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Table of Contents! 3 CURRICULUM B: LEARNING TRAIN MODEL! 3.1! STUDY TECHNIQUES! 3.1.1! HOW TO SUMMARIZE?! 3.1.2! Research & Technology! 3.1.3! Time Management! 3.1.4! Note Taking! ABBREVIATIONS! WORDS! 3.2! ANALYTICAL MIND & CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS! 3.2.1! PROBLEMS AND PATTERN RECOGNITION! 3.2.2! LATERAL THINKING AND CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION! 3.2.3! SURVIVAL DECISIONS! 3.2.4! Strategic Problem Solving! 3.3! INSPIRE & EMPOWER! 3.3.1! Self-Motivation! 3.3.2! Stress Management! 3.3.3! Big Goals + We Can Do It!! 3.3.4! Facing Obstacles and Taking Baby Steps! 3.3.5! Staying Motivated and Setting Big Goals!
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3! 5! 5! 8! 12! 15! 17! 17! 18! 19! 22! 25! 28! 31! 31! 35! 39! 43! 47!
3 Curriculum B: Learning Train Model In Thailand, a great disparity in academic achievement has manifested itself between the rural provinces and the city proper. Such differences are evident in more rural areas like Udon Thani; academically inclined students or students who have the financial means often take advantage of schooling in more metropolitan cities such as Bangkok. This disparity is not merely one of scale or a basic lack of resources. Although these are without a doubt critical factors in creating the gap between rural and urban schooling, we at PT11 believe the inequity here is one that diverges at a deeper level: the students’ fundamental lack of motivation and confidence in their own abilities. We believe that the reason behind low self-esteem and a consequent decline in achievement, academic and otherwise, stems from a downward spiral of falling social expectations in a community under a rickety educational infrastructure. PT11 aims to target the matter at its core. With the collaborative efforts of fellow Project Members, we created the Learning Train Model (LTM) – a systematic way of identifying and teaching students skills that are crucial for their academic and life success. Curriculum B addresses issues that are central to the differences between urban and rural students. Because the Thai education system perpetuates passive learning and rote memorization, students in Udon Thani are not encouraged to think critically, creatively, or analytically. The Thai education system also neglects to actively teach proper studying techniques necessary for students who strive to excel academically. The identified group of students are mostly lacking in self-confidence; they lack the benefit of a nurturing learning environment that encourages a pursuit for knowledge. Curriculum B is the component of the LTM that is delivered to junior high school students. Through Curriculum B, project members directly equip students with the skills to succeed in the classroom as well as in the future. Curriculum B focuses on three specific areas that are lacking in the Thai education system: study techniques, critical and analytical thinking, and “inspire and empower”. Each category contains three or four stations; each station is represented by activities carried out each day. Please refer to the table below for a clearer description:
CATEGORY!1:! STUDY! TECHNIQUES!
CATEGORY!2:! CRITICAL!&! ANALYTICAL! THINKING!
CATEGORY!3:! INSPIRE!&! EMPOWER!
How!To!Summarize?!
Problems!&!Pattern! Recognition!
SelfWMotivation!
Research!&! Technology!
Lateral!Thinking!&! Classroom! Participation!
Stress!Management!
Time!management!
Survival!Decisions!
Note!Taking!
Strategic!Problem! Solving!
Setting!Big!Goals +We!Can!Do!It! Facing!Obstacles!&! Taking!Baby!Steps! Staying!Motivated!&! Setting!Big!Goals!
Curriculum B has the potential to engage students and to change their perspectives and attitudes towards learning. If students are provided with both practical skills and a new mindset for them to carry through their academic endeavors, they will, in turn, be put in a much better position to bridge the disparities in academic achievement between rural and urban areas.
3.1 Study Techniques This category will teach the students some basic methods of studying that will, nonetheless, be useful both now and in their post-academic life. The stations under this category involve time management, organizational strategies, and research & technology. With these 3 stations, we hope to equip students with the necessary tools for which students can get ahead in the classroom as well as be able to utilize these skills outside of the classroom. Time management is all about knowing how to use your time efficiently. This can make the difference between an active and productive student versus a struggling and flustered one. This station will focus on learning how to manage one's time using techniques such as making "to-do" lists, planning daily and weekly schedules, setting priorities, and avoiding procrastination. Being organized is also one of preliminary keys to success. Knowing how to organize when one has to study a lot of materials can reduce the time one needs to spend and lead to a better understanding of the material. This station will focus on learning how to organize the academic material one has to deal with using organizational techniques such as outlining, note taking, and mind-mapping. As Thai students, our target group barely has an opportunity to ask questions in class, partly because the Thai education system encourages students to be passive. As a result, students are generally not equipped with the tools and confidence to actively seek answers to their questions. This station will focus on teaching the target group how to research and search for answers to their questions using various resources on the Internet. These questions can be as basic as the time in a different country and as complex as learning the process for cooking a delicious Pad Thai.
3.1.1 H OW T O S UMMARIZE ? (1) R ATIONALE People and students in particular are constantly bombarded with information. Given that we have limited storage capacity, one important skill is to be able to identify the important elements and chuck the less important ones. It is believed that a more organized approach to learning will improve learning outcomes and lead to higher academic performance. Maximum student to teacher ratio: 10:1
(2) O BJECTIVE  To teach students effective summary techniques that they can use in their daily life.
(3) M ATERIALS  1 x Goby Fish article (Annex A)
Blackboard and Chalk
(4) A CTIVITIES
Introduction (10 minutes)
Warm-Up (5 minutes) ▫ Why do we summarize? Instructor will go through the following. Script: In this information age, people are constantly bombarded with information. Knowing how to summarize and distil what is important and what is not will increasingly become important. Knowing how to summarize will facilitate learning; enable more efficient studying and better retention of important information. Introduction (5 minutes) Instructor will go through the following; ▫ What is a good summary? ▫ General (do not need too much detail) ▫ Connected (the sentences must flow) ▫ Concise (use as few words as possible)
Activity (25 minutes)
Lecture (10 minutes) What should we include in a summary? Instructor will list the following items on the blackboard with ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘maybe’ column alongside. (S)he will go through each item in turn and ask students if the item should ordinarily be included in a summary ▫ Background information (no) ▫ Long explanations (no) ▫ Opinions (no) ▫ Topic sentence (yes) ▫ Essential information (yes) ▫ Conclusion (yes) ▫ Examples (maybe) ▫ Statistics (maybe)
Student Hands-on Activity (15 minutes) In this activity, students are given the opportunity to practice summarization. Each group will be given a copy of the Goby Fish tale and will be required to summarize the tale. ▫ Wealthy fisherman with two wives. Each wife had a daughter. ▫ Second wife jealous of first wife. ▫ Fisherman caught one goby fish, but first wife released it. ▫ Fisherman killed first wife out of anger and she sunk into the water. ▫ Lord Phra Intra decided first wife would be reborn as goby fish ▫ Second wife found goby fish, caught and ate it. ▫ First wife's daughter Euay buried fish remains and Lord Phra Intra made remains into a Bodhi tree. ▫ King Prohmtat saw tree and wanted it for his royal garden. ▫ He promised reward to person who would move the tree. ▫ No one but Euay could move the tree. King was pleased and crowned Euay as his queen.
Debriefing/Discussion (10 minutes) Instructor invites 1-2 groups to share their summaries with the class to promote discussion and to gauge level of understanding. Constructive feedback will be provided to groups to help them improve. Exact script: In this activity, we have reviewed one important study technique – summarization. Can someone tell me again why is this skill important? What are some things that we would normally expect to see in a summary? What are some things that are not required?
(5) O BSERVATIONS Subject matter was dry and students were easily distracted during the lecture portion of the workshop
Some students had difficulty reading and writing. These students needed additional help to complete the assignment.
(6) S UGGESTIONS
It is recommended that the group begin the lesson with a game. The game will help to get students excited about the lesson and capture their attention for 10-15 minutes during which the lecture would be conducted It would be helpful to have at least 1-2 instructors dedicated to helping weaker students. The weaker students could be separated from the main group and given additional help.
