Wurzweiler School of Social Work Hosts its Common Day for Block Program Jul 6, 2010 -- About 100 students from Wurzweiler School of Social Work attended the school’s annual Common Day for Block Program on June 30, a shared-learning experience across disciplines intended to bring students together. The event featured teambuilding and icebreaking activities and games, raffles and creative instructional methods that employed audio-visual, performance and thematic elements. Themed “Thinking Outside the Box,” a term that typically pertains to thinking differently or from a new perspective, this summer’s Common Day included programming such an animated film created by Marc Raco, WSSW office manager, entitled “The Nine Dots.” The title of the film is in reference to the nine dots puzzle, a visual representation of the concept of thinking outside the box. Modeled after the Coronet educational films that were highly popular in the 1940s and 1950s, the video featured a “dot” character voiced by Raco who explained the origins and implications of the nine dots puzzle and its solution strategy, along with its relation to the phrase "thinking outside the box," while applying the ideas to creative approaches to social work methods. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc7XAOXfITA Student teams also assembled Wurzweiler-created jigsaw puzzles with different social work concepts on them. Additionally, students were presented with social work scenarios that required them to develop creative outside-the-box approaches to dealing with the issues of the scenarios and then discussed them with the entire group. The event also included a performance from Big Apple Playback Theatre, an improvisational dance theatre company. “We heard from students this year who wanted something different and exciting,” said Rachel Hindel, co-president of WSSW’s Student Government 2010. “By creating a Common Day that allowed us to 'think outside the box' we were able to include fun and active ways in which we can work with our client populations. I felt that we all gained an appreciation for bringing creative ideas into our work.” [miniflickr photoset_id="72157624281189735" ] “The involvement and enthusiasm of our students in jointly planning and running Common Day reflects the special nature of the Wurzweiler learning experience and the sense of community that we strive to build,” said Dr. Sheldon Gelman, The Dorothy and David I. Schachne Dean of WSSW. Common Day originated as a way to assist students coping up with the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Student Government Association members were heavily involved in planning this year’s Common Day, as were WSSW faculty Dr. Amanda Sisselman and Professor Lynn Levy. “Our theme of thinking out the box came together beautifully thanks to the combined efforts and talents of many people,” said Debbie Junger, student representative in the Student Government Association and head of the Common Day Committee. “The afternoon was a perfect opportunity to learn, socialize and grow.”