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CHAPTER 5 Getting Started: The Beginning Stage and Beginning Phase by…
CHAPTER 5 Getting Started: The Beginning Stage and Beginning Phase
by Balqis Nabila binti Abd Mulok
THE FIRST SESSION
Beginning the Group
Important: how to begin
Leader: convey warmth, trust, helpfulness, understanding & positive regards
Leader's mistakes: opening with a mini-lecture, discussions on rules, meeting time for each session & frequency of meeting
Options for Opening the First Session
Start with a brief statement about the group; then conduct an introduction exercise (prevent members from settling into "listening" frame of mind
Start with a long opening statement about the group and its purpose; then conduct an introduction exercise
Start with a long opening statement; then get right into the content of the group
Start with a brief statement about the group; then get into the content
Start with a brief statement about the group; then have the members form dyads.
Start with a brief statement about the group; then have members fill out a short sentence-completion form
Start with an introduction exercise.
Start with an unusual opening-one that grabs the members
Helping Members Get Acquainted
The Name Round - Members simply introduce themselves; names but most of the time sharing additional information - depends on the purpose of the group
The Repeat Round - First member intro first and followed by second member
The Introduction Dyad - Two members pairing up and telling each other about themselves- each one introduces his partner to the group
The Repeated Dyad - Members pair up with every other member and spend 2-5 minutes sharing - why and what they hope
Milling - Members mill around and meet each other
Setting a Positive Tone
DO'S
Get everyone to share
Be enthusistic
Be warm & inviting
Be creative for nonvoluntary groups
Get control early and let people see you are in charge and you know what you are doing
DON'TS
Let the group focus on negative issues at the beginning of the session
Let one member dominate
Stop with boring group rules
Let members attack each other
Come on authoritarian on demanding
Clarifying the Purpose
Good idea: to review the purpose of the group
Explaining the Leader's Role
Offering a explanation helps members form a picture of what to expect from the leader
Explaining How the Group Will Be Conducted
Ease tension and ensure smooth functioning
Helping Members Verbalize Expectation
Leader learns what the members want
Drawing Out Members
Everyone has chance to speak
Should not force each member to speak
To reduce anxiety
Use Of Exercises
Rounds
Dyads
Sentence-completion
Checking Out the Comfort Level
Leader might spend a few minutes focused on the topic of comfort level
Explaining Group Rules
Explaining Terms
Reduces the chances of confusion or misunderstanding
Assessing Members' Interaction Styles
Paying attention to what members say, how they say it and how often they say anything
Being Sensitive to Multicultural/Diversity Issues and any Dynamics
Leader should aware of cultural, gender, ethnic, and sexual orientation differences
Cutting Off Members
Leader must be prepared to refocus any member who is being negative or hostile or who is trying to dominate or focus the group on some irrelevant tangent
Focusing on the Content
Topic being discussed in the group
Addressing Questions
Getting Members to Look at Other Members
absolutely essential
involving members
building group cohesiom
creating atmosphere of belonging
Closing the First Session
Leader want to summarize the session/give comment again on the purpose
THE SECOND SESSION
Introducing New Members
5 minutes or less
OPENING THE SECOND SESSION - The Success of the First Session
IF NOT
Restate the purpose of the group and make no attempt to verbalize any of the negative events of the first session
Address what went wrong in an effort to explain that future sessions will not be similar to the first one
Elicit from members their reactions to the first session
PLANNING FOR THE POTENTIAL DOWN
The most important thing a leader can do to prevent the letdown is plan a good session based on what she learned from the first session
ENDING THE SECOND SESSION
Leader will want to hear what members perceive as being helpful and unhelpful
THE BEGINNING PHASE OF SUBSEQUENT SESSIONS
Education or Discussion Groups
Task Groups
Growth or Support Groups
Counseling or Therapy Groups
Creative Activities for the Beginning Phase
Leader must always be thinking about the warm-up phase and the best way to start the group
To calm down the members to start the session
Mistakes During the Beginning Phase
They let it go on too long by allowing the warm up to stary from the purpose
They skip it and don't allow time for members to warm up
CONCLUDING COMMENTS
How leaders open the session
Leaders need to pay attention to both content and process
Rules need to be covered during the first session
Second session - leaders need to be prepared for a potential letdown