(7) G UIDELINES /R ESOURCES Guidelines for choosing an article to summarize: ▫ Appropriate reading level for target group ▫ Engaging content ▫ Story not too complicated/lengthy
3.1.2 Research & Technology (1) R ATIONALE The Internet has become an important part of teenagers’ lives; Thai teens are no exception. While many use technology for entertainment and communication, it is also crucial to emphasize its role in conducting research and gathering other academic materials. Using the numerous resources that the Internet offers, we hope to teach students how to independently acquire information online. Through a series of engaging and interactive activities, we will level out the steep learning curve that is normally associated with developing better research techniques. Minimum ratio of students to facilitators = 30:1
(2) O BJECTIVE Short Term Students will understand how to utilize basic search engine techniques. Students will familiarize themselves with websites that are useful for research. Students will develop a source of academic integrity with regards to citing online sources.
Long Term Students will be better equipped to obtain information for academic purposes.
(3) M ATERIALS
Fully equipped computer room (internet, projector) Powerpoint presentations Wiki games route (in Thai) 4x4 table for Bingo, each cell containing simple question An empty 4x4 table 4x4 table for Bingo, each cell contains said questions and answers to be given at the end of the class Prizes
(4) A CTIVITIES
Introduction (5 minutes) Script: One of the important skills in education is the ability to effectively use search engines. Even though some of you [the students] are used to the website Google, you may not be aware of its full functions. Also, there are plenty of more useful websites such as Wikipedia, Wolfram alpha, YouTube etc. In addition to helping you succeed academically, research skills can be adapted to other aspects in daily life. Thus, today, I’m going to talk about how to utilize Google to its full potential, as well as other frequently used educational websites.
Activity (30 minutes)
Ice-breaking game (5 minutes); Screaming toes: ▫ Everyone stands in a circle and makes sure that one can see all other people in the group. ▫ The game starts when everyone closes his eyes and looks down at his toes. ▫ The facilitator(s) will count 1-2-3 then everyone looks up and stares at only “one” person in the group. ▫ If two people stare at each other, both of them have to scream and sit down, i.e. out of the game. The objective of the game is to avoid making eye contact. Presentation (15 minutes) ▫ How to generate keywords ▫ Google tips (e.g. quote, not, advance search) ▫ Useful websites (e.g. Wikipedia, YouTube, Wolfram Alpha)
Exercise (10 minutes) Choose one of the following activities or both if there is enough time. 1) Wiki Game ▫ Students are directed to a common starting point on any Wikipedia page (e.g. “The Moon”) ▫ They are then instructed to click on related links on a page until they arrive at a predetermined ending point. (e.g. The Moon Earth Living Organisms Animal kingdom Mammals Horse) ▫ This is to reiterate the importance of identifying appropriate keywords, get them familiar with the interface of Wikipedia and get their creative juices flowing. 2) Searching Bingo Game ▫ Students are given a sheet with a 4 by 4 table, each cell containing one trivial question, for which they must find the answer using online sources. ▫ The first student to answer 4 questions is a row is declared the winner. ▫ This offers the students an interesting avenue to practice their newly-acquired research skills. Example of the Bingo question Where is Big Which is the Buddha Beach? largest flower in the world?
When was Facebook created?
How many silver medals has Thailand won in Olympic boxing? What is the capital of Mongolia?
What is the third tallest building in the world?
Where is the largest carved stone Buddha statue located?
Who is the top scorer in the English Premier League?
What university did Mark Zuckerberg attend? How many albums did Bird Thong Chai release?
What is the value of pi to 7 digits?
Draw the flag of Pakistan.
Which country hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics?
When was Mickey Mouse created?
What is the largest organ in the human body?
Who was the Prime Minister of France in 1965?
* Example of Bingo answers corresponding to questions above
Koh Samui, Thailand
Rafflesia
February 2004
3
Shanghai World Financial Centre
China
Alan Shearer
Ulaanbaatar
Harvard University
3.141592
24
1928
Japan
Skin
Charles de Gaulle
Debriefing/Discussion (10 minutes) There was no discussion because the exercise already emphasized the objective of the activity. The mentor stresses the main point again by the following wrap-up speech. Script: Nowadays, the Internet has become a crucial part of teenagers – Thai teenagers are no exception. Apart from fun and entertainment, the Internet also contains educational media and intellectual information. The usage of technology for information searching is a whole new area of search engines since the Internet is a global, updated, and accurate source. Thus, researching skill is essential for education, sustainable and adaptable for situations in daily life. As you guys have discovered in the Bingo game, the Internet can be a very helpful and easy-to-use tool in doing research when you use the right strategies to search for information. While the questions we asked you in the Bingo game asked for answers in the form of factual information, often in research the answers are not clear and simple. In these cases, it becomes even more important to be able to navigate the numerous information databases online. Most of the time, the answers are out there – you just have to know how to search for it. So persevere and don’t give up!
(5) O BSERVATIONS Students are often distracted by computers (e.g. facebook.com) rather than paying attention to the materials. Some students need a bit more time to type and copy down URL. Students tend to work on the questions in the first row of the Bingo table first. Some questions require review since the answers given did not match facts listed on Thai Wikipedia.
(6) S UGGESTIONS
Those who are patrolling the classroom should keep the students out of other websites mentioned in the class, e.g. Facebook. The PowerPoint presentation should be printed and given out to the students for future reference. If the lesson can be extended, or some portions reduced, teachers could allow the students more time to try out the demonstrated skills and websites on their computers.
(7) G UIDELINES /R ESOURCES Google help page: includes a list of Google techniques (e.g. using quotation marks, the minus sign, AND, OR) Suggested websites: Google (as well as Google Books, News, Images), Wikipedia, Wolfram Alpha, YouTube, Vcharkarn.com, dict.longdo.com.
3.1.3 Time Management (1) R ATIONALE Most students and grown-ups always complain that they do not have enough time. The lack of time management skill is the reason why these people have always struggled with balancing their time. Or simply said, they do not know how to spend time wisely! Time management skills are essential skills for effective learners; therefore, we believe that it is necessary that all students learn how to develop good time management skill so that they can become successful at all level. Benjamin Franklin once said, “Time is money”, and there is some truth to it. Given the budget, one needs to carefully allocate it to necessary things. Time is just like the money; we spend time just like we spend money. In both case, we all need to learn how to prioritize things and spend both time and money wisely to get something good in return. In this activity, students will develop understanding of time management concept, specifically prioritizing, by comparing and contrasting time to money and will understand how to budget their time wisely. Their understanding would be reinforced by “Daily-schedule activity”. Maximum student to teacher ratio: 10:1
(2) O BJECTIVE Students will learn the importance of time management skill: prioritizing Students will be able to distinguish between “Have To”, “Want To” and “Urgent” Students will learn how to budget their time wisely Students will be able to balance their time more effectively
Students learn to plan their days based on the concept that
(3) M ATERIALS
“Assessing your time management skill” for each student
Papers containing pictures and price of many objects that are relevant and irrelevant to the situation assigned to each group. E.g. shirt, skirt, bag, television, medicine/medical service Daily schedule Categorization of daily activities
(4) A CTIVITIES
Introduction (10 minutes) Script: In this lesson, we will be teaching you the concept of time management. Time, like money, is a limited resource. As a result, we always have to carefully plan how we spend it, if we want to achieve the best possible result. To get all of you thinking about this process, we will ask you to categorize certain things according to their level of urgency. Do you need this thing, or do you just want it? Must it be obtained right now, or can it wait? Be careful not to confuse financial management with time management, because we just want you to see the similarities between the two entities.
