Objectives

This theme is primarily concerned about the self-development of students. To live successfully they have to be unique persons. Education should help children to build themselves as persons through such self-empowering processes such as guidance, inspiration for higher life, self-understanding, and skill training. Though the school personnel reiterate the importance of individual differences yet at the practical level they stress the uniformity. The examination of subject orientation teaching has very little self-developmental value in children expect broadening of perception in the frontiers of knowledge.

The meaning of self-development can be defined broadly as the continuous conscious process of discovering, awakening and improving one's inner potentials related to the achievement of self-actualization. In short, it is an attempt to be an authentic person.

Under this theme many important aspects and concepts of the personality can be discussed in relation to education. Examples for such topics are:

1 Assertiveness
2 Nature of human will
3 Self-understanding
4 Mental health
5 Leadership
6 Communication skills

This unit discusses the first three topics as models.

Assertiveness

Assertiveness means standing for yourself in difficult situations, through honest and direct communication of your needs, feelings, concerns and positions. Examples for such situations are when you are:

* pressed to give into another unfairly
* treated unfairly
* being put down by another
* being criticized unfairly
* being subjected to manipulation against your conscience or when you want
* to deal with the anger of a person
* to give criticism

Assertive skills are essential in effective conflict resolution. When a person lacks such personality skills obviously he or she loses self-respect, gives in as a loser and admits defeat. In developing skills of being assertive, one has to follow the procedure given below:

Identify situations appropriate to be assertive

An example: Suppose you are travelling in a long distance train. You want to visit the toilet and you keep a handkerchief on the seat and leave. On return you find a stranger sitting there. Now how do you respond to the situation?

The impulsive drive is either to react aggressively or feel self-defeated and passively accept the situation. In being aggressive one tends to put up a fight, threaten or manhandle the person. Assertive behaviour in that situation will be to act as an adult in a mature way. For instance, you can approach him and say, "Sir, this is my seat and I kept a handkerchief on it and left for the toilet. Now I want it back." (Of course if that person is sick or fainting or having a special need the case is different!) In asserting you speak in a non-threatening and decent manner with respect to the person concerned.

As well as identifying the appropriate situations one needs to identify the appropriate degree according to the sensitivity of the person or situation. Because over assertiveness may be experienced as being rude.

Learn your personal rights

In essence being assertive is the courage to be your true self. This is an exercise in building yourself as an authentic person. In this regard it is useful to know one's personal rights. As a person you have the right to

1. Do anything, which does not violate the rights of others.
2. To be assertive on non-assertive.
3. To make choices.
4. To ask questions.
5. To change your opinions or convictions.
6. To control your body, time and possessions.
7. To express your opinions, beliefs and feelings, including anger.
8. To think well of yourself.
9. To make requests.
10. To have needs and desires.
11. To get information.
12. To have goods or services to your satisfaction for the money you have paid.
13. To say 'no' without feeling guilty or selfish.
14. To be treated with respect and consideration.
15. To make mistakes.
16. To be independent.

You can think of many other rights to add to the list. The above listed personal rights have evolved in the West. Personal rights may differ according to the cultural outlooks. And therefore your personal rights have to be identified in the light of the cultural context of your society. It is necessary to keep in mind that every right implies a responsibility too, and you have to respect the assertive rights of the other person as well.

One practical way of learning to be assertive is to follow a successful person's living example. Every group or organization has such personalities. To reiterate to be assertive is to be able to express yourself clearly, directly and appropriately so that the other person understands your needs, feelings, and concern with regard to the issues at conflict. The strength of character arises when you become who you are, not when you try to be who you are not.

For being assertive one needs to develop a special body language, e.g. by the way one stands, sits, walks and so on. People create an impression on us first of all from our physical appearance, i.e. posture, eye contact, facial expression, gestures, and voice. For instance, suppose you go into a party. You don't know most of the people and you feel alone. You tell yourself that no one is interested in talking to you, that no one finds you interesting. Now you convey this feeling of self- defeatedness through your body language, through your whole way of being. The result is self-predicting and naturally others tend to distance themselves away from you. Submissive people seem to think that others take it upon themselves to look after your needs and protect them. The affection others have for a submissive person soon wears out.

In the face of difficult situations, especially in a conflict, being assertive involves the following process.

