This team-building exercise helps students think outside the box. To do this, consider leading a centering activity. <>>> There is no cost for attendance, however if your plans change . Group agreements are a set of behavioral expectations that are co-created between the facilitator and the participants. Mellody Hobson Color Blind or Color Brave? A retreat is an enduringly popular ancient practice of Christian spirituality. 6 community-building activities 1. In a normal year, the weekend before the spring semester starts is marked with a collection of the sophomore class getting together with deans from the Division of Student Affairs and heading up to the mountains for some bonding activities (for an idea of what that looks like, here's a blog post from . The idea is to think ahead to what those failures might be,to put systems in place that will help minimize the damageor to prevent the bad things from happening in the first place. One person in the group could model the finished product when their time is up. You do not have to make hiking competitive. In a prioritization matrix, the horizontal axis represents urgency while the vertical axis represents importance. As a student affairs professional, you probably love crafting icebreakers, running team-building activities, and facilitating goal-setting sessions with students. Winners can get bonus points for their grade on this activity or their in-class participation grade at the end of the school year. The first person to laugh leaves the game. We did this at Presences latest retreat while standing out on the beach and ended up with some hilarious results! But, Ive found that most people arent sure of when or how to express genuine compliments that venture beyond surface-level remarks like, nice shirt!, great hat!, or I loved your program idea!. You can follow up the lunch with fun activities like icebreakers, a dance session, or other activities on your to-do list. Advisors: Learn one-on-one mentoring techniques to help students understand and how to use their strengths. Home Solutions University Programs Employer Programs Team Building Conferences & Events Tourist Destinations Virtual & Remote How It Works Pricing Contact Get Started Log In Home Solutions University Programs Knowing everyones results within a team can help you identify your overall strengths and weaknesses, plus reveal who might be the ideal person for certain responsibilities. A leader places a 4-foot 2-by-4 on the ground. You can use generic quiz questions (from the board game Trivial Pursuit, for example), or you could relate questions back to the course material. Dont forget to, What are some of your favorite retreat activities? For menu inspiration, check out this list of conference food ideas. Download Now: 45+ Team-Building Activities. For instance, if there are 25 players, then each player will take a number between 1 and 25. Next, divide the group into smaller teams and provide all the necessary gear for the sport you choose. For projects that make the final cut, the students could create a RACI Matrix to identify everyones roles and establish accountability. While the theme varies, the message is always the same: "In Jesus Christ, the son of God made man, who died and rose from the dead, salvation is offered to all, as a . Telling jokes is a simple and entertaining activity you can do at a retreat. Each person writes a letter of the alphabet on the cards (one per card), and then teams have a certain amount of time to make words from their letters. An interesting idea is to turn the joke-telling into a game called Try Not To Laugh. In this game, the designated comedian will tell jokes and do funny acts to make other attendees laugh. Divide the class into teams of up to ten people and provide each team with a goodie bag filled with random items. Team building isnt just for the corporate workplace it can also be used in the classroom to encourage collaboration, problem-solving and decision-making. You dont need to be a budding Andy Warhol or Frida Kahlo to enjoy it. Ask students to prepare for a discussion by reviewing a course reading or group of texts and coming up with a few higher-order discussion questions about the text. Finally, Jennifer says that silly rules that are supposed to make icebreakers fun can take the focus away from learning. Grace is the Director of People & Culture at TeamBuilding. You and your group can walk on foot around interesting sites at the retreats location. You should also check in with your office of diversity programs or multicultural affairs to tap into their expertise. 3. The housing, meeting spaces, recreation . They can then share the answers out loud or, if youre teaching remotely, on a discussion board, which is a great option for introverts as well. Here are some icebreakers that you could use: A retreat is a great time to review the student organizations mission, vision, and values. One team member explained how a shell (which he had just found) reflected his personality, and another shared a quirky memory inspired by the sand. The group should decide on the type of experience. If participants dont learn something about each other such as names, hobbies, and other interesting facts then theyll miss the critical self-disclosure component of a good icebreaker. 