As I was reviewing the PAL lessons, I was contemplating to share my thoughts in planning the lessons. In this Primary One lesson, the SEL competency that's targeted is on relationship management. Since no man is an island, this lesson doesn't just end after the lesson is over. People form relationships wherever they go with people of different colours, class, ethnicity, nationality etc. So, we can't assume that children know how to make and keep friends or protect themselves when they need to.
In one of the activities, a list of suggested questions are included for teachers to use to engage their pupils:
In one of the activities, a list of suggested questions are included for teachers to use to engage their pupils:
- What does it mean to be a friend?
- How do you know when someone is your friend?
- Can someone be nice to you and not be your friend?
- Can someone tell you things you might not want to hear and still be your friend?
- Is it possible for someone to not play with you and still be your friend?
- What is the difference between a friend and a classmate?
- Can your parents be your friend?
- Is it important to have friends?
- If someone is not your friend, how should you treat him or her?
- Is it possible to have no friends?
- How would you feel if you have no friends?
- Have you ever refused to be someone’s friend when she/ he wanted you to be?
- What is the difference between a friend and an enemy?
- Is it possible for someone to try to hurt you and still be your friend?
I think teachers could use their professional judgment to decide on the questions deem suitable for their pupils and further build on the pupils' responses. Before planning, I knew I had to include something about friendship as it is common for children to have friendship issues at certain point of their lives.
When children are young, they learn about friendship rules by knowing that if you did this, then you would make a friend. If you did that, you could lose a friend. For older children, they are commonly found to mingle with friends of the same gender1.
In adolescent, there is an increased self awareness and they are less focused on figuring out the friendship rules for being friends with girls and more focused on getting attention of boys. By adulthood, our friendship rules are embedded in us, in terms of the workplace, it might add on complexity due to gender socialization2. Thus, this lesson on friendship in Primary One hopefully would pave its way to effective communication.
This is a rough idea of my train of thoughts in deciding the content of the lessons. I wonder how others decide the content/ flow of the lessons, let me learn from you too!
1. Creative and mental growth (8th ed.). by Viktor Lowenfeld & W. Lambert Brittain (p. 306)
2. New rules for women: Revolutionizing the way women work together. by Anne Litwin (p. 9)
When children are young, they learn about friendship rules by knowing that if you did this, then you would make a friend. If you did that, you could lose a friend. For older children, they are commonly found to mingle with friends of the same gender1.
In adolescent, there is an increased self awareness and they are less focused on figuring out the friendship rules for being friends with girls and more focused on getting attention of boys. By adulthood, our friendship rules are embedded in us, in terms of the workplace, it might add on complexity due to gender socialization2. Thus, this lesson on friendship in Primary One hopefully would pave its way to effective communication.
This is a rough idea of my train of thoughts in deciding the content of the lessons. I wonder how others decide the content/ flow of the lessons, let me learn from you too!
1. Creative and mental growth (8th ed.). by Viktor Lowenfeld & W. Lambert Brittain (p. 306)
2. New rules for women: Revolutionizing the way women work together. by Anne Litwin (p. 9)