* Preparing the appropriate message briefly, unreproachfully, and effectively
* Speaking out one's genuine needs and feelings in a manner conducive to resolution
* Observing silence (being silent allows the other person to think about what you said or think of a solution.)
* Reflective listening to others' defensive response
* Reasserting the message without emotionally reacting or debating
* Observing silence
* Keep to the issue
* Negotiating the appropriate solution and work out a solution

An effective method of assertion is 'I' message. It simply means to state the problem as the speaker sees it and how he or she feels about it, e.g.

* I cannot agree to that suggestion.
* I feel hurt when you let me down in that manner.
* In principle I cannot agree with you.
* I like to see you now in your seat.
* When you put on the radio so loud I cannot do my studies here.

The last form adds more weight if it also can include your suggestion as what to do. Take for instance the following situation. In a public vehicle a commuter sits next to you and smokes. It is prohibited but he does. You can say:

Sir, you are smoking sitting next to me (Objectively stating what he is doing)

I feel inconvenient and find travelling difficult ('I' Message where you state the issue from your side)

I would appreciate it if you could stop smoking in the bus (your suggestion) There is no blaming or accusation involved in such expressions. It clearly expresses one's need. Learning to express one's need is a part of assertion. Assertive techniques are useful in expressions of refusal and disagreement in many social interactions. Study the following instances.

Direct rqfusal. Say "No" "I don't want" "I cannot" directly, e.g.

1. A: Buy a ticket
B: No I don't want one.
A: Could you lend me your bicycle?
B: Sorry. I never lend that to anyone.

To protect and preserve your personal freedom you have say "No" to many requests. To protect "Yes" you have to say "No". If you want to say, "Yes" to examination you have to say "No" to time wasters.

Reasoned refusal: Say "No" and give a very succinct explanation of your reason, e-g

1. A: Could you come with me?
B: No. Not now. I have do some important work right now.
A: Show me your answer (in a class test)
B: No, I can't. It is wrong in a test.

Kind refusal: Respect the other person's request, listen to him with empathy and then say "No".

1. A: Please buy a ticket for the drama.
B: I appreciate your organizing this drama in town. But I don't feel like going to a drama just now. Thank you.

2. A: Have a smoke. Take this cigarette. Don't refuse my request.
B: Thank you for offering. As a principle, I don't smoke. Don't push me.
Playing the broken record: Repeat your statement of position and maintain your refusal. This technique is effective when the other person is not acknowledging your refusal. He keeps persisting with his demand.

A: You must join our organization,
B: Yes I see that you want me to be a member in your organization, Thank you. But I am not inclined. No. I don't want to.
A: No you must.
B: No I don't want to.
A: No you have to. We want you.
B: Please I told you that I don't want to.

Assertiveness encourages forwardness in social interactions. Hesitancy and shyness indicate lack of self-confidence. An assertive person can start social conversations with strangers with an air of ease and even face embarrassments with adult maturity.

Certain situations demand self-disclosure. Since an assertive person is genuine and open in his transactions, he or she can frankly disclose self-appropriately. Self- disclosure is best when it is:

* To the right person
* To the right degree
* For the right reason
* At the right time
* In the right place

For genuine expression of affection, warmth, friendship, love and appreciation one needs assertive capacity. They do not flatter. Their appreciation is honest and true to heart. Learning to express affection is an important social skill and should be part of language training as well, e.g.

* You are a wonderful person.
* I feel appreciated because.
* I am so happy with the new tie you bought me.
* I am so touched that you came to see me in the hospital.

Naturally such affective expressions build self-esteem, foster and reinforce behaviours we appreciate in others. They also strengthen good relationships. A question may arise here as to the connection between being assertive and being peaceful. Peaceful living never meant to be "Letting others to wash their hands on your head" as it says in a Singhalese folk idiom. Obviously a peace-loving person is not submitting himself to unfair demands of others. Nor does he allow himself to be manipulated by others. To live peacefully you need to have the strength of character to say "No" when necessary.

Submissiveness is as bad as aggressiveness. In fact it is the other side of being aggressive. A very interesting observation has been made on the connection between these two extremes. You may observe that many criminals have submissive characters. But inwardly they are aggressive. Submissiveness serves as a mask to cover the aggressive nature within. Since submissive persons are potential aggressors, they cannot be trusted.

Another character that we need to identify here is the manipulator. He uses others shrewdly for his own benefits. He hides his true feelings with vicious motives. In this respect being assertive is a healthy attitude which expresses openly one's feelings, especially in saying "no ", "I can't," I don't want to," etc. Such honest behaviour is helpful for conflict resolution. And balances human relationships.

Will is generally thought of as a stern determination built by a person to achieve his personal goals. Accordingly such a will is stubborn and forbidding thought that represses a subtle and sensitive aspect of life. However on a closer investigation the picture changes and broadens.

