GUIDANCE CURRICULUM
GUIDANCE CURRICULUMHIGH SCHOOL PERSONAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Acquire the attitudes, knowledge and interpersonal skills to help understand and respect self and others
Competency Areas
- Acquire Self-Knowledge
- Acquire Interpersonal Skills
Make decisions, set goals, and take appropriate action to achieve goals
Competency Areas
- Self-Knowledge Applications
Understand safety and survival skills
Competency Areas
- Acquire Personal Safety Skills
Key Connections:
Character Education, Senate Bill 1139, 1996
Service Learning: A Goals 2000 initiative of the National Governor's Association
SCANS Foundation Skills: Personal Qualities: individual responsibility, self-esteem, sociability, self-management, and integrity
SCANS Functional Skills: Interpersonal skills: working on teams, teaching others, serving customers, leading, negotiating, and working with people from culturally diverse backgrounds
NC Education Standards and Accountability Commission Competencies: communication, problem-solving, teamwork
Safe Schools Act: Ensures a plan of safety within the School Improvement Plan.
BENCHMARKS
Competency Area: ____Academic ____Career ____Personal/Social
Establish a benchmark for a specific student objective. In collaboration with
your planning team design benchmarks that support your school
improvement/safe schools plan.
Competency:
| Student Objective: | Benchmark: End of Grade 9 | Benchmark: End of Grade 11 | Benchmark: End of High School |
|---|---|---|---|
{TOP}
LESSONS
CURRICULUM: SCHOOL COUNSELING
AREA: PERSONAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
- Students study behavior theory that people must engage in worthwhile activities in order to feel worthy; e.g., William Glasser's Reality Therapy.
- Students organize and engage in outreach projects for the school or community.
- In small groups, students commit to accomplish individual tasks; thus, a project [such as community or school clean-up, planting gardens for nursing homes, conducting food/clothing drives for victims of natural disasters simply engaging in random acts of kindness] becomes assured of completion and likely success.
- Student writes a personal mission statement to include specific commitment and responsibilities.
- Student keeps a journal to reflect feelings as the project develops.
- Using the journals as sources, student discusses feelings about aspects of and developments with the project.
- Student creates a personal outcome statement reflecting his growth and change as well as the project's status.
Dr. Atley Morrow, a registered psychologist, says you can't underestimate the importance of self-confidence in every area of your life. It is extremely important. Here are some ways to build it if you're lacking:
- Practice stepping out of your comfort zone. Stretch yourself to do things you have never done before or have always felt uncomfortable witheven if anxiety is present.
- Learn to decrease situations in which you walk away muttering, "Gee, I wish I'd."
- In situations where you walk away feeling you didn't assert yourself, think about what you want to say, then go back and make your well thought-out point.
- Acknowledge yourself and acknowledge what you do well. People lacking in self-esteem or self-confidence are often quick to criticize themselves but rarely give themselves a pat on the back for a job well done. Even a fear you have pushed through (a stretching of the comfort zone) deserves a pat on the back.
- Practice being assertive (not aggressive). Practice learning what you want to say. Start with supportive friends and family members.
- Studies have shown that exercise raises self-confidence. Just a 30-minute walk a day will give you more energy and a more positive outlook on life.
Kerry Dutchyn, head counselor and founder of Generation 2000 Counseling Center, says that portraying self-confidence is a valuable life skill; so, learn to sell yourself! Dutchyn says, "The post-baby boom generation is really the first generation to be taught that it's OK to talk about themselves in a good way." While this applies in all areas of your life, it is of particular importance in the workplace. For example, an interviewer or prospective employer is looking for someone with confidence for a number of good reasons. A confident person:
- is not afraid to speak up and may offer valuable suggestions.
- is less likely to take criticism the wrong way or to react defensively in a certain situation.
- learns faster, simply because the person believes he can.
This, of course, all boils down to the power of positive thinking.
{TOP}
- Students participate in interviews about changes that transpired after researching options.
- Students keep journals which are evaluated for meeting the requirements of the assignment, not the opinions that the students express.
{TOP}
- Students identify accomplishable, lifetime goals.
- Students perceive that different people set different goals.