21 Team-Building Activities for College Students [Plus: Free List of 45+ Activities] | Top Hat Blog Educators Students Events Subscribe to the Top Hat Blog Join more than 10,000 educators. Perhaps you can use a recent picture of your team, a memorable selfie from a student event, or a talented student photographers amazing campus snapshot. Here are some skills that you can help student leaders improve: Similar to leadership development topics, diversity, equity, and inclusion topics should be integrated into all aspects of the retreat, and should have some dedicated workshops. High-energy songs can also work beautifully to get everyones energy up at critical times, while softer tunes can be played in the background during brainstorming sessions. This way, students benefit from hearing their peers perspectives, as well as getting to practice their debate skills. These retreats draw on Ignatian Spirituality and the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, which have been used by people of all faiths to help them examine their lives and begin to articulate a personal spirituality for themselves. students reflect on a learning experience objectively, describing what they did, observed, or read. A Message of Hope from Isaiah. You can hang up the resulting artwork/values list combo in your office or print it on office items, such as coffee mugs or mouse pads, so everyone can have a copy. Scavenger hunts arent just for kids. Tell the entire group that youll be reading a series of statements. Find purpose throughout your life and create meaning through self-reflection and intentional discussions. Do some good in the world and within your community. Similar to leadership development topics. Whats harder is picking or designing, who, what, when, where, and why of your retreat. Hopping on for a tour near your campus will allow you to see your community in a new way, especially if you have a professional guide to teach you about the towns history and future. They reflect next on how they felt, what they were reminded of, how they connect with their values, and other "affective" questions. Virtual Scavenger Hunt 2. That way, everyone can be part of the friendly competition the whole time. Not only does this test their problem-solving skills, but it also helps them differentiate between the needs of the individual and the needs of the collective. Sara Keinath, Youth Leadership Educator at Michigan State University explains the value of team-building activities for students: Guiding group members through intentional games can help them improve their communication skills with each other, which will transfer to their work or club projects later. Sophomore Retreat 2021. If you plan to have your group retreat on a cruise ship, then you may not have to go through much stress planning entertainment. The rules of the game are: The game continues until a final winner emerges. But what about word clouds? Allow five minutes of planning time, so teams can strategize how they will transport the object as a group; if it falls to the floor, they must start over. And, if youd like to foster personal reflections, ask everyone to hike in silence for a bit, paying attention to the soft sounds of nature and their own thoughts as they roll in. Of course, researchers have proven that physical exercise increases mental sharpness. % Dr. Corey Seemillers, Competency Guide for College Student Leaders. Ask what they value most in their individual work, as a team, in the campus community, or all three. When all is said and done, thank the students for attending the retreat and remind them to fill out a survey to help you improve future retreats. Getting away from the distractions of work enables them to focus on these ideas. endobj xYYoF~7d0JQ7nZN"jFr@;KJ2i1SL.e90dXNjo*qd:[dtZQ.'qLQ8#OGV O$w?5%#DL}Bz|D~)HE,W9_H4g5|k8pE51VS=~q2tE+ZPjMUJW8k5dLS)Pvf%Y~,?9eQL Each student on the inside is paired with a student on the outside; they face each other. Divide students into teams of six to eight, and supply them with newspaper, tape and scissors. Dont have the budget for StrengthsFinder? Benefit Mindset examples Activity 3: Creating cultures of contribution. Thanks to companies like Shutterfly, Puzzle You, and Collage, you can turn any photo into a puzzle. At this retreat, you will be enlightened with God's Word and encouraged by friends and enjoyable activities. Lawn games, music, volleyball & s'mores! Head to your local karaoke spot or rent out a machine to get to know everyones taste in music, bond over nostalgic tunes, and show off your talents (or enthusiastic lack thereof). The retreat then becomes a recommending activity/body, not just a source of ideas. Each team is then instructed to come up with questions about the topic that will be discussed. Once students have set their goals, they can get ideas flowing to meet those goals! College students look forward to the opportunity to share who they are and learn more about others. One-word story is an interesting game for groups in a retreat. , When we dare to break that silence, or when we dare to see, and we create conflict, we enable ourselves and the people around us to do our very best thinking.. These projects empower our students to effect change through awareness, advocacy, activism, and aid. Two are true, while one is a lie. Be sure to plan the menu according to the diet of the attendees. I recommend avoiding games that involve elimination. To plan a group retreat activity, you would want to first decide on the activities and games that the group will love to engage in. Learn how we can help get your students involved. Have students put each goal in a quadrant then assign due dates. Now that everyone is centered, the group can get to work! Chris Merlo: Open-ended questions don't take any planning. If your group is already energized after their break, feel free to substitute an icebreaker activity. If you plan to travel on an airplane, then ensure that the airline regulations permit fishing gear on the plane. Teams of students must then categorize these objects on a piece of paper or sticky note, even when no obvious connections exist. Content Expert at teambuilding.com. Sample activities include having students draw an emoji or write one word to describe their current mood, or placing a sticker dot on a bullseye to represent if they think that the workshop is helping the group meet its goals. 