Then we begin to see will as an intrinsic potential power lying in our depth of consciousness. Roberto Assagioli( 1988)says that the development of will follows three phases:

1. Recognition that will exists.
2. Realization of having a will.
3. Being a will.

Most of us live without realizing the immense power lying within us. As frequently seen people discover their will under a threat of impending danger. The will may be discovered by the insights of self-understanding in meditation. At present our true will is covered by a veil of the easy-going attitudes we have created through dependence on others. Unfortunately, we have identified ourselves with that mentality. We allow our life to be led away by it.

When the true will is awakened it provides impetus to action to achieve the desired goal. Will also provides insight into the strategic and creative problem- solving. Will activates all the strengths within us necessary for the achievement of the goal. Assagioli says will is intrinsically good. Will is there in us to progress in the right direction in life. If it is directed in the wrong path, for example as Hitler did, then the will loses its intrinsic wisdom, making the person a brute leading himself to destruction along with others. Man is naturally endowed with a positive direction.

Will has many positive qualities worthy of inclusion into the process of self- development of children. Consider the following qualities

*** Strength of character

*** Self-discipline

*** Attention

*** Determination

*** Decisiveness

*** Persistence, endurance, patience

*** Courage

*** Organizing and managing

Will also has a spiritual dimension as evident in great spiritual persons and philanthropists. They draw energy to work tirelessly to help mankind from the spiritual dimension.

On a practical level will drives us to plan, organize, lead, control, and co- ordinate in order to achieve our goals. Children should develop such skills as well. A person of will lives within a well-defined conscious life programme. He also retains his determination through all the stages of the operation, however complex or tempting they are.

Self-Understanding

One of the significant functions of the human intelligence is to look within and understand one's own process of mind. If not for this special ability man would have been a slave of his own blind instinctual drives and impulses. Self-understanding is to look within and observe, probe, examine, inquire the conditions and processes that dictate our behaviour. Such understanding builds self-knowledge, that guides us to wise action. In other words, self-knowledge produces wisdom. Wisdom flashes in us as insights. Self-knowledge also fosters our inward growth and it leads to the discovery of the true self.

Reductionist and materialistic views predominated at the beginning of the 20th century looked down and held in contempt introspection as unscientific. However as the psychology expanded its frontiers, the narrow materialistic views are losing ground rapidly today.

How can self-understanding help, facilitate and improve children's personality development and effective learning? First of all the child's intelligence is distorted by self-centredness. According to J. Piaget, self-centredness is the inability to discern reality from imagination. As the children develop in self-knowledge, their self-centredness diminishes.

The child needs to be helped to grow emotionally. One of the serious problems in human interaction is people's emotional immaturity. The emphasis on intellectuality in academic learning represses emotions within. Peace education tries to bring in emotional or affective learning and cognitive learning together in harmony. When children's positive emotions are tapped the impetus for learning is increased in many forms such as participation, creativity, interest, and commitment. Emotion has its own intelligence, which is still to be properly understood by educationists. In fact as educators we shy away from students' emotions, because we do not know how to deal with them. The more a child understands her emotions the more she develops mentally.

Self-understanding leads to inward growth of children, by shedding light into their subconscious blocks, which inhibit flowering of their potentials in creativity, imagination and insight, ability to learn. Self-understanding releases blocked energies within us.

Classroom practices

A teacher can help children to understand themselves better by way of adopting such methods as given below.

1. Constantly ask questions leading to self-reflection

a. Did you enjoy the activity?
b. When you hear the word.. . what are the immediate thoughts, feelings coming to your mind?
c. How do you feel about this?
d. What have your learnt from this?
e. How can what we have learnt be applied in our daily life?

2. Give assignments, exercises, and activities which provide insight into self, e-g

a. Draw your family in the form of any animals, birds or fish you like most.
b. Make a list of fears you get when you think of the future.
c. What is the nature of desire?

3. Provide tools for self-evolution, e.g.

a. Do I care for my parents?
b. Do I keep my room clean and tidy? (often, generally, seldom)

4. Encourage mindfulness or awareness in daily behaviour.

5. Ask values clarification questions, e.g.

a. Can't it be otherwise?
b. Are you sure of yourself!
c. What do you mean by (e.g.) 'kindness' here?
d. How did you get this idea?
e. What happens if everyone in the class begins behaving this way?

