William F. Natale Jr.
The strategies for this unit will be better understood if the content to be discussed with students is included. The basic content of this teaching wit is composed of eight sections. They are:
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A.
People
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This section deals with the likenesses and the differences between people. It includes a discussion of environment and of the common needs of all people.
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B.
Emotions
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Here we take a look at a wide range of human feelings and define each. Some emotions to discuss are sadness, happiness, anger, embarrassment, anxiety, nervousness, love, hate, and joy. A class discussion of each emotion could include a sharing of everyone’s experience with that emotion. Students will be encouraged to discuss what makes them, for example, sad, what they do about it, and the effects, positive or negative, of what they do about it.
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C.
Attitudes
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Children have often been told that they have attitudes. Discuss what this means. Discuss negative and positive attitudes.
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D.
A Look At Ourselves
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This involves an identification of emotions and gaining an insight of what makes me tick. Also, what is it that makes me feel as I do (happy, sad, afraid)? Children should be encouraged to learn what they like, and dislike about themselves. This is part of an ongoing search to learn who we are.
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E.
Looking At Others
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Students should begin questioning themselves on how they pick their friends, what qualities they like, dislike in others. There should be a discovering of why people act in certain ways. Role playing, which will be discussed later, can be a great aid in understanding this.
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F.
Values
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Here a discussion of just what a value is should be included. Children should begin to see how values are formed. What are some family values? Different cultures encourage different values. The child should begin to see that different environmental situations or family concerns will result in the formation of different values (i.e., a family with a handicapped child might place higher emphasis on compassion, patience, etc.).
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G.
Value Clarification
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The child should begin to recognize his own values. Not ones that the school says he should have but ones he feels comfortable with. With an understanding of what is important, choices and alternatives will be put in better light.
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H.
Helping Others
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After gaining insight into themselves children are in a better position to reach out to others. This has repercussions in their family environment, in the classroom, and in society in general. Children should learn that many feelings are common to all of us. If name-calling hurts one child then that child will understand that it hurts another and that revenge doesn’t solve anything. Relating to others and communication skills also should be discussed at this time. An example of teaching communication skills will be dealt with in detail later.
The approach to the content should be ongoing and spiraling. You can come back to sections to a deeper degree again and again. It is also an experience-orientated matter instead of textbook orientated.
The particular strategies that will be discussed fall into four basic areas: Discussions, Role Playing, Independent Work, and Group Exercises or Activities.