Activity (25 minutes)
Presentation (10 minutes) Before purchasing anything, we first have to consider whether such object is necessary for achieve your goal. If the answer is yes, such objects are considered to be your “need”; on the contrary, if you can live without such objects, it is considered to be your “want”. In order to spend wisely, need has to be satisfied first. Once all needs are satisfied, want could be achieved. Just like money, to spend time wisely we must finish all have-to activities first. Examples of have-to activities are housework and homework. Then, want-to activities can be done on one’s free time after all have-to activities have been completed. Homework due the next day is considered “urgent” and should be done first before completing all have-to activities.
Time is Money Activity (10 minutes)
The Rajabhat team prepares two different situations, where certain spending is required. The students are split into 2 sections and each section is given a situation. There should be 3 groups (3-5 students in each group) in each section. Then, ask all the groups to choose how they want to spend their allotted 1000 baht in the situation assigned (Things that can be purchase will be provided with the price tag, and their spending must not exceed 1000 B). Each group is given not more than 5 minutes to discuss and choose. Ask each team with the same situation to show what they bought and the reason why they bought certain things and not buying others. Explain clearly the difference between buying necessary objects and buying things that they want during students’ presentation.
Debriefing/Discussion (10 minutes) “Categorization of daily activities” handout is distributed to all students to gauge their understanding of the concept of have-to, want-to and urgent activities. In this handout, students will be asked to classify their daily activities into three categories, which are have-to, want-to, and urgent activities. Then, daily schedule will be introduced to teach students prioritizing skills. Wrap-up speech: “The purpose of these activities is to impart the idea that time, like money, is limited. As a result, it is very helpful to prioritize your commitments. We have suggested the categories of “want to,” “need to,” and “urgent” so that you may better arrange the things you need to accomplish according to their level of urgency. As students who not only have academic commitments but also extracurricular, social and familial responsibilities, we must ration our time prudently in every aspect of our levels.”
(5) O BSERVATIONS
There was a good balance of presentation and activities: the students were sufficiently informed on the topic while being able to have some hands-on experience at the same time.
Students worked together well in groups while participating in the market activity.
The classroom can get slightly noisy and disorganized while the market activity is being carried out.
Some weaker students were unable to fully understand the assessment sheets and took a long time to fill them out.
(6) S UGGESTIONS
•
Have stricter classroom management while conducting the market activity: get students to form neat lines and discuss quietly in groups.
•
Encourage all students to be involved in the group activities instead of having one or two main leaders making all the decisions.
•
Patrol the classroom while students are filling out the assessment sheet so that teachers can identify and assist the slower students.
(7) G UIDELINES /R ESOURCES
http://www.exsel.mtu.edu/UN1000/Activities/Time%20Management%20Activities.p df - assessing your time management skills
3.1.4 Note Taking (1) R ATIONALE Students at target schools usually have to take more than 10 courses. Studying for all these courses require them a lot of energy and time. To deal with all the materials they have more efficiently, the students can utilize the note taking skill, as an aid of learning and memorizing, to reduce a massive amount of complicated materials into digestible multiple pages of materials. Minimum ratio of students to facilitators = 10:1
(2) O BJECTIVE Short Term Students will understand the importance of a note taking skill Students will be able to apply their note taking skills to both their academic and nonacademic assignments Students will utilize note taking as an aid of learning and memorizing
(3) M ATERIALS Paper Hand-outs (see attached) Color pens
(4) A CTIVITIES
Introduction (10 minutes)
Introduction (10 minutes) “Note taking is a method to reduce a massive amount of complicated materials into digestible multiple pages of materials, e.g. diagram. As a result, note taking is one of the most important skills, especially for effective students.”
Activity (40 minutes)
Ice-breaker (5 minutes)
Evolutionary Rock Paper Scissors Game ▫ There are six stages in an evolutionary line: amoeba, jellyfish, rabbit, chicken, monkey, human ▫ Every student starts as an amoeba ▫ Each student has to find another student, who is in the same stage in an evolutionary line. Both of them will do rock paper scissors. The winner will turn into the higher evolutionary stage, while the loser stays the same. ▫ Students who can reach the stage of human will be declared the winners of the game and have to sit down. At the end of the game, there should be one of each stage left Lesson (15 minutes) Question: Why do we take notes? Answers: ▫ to have more concise and digestible materials ▫ to save time and effort when studying and preparing for the exam ▫ Distribute the handout to the students and have some discussion on it. Exercise (10 minutes) 1) Note taking exercise ▫ Have the students watch the 8-minute video clip from www.youtube.com and have them practice their newly acquired note-taking skills. ▫ After that, the students will be given an example of an effective note so that they can compare and contrast with their notes. 2) Matching abbreviations ▫ Students will be asked to match all the abbreviations as shown below with the words.
Abbreviations
Words
ดอกมะลิ
วันแม่
ร.พ.
โรงพยาบาล
ร.ร.
โรงเรียน
อสม.
อาสาสมัครประจำหมู่บ้าน
อบต.
องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบล
รปภ.
รักษาความปลอดภัย
นสพ.
หนังสือพิมพ์
Ex.
ตัวอย่าง
Debriefing/Discussion (10 minutes) Wrap-up speech: “Throughout the activities, we can see that not only does note taking reduce a massive amount of complicated materials into digestible notes of materials, but it also provides the note takers with an understanding of the connection among all the topics. The effective note-takers will be capable of seeing the big picture of the materials.”
(5) O BSERVATIONS Some students did not fully understand the materials since the presentation was rushed when being carried out and lacked examples. Teachers focused too much on their own style of note taking and left no space for the students to think of or create their own styles. The video clip could keep students’ attention.
(6) S UGGESTIONS Teachers should clearly and thoroughly explain the objectives of note taking and provide some examples in order to make the materials more comprehensible.
Teachers should focus on the connection among all the activities and exercises since some students did not understand that utilizing abbreviations is one of the note taking techniques. Teachers should stress the importance of coming up with their own note taking styles and encourage the students to do so during the activities. When picking a video, keep in mind issues about the students’ age and the video’s mode of presentation.
(7) G UIDELINES /R ESOURCES
The video clip employed in the activities is one of the chataka stories (Buddha’s stories) from www.youtube.com.
3.2 Analytical Mind & Critical Thinking Skills This category will emphasize that thinking critically is not a skill just for the classroom. It will teach students to question and analyze everything in their lives, from the things they learn in school to the dramas they watch on TV. The stations under this category are critical thinking skills, lateral thinking & classroom participation, problems & pattern recognition and strategic problem solving. As pointed out before, Thai students are traditionally passive in classes and are rarely tested in terms of innovation and originality. Therefore, we desire to unlock the potential within each student that has been shackled by the Thai education system with this category. This category will focus on critical thinking and encourage our students to think outside of the confines in which they have been limited. Being programed to memorize academic materials, our target group students are hindered from being able to think outside of their classroom. Even though it appears that a lack of critical reading/writing skills might cause this problem, keep in mind that other sources, like media and the oldschooled perception towards education, also contribute to the current situation. The structure of the Thai education system rarely, if ever, forces students to take a creative and indirect approach to solve problems. As a result, Thai students are not adept at using reasoning that is not immediately obvious and involving ideas that may not be obtainable using only traditional step-by-step logic. Also, it is our impression that discussion of ideas in class leads to collaborative learning, which yields a greater performance of students and also ingrains students with self-articulation skills. Therefore, this category will focus on classroom participation, encouraging students to express their ideas and have discussion on those ideas as well as learning to be imaginative when solving problems.
Another skill that is taught in this category is strategic thinking. Many students do not know how to work together as a team to accomplish a common task. The students will have to strategize and collaborate their efforts and ideas to be successful in many of the activities in this category. The goal is that the students will be able to overcome various problems by applying their newly learned critical and analytical thinking skill set.