(Values clarification questions are aimed towards self-reflection, self-inquiry, and instant insight on an issue at hand. A reply is not expected always)

Intended outcome

Assertiveness

1. Standing for one's rights

a speaking for oneself
b honest disagreement
c not being submissive in conflict situations

2. Standing for justice and one k rights

a respecting and accepting others' rights
b demanding justice

3. Emotionally mature behaviour

a acting with a sense of reality
b accepting truth and willingness to change one's position
c ability to face criticism constructively

4. Goal-oriented behaviour

a time management
b self-management
c resourcefulness
d displaying one's courage and perseverance in difficult and challenging situations
e ability to organize

5. Self-discipline

a clarity of vision b Persuade children to express their honest feelings and opinions in the classroom.
c Encourage questioning in the classroom.
d Respect the uniqueness of each child.
e Reinforce children's healthy assertive behaviour by appreciation.

1. Discovering myself

This is an activity about empathy, mutual understanding and self-discovery. Level: Upper secondary

Curriculum concern:: Language/ When you want to develop skills in listening and speaking

Objectives:

1. Improving skills in empathetic listening.
2. Understanding one's self.
3. Sharing others' life experiences empathetically.

Activity:

Divide the class into groups of six. Give each group one topic selected from the following:

* My biggest achievement in life
* My biggest failure in life
* What additional talents I would like to have.
* Something I have done for which I regret ever since
* Something I have done which makes me happy to think about it.

Let children disclose themselves on the given topic taking only 5 minutes. Others should listen without disturbing. When everybody has completed convene the class and conduct a discussion.

Discussion. Guide Questions

1. Did you enjoy the activity?
2. Did everybody in the group participate in the group? If not, so what was the difficulty?
3. What did you feel when you were talking?
4. Tell us one thing you have learnt from the activity.
5. What are the ways of understanding oneself?

Understanding my fears

This is an activity about self-discovery.

Level: Upper Primary

Curriculum concern: Language/ Religion/ Group counselling

Objective: Understanding one's fears.

Activity: Ask each student to identify one of his fears in mind and write it anonymously on a strip of paper and roll. Collect the rolls and take each one and analyse it in participation with the class.

Discuss ways of getting rid of fear.

3. My greatest fears

This is an activity about self-discovery. Level: Upper Primary

Curriculum concern: Language/ Religion/ Group counselling Objective: Understanding one's fears.

Activity:

Divide the class into groups of six. Give a topic/area where children might have fears.

e.g. Darkness of night, walking through a forest, getting lost in a town/village, heavy rain

Let the group use their imagination and identify the worst things that can happen to them in that area, and write them down.

Then each group should present the list to the class.

Discussion: Guide questions:

a What is the nature of fear?
b How can fear distort our behaviour?
c How should we free our mind from fear? Suggest ways.

4. Myself in Animals

This is an activity about self-discovery.

Curriculum concern: Language/ Religion/

Level: Lower primary

Objective: Helping children to discover their self-identity

Subject context: Art/ Drawing

Activity

Instruct the children to select an animal, bird, insect, fish or reptile that represents him or her and draw it.

Discussion:

l Show your picture to the class and explain why and how the particular creature reflects you.
l Write the good qualities that the creature has on your drawing.
l Display your drawings.

5. To compete or to co-operate?

This is an activity about co-operative problem-solving

Level: Secondary

Curriculum concern: Language/ Speech practice/Drama/when you want to introduce co-operation to the class.

Objectives:

1. Speaking for oneself.
2. Adopting co-operative problem-solving rather than individual competition.
3. Creative problem-solving
Activity: Step 1.

Preparation

Ask children what they would like to be when they grow up. (e.g. teacher, doctor, lawyer, engineer, businessman)

Break the class into several groups of five, which consist of five different professionals.

Explain the activity and ask each group to nominate The Drama

Five different professionals swim to a tiny island to save their lives after a shipwreck. While they stay helpless in the island they happen to see a man is passing by rowing a small wooden boat. They eagerly call him. They explain their predicament and plead for help. The boatman says, 'Yes. I like to help you. But you see my boat can take only one of you. The mainland is far away. I have to select the most deserving person among you to take ashore.'

Now everyone speak up for yourself.

Then everyone claims his right upon the profession he practises.(The group has to do it)

When everyone has put forward his claims the confused boatman says, 'No.1 cannot make a judgment for myself. Discuss among yourselves, and propose to me someone to take ashore.' (The group discuss who should be sent out)

Discussion: Guide Questions:

a What did you learn by doing the activity?
b Review the statement: "One must learn to speak up for oneself when it is necessary. "
c Are you satisfied with the way you have spoken up for yourself in the activity?
d How did the group of professionals finally reach a consensus?
e How many alternative solutions can you think of in such a situation?
f How can such a problem be solved co-operatively as a group, rather than fighting?