2. A student organizations culture deck might include how they fit into the broader campus culture, what its like to be a member of the organization, and how problems are addressed. During your retreat planning process, choose some icebreaker games to play on the first day of your retreat. They could think about wanting to learn more about your field or simply that their friends were enrolled in your class, too. Shark Tank Shark Tank is a great interactive team building game for college students. Ask them to write down a list of questions about the source material they are viewing or respond to a discussion prompt related to the course material to generate conversation. Gather all of the song choices into a retreat playlist and play it during breaks. For instance, assign members to the fire pit, food, and clean-up teams. Consider volunteering with an organization that youd like to establish a long-lasting partnership with or one that directly benefits students and their needs. For online courses, instructors can make use of Zoom rooms to organize teams or groups. Combine two pairs and have a group of four accomplish the same task. Students will gain insight on skills such as facilitation and debriefing and apply them in their retreats. After five minutes, have students share their picture with the larger group if theyre comfortablea fun way to help students feel like part of one interconnected community, particularly in the back-to-school season. Do your research on the kind of fishing you are doing, which can affect your choice of gear. Players mark x in any box containing a prompt they can relate to or an action they have performed, depending on the theme of the bingo card. A player can make three signs: rock, paper, and scissors. Word clouds can help your team visualize interconnected ideas and concepts. Use different color markers for each family member . <> Or you can simply ask them to leave computers and devices at home. Or challenge your students to count to 20 as a group with one person saying each numberbut no one is assigned a number, and if two people talk at the same time, everyone starts again at one. You could even pair this with the soundtrack of our lives activity by having each person reveal which song was their pick by performing it! You can make this more challenging by offering clues or riddles rather than the names of items. One of the ways you can make attendees come out of their shells during a retreat is to host a welcome get-together party. Fortunately, finding ideas for workshops to include in a retreat can be pretty easy thanks to the plethora of sample agendas available online. There are tons of activities you can do on a group retreat. One of my goals is to have my students experience similar dynamics and processes as they would face-to-face. Fishing is a unique activity to engage in on a retreat, especially if many of your group members are fond of the pastime. You need only two people, who are sitting on the floor. Divide students into small groups and have them rotate between each station together, performing some kind of task like sorting their observations into categories. Group agreements are a set of behavioral expectations that are co-created between the facilitator and the participants. You could even exchange the final products as gifts at the end of the retreat, display them in your office, or use them to tell the story of your retreat to other departments. Sports Trivia for College Campus. For instance, you can invite a motivational speaker for positive thinking and some form of encouragement. Quicker than a full-on debrief, a check-in is useful if you just want to quickly gauge how folx are feeling and dont need to deep-dive into what they learned (yet). Divide the class into teams and present them with a problem related to your course material. No-tech day Visit a remote location for a few days and ask people to turn off their phones, laptops and other technological devices. Purpose To illustrate how cultures thrive when everyone contributes.A great activity for positively framing a multi-day . 4:00 PM Free Time/Camp Store, Cabin, Game in Meeting Room. Ignite Retreat Distance from Univ. The activities you choose for your retreat will go a long way in determining how much fun attendees have. You may not have to worry about bringing so much food if the booked campground has restaurants for guests. Not sure what topics to cover? (Achieve), What is it we have and want to keep? Wed love to know! Activities that require more emotional risk should be left for later, when students feel more comfortable sharing increasingly personal aspects of themselves. To play this, you need to prepare a Bingo card. Here are a few examples: Pair up students and ask them to figure out the most unexpected things they share in common (this can also be done online in breakout rooms). Cooking together can help your team recognize leadership dynamics, prompt you to discuss beloved cultural traditions related to food, and challenge you to problem-solve together. Once each group has presented, the sharks all vote on their favorite project with the winner getting a special certificate or an extension on their latest assignment. Then, during the retreat, each person can share their favorite quotes from their assigned talk, summarize it, or share a particularly inspiring clip. The Students of Color