- Twelfth graders review the goals set in 10th grade and confirm or amend the goals.
{TOP}
- In groups, students recall the transition from middle to high school, listing differences between the two school levels. Their task is to determine what responses each student made to the changes; e.g., study habits, social groups, school subjects, sleep patterns, clubs, work.
- Student analyzes a life change such as a move, a family member's death (or even the death of a beloved pet) and reflects on his reactions, giving attention to his level of self-awareness and understanding.
- Student creates a flow chart, beginning with the change. The chart indicates their responses to change.
- Students compare and contrast the change process; e.g., experiences, individual and unique responses.
- Students write a personal and psychological essay, reflecting on the change and their self-awareness of the resultant growth.
{TOP}
- Students role play situations involving similar feelings so they demonstrate their understanding of the various degrees and depths of feelings.
- Students honor the commitment to use precise words rather than good or bad in response to questions about feelings.
Role plays provide opportunities to learn and practices skills for conflict resolution. Role play scenarios are open-ended. There is no script, no right or wrong ending. The actors make it up as they go.
Before the role play...
Organize the participants.
Role plays usually are limited to two or three actors. Those who are not actors
are observers. Observers should take notes during the role play and be prepared
to report their impressions.
Create a positive climate.
Make it clear that there is to be no judging or criticizing of role playing,
and that everyone's contribution is valuable.
Establish procedures that set role play apart from "real life."
Participants may be more comfortable is some formalities are observed. Role
play performers can wear special name tags or badges.
During the role play...Aim for an appropriate length.
Role plays can last 3-4 minutes to 20 minutes, depending on he skills being
practiced and the level of participants' skills and role play experience.
Early attempts at role playing usually will be brief. As participants become
more skillful and relaxed, they may extend their role plays.
If role players get "stuck", take a break.
Talk about the action and try to figure out what's going wrong. Sometimes
even a slight change can help.
Observers remain detached.
Observers do not act out the role play or talk to the actors. They refrain
from commenting or criticizing. They simply watch and take notes on their
observations and impressions sheet.
After the role play...Actors can discuss the role play.
What seemed authentic or unauthentic? What was uncomfortable? What was particularly
effective?
Observers can report impressions.
Observers are likely to notice things that the actors are not aware of, such
as body language, tone of voice, and pacing.
Follow-up role plays can be done.
Observers and actors can switch jobs; actors can switch roles or try to play
the same role in a different way.
Guidelines for Facilitating role Plays, "Teachers as Educational Advisors and Mentors: Technical assistance Manual, Louisiana Department of Education, p. 180. [Their citation credits Sunburst Conflict Resolution materials.]
FEELINGS LIST
| abandoned adequate affectionate agonized ambivalent angry annoyed anxious apathetic ashamed astounded awed beautiful betrayed bewildered bitter bold bored brave burdened calm capable challenged charmed |
cheated
cheerful childish clever combative competitive condemned confused conspicuous contented contrite cruel crushed deceitful defeated delighted despairing destructive determined different discontented distracted disturbed dominated |
divided
doubtful ecstatic electrified empty enchanted energetic envious excited evil exhausted fascinated fearful flustered foolish frantic friendly frustrated frightened free full furious glad gratified |
greedy
guilty happy hateful heavenly helpful helpless high homesick honored horrified hurt hysterical impressed infuriated inspired intimidated isolated jealous joyous jumpy kicky kind lazy |
left
out lonely onging loved loving mean melancholy miserable mystified naughty neglected nervous nutty obnoxious obsessed odd outraged overjoyed overwhelmed pained panicked peaceful pleasant pleased |
pressured
pretty proud quarrelsome raging refreshed rejected relaxed relieved remorseful restless reverent rewarded righteous satiated satisfied scared settled shocked silly skeptical smug sneaky solemn |
sorrowful
spiteful startled stingy stupid stunned suffering sympathetic tempted tense threatened tired trapped troubled ugly uneasy unsettled wicked wonderful weepy worried |
{TOP}
- Using the behaviors deemed appropriate by the groups, students choose one appropriate behavior to write a scenario of the results if the character's action had been appropriate.
- Students create a matrix of appropriate behaviors and project the likely outcomes in the literary context.
