Group Dynamics and Social Skills in the Classroom

The course is based on the excellent results of the

Comenius Course on Group Dynamics and Social Skills in
the Classroom held earlier in Finland (2002) Cyprus
(2004,2005 and 2006) in Portugal (2007) and in Italy
(2009-).
School forms one of the longest consecutive phases in
the life of children and young people. School years cover
the very important and intensive periods of
neurobiological development, personality development
and development of social skills and group behaviour.
School can provide a lot of support to the positive growth
in all these aspects.
So far, school has focused more on academic
achievements than the social competence and firm selfesteem. Because of the many structural and cultural
changes taking place in our countries the need for
supporting the development of social skills and
competence are increasing in order to support the
healthy development and prevent the marginalisation.
When speaking about the social skills it is much to do
with interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.
Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to identify,
express and understand emotions, to assimilate emotions
into thought and to regulate both positive and negative
emotions in oneself and others. EI includes also self-

awareness and impulse control, persistence, zeal and

motivation, empathy and social deftness.
The aim of the course is to give experience on and basic
information on group dynamics and social skills, give
tools to observe group process and also how to create
better school and classroom climate and to discuss how
to use this knowledge in the classroom.
Providing basic knowledge of group dynamics
includes: phases of group development, emotions
(feeling, naming and understanding the sources), roles in
a group, communication, leadership, norms and conflicts
and cohesiveness
Observing the group dynamics in the classroom
includes: observing verbal communication, observing
hidden meanings of communication and learning to
analyse the social context: positions of group members,
climate, resources and the weaknesses of the group
Providing tools to make positive interventions to
the group dynamics includes: starting the group,
supporting the partnership in a group, creating norms of a
group, creating goal oriented group and finishing the
group process.
Providing basic knowledge of social skills
includes: intrapersonal skills, interpersonal skills, group
skills and organisational skills.

OBJECTIVES
Providing tools to create classroom climate which
support learning social skills includes: creating
safety and trust in a group, creating openness in a group,
creating cohesiveness and tackling with conflict
Providing adequate methods to teach social skills
includes: co-operation, discussions, giving positive and
constructive feedback, games, playing, role playing and
situational analysis
Learn to recognise our own power and weakness as
a group leader includes: being aware and evaluating
of own behaviour and its influence to the group, being
aware and processing of own emotions and feelings in a
group and being aware of those areas as a group leader
one should develop.

METODE:
In the course the methods that will be used are action
methods, group discussions, group analysis, pedagogical
drama, sociodrama, co-operative learning, creative arts
and lots of humour, peer support, exercises and
excursions.
Teaching social skills is difficult with traditional methods
e.g. lecturing and cathedral teaching. When speaking
about the social skills it is much to do with interpersonal

skills and emotional intelligence.

It is much easier to teach social skills when using the
active learning methods which help to reach the emotions
and name the emotions. The action method exercises
helps to get to know each others, removes the tension,
releases the atmosphere, removes aggression, helps to
express emotions, develops positive qualities, develops
senses, refreshes and gives variation, gives possibilities
to participation, teaches new things, increases knowledge
and skills, helps in finding ones own skills and talents,
gives self-confidence, gives insights and are exciting and
gives pleasure.
During the methods used in the course it is also possible
to observe and improve the group process, safety in the
group, the roles in the group, the group spirit, team
building and the co-operation in the group etc.
After the exercises are done it is important and also
easier, to reflect the experience: what happened and
what does it mean to the individual and to the whole
group. This analyses and reflection will be done always
after each exercise / method.
When using all the methods introduced in the course
there has to be a true respect for everyones uniqueness
and also that everybody has a possibility to behave
creative way and spontaneously; everybody has a
possibility to do something new, better, more creative
than before.

Sunday Arrival Opening and Welcoming

Getting to Know Each Other
Group Dynamic Exercises + reflection
Monday Safety in the group exercises, reflection
Lesson and exercises: Developing
Emotional Skills in the classroom, US
Workshop: Intercultural Dialogue and
Group Dynamics in the Classroom, exercises and lesson
Walking in the area
Tuesday Workshop on Communication with Creation and
Playing
Lesson on Social Skills
Presentation on Italian School System and the observation
task
Participants presentations
Wednesday School visits
Reflection on School visit
The European Food Party (country entertainment)
Thursday Excursion Roma including lunch

Friday
Drama workshop
Presentation on Active Learning Environments
Reflection exercise

Saturday

Exercise based on the reflection diaries

Ending exercise, certifications and evaluation
Farewell dinner

Sunday

Departure