ROPES
As parents and educators we strive to offer children at The Shlenker School ongoing opportunities to recognize and develop leadership skills. One characteristic of good leadership is the ability to be part of a team that fosters respect, communication, and cooperation. Our low elements ROPES (Reality Oriented Physical Experiences) course is one of many ways that Shlenker students experience teamwork and leadership in action. The physical activities that make up this program give students the chance to work in teams to overcome and solve challenging physical activities.
Fourth grade students begin the year with 4th Grade Roundup which is a day of games and activities focusing on working together. They will continue to participate regularly in activities that facilitate team communication and problem solving. Fifth grade students have two days of B.O.O.T. (Beyond Our Own Thoughts) Camp where they continue the process of working together and setting group and individual goals for their final year at The Shlenker School. In the fall they have a chance to experience leadership in action during their field trip to Camp Allen. By the end of the week the fifth graders will have struggled both individually and in groups with problems, exchanged ideas, faced some fears and worked together. To be successful they must learn to listen to one another, deal with failures and persevere as a group. The students also will learn that the best way to solve their challenges is through cooperation and offering each other support and encouragement.
Matthew Hall, a former Shlenker graduate, shared that the word that best described his experience at Camp Allen was AWESOME and that he came away with a new feeling of being able to rely on and trust his classmates.
As a physical symbol of teamwork the fifth grade student's work together to create a ROPE that they take with them to Camp Allen as a reminder that you can be stronger working together. At the end of the trip they will vote on the classmate who has exemplified the qualities of leadership and that person will have the honor of being the first to keep the ROPE. Throughout the school year they will have a weekly vote for a student who has continued to exhibit leadership.
Why Develop Teamwork?
(A) To improve communication - For teambuilding to be effective everyone must be involved. By developing teamwork students will learn to encourage one another by talking and by listening to each other in order to solve a challenge.
(B) To learn different roles - By working together in groups natural leaders and followers will emerge. Students put into new activities and into new positions will establish new roles and be able to experience new things.
(C) To improve risk taking - When students have the support of a group around them they are more willing to take greater risks and to try new things. In short like the saying goes: the greater the risk, the greater the reward. Students will often develop more self confidence when they have the comfort of others behind them.
(D) To develop a more positive class environment - When students have to work together to solve a common goal it can reinforce current friendships and develop a new respect for others. Teamwork can have a long lasting positive influence throughout your classroom in many different areas.
We hope to aid our students in developing these 7 Essential Skills for Teamwork
1. Listening:
The students listen to each other's ideas. Students learn to "piggy-backing" (or building) off each other's ideas.
2. Questioning:
The students will question each other. Students learn skills to foster interacting, discussing, and posing questions to all members of the team.
3. Persuading:
The students learn to use persuasion as they work to solve problems by exchanging, defending, and rethinking ideas.
4. Respecting:
Students develop a respect the opinions of others which is seen through our students encouraging and supporting the ideas and efforts of others.
5. Helping:
Students help each other and offer assistance through ideas, supportive comments and validation of ideas.
6. Sharing:
Students share their time, ideas and support for each other.
7. Participating: Every student contributes to the challenge or task to be completed.
My child has just blossomed at The Shlenker School; we couldn't be happier.Jane
