Talk Time.

In an effort to help volunteers get to know each other and make valuable connections the KCLS Talk Time program will be hosting 3 Volunteer Workshops. These workshops are informal meet and great & share and learn sessions. Volunteers that are attending are encouraged to bring their comments, questions and concerns to these sessions. Useful Talk Time ideas, activities and tips are welcome too!  

Workshops will be held in different locations throughout the county. Please try to attend the workshop that is closest to the library where you facilitate. This way you will be able to meet volunteers that are in your area.

Below is a list of the locations, dates and times of the workshops:

-          Bellevue Library, Thursday, June 10^th from 4-6pm. Room 3

-       Kent Library, Friday, June 11^th from 4-6pm. Large meeting room

-      Bothell Library, Friday, June 18^th from 4-6pm. Meeting room

 We look forward to seeing you there!

US Census forms are going out in the mail and many homes have already recieved thiers. Talk Time participants may have questions about the census. King County Library System is offereing help to patrons. US Census staff will be available to answer questions about the census and the census forms. Please let your participants know about this service.

 http://www.kcls.org/programs/census_assistance.cfm

An Onion is named after a Latin word, meaning large pearl.

There are lots of different types of easy to make meals in our country. These meals come in packaging that can be used to talk about lots of different food related topics. The packaging usually describes the food items you will need, the directions you will need to follow and how to prepare your meal.

Bring a few easy to make meals in their original packaging to Talk Time. You might be able to have enough meals for each participant or one per small group. Also grab some of the kitchen utensils that could be used to make the meals.

Give each group or partner groups one of the meals. Ask them to read the ingredients with a partner or to the group. Write the following prompting questions on the board:

-Have you tried this meal before?

-Would you like to try this meal?

- Is this something that people eat in your native country?

 

Next, ask one person from each group to come pick one of the utensils that you brought. With their group or partner ask them to identify the utensil. Then ask them to decide whether or not the utensil can be used for their meal. If it cannot be used, ask them to exchange it for one that they would be able to use.

 

To finish up, ask each group or partner to share with the whole group what meal they had and what utensil they have and also how they would use the utensil to prepare the meal.

A slice of lemon has been served with fish since the middle ages, when people believed that the fruit's juice would dissolve any bones accidentally swallowed. 

There are some great activities that you can do to get your participants thinking about what recipe they might want to share.

 

Every recipe includes ingredients. Here is an activity that asks participants what kind of ingredients they have in their own kitchen.

 

Give each participant a piece of paper with a picture of a refrigerator and a cabinet. Ask them to think about what is in their refrigerator and what is in their cabinet. Give them a few minutes to draw a few items in each. You can demonstrate the activity on the board before they begin.

 

Then in partners have them share with another participant what food items they have. You can prompt them with ideas or questions like: what healthy foods do you have? What unhealthy foods do you have? What foods do you always have in your kitchen?

 

Once they have identified all the food items that they drew in their fridge and cabinet, have participants find a new partner. Have them compare their items. Next, ask participants to create an imaginary meal using items from both of their worksheets. Ask some partners groups to share if they are comfortable. 

 

Below is a worksheet with a empty refridgerator and cabinet:

What is in your.pub

What is in your.pdf

The King County Talk Time program is getting ready to create another Talk Time Cookbook. This year's book will be our fifth addition! In celebration of the fifth year anniversary we want to make this year's book extra special.

 

To do this, we want to include some images or photos of participants and volunteers with their cuisine creations in the cookbook. A Talk Time potluck is the perfect opportunity to capture these images. We are encouraging all Talk Times to organize a potluck within the month of March. A KCLS staff person should be available to attend to take pictures.

 

If you would like to have a potluck and invite someone to take pictures please contact Kate Rempfer.

 

Below is the Talk Time Recipe Form

Talk Time Recipe Form.pdf

Talk Time Recipe Form.pub

With the US Census coming up in March it is important to get the word out to our Talk Time participants.There are a lot of conflicting ideas and opinions regarding the census and this could thoroughly confuse someone who has never experienced one before. 

 

KCLS has been working with the US Census Bureau in an effort to educate the public about the motives behind the census. This is where Talk Time volunteers come in! Talk Time volunteers interact with immigrants and people that might not be familiar with the census. By using the census as a Talk Time topic volunteers can answer questions and calm fears that some participants might have about the census.

Some of the fears that individuals might have about the census is that the government is using it to collect information about immigrants and their legal/illegal status. This is not true. There are no questions on the census about citizenship, immigration or visa status.  

 

The most important facts that our participants should learn about the census is that it is safe and the information is used to support our community.

 

Below are sample activites that focus on the US Census:

uscensus map activities.pub

uscensus map activities.pdf 

census find someone.docx

census find someone.pdf

United States Census worksheet.docx 

worksheet.pdf

Teddy Bear Toss

This activity is an icebreaker that helps the group learn the names of their fellow participants. It also makes people laugh and relax.

Ideal group size: 6+

Materials needed: 3 stuffed animals

Activity: Have everyone stand up in a circle. Then begin by telling everyone to say their name when they get the stuffed animal, and remember who they throw it to. Once everyone gets the animal and says their name, it goes back to you. You then do the same thing, in the same order, but have people say the name of the person they are throwing it to. Once the group does it once or twice with 1 animal, you can add in another to make things more fun! You will have 3 animals flying around the room and everyone will be laughing!

Enjoy!

As a Talk Time Facilitator I am sure that all of you are very practiced at asking the above question, "does anyone have any questions?"  Now its your turn to answer this inquiry yourself!

This section of our Talk Time blog is dedicated to voicing the questions and concerns that will rise as you continue to work with Talk Time participants.  This virtual space will be a great place to bring up issues, ask for suggestions and also offer solutions and ideas.  

Whenever you have a question or concern that you would like to share with other Talk Time facilitators please e-mail them to either Jenna Shimek or Kate Rempfer.  We will then post your question to the blog and others will be able to view it and recommend possible solutions.  Make sure that you indicate in your e-mail that you would like to share your question or concern with the group.

We look forward to hearing from our great group of Talk Time facilitators!