3.2.1 P ROBLEMS
AND
P ATTERN R ECOGNITION
(1) R ATIONALE Thai students are taught to memorize rather than strategize in almost all assignments and work related to school. They are rarely asked to detect patterns or come up with methods of solving problems themselves. Day 1 activities are designed to allow students the opportunity to discover patterns in seemingly simple games that increase their chances of success. One aim of Category 2 over its entirety is to boost participation and selfconfidence by starting with small groups and gradually increasing the group size. On the first day, the students will be divided into teams of two, with two teams and one facilitator per group (of four). The facilitator does not have to speak Thai, although being able to count up to 18 may be helpful.
(2) O BJECTIVES Teach the students pattern recognition skills Convey the idea of strategy and how it differs from memorization Encourage teamwork Practice problem solving skills
(3) M ATERIALS 18 chopsticks for the NIM game per student group Around 40 chopsticks and a ring (feature board or similar material) for the ring game
(4) A CTIVITIES
Introduction (5 minutes)
Explain “category 2” and state the importance behind the skills we are teaching through various activities: ▫ Problem-solving ability
▫ Thinking outside classroom ▫ Brainstorming ▫ Discussion of ideas and speaking skills Broad overview of objectives and purpose behind today’s games / relevance to critical thinking Remind them: ▫ That there are strategies and patterns behind our games. Identifying patterns and analytical thinking is crucial to the solution in these games. ▫ To not be afraid to discuss with their group members to brainstorm ideas and suggestions about how to succeed in these games. Script: In this series of workshops, you will be participating in activities that develop critical and analytical thinking, including problem-solving, teamwork, brainstorming, thinking creatively, and public speaking skills. Often, these activities come in the form of games. Keep in mind, however, that each game has a purpose; these will be discussed at the end of each session.
Today’s activities will focus on identifying patterns in problems and coming up with appropriate strategies to achieve solutions. You will work together in small groups to accomplish these goals.
Activity (30 minutes)
Birthday Game (10 minutes) ▫ Line up in order of birthday (1 Jan to 31 Dec) without speaking or making noise. 2 people (from each end) will pair up to make a group of four. NIM (10 minutes) ▫ Give instructions of game: 2 teams compete against each other 18 chopsticks (per pair). One player may take away 1-3 sticks in one turn, and takes turns with their partner. The person to pick up the last stick wins. ▫ Let the students play 2-3 rounds of NIM. ▫ The two teams join to form a group of 4 students. Each group play against a “boss” (a PM or RS). Goal is to beat the boss. The “boss” should understand the game properly and know the solution thoroughly.
▫ After 2-3 rounds of winning, the boss gives clues to the students by arranging the 18 chopsticks into 4-4-4-4-2 to facilitate their thinking and maintain their interest. ▫ Solution: the first player can always win by removing 2 sticks on the first turn. After that, just take away the number of sticks remaining from each group of 4 sticks. This ensures that you take the last stick and win. ▫ Don’t need to have figured out solution by end. Ring Game (10 minutes) ▫ Give instructions of game: The 4 students split back into 2 teams of two. ▫ Teams take turns to carefully select which chopstick to take out of bundle united by a ring. The one to remove the chopstick that allows the “ring” to fall and touch the ground loses. ▫ Any person in the team can remove the chopstick, but only one person can touch the structure during one turn. Once a student has touched a chopstick, he/she cannot decide to pick another one. ▫ Remind students to pay attention to the strategies they and other students in their group use. ▫ Objective of the game is to evaluate balance of chopsticks to strategize which chopstick to remove.
Debriefing/Discussion (5 minutes)
Birthday line-up is an exercise on how to accomplish something with restricted resources. How did you solve the problem creatively, communicate non-verbally (hand gestures, pens, cell phones etc)? NIM game has only one solution, but that solution will lead you to win all the time. Some problems are set up in a way that pattern recognition can lead you to 100% success. Comment on the need to strategize and discuss with others on how to recognize patterns and succeed at the game. Ring game has no clear-cut solutions depending on what you focus on (which stick are in big groups, which are in the middle, which hare touching the table?) or at what stage are you in the game (are there lots of sticks or less than 10 left?). You also had to learn to constantly adapt to a changing situation, i.e. when the ring shifts down and the sticks are rearranged. In this game, it is important to realize what your strategies are when the circumstances change, and how to choose your moves in order to maximize success.
(5) O BSERVATIONS
NIM boss does not know the game mathematically and therefore is liable to losing and confusing the students. The students do better when the group leader makes it clear that one can identify the winner when there are 4 chopsticks remaining. Some students who do not observe a pattern tend to lose interest as the game goes on.
(6) S UGGESTIONS NIM boss thoroughly know and play the game before and get used to the strategy. Group leader should make it clear that one can identify the winner when there are 4 chopsticks remaining. Repeatedly encourage the students to share their ideas of what the strategy could be. The “boss” allows the same team to start for 3 consecutive games before allowing the other team to start so that the students can pick up the pattern. After the students have played 2 or 3 rounds against each other, the facilitator can help guide them to figure out the strategy by taking away all but 4 of the sticks. The facilitator can then gradually add more sticks (2-4) each round, separating them into piles of four.
(7) G UIDELINES /R ESOURCES Other mathematics- or non-mathematics-based games that require strategizing, participation, and teamwork.
3.2.2 L ATERAL T HINKING P ARTICIPATION
AND
C LASSROOM
(1) R ATIONALE Students are typically trained to retain and repeat information. This inhibits them from learning how to think creatively. Today’s activities will encourage asking questions and collaborative thinking in groups. Maximum student to teacher ratio: 10:1.
(2) O BJECTIVES In this exercise, students will: Be encouraged to ask questions Build off of each others’ ideas
Engage in discussion
(3) M ATERIALS Pattern recognition puzzles (attached) Visual aids for riddles (attached)
(4) A CTIVITIES
Introduction (3 minutes) Script: The purpose of our activity today is to get each of you to think in a way that you may not be used to. We are going to do a couple of riddles that require thinking “outside the box”. For one of them, the only way that you will arrive at the answer is to ask questions. For these exercises to work, you need to communicate with each other, ask questions, and work together. First, we are going to start by showing you guys a few pattern recognition puzzles. [Split up 30 kids into 3 groups.]
Activity (27 minutes)
Pattern Recognition (5 minutes) The students will be shown the three attached pattern recognition puzzles. They are ordered from least to most difficult. The students will attempt to identify the patterns in the 8 given numbers/symbols to determine the 9th one. After one student has shared the answer, the facilitator will ask everyone in the group what the pattern is. For the first one, there are various ways to arrive at the correct answer. Riddles (22 minutes) The warm-up riddle goes as follows: Q: There is a dead man lying on the grass carrying an unopened bag on his back. How did he get there? A: He jumped out of an airplane with a parachute bag on his back but it failed to open. The main riddle that will be the focus of this exercise is called a lateral thinking puzzle. In these puzzles, a simple statement/premise is given, and there is a very specific, often lengthy, answer. The only way to arrive at the answer is to ask the facilitator questions that must be able to be answered by a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. The goal is to get the students to think creatively and to build off of each other’s questions to come up with the answer (or as close as possible). The facilitator may give hints when appropriate depending on time constraints. The main riddle is as follows: Q: There is a dead, naked man in a clearing in the wilderness holding half of a matchstick. How did he get there?
A: The man was in a hot air balloon with company when they began to drop to the ground. Thinking that there was too much weight in the hot air balloon, the occupants decided to take off their clothes. Since the air balloon continued descending after they had taken their clothes off, the occupants decided to draw sticks to see who had to jump out so they would stop descending. The dead, naked man in the clearing was the one that drew the short stick and so he was forced to jump out. As you can see, there is no feasible way to arrive at the answer without asking questions since it is not an everyday situation that people come across. Hints can be given in both verbal and pictorial forms. If this doesn’t take up the whole time, a similar question may be asked.
Debriefing/Discussion (10 minutes) The debrief will take place in discussion form, with the following questions being asked:
Raise your hand if you think any of your questions inspired other questions. Raise your hand if you came up with an idea after hearing the idea of another group member. Ask 2 kids about their specific situation. What does this teach you about classroom participation? What questions surprised you the most and made you think of ideas that helped to solve the riddle?
