Evaluating Activities with your Girls

Evaluation is a key element in empowering girls to take the lead in their own program within guiding. Evaluation can vary from extensive, formal evaluations such as surveys & questionnaires to quick, informal check-ins throughout an activity. Here are two ideas for quick, on-the-spot evaluations that also give the girls a chance to move around a bit.

Body Emojis

In this activity, girls will use their bodies to represent one of three emojis - Happy Face, Sad Face, or Neutral Face 😊😢😐

How-To:

1. Make sure everyone has a bit of space around them. One leader will read the questions, and other leaders should help observe the girls actions to get a sense of their likes/dislikes.
2. Explain to the girls that you are going to read some statements, and they should respond by making the action for the emoji that best represents how they feel about that statement.
   Happy Face - Raise both arms straight up in the air, above their heads
   Sad Face - Hold both arms tight against their sides
   Neutral Face - Hold both arms straight out (horizontal) at shoulder height
3. Read some short questions (no more than 3-5) starting with the phrase "How do you feel about..." that relate to the idea or activity you are evaluating.
4. For example, if you are planning a camp for Brownies, during your planning with the girls, you might ask:
   How do you feel about camping?
   How do you feel about sleeping in tents?
   How do you feel about using an outhouse?
   How do you feel about hikes?
   How do you feel about going to camp without your parents?
   How do you feel about camping at Sandy Lake?
   Or other questions relevant to your group. You could ask the same questions at multiple intervals - before you start planning, after planning together as a group, and during or after camp, to see if their feelings have changed.

Two Steps Forward

In this activity, girls can show their agreement or disagreement with different statements by moving forward or backwards.

How-To:

1. Have the girls form a side-by-side line facing the leader. (Like they are at the "start line" of a race). Spread additional leaders out throughout the space to act as observers and signposts.
2. Explain to the girls that you are going to read some sentences about the activity you are evaluating. If they agree with the statement, they can move forward up to 3 steps (or less if you are tight for space). Strong agreement = maximum forward movement. If they agree only a little, they can take a single step. If they disagree with the statement, they can move up to 3 steps backwards. If they neither agree or disagree, they can stay where they are. 
3. Read a series of statements about the activity you are evaluating (between 5 and 10). Phrase your statements with positive wording, from the girls' point of view. For the first few statements, prompt the girls with reminders about which direction / how much to move (if you are SUPER excited, take 3 steps forward. If you are a tiny bit excited, take one step forward. If you are more nervous or scared than excited, take steps backwards)
4. For example, if you are planning a camp for Brownies, you might use statements like:
   I am excited about going to camp
   I am looking forward to sleeping in a tent
   I want to help make our meals at camp
   I think I will like the food at camp
   I want to help with chores at camp, like collecting firewood and carrying water
   My pyjamas are awesome
   I am planning to bring a favourite stuffy to camp with me
   I hope we get free time to hang out in our tents
   I hope we can play tag at camp
5. When you get to the end of your prepared list, ask a few open-ended questions specifically of the kids who are further back like:
   Can someone who is standing behind Snowy Owl tell us one thing that worries them about going to camp?
   Encourage girls at the "front of the pack" to respond to the questions and concerns of the girls who are further back. Have Guiders fill in details in their answers where necessary. If any of the girls want to move either forward or back after hearing a question and its answer, they can.

What are some of your favourite evaluation activities? Post your ideas in the comments section!

The I-Statement Method for Conflict Resolution

A conflict between girls, or between girls and Guiders can quickly derail the fun at our meetings. However, conflicts, and learning to deal with them appropriately, are one of the natural outcomes of group activities.

This can be particularly true in the north, where small communities put us in close contact with the same people in multiple situations - at school, work, and recreational activities. When conflicts arise in our Units, dealing with them calmly, fairly and consistently can help resolve them quickly before they escalate into more serious problems.

One tool for conflict resolution is the use of "I-Statements". This shifts the focus from the assumed thoughts of the listener to the feelings and beliefs of the speaker. Shifting focus to the speaker's thoughts and feelings allows them to make more assertive statements without creating a confrontational tone.

To use I-Statements, ask everyone to complete three simple thoughts:

1) When you ____________________________(describe a specific action that hurt you)
2) I feel ________________________________(say your feeling)
3) Because _____________________________(why the action made me feel this way)

Here’s an example:

Instead of saying "Susie stole my iPod".

1) When you use my iPod without permission,
2) I feel upset,
3) because it was a gift from my Grandmother and I worry about losing it.

To use I-Statements effectively, remember to avoid using people's names (to reduce hurt feelings), focus on the facts and feelings of the current situation, and practice! No one deals with conflict perfectly every time. It is a skill we build through practice, just like any other.

For more on I-Statements, including activities and tips for introducing them in your Unit check out this awesome activity pack from the Girl Scouts USA "Ban Bossy" Program.

Share your tips for conflict resolution in the comments!

Famous 5 Challenge

88 years ago today, a landmark women's rights case gave women in Canada status as "persons" under the law. This case was spearheaded by five prominent women's rights activists, Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Louise McKinney, and Irene Parlby. They became known as the "Famous Five" due to their work advancing women's causes.

The "persons" case began when Emily Murphy's 1916 appointment as the first female magistrate in Canada was challenged on the basis that women were not considered "persons" under the British or Canadian law at the time. The Alberta Supreme Court upheld Emily's appointment as a magistrate, but the experience inspired her to embark on a journey to clarify the legal status of women in Canada.

Emily Murphy's supporters petitioned to have her named to the Senate, but her appointment was declined by Prime Minister Robert Borden on the basis that women were not considered "persons" under the British North America Act of 1867.

The Famous Five appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada in 1927 for clarification on the status of women as "persons". When the Supreme Court ruled against them, they appealed to a higher authority, the Privy Council. On October 18, 1929, the Privy Council ruled that women were "persons", opening the door for them to hold public office, own property, and access countless other rights that had previously belonged only to men.

To learn more about the Famous Five, the "Persons Case", and what it meant for women's rights in Canada, check out the Alberta Council "Famous Five Challenge" and supplementary activities.

For an entertaining presentation on the Famous Five from a girl's perspective, check out this video by one of our Hay River members, a winner in the 2016 Government of Canada's Young Citizen's competition.