12.07.2010

This afternoon we had our last clay work session. That means that we have now met all the groups twice, so it is a good time to reflect a little on the work done. We list some observations below.

The guided clay warm-up, which we had with all the groups in the beginning of the sessions, seemed to work well. Our purpose with this exercise was to help the girls turn their attention inwards through the tactile experience of holding a ball of clay, and facilitate conversation with their inner worlds. The soft and malleable material appeared to have a soothing effect on the group members, who, for the most part, sat quietly and enjoyed with their eyes closed while either of us talked them through the clay meditation.

With the larger Form II groups (14 girls aged approximately 15) we found it helpful to make some adjustments. Because of the rather big group size we preferred to give the girls more time to make their animals and write their imaginary conversations, and have the subsequent discussion in the beginning of the next session. The girls certainly felt that the time went quickly but did not seem bothered that they did not get to share their stories immediately.

Give your animal a name and ask it "how are you doing today?" This was our instruction for the story writing part of the session. At this point many began giggling and probably considered us a bit silly. After we clarified that the task involved using their imagination and writing a story most of the girls understood what we meant. Nevertheless, we noticed that some were still a little hesitant. "It doesn´t say anything!" said one girl. "Listen very carefully", we encouraged and soon everyone was busy writing their stories in their note books. Once started the girls became so eager that apart from asking the one suggested question they created lengthy story conversations until the end of the session.

We noticed a resemblance in the themes of the girls´ stories. Almost all the narratives included references to caring for and feeding the animals. "What did you eat today?" was probably the most common question.

As a whole, we think that the second meetings went much smoother than our initial encounters. The groups appeared more relaxed and lively and the girls showed more of their personality in the group. It seems that we are gradually getting to know each other.