6. Characteristics of submissiveness

This is an activity about co-operative problem-solving Level: Secondary

Curriculum concern: Language/ Speech Practice/ When you want to guide the self- development of the student.

Objective: Understanding that submissiveness leads to self-defeat. Activity: A drama.

Scene 1

Invite two students and instruct them to act out the following episode. Kumaru is a shrewd boy He visits his friend Jaleel and asks for a loan of Rs. 200 saying he has an urgent need.

Jaleel, a submissive and weak character says that he has Rs. 200, which his father has given him to pay for his examination as fee. He has to pay it tomorrow being the last day. But Kumara insists on him, usingpattery, to give that money as the loan. He promises to return the money before 12 noon the following day so that Jaleel can pay the fee at the post of$ce. The post office counter closes at 12 o ' clock. On trusting Kumar, Jaleel gives the money.

Scene 2 :

On the following day, Jaleel waits impatiently for Kumar 's return but he doesn 't come. Ultimately poor Jaleel has to visit Kumar s house. He tups on the door Kumara comes out and apologizes saying that he is not in a position to return the money Jaleel is very upset. He says that he needs the money urgently to pay the fee before the post office counters close. Kumara usks him tfthe money was so urgent why he gave it away.

Jaleel goes away broken down. He lost the opportunity of applyingfor the examination. He has to wait for another long year to apply for the exami- nation.

Discuss: (After the role-play).

1 Was it right for Jaleel to give the loan?
2 What kind of person was Kumar?
3 Can it be called generosity to help another while you suffer a loss?
4 Why was Jaleel tempted to give the money when it was so necessary to him?

(Correct reply: Because he did not have the strength of character to say 'No'.

4 How did Kumar manage to obtain money? (Correct reply: By flattering, promising, and pleading )

Activity 2:

Ask the same students to act out the drama again. This time let Jaleel be assertive and say firmly 'No.'

Discuss :

1 Why it is important to learn how to say 'No'?
2 How to say 'No' or 'I can't' firmly.
3 What are the situations that demand you to say 'No'?
(Note: One can say 'No' decently without being be rude.)

7. Consequences of being aggressive

This'is an activity about the consequence of being aggressive. Level: Secondary

Curriculum concern: Religion/ when you want to guide the self-development of a student.

Objective: Understanding that being aggressive is a weakness of character. Activity:

1. Tell the class an incident from a newspaper report where a person led to assault or kill another out of sheer anger.

2. Invite children to relate such incidents they have heard.

3. Select a typical incident and ask a pair or group of children to simulate it. Discuss:

1 Why do some people behave aggressively? What are the perceived benefits? (If there are any)
2 What are the possible consequences of behaving aggressively?
3 How to replace your anger by assertive behaviour (Discuss a case and simulate it)

8. Practising assertive skills

This is an activity about character building. Level: Secondary

Curriculum concern: Language/ Speech Practice/ When you want to guide the self- development of a student.

Objective: Improving assertiveness through practice.

Discovering various manners of refusing and disagreeing.

Activity:

Instruct students to stand in pairs, facing each other as A and B.

l A. makes an impertinent request:

e.g. ("Smoke this cigarette". .

"I'm going to assault X. Could you join with me?"

"Lets steal fruit in the neighbour's garden".)

B. Rejects the request assertively in various manners.

e.g. "No.1 won't do that as a policy",

"No. I don't want to do that kind of thing".

(Discover more ways of expressions)

Discussion:.

1 What did you do in pairs?
2 Did you practise saying 'no'?
4 Now do you feel confident enough to say "No" to an impertinent request made by others?
5 What are the situations, which demand saying 'no'?

9. I am O.K. You are O.K.

This is an activity about healthy human relationships and a 'win- win' approach. Level: Secondary

Curriculum concern: Language/ Speech Practice/ When you want to guide the self- development of a student.

Objective: Understanding the need to be fair in dealing with others Activities: Introduction

In our daily life we deal with others for various matters. Our relationship with others should be healthy. We have to be concerned about the other person's state of mind in dealing with them. They should feel O.K. with us.

In certain circumstances you feel ' 1 am O.K.', in other circumstances you feel

These possibilities can be shown in the following categories.