Retreat will take place on January 28, 2023 at KHouse in Ithaca, NY. Yet, you hopefully also know the power of such activities. Activities will include yoga and mindfulness plus the opportunity to engage in outdoor activities. Give chronological numbers to the players. By incorporating group activities into your teaching, youre providing students with an opportunity to learn essential life skills theyll carry with them long after they graduate. SQ[ws*W An in-depth guide to creating a culture deck can be found here. Have each person contribute ideas. This activity can help. One of the perks of team retreats is that teammates can discover common ground with coworkers. :u&` %B&p&2AEn-uU$+89,P%@Uq As the name suggests, the matrix helps your group decide how quickly certain objectives should be accomplished. No problem. Then the players with the first two numbers will start the game. Statements can be tailored to your discipline such as what if everyone lived to 150 for a developmental class or what if there was no such thing as evolution for a biology class. Scattered throughout the list, you'll find entertainment-related suggestions: things like bands, singer-songwriters . Try framing budgeting as essential to, not enough students receive training on how to, ensure equal opportunity for participation. Get articles with higher ed trends, teaching tips and expert advice delivered straight to your inbox. (Eliminate), Goals can be broken down even further using a. . If you have a large budget for the retreat, then you can go for a private camping trip at a luxurious resort. Pro Tip: Although Rock Paper Scissors is a zero-point game, you can customize yours to be different. Do things. Divide students into teams and provide them with building materials, such as dry spaghetti, marshmallows, string and tape. Help your college students connect and collaborate. Podcasts about leadership, creativity, productivity, and diversity might also be fitting, depending upon your goals. 1. And post-retreat, you can frame the complete puzzles as artwork in your office. Although the mention of icebreakers may make some participants groan, there is actually a bit of. To make it easier to sort through, we've broken down the list by category. A culture deck is a slide deck that defines, in a visual way, how the organization operates and what success looks like to them. Encourage them to think beyond the fact that they may need your course credit to graduate. Becoming centered is a way to find peace within the chaos that might be surrounding us.. Or, to really mix things up, one team can represent student affairs staff and the other can be academic staff, who all shock the system by working together to score the most total points. To do this, consider leading a centering activity. Setting goals for yourself, especially as a teenager, can be a challenging and intimidating task. This retreat can include times of contemplative prayer and studying Biblical examples of being heard by God. Give each woman a journal to record prayers and write down how God heard them and answered. The first order of business should be to create group agreements as a way to introduce the framework for the retreat. An experience that allows teachers and their students to connect and grow together, surrounded by the beauty of the Southern Rockies. And theyre essential during staff retreats, which typically aim for all these benefits. Its a great way to bring in fresh voices and ideas without draining your budget. Get unique approaches to assessments from Prof. Jesse Stommel |, Help your college students connect and collaborate. Then plan the menu and other activities to entertain the attendees. We do so by slowing down our breathing so that we feel more of whats going on around us. Senior Instructor June Adamson will lead the retreat. She's a proud graduate of Emory University, where she majored in Creative Writing, and of Nova Southeastern University, where she earned her master's degree in College Student Affairs. Know the length of the route before you start hiking. The player with the highest points wins the game and deserves the winning prize. Rather than watching and debriefing full talks during your retreat, assign a different video to each team member a few days ahead of time. They calm participants nerves about being in a new situation. And yes, you might feel more than a tad bit ridiculous riding one. Charades: Group members take turns to describe an action or phrase with just gestures. You can use an open space like a local park. Youll literally jump for joy. This is a classic for a reason. !E5m)6PL3)by,p]hHK/)aQe^Xj1j@ 5OM'is/YA6"b`"nX0j3r\8^mMz'k"Lng`^(`uK08qkYK^653Z L'>yB.J7##J)W.EeSkr5(~p? Download 45+ Team-Building Activities for College Courses and build community in any classroom. Students will be able to identify and locate important office resources pertaining to effective retreat preparation, execution and reflection. 20 Unique Activities to Mix Up Your Next Staff Retreat, 75 Fantastic Program Ideas for First-Year Students, 22 In-Person Activities Students Can Enjoy While Maintaining a Social Distance, 12 Ways for Urban Institutions to Engage Students on Campus and Beyond, How You Can Help Student Orgs Thrive Under Social Distancing Measures, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, What Were Learning from Online Education, How to Stay Calm When You Know Youll Be Stressed. 