Group exercise for developing awareness and self-esteem.
How is it done?
Designate a large square on the floor. You can use the sides of the tatami, walls of the classroom, lines on the floor of the gym, or use pawns to mark a square. Now divide the group into equal groups and place them on all four sides of the square. All students place their hands on their backs and pick a spot on the opposite side.
- Step one: On the teacher’s command, students must simultaneously walk in a straight line towards their focus point without touching other bodies or deviating from the straight line. They have to wait until someone has passed before getting to their focus point on the other side. Repeat a few times.
- Step two: Repeat the same exercise as step one (hands are still on the back and can’t be used), but now students can’t slow down and have to walk to their focus point at the other side while maintaining the same pace! Even when they touch each other they have to push their way through and stay on their line.
- Step three: Increase walking speed first by 20%, then 40 %, and so on. Keep reminding the students to keep a focus point on the other side. Bumping in to each other will be inevitable and is fine, as long as they get back to their line and reach their focus point on the other side.
- Step four: Now the game gets more challenging. Tell students to close their eyes or blindfold the students (blindfolding has the best results because it doesn’t allow the students to peek). Bring the pace back to normal walking speed. First let the students pick a focus point by looking, then tell them to close their eyes or put on the blindfolds. They have to imagine their goal in their minds and at the teacher’s command they start walking towards it and stop when they think they have reached it.
- Step five: Now the students have to reach the other side as quickly as possible. No touching is allowed but they can move in all directions as long as they reach their focus point on the opposite side.
What is it good for?
Students learn to stay focused on their goal even when they get bumped by someone. They learn to act and avoid a bump and they learn to react to sudden movement. This exercise is especially useful to learn to move through a bullying group by staying focused on a point further away. Walking with the intention of having a goal will make students less likely to be targeted by bullies.