1. I am O.K. - You are not O.K. (Good for me -not good for you.)
2. I am not O.K.- You are O.K. (Not good for me -good for you)
3. I am not O.K.- You are not O.K. (Good for me -not good for you)
4. I am O.K. - You are O.K. (Good for me -good for you)

'Good for me' connotes it is advantageous/ profitable/ satisfactory/ for me. "Not good for you" means just the opposite for the other person. Note that every human interaction falls into one of the above four conditions.

Step 2: Case studies.

Study the fallowing 4 cases and identify the conditions of relationships, as given below.

1. It was a school holiday Ali woke up early in the morning and decided to spend the whole day on his studies. He was falling behind in his studies. At 10 a.m. in the morning his friend Khan visited him and invited him to join in a trip to someplace. Ali joined the trip unwillingly. On coming back home, he regretted that he had wasted the whole day.

2. No teacher came to the class in the last period. Sanath suggested to Gopal to run away.fiom the school. Secretly they managed to run away from the school. However they could not walk far The Deputy Principal saw them and called them. He produced them to the principal.

3. Sham lost his umbrella. On the following morning he leji home for school .under rain without an umbrella. On the way to the bus stand he got fully wet. In the bus he sat down with a person who had an umbrella with him. Half the way the person pulled the bell and walked to the door to get down, leaving the umbrella on the seat. Shun wanted to call him and return the umbrella. But on second thoughts he let the person go. Shan took the umbrella and alighted near the school.

4: Purnima was about to open her packet of lunch for herself Then she found her colleague Tharuna had not brought her lunch. So, she shared her meal with her

Discussion: Guide questions.

l Take each case: Who was Q.K. and who was not O.K.? Give reasons for your judgement.

l Share with the class some experiences of your recent past where you felt O.K. or not O.K.

l Take an event where you were O.K. and the other person was not O.K. and suggest a way of making the other also feel O.K.

l You helped someone in good faith but suffered a loss in return. However you are happy you could help him. To which category of relationship does the incident fall?

10. Learning assertive responses

This is an activity about healthy relationships and 'win-win' approach. Level: Secondary

Curriculum concern: Language/ Speech Practice/ When you want to guide self- development of students.

Objective: Learning to be assertive in different situations Activity:

The class sit in a circle and a student is invited to describe a situation, where he would like to have been assertive but could not.

e.g. Once I bought a pen from a shop. But on the following day I found it was faulty. I went to the vendor and asked him to take it back and give me another one. But he refused saying that I could have broken it.

Having presented the case, each student is invited to offer an assertive response suitable to the situation. Students generate a whole variety of assertive responses. Discussions: Guide questions

1. Did you enjoy the activity? Give reasons for your judgement?
2. Are you confident in your ability to respond assertively in demanding situations?
3. Let us prepare a guide to being assertive. Each one of you offer an instruction to the list.

11. Effective communication

This is an activity about effective communication.

Level: Secondary Curriculum concern: Language/ When you want to encourage effective speech.

Objectives: Improving skills in straightforward speaking.

Activity:

List social situations from brainstorming, where people are hesitant to speak out or express themselves freely, e.g.:

1 Introducing oneself to a stranger at a party and start talking.
2 Explain one's complication to a doctor.
3 Where a police officer questions you on suspicion for stealing, which you haven't done.

4 To a neighbour who plays music too loud so as to disturb the houses around. Having prepared the list from students' responses, take one instance and invite students to come one by one and speak straightforwardly using assertive skills. Give a few minutes for preparation. As they speak in given roles, appreciate their effort.

Discussion: Guide questions.

a What did you learn from the acting?
b Did you improve the skill of straightforward speaking?
c What makes people hesitant or withdrawn from speaking out in such situations?

12. Learning self-discipline

This is an activity about developing will.

Level: secondary Curriculum concern Objectives:

Activates: Introduction: Points to explain:

Step: 1. Having a strong will is useful in achieving objectives in life.
2 . We have to develop our will , through daily practices.
3. What are the advantages of having a strong will?

(Make a list on the blackboard)

Step 2. Close your eyes, relax for a few minutes. Then picture yourself having a strong will and feel the power of it. See yourself facing challenges, difficulties and threats with courage and determination.

Step 3. Invite students to express their feelings they had during imagination. Discussion: Guide Questions

1 What are the characteristics of a person with strong will?
2 Can you relate an event in your life, where you won over a challenge by your will?
3 In what areas do you think that you need to develop will?
4 Make a list of words and phases in your own language, that express will. (synonyms and phrases)

Find the evaluation instrument on the next page