{TOP}
EVALUATION
- In a personal essay, students choose and analyze one role play. They own the emotions of the violated and reflect the victim's feelings.
- Students demonstrate understanding of the violation of rights by their responses in personal interviews.
{TOP}
- "Explain why or why not you see yourself as the subject of this question: Are you a person who snacks constantly so that you have no appetite for regular meals?"
- "In which aspect of your life do you know you need to practice more self-control? Explain."
- Students write in journals of their awareness of their ability or inability--to practice self-control in certain situations.
- Students create a plan to gain self-control in certain situations.
- Students perceive self-control as essential to success.
{TOP}
- Students analyze the group dynamics and decide on those individuals whose actions have been most cooperative.
- Through group discussion and consensus, students establish a working definition of cooperative behavior in groups.
{TOP}
{TOP}
- Students identify and discuss ways they have changed personally either in group discussion or in a personal essay or journal article.
- Students chart and appraise their personal and/or social growth through a line graph accompanied by annotations.
- Students predict their personal growth by writing about what they will be doing fifteen years from now.
{TOP}
- Student shares his/her list with group to determine if the list is complete.
- Student shares his/her list with the subject, analyzes it with the subject, and writes a journal entry about the response of the subject, the resulting conversation, and the conversation's outcomes.
{TOP}
- Students create a "Class Family Bill of Rights."
- Students compare their family bill of rights with others found over the Internet or through agency networking.
- Students perceive rights and responsibilities of family members within a functional family.
- Students have a vision of what their family will be when they are parents.
{TOP}
- Role play scenarios which reveal depth of students' understanding of and tolerance/respect for alternative points of view.
- Share journal entries with class and involve class members in discussion of appropriate and inappropriate responses.
Heed some important advice from the experts:
- Always accept people as they are. Don't try to change them or expect them to change on their own; it won't work!
- Ask yourself if you're dealing with a difficult person or a difficult situation.
- Establish boundaries and limits and let others know when they've stepped over them.
- Staying in control of your emotions is a sign of strength and self-discipline, so do it.
- Distance yourself from the person by taking a walk or a time-out if you need to regroup.
- Don't sweep things under the rug. Open communication begins with getting things out in the open and not having them bottled up. Do it in private first though, and remember to share negative and positive perceptions.
- Be clear, honest, and decisive.
- Look forward )opportunities), not backward (fault finding, accusations).
- Try to see things from both sides and approach decisions with compromises instead of demands.
- Try to keep a positive attitude that they're not being difficult for difficulty's sake, but instead have positive intentions. It always helps to believe there is a nice person in there somewhere.
- Don't be a doormat for their antics. As one negotiator said, "There are no victims, only volunteers."
- Always treat these people with respect. Don't give them ammunition, give them courtesy and choice.
- Don't let things get personal. Focus thoughts and feelings on the task at hand and not on the person or details of his or her life. Always separate the person from the problem.
- Some of the great skills you'll be honing are paraphrasing and feedback, listening and speaking, interpreting body language, and being assertive and confident. It's worth your while to practice!
- Become more sensitive to what people need, and find balance instead of conflict. For example, where one person is weak in an ability and another is strong, think of it as a complement of skills rather than a power struggle.
- When giving feedback, don't translate. Instead, repeat their own words back to them or ask them questions.
- It's okay to interrupt if you need to, as long as you're polite about it.
- Put things in perspective to prevent yourself from getting worked up
- Think of role models who handles similar situations effectively, whether it's a fictional character on TV, a family member, or even yourself in the past.
- Become an ally and adapt to their communication style to get a task done. But be careful that it doesn't look like ridicule.
- Humor can do a world of good in keeping the atmosphere from getting tense.
- Be flexible and patient. When all else fails, try again.
- If stress is aggravating their behavior, identify the root and see what you can do about it.
- Understand your rights as a person and an employee and stand up for those rights of fair treatment
- Choose the response that will have the best consequences; therefore, think before you react!
- If the behavior is unusual and you know the person well, make sure there's not a serious underlying cause for the stress.
- Think about the importance of the relationship and the frequency with which you will be dealing with the individual. This process will give your greater motivation to cope.
