the process described in the opening pages could lead to hundreds of new games. Just in case they don't, you will find that most of the book is dedicated to describing ready-made and ready-to-play games - 77 games in all. These are called 'demonstration' games. This active initiation into Junkyard Sports inspires participants to create and try out their own games. The game titles give you the flavour: Ad Hoc Golf Soccer, Everybody Has a Ball Hockey, Goodminton, Hide-and-Seek Hockey, Musical Basketless Basketball, Spoon Football, Wheelchair Doubles Basketball... Roger Greenaway's review of Junkyard Sports is continued on this page at amazon.co.uk |
See the excellent reviews of this book at Amazon.co.uk |
Review: The haircuts may not be timeless, but the games are. The book is well designed with well thought out connections between one activity and the next. It's a real ''page-turner'' - not what you'd expect in a book that is really just a collection of games. You will find these games repackaged in more modern looking books. I prefer the original treatment - and the current used book price makes this irrestible! (reviewed by Roger Greenaway) See review at Amazon.com |
Zen of Groups:
A Handbook for People Meeting With a Purpose
Dale Hunter, Anne Bailey, Bill Taylor
Good stuff for novice and experienced group leaders.
I saw this book being used by a trainer I was working with, and had to buy it.
It covers all types of groups, from a bunch of friends coming together to arrange a holiday away, to experienced therapeutic groups. The authors forgo the normal forming, storming etc in favour of a more sophisticated model of group development, and then elegantly show how this model can apply to all groups. ... This is a powerful text, suitable for all levels, with stuff you will want to read over and over again. If you only buy one "group" book, get this one... (Reviewed by stephen.pridgeon@virgin.net) See Stephen Pridgeon's full review. |
Book Description:
This best-selling text is a broad, integrative overview of group dynamics presented in a well researched, readable, and experiential format. This text introduces readers to the theory and research findings needed to understand how to make groups effective, and it helps build the skills required to apply that knowledge in practical situations. More than a textbook, Joining Together illustrates how this knowledge and mastery of skills creates choices, opportunities, and successes for each individual. Synopsis: Providing an overview of group dynamics, this textbook introduces the theory, research findings, and practical skills related to building effective groups. Coverage includes such topics as experiential learning; goals, interdependence, and trust; communication; leadership; power; decision making; conflict. See full review at: amazon.co.uk and this review in the list of recommended books at infed.org |
Group Action:
The Dynamics of Groups in Therapeutic, Educational and Corporate Settings
Martin T. Ringer
Reviewed by Chris Loynes:
This may be the first text for a long while that seeks to explore the
learning group experience instead of transferring ideas and practices from
other types of groups into this context. Martin draws mainly on
psycho-dynamic ideas of groups but he does this critically not bringing in
things that only work in the settings in which the ideas were developed like
one to one therapy. He also brings in other ideas as they seem to him to
explain phenomena we experience in learning groups or help the facilitator
understand their experience in act in role.
Martin has a background in corporate and youth social work and what he has to say is linked to examples from both. Outdoor people will enjoy and be intrigued by the wombat story. Although the book is theory rich it is well written and I found it easy to connect the ideas to experience and practice. The main part of the book does focus on the implications to practice of Martin's ideas. I've adopted it as a key text for our MA degree. I recommend it. (reviewed by Chris Loynes. The MA reference is explained on the careers page)
Synopsis: Groups provide a powerful medium for therapeutic work, and are the building blocks of all institutions - whether in the education, health, government, or private sectors. Martin Ringer outlines techniques for understanding groups that should be relevant to those who lead teams in any setting. The result is a guide to both leading a group, and to understanding the necessary dynamics that should result in the best teamwork. Throughout, the author uses his experience to try and make his points as accessible as possible to all readers - whether or not they have a formal background in group psychology. (amazon.co.uk)
You will find a flyer and book reviews from Australia, Germany and the UK at the author's website. |
Publisher's Synopsis:
A training manual and sourcebook for facilitators, managers and leaders who want to encourage full participation, promote mutual understanding, and help groups build inclusive, sustainable agreements. It presents more than 200 valuable tools and skills and places them in the context of a lucid, realistic model of the dynamics of group decision-making. This Guide will help all facilitators improve their diagnostic judgement and increase their repertoire of methods and skills for supporting groups to make sound, saner decisions.
See Paula Green's detailed and favourable review published in Fellowship July/August 1997
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A book to help members of groups. This is a practical, readable and affordable introduction to groupwork - with useful matchstick figure illustrations. (78 pages) (Roger Greenaway) |
This essential text deals with the benefits of relaxation, covers both theoretical and practical relaxation methods, includes over 100 activity ideas, provides constructive guidelines for good practice and incorporates actual workshop themes. Including comprehensive appendices comprising of alternative therapies, further reading matter, useful addresses and visual aids, this manual will be of real value to both seasoned and beginner practitioners alike. (see the full review at Therapeutic Resources.com) |
Product Description:
How to get groups to work with one another within any business organization. (Amazon.co.uk) Extracts from the Back Cover: ... this book will give you the insight, tools and resources you need to help your group work easily and more effectively together. ... provides an in-depth examination of the art of intervention ... the toolkit includes facilitative designs for workshops, meetings, projects and evaluations; facilitative processes of being with a group, working with other individuals, keeping sight of the group's vision and goals, empowerment, identity, role playing and more. Plus, a Facilitators' Training Program. |
The Skilled Facilitator:
a Comprehensive Resource for Consultants, Facilitators, Managers, Trainers and Coaches
Roger M. Schwarz
Facilitation
Trevor J Bentley
Q. What's popular? A. See The Top 20 Q. What's best? A. See Best Books Q. Where are the bargains? A. They are all on one page at Books Under a Fiver Q. What's new? A. See New Books or browse the right margins in any category. Q. Where am I? A. Roger's Bookshop is part of The Active Reviewing Guide. |
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