The facilitator will try to stress the following points during the discussion: The importance of asking questions The importance of being creative The importance working together as a team
(5) O BSERVATIONS The students may be too timid to ask questions at first. One common mindset that students often have is to first discuss quietly among friends/neighbors in order to report back to the teacher (facilitator) with the correct answer. This is how they have been regularly trained to think and participate in the classroom. To discourage this, keep encouraging them to ask any question that they have, and to share with the whole group when they come up with a thought. When students have something to share, sometimes they will only address the facilitator who will then paraphrase. The facilitator should make sure that they are speaking for themselves and addressing the other students.
(6) S UGGESTIONS
The patterns in the introduction may be too difficult/easy depending on grade level and quality of students. Modifications should be made in accordance with target audience. Dividing into small groups is essential to the success of promoting classroom participation. Although it may make for a fun and rowdy session if the facilitators engaged with the entire class, the activity won’t do anything for the students who are already hesitant about raising their voices in front of the class. The discussion may degenerate into multiple side conversations if there are multiple facilitators present.
(7) G UIDELINES /R ESOURCES Classic Lateral Thinking Exercises: http://wilk4.com/humor/humore14.htm
3.2.3 S URVIVAL D ECISIONS (1) R ATIONALE Thai students are usually taught to memorize rather than think outside the box about complex or unfamiliar problems. This workshop will teach students to think critically and creatively about a unique situation in which they must choose the best 5 options out of a set of 11 based on set of criteria agreed upon by the group. The exercise asks each student to participate in sharing their thoughts with the group. A facilitator is assigned to each group to facilitate discussion. Maximum ratio of facilitator to students: 1 to 10.
(2) O BJECTIVES Encourage critical and creative thinking Encourage group participation Build students’ reasoning and explanation skills Build confidence , public speaking and presentation skills
(3) M ATERIALS 10-15 placards with different occupations written on them
(4) A CTIVITIES
Introduction (5 minutes) Explain the situation and how the activity will be run. Script:
(To the whole group) Hey children! How was your morning? Can anyone tell me which category we are doing now? Do you remember what activities we did yesterday and what we learned from them? Today is day 3 of the category 2 workshops under Analytical and Critical Thinking Skills. We will be working on an activity called Survival Decisions. This activity will allow you to think outside the box about complex or unfamiliar problems. This is the scenario: There is a natural disaster that is about to hit your town and kill everyone in it. There is however, a shelter that can protect people from the harm of this natural phenomenon. However, it can only fit 5 people. And in each group, you will have around 10-12 people. Each one of you will have a random occupation and will have to try and justify why you should be saved and kept in the shelter. Before we start, let’s split up into 3 different groups. [Each group should have 10-12 people.]
Activity (25 minutes)
Survival Decisions Game (10 minutes) ▫ Let the students choose occupations from a shuffled stack ▫ Students must give one advantage and one disadvantage for saving the occupation they picked ▫ Then students must work together to choose the 5 most needed occupations and prepare a presentation to the rest of the class of their decision and reasoning ▫ Facilitator should emphasize group discussion and teamwork, as well as play devil’s advocate to challenge students’ thinking (e.g. Why not choose this other occupation instead?) ▫ Facilitator has to ensure that everyone participates and that every member in the group agrees upon the final decision. Script: You will randomly draw an occupation for example, a monk or fisherman or policeman. Then, you have to think about how important your occupation is for the survival of the island and convince your group that they need you. A facilitator (to a small group): After randomly picking an occupation, each of you will have 2 minutes to come up with a convincing brief talk stating a crucial role your occupation will play on the island, as well as one possible drawback. After that, you will have 45 seconds to talk. Then your group will have 5 minutes to pick 5 people (occupations) who will be saved and brought to the survival island, and also think about how to present it to the whole group at the end. Presentations (10 minutes)
▫ Have 2-3 representatives from each group present their decisions to the rest of the class and explain their rationale behind why they chose their 5 occupations over other ones. Script: (To the whole group) Now that each group has made a final decision on the five occupations that will be saved to the island, let the representatives of each team come up to explain their rationales. * Always give positive comments after each presentation. The important thing is not which occupations that are saved but the reasons for saving them.
Debriefing/Discussion (10 minutes)
Speech that explains the need for critical thinking, especially in uncertain situations. Major points are: It is better to brainstorm and work in a group. There is no fixed answer to which 5 occupations are the best to keep on the island. It is more important that the students justify and give reasons for their choice. Explain the concept of consensus, which involves everyone’s involvement as opposed to majority vote which only takes into account those in the majority with the minority opinion being ignored and oppressed. Script: ▫ How did you reach a consensus within your group to choose the 5 occupations? Were there any disagreements about which occupations to save and how did you reach a decision? ▫ What is the advantage of a consensus compared to a majority vote? ▫ A consensus is an agreement involving everyone after discussion and debate whereas in a majority vote, the minority that does not agree will feel that their opinion is being ignored. ▫ For many problem-solving scenarios like the one faced in this activity, there is no clear and specific solution. ▫ The group decision is more important than an individual decision as you have more minds thinking together. *Try to get the students thinking about group decision-making even if they do not understand the concept of consensus.
(5) O BSERVATIONS The students may be too timid to ask questions at first.
One common mindset that students often have is to first discuss quietly among friends/neighbors in order to report back to the teacher (facilitator) with the correct answer. This is how they have been regularly trained to think and participate in the classroom. To discourage this, keep encouraging them to ask any question that they have, and to share with the whole group when they come up with a thought. When students have something to share, sometimes they will only address the facilitator who will then paraphrase. The facilitator should make sure that they are speaking for themselves and addressing the other students.
(6) S UGGESTIONS Some occupations were too straightforward and useful, requiring less critical thinking (e.g. nurse and scientist vs. singer and fortune teller). If possible, occupations should be similar in level of usefulness. Some occupations can be added with a disadvantage, for example, scientist becomes “physically disabled scientist”. Although the activity stresses critical thinking, many of the reasons given for most of the occupations were simple and given little thought (e.g. farmer is for food is all that is said). Some groups did go above and beyond though, and this should be encouraged by facilitators by asking, for example, “Why farmer for food instead of fisherman?” It may be helpful for the facilitator to sit with the students in a circle in order to ensure that all students can hear and engage with each other.
(7) G UIDELINES /R ESOURCES A similar exercise:
http://www.oncourseworkshop.com/Interdependence011.htm.
3.2.4 Strategic Problem Solving (1) R ATIONALE Students will benefit from learning how to solve a problem by using strategic thinking. The exercise will also force them to work together as a team to accomplish a task. Maximum student to teacher ratio: 15:1
(2) O BJECTIVE Short Term
Engage actively in discussion
Long Term Effectively work together in groups Strategize and apply logic to problem solving
(3) M ATERIALS Two different patterns to copy (attached with this document; make a copy for each group) Blue, black, and red writing utensils for each group Blank sheets of paper for each group
(4) A CTIVITIES
Introduction (5 minutes)
Explanation of materials and rules (5 minutes) In the activity today, the facilitators will place a sheet of paper about 10 feet away from the students. There is a series of blue, black, and red letters on the sheet of paper. The students’ goal is to copy the letters down on their sheets of paper exactly as they appear on that sheet (same color, order, and shape). Below is an explanation of the pattern recognition game the students will play: ▫ The students work as a group and will only have 2 minutes to replicate the series of letters from memory. ▫ Students can only run over and view the sheet one at a time.
Activity (25 minutes)
Pattern Exercise Round 1 (15 minutes) The students will be given 2 minutes to replicate the series of letters on the sheet to the best of their ability. When time is up and the students are forced to finish their activity, facilitators should go around and check how well each group could perform the task (it is likely that none will be able to replicate the sheet perfectly). After checking the students’ results, facilitators should explain to them that it is difficult to accomplish the objective without having a strategy. If each person memorizes the complete image on an individual basis, nobody will ever be able to remember all the letters in the series. The task can only be completed if people work together and designate people to remember specific rows.