- Imagine the person is your best friend. What would you say if he/she were doing this to you under those circumstances?
- Examine the attitudes and behaviors, which often work against you and keep them, in check. Remember that you're not responsible for the other person's behavior, but you are for your own. Your response will affect their response.
- Don't run, hide, ignore or avoid these problem people. If you do, you're letting them win their control game. Aren't your peace of mind, productivity and job satisfaction worth fighting for?
{TOP}
- Students select the items that are most important and possibly rank order them.
- Students demonstrate the ability to use peer feedback.
- Students retain the inventory in their portfolios to revisit them before graduation.
{TOP}
- Students read Brave New World and examine the characters' positions in that society. They discuss whether the positions permit movement from one class into another. Are characters given the opportunity to use all their talents?
- Students create a suggestion system, the goal's being to enable students to offer suggestions for improvement in the school or the school's environment.
- Students analyze the characters in BNW and make connections between lack of appreciation for cultural diversity and positions assigned by an environment.
- Students recognize that different students have different needs via the suggestion box; yet, they respect the diversity; e.g., ROTC, minority students, FFA, FTA, French Club.
{TOP}
- Students perceive the validity of different family configurations.
- Students analyze the need for new family configurations.
- Students write journal articles about any new conclusions they have reached about family configurations different from their own.
CHANGING FAMILY COMPOSITION
Significant changes in America's household and family composition have occurred in the past 25 years, with a smaller than ever proportion of traditional two-parent families with children, according to a recently issued Census Bureau report, "Household and Family Characteristics: March 1995." Also, the report said, childless couples, single-parent families, and people living alone have become increasingly common.
"The increasing diversity of household types continues to challenge our efforts to measure and describe American society," said Ken Bryson, author of the report. "The typical household," he added, "is an illusion."
Other changes from 1970 to 1995 for America's households and families:
A "household" is an individual or a group of people who occupy a housing unit, whereas a "family" is a group of two or more people, one of whom is the householder, living together, who are related by birth, marriage, or adoption.
Information in "Household and Family Characteristics: March 1995" is based on March Current Population Survey results for 1970, 1980, 1990, and 1995. The Current Population Survey is a monthly household survey used primarily to collect information on the nation's work force and is subject to sampling error.
| 1970 | 1995 | |
| Percent of households with five or more persons 20 10 | 20 | 10 |
| Percent of households of persons living alone 16 25 | 16 | 25 |
| Percent of families with no children of their own under age 18 living at home 44 51 | 44 | 51 |
| Number of families (in millions) maintained by women with no husband present 5.6 12.2 | 5.6 | 12.2 |
| Number of families (in millions) maintained by men with no wife present 1.2 3.2 | 1.2 | 3.2 |
CHILDREN TODAY Special Issue on Child Support Enforcement Æ Volume 24, No. 2, 1997
{TOP}
- Students prepare and disseminate resumes and cover letters.
- Students discover that the well written resumes and cover letter create opportunities that poorly written ones do not.
- Class engages in peer evaluation of a real life product.
{TOP}
- Students retain a list of To Do's in following procedures.
- Students participate in role play involving consequences.
- Students understand that speaking and listening of essential to conversation.
FOLLOWING A PROCEDURE
- Focus your attention. Look the person in the eye and concentrate on what he/she is saying.
- Identify the topic. Find out the procedure to be explained.
- Use your background knowledge. Keep in mind what you might already know about the procedure.
- Listen for the main ideas. Be sure you hear and understand each step of the procedure.
- Listen for the order of the steps. Listen for "First, you will," "Next," and "Finally."
- Visualize the message. As you listen, picture each step of the procedure. Often the speaker actually will demonstrate the process. In this case, form and store away mental pictures of the demonstration.
- Ask questions. Check your understanding when you are not sure you understand a step. When you have heard all the instructions, restate them in your own words.
- Take notes. Write down the steps of the process and any points the supervisor emphasizes.
{TOP}
1.You are a student. Your parents demand that you do chores every day before you watch TV, talk on the phone, or leave the house to do any other activities with your friends. In the past, they have always refused to make an exception to this rule. You have a research project due at the end of the week, and you know that you need to spend at least 5 hours on research in books at the library. You decide to discuss the problem with them to see if they will change the rules for the week. Role play the scene.
