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It's Been A While
Nov. 26th, 2021 10:43 amSince my last Brownies report - we went back after half term, but I then missed one week as we'd been away and the following week we were on grandparent duty, so yesterday was only my second meeting of the half term.
The first week back I led the meeting as it was UK Parliament week. It's an activity we've done for the last few years which encourages the girls to see they can make a difference. I began by playing a game and then we had a vote with ballot papers and a ballot box (the kit comes complete with ballot box). We try to choose a subject which the Brownies will want a say in, so this time they had a choice between two of the Guiding Themes for which one we would do next: Express Myself or Be Well. They looked in their badge book to see what each theme involved and the vote overwhelming went for Express Myself.
After which we worked on a local issue which the Brownies are concerned about. We picked up on litter and made a tree with each of the leaves coloured by the Brownies with an anti-littering phrase, including recycle and reuse.
We were also able to use this to gain the Speaking Out badge from our current Take Action theme.
The girls' behaviour was still giving problems, so last week Doodles, the unit leader, had a week on expected behaviour, which certainly seemed to improve things this week, when we were sewing. I enjoy cross stitch, but sewing with the Brownies is a completely different activity. They began with a ready threaded needle. They were sewing a badge onto a blanket, or similar. Some of them were good at it, some not so good. We three leaders each had a table with six Brownies and circulated from one to the next sorting out the problems. By the end they all had achieved something.
It did produce some interesting results as to the girls' attitudes. I had one who already has a completely negative attitude and 'can't do it'. She couldn't even tie a knot, so I encouraged her to do so. It really is as much attitude as ability. I also had the young Brownie who has additional needs - she's clearly used to having assistance (which she does need for some things) and found it quite hard waiting her turn when her needs in this case were no greater than some of the others. But the revelation was the Brownie in another six, who the leaders would unanimously vote as being the greatest trial, who sewed on two badges and then helped the others in her six - being confident in her abilities meant she didn't need to show off.
The first week back I led the meeting as it was UK Parliament week. It's an activity we've done for the last few years which encourages the girls to see they can make a difference. I began by playing a game and then we had a vote with ballot papers and a ballot box (the kit comes complete with ballot box). We try to choose a subject which the Brownies will want a say in, so this time they had a choice between two of the Guiding Themes for which one we would do next: Express Myself or Be Well. They looked in their badge book to see what each theme involved and the vote overwhelming went for Express Myself.
After which we worked on a local issue which the Brownies are concerned about. We picked up on litter and made a tree with each of the leaves coloured by the Brownies with an anti-littering phrase, including recycle and reuse.
We were also able to use this to gain the Speaking Out badge from our current Take Action theme.
The girls' behaviour was still giving problems, so last week Doodles, the unit leader, had a week on expected behaviour, which certainly seemed to improve things this week, when we were sewing. I enjoy cross stitch, but sewing with the Brownies is a completely different activity. They began with a ready threaded needle. They were sewing a badge onto a blanket, or similar. Some of them were good at it, some not so good. We three leaders each had a table with six Brownies and circulated from one to the next sorting out the problems. By the end they all had achieved something.
It did produce some interesting results as to the girls' attitudes. I had one who already has a completely negative attitude and 'can't do it'. She couldn't even tie a knot, so I encouraged her to do so. It really is as much attitude as ability. I also had the young Brownie who has additional needs - she's clearly used to having assistance (which she does need for some things) and found it quite hard waiting her turn when her needs in this case were no greater than some of the others. But the revelation was the Brownie in another six, who the leaders would unanimously vote as being the greatest trial, who sewed on two badges and then helped the others in her six - being confident in her abilities meant she didn't need to show off.