Show the students the next series of letters for 1-2 seconds. Suggest that they come up with a strategy for the next round so that they can complete the task given to them. Give the students 5 minutes to discuss a plan with their group.
Pattern Exercise Round 2 (10 minutes) Give the students 2 minutes to replicate the series of letters the facilitator has just shown them. After time is called, facilitators should check how well the students completed the task. If none of the groups are able to replicate the series of letters correctly and time permits, allow them to try replicating the series again either with the same series or a new series of letters.
Debriefing (10 minutes) The debrief will take place in form of discussion. The following questions being asked:
Were you able to complete the first image correctly? If so, did you use any strategy? Was the second round easier than the first? ▫ What helped you to complete the second one when you didn’t get the first one (assuming that is the case)? ▫ What strategies did you use in the second round? Were they effective? What improvements could you have made to those strategies now that you have tried them? The facilitator will lead the discussion in an attempt to stress the following points: ▫ Working as a team helps the students to accomplish a task that you may not be able to do individually ▫ Good communication amongst team members is crucial to success Developing an appropriate strategy for the task at hand will allow the students to complete that task more efficiently and effectively
(5) O BSERVATIONS Encouraging students to come up with strategies that will make the task easier for them to complete Some groups of students are able to think critically more quickly than others. The difficulty in the series of numbers presented to the students might be necessary depending on the ability of the students
(6) S UGGESTIONS Efficiency/time management can also be stressed since the activity is done under a strict time constraint
A facilitator should accompany each group to limit cheating and encourage students to work in a focused manner
(7) G UIDELINES /R ESOURCES This activity was created and carried out by the Rajabhat students The internet has a wide selection of similar patterns if you want different ones than those attached
3.3 Inspire & Empower This category will address some of the motivational obstacles that may occur as well as the reasons to learn. It covers the stations of self-motivation, stress management and setting big goals. It is our belief that many of the target students are not fully supported by their families in their academic endeavors and that this lack of motivation is the central issue behind many of their academic struggles. In this category, the students will have the opportunity to discover their passions and be motivated to reach their goals. The students will also learn how to deal with the obstacles they may face in attaining their goals, such as the various stresses both at home and at school. It is our hope that students will be inspired and try to aim for the stars. The first station will address issues with stress and stress management. Stress seems to be a common thing that one has to experience in life. It is not bad to stress, but it is bad to be unaware of one’s own stress and how to manage it. Most target students we are dealing with have family problems, which sometimes lead to their own behavioral problems. This station will focus on stress management, including nature of stress, its cause, and how to prevent and reduce it. Secondly, we will give insight on how to be self-motivated in pursuit of their passions. Motivation or inspiration is clearly one of the important factors that lead one to success. Most target groups we are dealing with lack this kind of motivation. Some of them do not even care about their future. This station will focus on the importance of self-motivation; the students will hopefully leave with a set of tools to combat the selfdoubt that will hinder them from attaining their aspirations We will have discussion and some activities on passion and how to come up with it. Also, we will discuss how to selfmotivate and keep up one’s passions. Lastly, in addition to knowing how to self-motivate, setting goals is another factor that can accelerate one’s personal development. This station will focus on the significance of having goals, including life goals, academic goals, and career goals. We will also encourage our students to set their goals and instruct them how to scale hopes and dreams into tangible goals. We will teach them strategies that will hopefully lead them to that goal.
3.3.1 Self-Motivation
(1) R ATIONALE The objective of this workshop is to inspire students to have the self-confidence to believe in themselves when achieving a new goal. Students must genuinely believe they have the capacity to achieve their goals before they can become empowered to take action. They must understand that they must stay motivated and passionate about achieving a goal despite the fact that they will face obstacles, setbacks, and other challenges that stand in their way. Students should be equipped with a set of tools to combat self-doubt or apathy and will be encouraged to face their fears. We hope to boost their confidence, guide them in taking their first step in achieving their goals, and to help them realize their potential. Ultimately, we want students to leave the workshop knowing that achieving goals is a long process that it takes many steps and requires a sense of self-assurance.
Maximum ratio of students to facilitators = 15:1
(2) O BJECTIVE Students will learn techniques of self-motivation. Students will identify their own goals (short-term and long-term) Students will realize that self-motivation is not about other people’s encouragement, but encouraging themselves Students will be able to motivate themselves to achieve their goals. Students will be able to have the self-confidence to step outside their comfort zone. Students will be able to realize their potential. Students will gain the self-confidence to work toward achieving their desired goal.
(3) M ATERIALS Spoons (1 per student) Ping pong balls (1 per team)
(4) A CTIVITIES
Introduction (5 minutes)
Warm Up Spoon Game/Introduction to Activities
▫ Students will form teams of equal size and perform a relay race towards one of the volunteers, with the condition that each student must hold a spoon in their mouth and balance a ping pong on it. The team that finishes first will sit down. During the game, they will be instructed to cheer for their own teams as loud as they can. ▫ After the game is finished, the volunteers will explain to them that it is always easy to cheer and receive encouragement from other people, and that it is easy to complete a goal if they are competing with someone else. However, one of the most difficult tasks is to cheer for themselves as they try to reach a goal. ▫ Script: Great job on cheering for your team everyone! How did the game feel? How did it feel for you to cheer for your team members? I want you to remember that moment as you were cheering for your friends – how excited you were and how much you wanted your friend and your team to succeed. Do you have that moment with you right now? Now I want you to imagine yourself alone in a room, with a huge stack of books in front of you. You will have to read these books for an exam in a few days. How do you feel? Do you think you would have the same feeling of excitement and motivation? Okay, now you can open your eyes. In many situations, it is easier to cheer for other people, but much, much more difficult to cheer for yourself. However, there are many difficulties in life that you will have to face alone, when you can depend only on yourself for support. That’s where self-motivation comes in. The way you cheered for your teammates is the way you should cheer for yourself to motivate yourself!
Activity (20 minutes)
Presentation (10 minutes) ▫ Since we cannot talk about motivation without talking about goals. There will be a brief introduction to goals: big and small goals, one’s own goals versus goals that others have for them, and ownership of goals. Make them remember the 4M’s techniques to keep themselves motivated: (Determination, Commitment, Perseverance, Optimism). Use an example story of a successful person who has motivated themselves to achieve their goals and tie it back to the 4M’s so as to show how it can be successfully applied. Bridge Game (10 minutes) ▫ Although the skit we presented was definitely very funny, stress is generally not a very agreeable experience and can often lead to many problems. Today we want to talk about six steps that will help manage and overcome stress!
Debrief/Discussion (15 minutes) Script: The rationale behind this game is for the students to understand that they must face difficulties and make sacrifices in the process of achieving goals. Additionally, students should think about how far away a goal may seem at first. Yet, with each tiny step or object that they use of their own, they can find themselves closer and closer to the target. Great job with building bridges! What did you learn about working together as a team in order to reach your goal? Did you have to make sacrifices? Ask students to identify one thing they are proud of in three categories: social, personal, and academic. Ask students to identify what motivates and inspires them.
(5) O BSERVATIONS Many of the students didn’t want to cheer for their teams because they were shy; it was important to have the volunteers (project members) cheer for the kids as loud as possible. The bridge game was very popular with the students, but they often did not reflect on how the objective of the game related to their own lives. This may also depend on the debrief. Writing activities were often most effective when done in classroom – the first time this workshop was run, the kids sat outside and were unable to answer the questions we posed to them because they were too broad (i.e. what is your goal?). In many instances, the students were simply uncomfortable sharing their sentiments with the group and resorted to not talking. Many of the students do not have the patience to write for a long periods of time – the discussion activity left the students room to talk to one another and to get off topic. Many of the students were also at a loss for what to write and often cited academic goals instead of personal or social goals for their future.