2.You are a student. Your younger sibling is defiant, hostile, angry and disrespectful to your parents. Every time there is a disagreement between your parents and your sibling, all the kids in the family suffer by listening to them fighting and by having to do extra chores because your parents are angry. You are tired of this and decide to discuss it with your parents. Role Play the conversation.
- Students retain the information sheets in their portfolios.
- Students demonstrate understanding of the concepts in their role plays.
- Students commit to use the methods at home with their parents and siblings.
"I" MESSAGES
"I" messages allow you to express to someone your need for him/her to change his/her behavior, without blaming the person or putting the person down. "I" messages create a positive atmosphere for communication and problem solving.
"I" messages have four parts:
| 1. I feel.... | State the feeling | I feel betrayed... |
| 2. when you | State the other person's behavior | when you tell other people something I told you in confidence.... |
| 3. because | State the effect on you | because it's humiliating and it makes me feel I can't trust you. |
| 4. I need | State what you want to happen | I need to know that when I tell you something personal and private, you won't tell a single person. |
"I" messages don't always have to be about something negative. It's important to send positive "I" messages, too. "I'm really glad that you've been coming to the after-school study sessions. It makes me feel that you really care about your work. I'll be glad to help you in any way I can."
Beware of put-downs disguised as "I" messages.
'I can't believe you're such a slob! Every day is miserable because of you.
I want you out of my locker and out of my life!"
ACTIVE LISTENING
Active listening is essential to effective communication and is a vital part of conflict resolution. In active listening, judgment is suspended and the listener uses empathy to try to understand the speaker's experiences, feelings, and point of view. The main principles of active listening are:
| Encourage
Draw out the other person. Use verbal and nonverbal cues to show that you really are listening. Clarify Ask questions to confirm what the speaker has said. Not only will this help you understand, but it also may help the speaker examine his/her own perceptions. Restate Repeat in your words what the speaker has said. This shows you are listening and helps check for facts and meaning. Reflect Tell the speaker what you think he/she is experiencing. This can lead the speaker to be more expressive. It also provides a way to check the accuracy of your perceptions. Summarize Reiterate the major ideas, themes, and feelings the speaker has expressed. This provides review and a basis from which to continue the dialogue. Validate Show appreciation for the speaker's efforts; acknowledge the value of talking; affirm your positive feelings about being part of the dialogue. |
Convey
attentiveness with body language and short vocal responses. Be aware that appropriate body
language and vocalizations vary from culture to culture.
Example:
Example:
Example: |
{TOP}
- Students experience making a real life decision, using a valid decision-making model.
- Students serve as peer helpers for each other.
- Students write about the process of decision-making in their journals.
Decision-Making Model
| Steps | Task |
|---|---|
| I. Define the problem | State the problem clearly and accurately |
| II. Identify the alternatives |
|
| III. Study the alternatives |
|
| IV. Apply decision aids |
|
| V. Make a decision | Choose one of the alternatives. |
| VI. Carry out the decision | Put the decision into action. |
- Define the problem
The hardest part of decision making is defining the problem. For example, people driving to work each day may be causing terrible traffic jams. This is a problem; however, buses are not available to most of these workers and there is no light rail system. The problem is really that driving is the only way people can get to work. - Identify the alternatives
List as many ideas as you can. Be creative. (Brainstorming works great here.) For example:- Provide more buses.
- Build a light rail system.
- Put helicopter-landing pads on roofs of office buildings.
- Study
the alternatives
Some ideas may be too difficult to carry out; some may be too expensive. Some light rail, for example, might harm the land. For each alternative, identify the risks and benefits and look at the short-term and long-term outcomes. Then decide if it is a good idea. - Apply Decision Aids
There are many methods for making decisions. Some are fairly easy to use. Some require complicated mathematics and computers. Here are some methods you can use:- Judgment: Based on what you know about the problem and on your own experiences.
- Interviews: Presents an opportunity for you to ask others (students, teachers, parents.) what they know and think about the problem. They can share their knowledge and experiences.
