Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Competencies:
PS:B1 Self-knowledge Application:
PS:B1.2 Understand consequences of decisions and choices
PS:B1.4 Develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems
New York State Learning Standards:
Career Development and Occupational Studies Standard 2: Integrated Learning: Students
will demonstrate how academic knowledge and skills are applied in the workplace and
other settings.
English Language Arts Standard 3: Students will listen, speak, read, and write for critical
analysis and evaluation. As listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas,
information, and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria. As
speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted
conventions of the English language to present, from a variety of perspectives, their
opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information and issues.
English Language Arts Standard 4: Language for Social Interaction: Students will listen,
speak, read, and write for social interaction. Students will use oral and written language
that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for effective social
communication with a wide variety of people. As readers and listeners, they will use the
social communications of others to enrich their understanding of people and their views.
Health, Physical Education, and Family Consumer Science Standard 2: A Safe and
Healthy Environment: Students will acquire the knowledge and ability necessary to
create and maintain a safe and healthy environment.
Learning Objective: Following class discussion, counselor-led instruction of class
exercise, and partner activities, 80% of the students will be able to understand, not only
the meaning, but the feeling of self-control, as well as gain self-awareness and work with
peers to improve self-control.
Materials:
1. Pencils
2. Radio
3. Self-Assessment questionnaire (see attached)
4. Scenario worksheet (see attached)
5. Self-control/Self-awareness quiz (see attached)
Developmental Learning Activity:
Introduction: (10 minutes)
The professional school counselor will begin by greeting the class and informing them
that the lesson of the day will focus on the importance of having self-awareness and selfcontrol. The professional school counselor will then read a list of materials that is needed
for the lesson, and will ask the class if they have all the materials. When they confirm that
they do, the professional school counselor will then start the lesson, with a class
discussion asking the students what is self-control, and why is it important that we
utilize it? After recording the students answers to this question, the counselor will then
define the terms self-control and self-awareness, the importance of the two terms, and
how they play a role in school violence. Following class discussion, the professional
school counselor will then engage the class in a self-control exercise. To facilitate the
students understanding of self-control, the professional school counselor will ask the
class to stand up with their hands to their sides. They will then be instructed to choose a
body part (hands, arms, legs, or feet) to shake when music begins to play from the
classroom radio. The professional school counselor will tell the class that they must
continue shaking the body part they chose until the music stops. When the music stops,
the students must stop shaking their body part. The students will be instructed to continue
doing this exercise while the radio gets turned on and off. When the exercise is
completed, the professional school counselor will explain to the students the association
between the exercise and self-control, while explaining to the students by stating, When
the music started to play, you all were using your self-control to start moving, and when
the music stopped playing, you were all using your self-control to remain still until you
heard the radio again. After the class discussion and exercise, the professional school
counselor will inform the students about the next step in the lesson by stating Now that
you have a good understanding about self-control, and how it feels to have self-control,
we can now proceed to the following activity of this lesson.
Activity:
1. (5 minutes) Setting up: The professional school counselor will break the class
into pairs, which would be done randomly. They will be instructed to sit with
their partner and briefly introduce themselves to each other if they do not
know each other. The professional school counselor will explain to the
students that they will participate in pair therapy. The counselor will inform
the students that the each pair will have 15 minutes for the pair therapy
activity and then an additional 5 minutes to complete a scenario activity with
their partner.
2. (Total of 20 minutes) Two pair activities: The pair therapy activity (activity
#1) is an altered version of an experiment done by Nakkula (2009). In this
study, Nakkula (2009) found that pair therapy could help improve self-control
through a self-transforming style by sharing experiences and perspectives in
order to avoid conflict. According to Nakkula (2009), when interactions are
planned or anticipated, there is an expectation that others will follow ones
lead either by desire or through coercion (p. 37), which is why it is important
that each student work with a partner to share what they feel would be an
appropriate way to behave in specific situations.
a. (15 minutes) Pair Therapy: Activity #1: For this activity, the students
will pair up with their assigned partner. After introducing themselves
to one another, the students are instructed to disclose specific
experiences with their partner of a time when they found it difficult to
have self-control. They must explain how they felt in that moment, and
how they reacted in that moment. When the student has shared their
experience, the students partner, as the listener, is required to reflect
scenario. Advise students that the groups will have approximately 10 minutes to figure
out which mental health issue their selected scenario describes and to respond to three
questions, providing explanations for their answers: (20 minutes)
1. From what mental health issue do you think the person described in the scenario
is suffering? Provide reasons for your decision (signs, symptoms, and possible
causes of the mental health issue).
2. What advice and assistance would you offer the person in the scenario? Explain.
3. Which health care professionals would best be able to help the person? Give
reasons.
When the 10 minutes are up, the groups take turns reading their scenarios to the class and
presenting their response to the three problem-solving challenges. During the class
discussion, the counselor can include any other important information that is appropriate.