(6) S UGGESTIONS It would probably be more effective if students were able to choose their own teams and to play as two teams instead of four. Because students are more likely to cheer for their team if they like all the people they are in teams with, the students will have much more enthusiasm while participating in the activity. Give the students very specific questions to answer. The students often view the volunteers as authority figures and are not open to communicating non-academic goals. When put into groups with each other, they are also less likely to come up with their
own goals – they are more likely to repeat their friend’s goals because they are unable to think of any goals that are not academic. It might be helpful to give the students the rationale for the games before they begin playing. If the students are given the rationale before they begin playing, they may have more time to think about how the game is relevant in performing bigger goals. Note that a more detailed debrief is also necessary after the students are finished playing the game. In discussions about goals and the importance of self-motivation in taking steps toward a goal, it is helpful for volunteers to give their own stories. The students feel as if the sharing experience is more personal. It is also encouraging for them to know that everyone faces adversity and that it can be overcome. Finally, it is important to note that students are generally very timid and may have not considered these questions before. Volunteers should be attentive and try their best to illicit any responses they can and value whatever they say.
3.3.2 Stress Management (1) R ATIONALE Although middle school students may not necessarily face the same anxieties that college students do, there’s no denying that stress happens. Whenever (or ‘if’) the happy-go-lucky days of carefree childhood end and stress does rear its ugly, soon-to-be familiar head, we want students to be able to identify the situations that cause stress, and more importantly, understand how to deal with them. We will discuss ways of thinking about and dealing with stress and present sample stress situations for students to analyze, discuss, and present possible solutions. We believe that it while it is important for students to analyze stress situations in their own lives, it is easier for students to first discuss a simulated problem before they think of their own. Finally, we want to impart the idea that stress is oftentimes avoidable, and ultimately, surmountable. Because this workshop is discussion-based, it is important to have a ratio of at least one mentor/teacher to six students. Students will be evaluated on their level of participation in the activity, their level of engagement in discussion and their responses to the prompts in the Problems and Solutions activity. Maximum ratio of students to facilitators = 15:1
(2) O BJECTIVE Students will learn ways to handle stress, including ways of thinking about stress or taking active steps to resolve a problem.
Students will be able to independently discuss and present solutions to hypothetical stress situations. Students will be able to employ their knowledge in dealing with stress in their own lives.
(3) M ATERIALS Markers Giant poster paper Paper Prepared situations (attached) Skit script (attached)
(4) A CTIVITIES
Introduction (20 minutes)
Skit (Introduction to Stress) ▫ Mentors perform a five-minute skit that humorously depicts different situations that can cause stress in someone’s life and how they can be alleviated or exacerbated. The objective is to introduce the subject in an engaging way and for students to begin thinking of situations that cause stress, especially in their own lives. ▫ The skit will be followed by a short presentation and discussion, where students will be asked to identify the different causes of stress in the skit. Some questions include: ▫ Would you want to be Mr. Nerd or Ms. Chill, or neither? Why? ▫ What are some things that make Mr. Nerd and Ms. Chill stressed out? ▫ What do you think that these characters should do to not be stressed out? Presentation on Stress ▫ Starting right after the skit, mentors will lead a discussion on how to resolve stress issues. We will introduce a list of tips and ways to think about stress. ▫ Script: (Please note that this script notes the important point. It is important and strongly recommended that these steps are supplemented by examples from people’s own lives or through the ones provided by the skit. The quality of the students’
understanding of the next activity will depend on the clarity and effectiveness of the speech, so don’t go over it too quickly. However, make sure you keep within the time limit!) Although the skit we presented was definitely very funny, stress is generally not a very agreeable experience and can often lead to many problems. Today we want to talk about six steps that will help manage and overcome stress! 1) Recognizing and acknowledging your stress. ! The first thing you have to do is acknowledge that you are stressed or that you are facing a problem. It’s important to acknowledge your problems and your stress – otherwise they might get worse. 2) Think about the gravity of your problem/issue. ! We often exaggerate our problems when there may not actually be that many consequences. It’s good to ask yourself: ! Is this issue really as bad as I think it is? ! In a month, will this event even cross my mind? ! If I fail this test, will it ruin my life? 3) Break down your problem into less daunting ones. Sometimes students might simply think that there are far too many problems in their life and that it’s generally complicated as a whole. An important step to take is to identify which specific problems are the stressful ones and to set a number of actions to take to overcome them. Students should ask themselves: ! What can I control or not control? ! What actions can I take to fix this specific problem? What can I do today, or in the next week? 4) Don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice ! Your friends might be going through the same things – sometimes they can give you advice or help. Parents can be a constant source of support in addition to teachers. 5) Take care of yourself! ! Sleep and eat properly – there is also a physical dimension to stress. Constantly being tired all the time can lead to other stressors – bad moods, arguments, and lower productivity. 6) Mentality! Believe in yourself and think that you can do it! ! If you tell yourself that you can’t do it, then you might eventually believe that you won’t be able to. It’s important to keep motivating and supporting yourself in your endeavors.
Activity (20 minutes)
Problems and Solutions ▫ Mentors will present three prepared stressful situations that address different aspects of stress, including school, personal life, and friends. Students will be divided into small groups no larger than six and be given ten minutes to discuss how they would resolve the situation. One note-taker should be designated and only one person should present at the end. ▫ To guide their discussion, students must answer a list of four questions: ▫
Why do you think this situation would cause someone stress?
▫
In this situation, what can this person control and not control?
▫
What are some steps that s/he could take to resolve the situation?
▫
What actions would make the situation worse?
Finally, teams will do a short presentation on what they have discussed
Debrief/Discussion (15 minutes) After the activity, mentors should wrap up points discussed during the presentation and the activity. Finally, mentors should ask students to apply the same reasoning process for the stress situations in their own lives. End by asking students to repeat the 4Ms that were introduced in the first workshop. Script: In this activity, we discussed the causes of stress and ways to overcome the issue. Can someone tell me what are some of the strategies we discussed to combat stress? When we were discussing the made up situations, you came up with solid resolutions. Now I want you to take a moment to think about the stressful situations in your life. Could you apply the same approach to your own situations? Stress happens to everyone and it can be due to any problem, big or small. The most important thing for us is to recognize how we can approach each problem and to ultimately realize that we can overcome them. Finally, just to recap what you learned yesterday very quickly, can anyone tell me what the 4 M’s are?
(5) O BSERVATIONS Students were really engaged with the skit and were very responsive to discussing it. Responses to the Problems and Solutions activity tended to be deep and critical; however, the quality of their answers depended also on the quality of the presentation. Time management, keeping students attentive, and assessing final answers of the students were issues.
(6) S UGGESTIONS
Mentors should emphasize engaging students in discussing the skit and clearly explain the six steps, especially with examples. When the presentation was well explained, the students’ responses in the activities tended to be more critical. Additionally, mentors should leave enough time for a debriefing/wrap-up in order for students to think about how to solve stress situations in their own lives. Finally, mentors should consider the age of the students before deciding to conduct this workshop. We do not believe that it is appropriate for students below Grade 10, as the scenarios would not be extremely relevant to their lives.