35 Freshman Retreat ideas | team building activities, team building, school counseling Freshman Retreat 35 Pins 7y R Collection by Rachel Lail Similar ideas popular now Group Games Cooperative Games Social Skills Youth Group Games Ice Breaker Games Christmas Games Christmas Party Halloween Party Funny Christmas Xmas Games Halloween Games Many destinations of interest offer complimentary or low-cost tours, and there are also apps that provide free guides. Costume theme Activity for College Campus. Forget the one-sided lecture or PowerPoint. Some closing activity ideas are here and here. can be applied to student organizations. In class, use another discussion thread or live chat to have students of differing opinions share their views. Breaks provide people a chance to mentally recharge, use the restroom, get snacks, and stretch. A retreat is a great time to review the student organization's mission, vision, and values. Feel free to check out these lists of corporate retreat locations, company offsite ideas and team building exercises. Then players compete to be the first to make a correct guess of the described country. Wrap up this process by using. (Ill cover how to design a good energizer and why later on in this post.). Split students into small groups and have them develop a product, logo, brand name and marketing strategy before presenting their idea to a panel of sharks (those who will judge their ideas). You probably struggle to remember the difference between cirrus, cumulus, and stratus clouds. topics should be integrated into all aspects of the retreat, Start right at the beginning of the retreat by inviting students to share their, If you are having a hard time deciding what topics to cover in a dedicated DEI workshop, NACAs. There is an endless list of icebreakers, which include: Breaking the ice at the start of a retreat will go a long way to make the event successful. As I explained in this post, OKRs foster alignment within a team, guiding every member along the same direction toward clear goals. The First-Year Retreat and Experience (FYRE) program aims to provide first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented (FGLI/U) students with the resources and community to feel supported, celebrated, confident, and ready to take ownership of your college experience, knowing that you have a special community of friends and advisers to mentor you throughout your first-year at Harvard. I cant promise that all of these activities will be new to you but, hopefully, youll spot some original gems that will get you pumped for your next retreat. This group activity is fun and allows students to collectively learn. Also, find out if you will need a license to fish in the location of choice. Individual opinions are less important. Shark Tank, College Style 3. . Energize your college classroom and get discussions flowing. It is essential to decide and be familiar with the destination. These exercises aim to achieve the retreats objectives, including boosting attendees morale, team building, and motivating the group. To start, ask everyone to stand or sit in a circle and close their eyes. (Preserve), What is it we dont have and dont want? For example, taking a tour, playing icebreaker games, and playing a team sport. Sometimes, we as facilitators get so caught up in designing the activity that we forget the original purpose. 4 0 obj Ask students to repeat this process for several rounds to help familiarize themselves with a variety of standpoints. Read this for many more tips on this nifty technique. The classic Rock Paper Scissors game is one of the fun group retreat activities to add to your to-do list on your retreat. Type of site: Camp/Conference/Retreat Center. People dont buy what you do; they buy why you do it., When we work from a place that says, Im enough, then we stop screaming and start listening. Many cruise lines offer corporate rates and retreat packages, so be sure to inquire about these options when booking. They are also a great time for individuals to brainstorm ideas, express concerns and provide praise in an informal environment. Then, prepare the needed equipment like fishing rods, boots, hooks, and bait. If you're having a one-day retreat, this game could take place first thing in the morning. Another theme was "When Life gives you Lemons, make lemonade". First and foremost, welcome the students! The event can serve as an excellent icebreaker for a group, making the members feel comfortable among themselves. There are numerous ways to create group agreements. Go along with a first aid kit. Our next retreat will be in October 2023 - dates to be confirmed. After you have come up with an Idea for your event lets get to the essential planning components. Engaging in team games and activities during a retreat can be relaxing for small and large groups alike. Categories can include office procedures, student trends, institutional history, student development theories, higher education news stories, and anything else you dream up. A simple yet fun activity you can do on a group retreat is to share a lunch. 2 Maintain a Gratitude Journal Some closing activity ideas are, When all is said and done, thank the students for attending the retreat and remind them to, to help you improve future retreats. Download The Best Classroom Activities for College Courses to engage and motivate students. For each round won, a player gets a point. Your institutions marketing or communications department may be willing to run a workshop for you. Students are asked to develop as many answers to the question as they can by considering all political, social, economical and psychological angles. RESERVE Explore. Select the player who will start the game first. The first step you should take is to decide the activity to learn. Set a time limit for designing and building a spaghetti tower (one thats structurally sound, of course).

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