Lastly, counselor will end the lesson with a five minutes breathing exercise.
Mental Health Scenarios
Below are a few scenarios that may indicate a mental health issue. Teachers are
encouraged to make up more scenarios for any other mental health topics addressed in
class.
1. Suzies mother died a year ago, but Suzie just cant seem to move on. Suzie is still
having a hard time sleeping at night and concentrating in school. Last week, I
even caught Suzie crying in the school washroom. Some people have seen her
take some pills.
2. Brandon has recently graduated from high school and will be attending a local
university this year. Brandon was always exercising and working out in high
school. He now spends a lot of time weight training at the gym. Hes been putting
on a lot of muscle lately, and he is always talking about working out and getting
bigger. Brandon takes supplements, drinks protein shakes, and has started using
creatine (amino acid). When Im talking to Brandon it almost sounds as if he
wants to become the next superman. Im really worried about Brandon because
he gets agitated and angry very easily.
3. Jenny is my best friend. We both play volleyball. Weve been playing volleyball
together since Grade 7. Ive noticed that every winter Jenny withdraws from her
friends and always seems sad. Every winter, I think that its me . . . that Ive done
something to Jenny to upset her. Once spring hits, Jenny slowly returns to her
normal self.
4. Chris is constantly worried about catching colds. In fact, Chris washes his hands
just about 20 times a day. When asked, Chris says that he cannot afford to be sick,
and then goes into a lecture about how many germs there are around. Sometimes
Chris washes his hands so much that they bleed.
5. Haileys parents were divorced when she was six. Since then, she has been
spending every second weekend with her father. She is now in high school and
doesnt want to go to her fathers house every second weekend anymore. She
wants to work and spend more time with her school friends. Her father lives in
another part of the city quite a distance away. When shes at his house there isnt
much to do, and hes a smoker, which bothers her, but she realizes that he is
lonely and needs her help to do household chores.
Background Information
Anxiety Disorders: Anxiety, or feeling anxious, describes a mood familiar to most of us,
one that we may experience every day. Anxiety comes from a concern over lack of
control over circumstances. In some cases being anxious and worrying over a problem
may generate a solution. Normally, however, it will just result in negative thinking. When
anxiety seems to come out of nowhere, is excessive, persists for many weeks without
relief, or interferes with everyday life, it may not be an ordinary mood anymore. It may
be an illness.
Signs and Symptoms
People with an anxiety disorder may have a number of common physical symptoms,
including the following (Canadian Psychiatric Association; Anxiety Disorders
Association of Manitoba; AnxietyBC): Shortness of breath, shakiness, muscle
aches and tension tight chest, racing heart, choking sensations,
numbness or tingling, feelings of unreality, irritability, insomnia,
restlessness, sweating and nausea abdominal distress. Emotionally, people
with an anxiety disorder may feel short-tempered and apprehensive, fearing that bad
things are about to happen.
Depression
Depression is a mental disorder that affects a persons thoughts, moods, feelings,
behavior, and physical health. People once thought that depression was all in the head
and that if one really tried, one could snap out of it or just get over it. Some people
still respond to depression in this way. Health professionals now know that depression is
not a weakness, and it is not something people can treat on their own. Depression is a
medical disorder with a biological and chemical basis, and it may affect people of all ages
or nationalities. Some mental health problems, such as bipolar depression or major
depression, tend to run in families due to genetics or family interaction styles.
speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted
conventions of the English language to present, from a variety of perspectives, their
opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information and issues.
Student Objectives: Students will describe anger and its effects on them. Students will
identify options with which they can cope with their anger. Students will discuss
G.R.E.A.T. Anger Management Tips. Students will participate in an anger management
technique
Material: Six sheets of chart paper or poster paper, six markers, tape, LCD or overhead
Agenda Outline:
1. Teacher acting out anger
2. Group brainstorming round robin activity
3. Follow-up discussions
4. G.R.E.A.T. Anger Management Tips review/foldables/quiz
5. Anger Management Technique
Instructional Outline:
Lesson Progression
Set Induction:
1. Counselor briefly modeling/acting out anger
with the students.
2. Ask the students how they felt and ask them
to think about the last time they felt really
angry.
3. Explain that the lesson will focus on what
happens when people get angry as well as
positive ways to deal with anger.
Lesson:
Part One: Group Brainstorming
1.Explain that they will be asked to brainstorm
about the following headings that are on the
chart sheets around the room:
Synonyms for anger
Things that trigger your anger
How your body feels when you are
angry
How people cope with anger positive
& negative ways
How it feels when someone is angry
with you
2. Divide the group into 2-3 groups. Giving
each group a marker have them go to a
different part of the room where the chart
sheets will be either on a wall or a desk.
Counselor Reminders
1. Enter the class just a few minutes late so
that students will be talking. Proceed with
slamming a book down and acting angry
with the class. Use non-verbal and verbal
communication skills to role play the emotion.