(no subject)
Care to know why my job rocks so hard? When we need to do training, we play games. Playworks is all about what they call "playful professionalism"
Today was the very first day of pre-service.
Background info:
The nonprofit I work for, Playworks, is a national nonprofit focused on creating a safe and inclusive play environment for children. In order to accomplish our vision we hire full time staff members (program coordinators) and place them with schools we partner with - typically low income urban elementary schools. These program coordinators (or coaches) are responsible for before school programs, after school programs, recess, class game time, youth leadership programs, and interscholastic leagues.
We lucked out this year in that a lot of folks who worked as coaches last year decided to return this year. Being a coach is really exhausting work and a number of our coaches do burn out after a year or two. This year, we have 18 returning coaches (some from other cities around the country. One lady has been a coach for 9 years!!! That's some serious stamina) and only 6 new ones. Still, everyone has to go through training. It's like gong on summer vacation and having to review everything before starting up again.
Throughout the course of the day I played: castle dodgeball, look up/look down, toxic waste, jedi mind trick, and up/down/stop/go. Almost every workshop was completely interactive, so no sitting stil for long periods of time. (There were a few just lecture based, but that was really only the first one.)
I got to practice my public speaking. This, unfortunately, is something I really suck at. I can have great conversations sitting eye to eye with an entire group, but there's something about standing while everyone else is sitting that makes my brain go "*cricketcricket*" I do feel I got some really positive feedback though. After my little speech, one of the returning PCs pulled me aside and told me that she felt like I'd really grown up a lot since she met me when I first started. I'm not really sure how much I've changed (not doubting that I have. I have learned a LOT since moving here) but it really made me feel good. I've not had a really solid connection with any of my co-workers and I'd like to think that maybe I have a chance to fix that.
Understand that Playworks really blurs the lines between personal and work life. It's like a huge family. People are always getting together after work. There's a lot of social capital. I've never felt....like I fit in. I don't really go to bars very much. (There's that whole having to be able to get myself home. I will not ride a scooter even slightly inebriated. Not worth the risk.) I enjoy hooping, knitting, and consider myself a burner. When I mentioned Burning Man to someone I work with he said, "oh...isn't that where you go and do a lot of drugs?" (This is the overall opinion I've discovered among my co-workers with regard to BM.) ::sigh::
Still, I'm doing better so far with them. I can jump into games a lot more confidently and comfortably. Hell, our CED has even told me that she has never seen an adult as enthusiastic or have as much fun as me with the games we play. I KNOW the program really well now. I honestly believe in our mission and am extremely passionate about getting shit done. I have five more months.
Today was the very first day of pre-service.
Background info:
The nonprofit I work for, Playworks, is a national nonprofit focused on creating a safe and inclusive play environment for children. In order to accomplish our vision we hire full time staff members (program coordinators) and place them with schools we partner with - typically low income urban elementary schools. These program coordinators (or coaches) are responsible for before school programs, after school programs, recess, class game time, youth leadership programs, and interscholastic leagues.
We lucked out this year in that a lot of folks who worked as coaches last year decided to return this year. Being a coach is really exhausting work and a number of our coaches do burn out after a year or two. This year, we have 18 returning coaches (some from other cities around the country. One lady has been a coach for 9 years!!! That's some serious stamina) and only 6 new ones. Still, everyone has to go through training. It's like gong on summer vacation and having to review everything before starting up again.
Throughout the course of the day I played: castle dodgeball, look up/look down, toxic waste, jedi mind trick, and up/down/stop/go. Almost every workshop was completely interactive, so no sitting stil for long periods of time. (There were a few just lecture based, but that was really only the first one.)
I got to practice my public speaking. This, unfortunately, is something I really suck at. I can have great conversations sitting eye to eye with an entire group, but there's something about standing while everyone else is sitting that makes my brain go "*cricketcricket*" I do feel I got some really positive feedback though. After my little speech, one of the returning PCs pulled me aside and told me that she felt like I'd really grown up a lot since she met me when I first started. I'm not really sure how much I've changed (not doubting that I have. I have learned a LOT since moving here) but it really made me feel good. I've not had a really solid connection with any of my co-workers and I'd like to think that maybe I have a chance to fix that.
Understand that Playworks really blurs the lines between personal and work life. It's like a huge family. People are always getting together after work. There's a lot of social capital. I've never felt....like I fit in. I don't really go to bars very much. (There's that whole having to be able to get myself home. I will not ride a scooter even slightly inebriated. Not worth the risk.) I enjoy hooping, knitting, and consider myself a burner. When I mentioned Burning Man to someone I work with he said, "oh...isn't that where you go and do a lot of drugs?" (This is the overall opinion I've discovered among my co-workers with regard to BM.) ::sigh::
Still, I'm doing better so far with them. I can jump into games a lot more confidently and comfortably. Hell, our CED has even told me that she has never seen an adult as enthusiastic or have as much fun as me with the games we play. I KNOW the program really well now. I honestly believe in our mission and am extremely passionate about getting shit done. I have five more months.