Tools for Change: An Educator's Resource Site

Author(s): Jan Sherman and the Women’s Group at Action Read

Publisher: Action Read Community Literacy Centre

Type of Resource: Workbook

Target Grades: 9-10 (geared towards girls/women)

Canadian Resource? Yes

Resource formally evaluated? No

What is the source, internet link, or article title for viewing the formal evaluation of this resource? (none supplied)

Subject Areas:Learning Skills, Career Studies, Healthy Active Living, Individual and Family Living, English

Developing Learning Skills and Strategies Grade 10

Interpersonal Knowledge and Skills - Overall Expectations

• • identify and describe the knowledge and skills necessary for successful interpersonal relations and teamwork;
• • assess their interpersonal and teamwork skills and strategies, and explain how those skills requiring further development affect their learning;
• • demonstrate the ability to apply appropriate interpersonal and teamwork skills in a variety of learning environments.

Career Studies, Grade 10, Open (GLC2O)

Personal Management - Overall Expectations

• • demonstrate effective use of interpersonal skills within a variety of settings.

Discovering the Workplace, Grade 10, Open (GLD2O)

Personal Management - Overall Expectations

• • identify their interests, strengths, and needs, and describe how these influence their decisions about education and work;
• • identify and use effectively the strategies required to manage their behaviour in school and in the community;
• • identify and use effectively the interpersonal and teamwork skills and strategies required when working with others in school or in the community;

Preparation for Transitions and Change - Overall Expectations

• • identify changes and transitions that take place in their lives, and describe strategies to effectively manage these changes;

Healthy Active Living Education, Grade 9, Open (PPL1O)

Healthy Living - Overall Expectations

• • identify the factors that contribute to positive relationships with others;
• • identify strategies to minimize potentially dangerous situations (e.g., violence prevention, injury prevention).

Living Skills - Overall Expectations

• • use appropriate decision-making skills to achieve goals related to personal health;
• • explain the effectiveness of various conflict resolution processes in daily situations;
• • use appropriate social skills when working collaboratively with others.

Healthy Active Living Education, Grade 10, Open (PPL2O)

Healthy Living - Overall Expectations

• • explain strategies to promote positive lifestyle choices and relationships with others;

Living Skills - Overall Expectations

• • identify ways of taking appropriate action in new situations based on knowledge of positive decisions related to healthy active living;
• • demonstrate understanding of conflict resolution, anger management, and mediation;
• • use appropriate social skills and positive attitudes when interacting with others.

Individual and Family Living, Grade 9/10, Open (HIF1O/HIF2O)

Self and Others - Overall Expectations

• • describe the characteristics of human growth and development in adolescence, and explain their influence on the behaviour and needs of young people;
• • analyse strategies to develop and maintain effective relationships;
• • demonstrate a growing awareness of the need to be responsible and to contribute to the family.

Personal and Social Responsibilities - Overall Expectations

• • demonstrate an understanding of their growing rights and responsibilities in relation to their family, as well as their emerging independence from their family;
• • demonstrate communication and conflict-resolution skills in the context of family and social relationships;
• • understand and apply a variety of problem-solving and decision-making skills, grounded in psychological and sociological studies, to family and social problems;

English, Grade 9, Academic (ENG1D)

Language - Overall Expectations

• • use knowledge of vocabulary and language conventions to speak, write, and read competently using a level of language appropriate to the purpose and audience;
• • use listening techniques and oral communication skills to participate in classroom discussions and more formal activities, such as storytelling, role playing, and reporting/presenting, for specific purposes and audiences.

English, Grade 10, Academic (ENG2D)

Language - Overall Expectations

• • use knowledge of vocabulary and language conventions to speak, write, and read competently and effectively for a variety of purposes and audiences, using a level of language appropriate to the context;
• • use listening techniques and oral communication skills to participate in classroom discussions and more formal activities, such as dramatizing, presenting, and debating, for a variety of purposes and audiences.

(where noted: Consistently (C)   Often (O))

Exploring Well-Being Through Relationships

Skills

• Develop personal self-awareness and understanding of well-being.
• Identify and practice values of mutual respect.
• Express personal feelings, thoughts and experiences.

Exploring Identity, Gender and Diversity

Skills

• Opportunity for students to identify, explore and name their own identities, experiences and values.
• Opportunity to explore differences on the basis of gender, race, ability/disability, socioeconomic status, culture, religion, sexual orientation with respect and interest.

Exploring Social Relations of Violence, Oppression and Equality

Knowledge

• Recognize and understand oppression o n the basis of gender and other forms of inequality (face, culture, socioeconomic status, education, geographic location, ability/disability, etc)
• Skills
• Engage in gaining a sense of social responsibility for addressing social oppressions/exclusions and for participating in achieving positive social change.

Developing Connections, Creative Thinking and Participation

Knowledge

• Strategies for personal and/or social change are offered to students for the promotion of healthy and equal relationships.
• Engagement in learning conflict resolution and anti-violence strategies.
• Gain in knowledge about choices and actions that promote mutual empowerment and respect.

Skills

• Experience and practice how to resolve conflict positively.
• Opportunity for the development of supportive connections between students and teachers/adults.

Structure and Format:

• Information guide or scope and sequence of lessons (i.e. how to strategies)
• Ready to use scripted format.
• •Sequential guide or lessons that are user friendly.• Availability of support to implement the program/resource.

Teaching/Learning Strategies:

Direct Instruction: whole class and small group

• Explicit teaching and use of thinking skills and strategies
• Explicit teaching and using self-assessment and reflection.

Interactive Learning

• Small-group cooperative learning
• Brainstorming

Indirect Instruction

• Guided teacher-direct inquiry
• Reflective discussions.

Experiential Learning

• Case students/scenarios.
• Simulation, role play.
• Community based learning opportunities.

Teaching and Learning Activities/lessons Include:

• Multiple opportunities for practice and feedback.
• Opportunities for students to use their learning styles to learn and demonstrate learning.
• Integration of Multiple Intelligences theory to learn and demonstrate their learning.
• Oral and written reflection/journal writing.

Assessment Methods:

Demonstration/Performance:

• Skills demonstrations
• Role playing
• Simulations

Personal Communication:

• Students assess their own learning and set specific goals.

This workbook for use with students in grades 9-10 is an excellent resource to help students to increase their self-awareness, communication skills, and community involvement. This resource engages learners in identifying personal values, beliefs and stressors. It also provides useful strategies on becoming active in your community, job searching and volunteering.

The workbook is divided into three sections, each with easy-to-follow exercises that engage the learners/group in self-reflection and scenario-based activities. Groups are involved in small-group learning and brainstorming to enhance their learning. Included in this resource is a short, concise guide to conflict resolution, laid out in easy-to-follow steps.