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New Venue, New Leader
Sep. 21st, 2018 10:11 amWe started back at Brownies last week in what was a massive change. We're now meeting in the local primary school, rather than the community centre, which suits our needs rather better, although we no longer have a cupboard. Doodles, our new leader, is enthusiastic and very good with the girls. Of whom there are masses. We have 25 girls in total - 9 from last year (they've all come back which is great - two left but we knew they were going to Guides). It felt very strange.
But the girls seemed happy when they went home. The evening had been spent playing games and doing 'getting to know you activities' in pairs and small groups. Very few seem to know each other - probably because they're split between at least five schools and in different years in some of the schools which are quite big. What we did notice was most of the Brownies from last year tended to stick together, which was interesting because it shows they had grown as part of a team.
This week seemed rather less chaotic - not that last week was, but without knowing roughly two-thirds of the girls it was never going to be easy. There was a bit more structure, or rather there was building on the beginnings of last week's structure. Both the starting and ending of the meeting are taking a slightly different format, which is easy for Doodles, as the new leader, to introduce, given how few knew the old one, plus the change of building - there's a lot more space where we are now.
As the girls arrived, Doodles met them at the door to collect subs, forms etc from parents, Glitter Owl directed them into the hall (down the corridor from the main door) and I played Port and Starboard with them - getting the girls to join in as they arrived. It went remarkably well, and prevented the aimless running around which tends to happen otherwise. We played another 'getting to know you' game, and then played rounders (indoors), which didn't work all that well. So we played ladders, but without the competitive edge (no points for teams), sang a song 'Great Big Buffalo' and Doodles told them all a bit about how guiding works. After which they were put into their new sixes.
Apart from one, all our old Brownies are either sixers or seconders, and the odd one, who's only been a Brownie for a term will become seconder in a couple of months time. We're hoping that they will see it as a position of responsibility, not an opportunity to 'take charge'. We shall see.
We begin the new programme in the new year. Doodles and I spoke briefly about it after the meeting, and she said it would take her a while to get her head round it. Glad to know it's not just me. She went to the division meeting, but when I told her I'd done the online training she said she'd do that too. We're supposed to spend about 60% of meetings on the new programme, which is basically a two year syllabus. It will be interesting to see how it works out.
But the girls seemed happy when they went home. The evening had been spent playing games and doing 'getting to know you activities' in pairs and small groups. Very few seem to know each other - probably because they're split between at least five schools and in different years in some of the schools which are quite big. What we did notice was most of the Brownies from last year tended to stick together, which was interesting because it shows they had grown as part of a team.
This week seemed rather less chaotic - not that last week was, but without knowing roughly two-thirds of the girls it was never going to be easy. There was a bit more structure, or rather there was building on the beginnings of last week's structure. Both the starting and ending of the meeting are taking a slightly different format, which is easy for Doodles, as the new leader, to introduce, given how few knew the old one, plus the change of building - there's a lot more space where we are now.
As the girls arrived, Doodles met them at the door to collect subs, forms etc from parents, Glitter Owl directed them into the hall (down the corridor from the main door) and I played Port and Starboard with them - getting the girls to join in as they arrived. It went remarkably well, and prevented the aimless running around which tends to happen otherwise. We played another 'getting to know you' game, and then played rounders (indoors), which didn't work all that well. So we played ladders, but without the competitive edge (no points for teams), sang a song 'Great Big Buffalo' and Doodles told them all a bit about how guiding works. After which they were put into their new sixes.
Apart from one, all our old Brownies are either sixers or seconders, and the odd one, who's only been a Brownie for a term will become seconder in a couple of months time. We're hoping that they will see it as a position of responsibility, not an opportunity to 'take charge'. We shall see.
We begin the new programme in the new year. Doodles and I spoke briefly about it after the meeting, and she said it would take her a while to get her head round it. Glad to know it's not just me. She went to the division meeting, but when I told her I'd done the online training she said she'd do that too. We're supposed to spend about 60% of meetings on the new programme, which is basically a two year syllabus. It will be interesting to see how it works out.