- Discussions: Create opportunities to talk and share facts and opinions about problems with group members.
- Evaluation of possible effects: Allows you to chart or diagram the consequences as lists of doing or not doing something right now or in the future. It lets you list next to each consequence the risks and benefits of each action.
- Scenario writing, role playing, and simulations: Allow you to explore new or different ideas. They provide opportunities to become actively involved in the problem.
- Make a decision
Select the solution you think is best. (You can change your mind and select another if this one is hard to carry out or just doesn't work.) - Carry
out the decision
Do whatever is necessary to put your idea into action. (For example, call the mayor, collect money, and talk to business people.)
{TOP}
- A student works each afternoon during his/her high school years to save money for his/her college tuition. Consider the ripple effect as it includes parents, friends, activities, and the student himself/herself.
- Three students set a small fire as a prank; however, it begins a really large conflagration that envelops two houses. Consequences?
- One student in the ninth grade determines to graduate as the class's valedictorian. Choices?
- Students will experience exercises in reflective decision-making.
- Students can videotape scenarios to discuss different outcomes.
- Students participate in peer helping to increase their interaction skills.
{TOP}
- Students file in their portfolios the decision-making and brainstorming information sheets.
- Students commit to a plan for action as a result of practicing decision-making about a school problem.
- Students continue to use the models in other situations.
BRAINSTORMING
About Brainstorming
In brainstorming, the goal is to uncover ideas, not strive for order and coherence.
Being concerned with organization and details at this stage slows down our writing
and inhibits our thinking. Effective brainstorming keeps pace with our roughest
and happens quickly and freely. CAUTION: When we write in complete sentences,
we often follow the initial idea and thus may eliminate the possibility of new
ideas. Sometimes our best thoughts are buried beneath our initial, obvious thoughts.
Brainstorming allows us to capture all of our thoughts. It also takes the pressure off because we don't have to get it right the outcome isn't permanent. In the end, it also allows us to see all of our thoughts at once. We can then see the "big picture" and not get trapped in the mire of little words.
The Basic Rules of Brainstorming
- Relax.
- Write as fast as you can.
- Write in any order.
- Free-associate ideas.
- Write down all ideas.
- Keep writing.
- Don't worry about spelling.
- Don't worry about organization.
- Don't worry about word choice.
Five Brainstorming Techniques
1.Key-Word: Place your topic at the top of a sheet of paper. Write down all of your ideas. Continue to focus on your topic, but try to let your thinking go. Write key words only just enough to be able to retrieve the thought in the future. Write as fast as you can. Write in list form [Remember, don't worry about spelling, word choice, and appropriateness]. Get as many ideas on paper as quickly as possible.
2.Mind Mapping: Very useful when developing presentations or papers where you know what the major topics or general areas are in advance. Place each of the general topics at the top of a separate sheet of paper and brainstorm each of them using the key-word technique. Mind mapping allows lengthier topics to be broken into more workable pieces. NOTE: Always include a miscellaneous page for those ideas that seem to fit but you don't know what to do with at that moment.
3.Sticky Notes: Place your topic at the top of a sheet of paper, then begin brainstorming, placing one idea on each of the sticky notes. Fill the page with these sticky notes. When you're finished with brainstorming, you easily can experiment with a variety of organizational formats by merely moving the sticky note. NOTE: This format can be adapted in a large group that is brainstorming to the use of a wall or chalkboard.
4.Galaxy: Place your topic at the center of the page (universe). Write your first bright idea, circle it, and connect it to the center. Write your next idea and circle it. If it is related to your first idea, draw a line connecting them. If not, connect it to the center. Sometimes we get a starburst of related ideas, where one topic triggers a number of other ideas. Each idea becomes a star, stars may have planets; and planets may have moons. Soon, you'll have a whole Galaxy of ideas.
5. Free-Sketch: Begin with a picture or a drawing of an idea. By looking at
the drawing or sketch, you sometimes begin thinking of a variety of ideas. Jot
all of your ideas down. Draw line, move quickly, doodle, and experiment. Anything
that comes to mind is okay.
{TOP}
<< Back | Table of Contents | Next >>