Primary and secondary school teachers interested in developing their empathetic listening, assertiveness, and conflict resolution skills through creative and symbolic exploration.

• To stimulate creativity and fantasy through symbolic improvisation.

• To create a space for exploring personal projections onto inanimate objects, revealing positive and negative qualities.

• To enhance decision-making skills in contexts relevant to the participant.

• To develop key interpersonal skills such as empathy, active listening, assertiveness, and conflict resolution.

• To promote self-awareness and insight into one's psychological mechanisms and behavioural patterns.

Background music for a calm atmosphere, personal notebooks for reflections, optional stage lighting to enhance the scene.

Approximately 90 minutes.

1. Preparation:

   • Explain the concept of symbolic improvisation, focusing on the transformation into objects with potential conflicts.

   • Organize teachers into pairs, assigning each pair another pair to think of objects and conflicts for.

2. Object and conflict assignment:

   • Pairs decide on two objects and a potential conflict for another pair, considering the elements of linkage, conflict, and urgency.

   • Each pair presents their assigned objects and conflict to the group, specifying which member embodies which object.

3. Characteristics and qualities:

   • Participants note down the characteristics of their assigned object in their notebooks.

   • Select three qualities that resonate personally, read them aloud for group sharing.

4. Personification:

   • Gradually humanize the objects, incorporating chosen qualities into movement, voice, etc.

   • Enjoy and engage deeply with the character work, focusing on the creative expression of the object's qualities.

5. Scene visualization:

   • Depending on time, visualize scenes individually or simultaneously, with the facilitator highlighting particular scenes for group observation.

For participants with limited access to physical objects, allow the use of drawn symbols, digital images, or descriptive storytelling. For those with visual impairments, encourage tactile objects with distinct textures or support through guided narration. In virtual settings, use items from participants’ surroundings or shared screen images. For younger or neurodiverse participants, simplify symbolism and provide examples or prompts to guide the activity.

After the activity, invite participants to reflect on the meaning behind the objects they chose and how they shaped the scenes. Encourage them to discuss how the objects influenced the emotions, themes, or interactions in their scene, and what personal or symbolic meaning they discovered. Highlight how everyday items can carry emotional or narrative power when viewed creatively.

• Enhanced creative and symbolic expression skills.

• Improved understanding of personal projections and how they relate to professional practice.

• Development of key interpersonal skills within an educational context.

• Increased self-awareness regarding psychological mechanisms and behavioural tendencies.

Maintain a focus on educational objectives and ensure the activity remains within a supportive, non-therapeutic framework. Be mindful of the depth of personal reflection and ensure discussions remain relevant to professional development and classroom application. This activity offers a unique way for teachers to explore and develop interpersonal skills and self-awareness through creative expression.