3.3.3 Big Goals + We Can Do It! (1) R ATIONALE In addition to knowing how to self-motivate, setting goals is another factor that can accelerate one’s personal development. This station will focus on the significance of having goals, including life goals, academic goals, and career goals. We will also encourage our students to set their goals and instruct them how to link their hopes and dreams to tangible goals. We will advise them strategies that will lead them to that goal. Suggestions: 1. What goals would you achieve in a week, month, year, ten years 2. Life goals 3. How to link hopes and dreams to tangible goals. Maximum ratio of students to facilitators = 15:1
(2) O BJECTIVE Target students will learn the effectiveness of breaking up a “big goal” into smaller steps, or smaller goals Students will also learn to dream bigger and have big goal; when broken down into different steps, they are easily accessible Students will create a physical representation of their goals, so as to create a physical reminder of their hopes for themselves Students will also receive their goals in the mail, so as to extend the sustainability of the workshop even though the activities end after some time (see Activity 2 for more details)
(3) M ATERIALS Envelops – 1 per student A4 Blank or Lined Paper – 1 per student Colored pencils Felt-tip pens Books (used in human chain game) Chairs (human chain game) Speakers Laptop
(4) A CTIVITIES
Introduction (5 minutes)
Explanation ▫ The activity facilitator introduces the workshop to the target students. The introduction includes a brief description of goals, “big” goals, and a linkage of the human chain game (which follows the introduction) to the concept of “big” goals being divided into smaller goals. ▫ Script: Hi! Today we are going to talk about goals. Setting goals in your lives is very important. It will keep you focused and do not live just to pass the day. With the goal in mind, eventually you will succeed. You should aim for a big goal in your life. Never think that you will have no chances to achieve the goal. The goal is there for you to reach and it all depends on you, yourself. Let’s play a game named “Human Chain Game.” Every team forms a chain, which satisfies all the conditions we give to you. Whoever finishes first wins.
Activity (35 minutes)
Human Chain Game (15 minutes) ▫ The first activity is the “Human Chain Game.” The game is as follows:
Determine a specific distance in your classroom that can be spanned by a human chain (two opposing walls, the distance between two chairs, etc). Divide your class into groups. The group size will depend on how long the distance being spanned is. Each group must build a human chain from one end of the space to the other, meeting a set of necessary conditions mentioned below. All body parts mentioned must be used as directed. The teams will race to build their chains. A team wins when they are first to complete the chain. Hypothetical conditions for the human chain: 1) Use 2 chairs 2) Only 25 feet can touch the ground 3) 4 legs must be bent forward 4) 5 pairs of hands must be ahead 5) 2 pairs must be behind 6) The first person must be in a skirt/the last person must be wearing pants 7) The fourth person must have glasses 8) Every 6th person must be in a skirt 9) 5 students have to balance a book on their head Changes to the list of conditions can be made to include (and not limited to) those with long hair, hair bows, braces, pens, and certain types of shoes or uniform. The debrief of this activity will take place in discussion form and the following questions will be addressed: • How did you take a big goal and make it into smaller goals? What were those smaller/individual goals? (finishing the chain first, balancing the books on their heads, etc.). • What were the difficulties faced (deciding who needs to stand where, balancing the book, stepping out of comfort zone by touching hands)? • Any other comments or thoughts? The facilitator will stress that it is important to break tasks up into a series of smaller tasks. A goal that cannot be obtainable on its own can sometimes be accomplished if it is taken step by step. Write a Letter to Yourself (20 minutes) ▫ Ask the students the following prompt questions: 1. What are goals? a. They are divided into daily goals, weekly goals, monthly goals and so on and so forth. b. Goals don’t have to be academic – they can be about your body, mind, activities, relationships, and money…anything! c. Examples of non – academic goals: running a marathon, losing weight, and traveling the world, etc. Do not spend time waiting for answers unless students seem enthusiastic to answer these questions separately. After mentioning these prompts, ask students to close their eyes and take a deep breath. Assuring their eyes are closed, say the following:
“Everyone close your eyes.. picture yourself accomplishing the goal. What will you be doing in ten years to achieve the goal?” (Allow some time before saying the next prompt.) “Picture yourself in five years.... what do you want to accomplish?” “Now finally picture yourself in a year. What do you want to have accomplished by then? What about next 6 months? Next month? Next week? Tomorrow?” “Now write a letter to yourself with all these images and aspirations.” Ideas (to be written or drawn on a board/poster): 1. Your goal: life goal 2. Steps which help one achieve the life goal. (Draw a staircase leading up to a “goal” or golden cup.) 3. Reasons for wanting to attain these goals. (Example: motivation) 4. Obstacles you will face 5. Remember small goals lead to big goals. 6. The follow words (but not limited to): “big goals,” “little goals,” “motivation,” “happiness.” Play the song Sattha by Hin Lek Fai on the laptop, using the speakers, while the students are writing the letter. Activity facilitators should walk around, constantly checking that students are thinking carefully and working. The students should be informed that they should write their address on the envelopes, but not to seal the envelopes after they are done. Activity facilitators should collect the letters and send them to the students within a time frame after the workshop (to be decided by the project team, but options include sending the letters in the next month, 6 months, year). However, the envelopes should also include a personal message from the project members. Important: we do not want the students’ privacy invaded when replying to the letters- the replies in the envelops must be phrases such as “Good Luck!” “Dream Big” or “You are a beautiful person.” Do not use this as a means to read into the students’ lives and privacy, as that is unethical. Ask students to mark their envelops with a little X on the top right corner if they explicitly do not want their letters to be read.
(5) O BSERVATIONS We realized that giving the students ample amounts of time for the “letter to yourself” activity allowed them to really think and produce good, thoughtful work. One needs to remember that this is not homework to be submitted, it is meant in the favor of the target students. We also noticed that when questions are posed to the target students, the students tended to answer as it was an exam, or something a teacher expected a “correct” answer
for. When doing the letter activity, we posed thought-prompts rather than questions, which definitely produced a more positive response from the students, who then progressed to really put their focus and effort into the letters with drawings, colors, different fonts and ideas.
(6) S UGGESTIONS When describing the Human Chain Game to the students, be sure to demonstrate certain positions to prevent confusion and wastage of time. However, if the students find different methods to fulfill a certain condition, gauge whether a demonstration is necessary as it may hamper their creative thinking. Again, to emphasize an earlier point: it is extremely important that the project members do not invade the target students’ privacy by reading their letters. The letters are meant to serve the purpose of thinking of goals and dreams that the students have never been asked to think of in their lives.
3.3.4 Facing Obstacles and Taking Baby Steps (1) R ATIONALE Self-motivation is a very important quality students must adopt in order to push themselves to their full potential. This workshop will focus specifically on the importance of stepping out of one’s comfort zone in the pursuit of big goals. It will also touch on the arduous process students go through to achieve their goals. Our aim is to teach students that they will encounter self-doubt, fear, and other cumbersome obstacles when faced with achieving a big goal, but that there are ways to surpass these challenges. It will also get students thinking about the steps they need to take to get to their desired goals despite the obstacles they may face. Maximum ratio of students to facilitators = 15:1
(2) O BJECTIVE Students will learn that stepping out of their comfort zone is sometimes necessary to achieve goals. Students will learn that achieving goals is not something that is always easy. Students will learn that it is easier to achieve many small goals in order to lead up to a broader, overarching goal.
(3) M ATERIALS String Candy
(4) A CTIVITIES
Introduction (5 minutes)
Hello! Do you remember what we learned during yesterday’s activity? And does anyone know what category we are focusing on in this workshop? Script: For Day 4 of Category 3, we will be carrying out a workshop called Facing Obstacles and Taking Baby Steps. The first game is called Mrs. Fox; in this game you will have to step out of your comfort zone and motivate yourself to participate and communicate with one another. To play this game, we need one volunteer to be “Mrs. Fox” – who wants to volunteer? As Mrs. Fox, you will stand on one end of the classroom and give out instructions to your classmates with your back turned against them. The rest of you can form a line at the other end of class. Now, the students in the line, you need to shout out to Mrs. Fox and ask her “What time is it, Mrs. Fox?” You have to shout loud and clear enough so that she can hear you. Mrs. Fox will then have to reply with the time, saying for example, “It’s five o’clock”. The rest of you will have to take that number of steps towards Mrs. Fox. You can take either big or small steps and you do not need to walk as a group but can take an individual route. Those who arrive at Mrs. Fox will be rewarded with candy.
Activity (20 minutes)
Mrs. Fox (10 minutes) ▫ One volunteer is chosen to be ‘Mrs. Fox’ and is put on one end of the room. The students are told to stand at the other end of the room. They are told to shout out ‘What time is it, Mrs. Fox?’ while they are at the end of the line. The person who is ‘Mrs. Fox’ replies with a time (i.e. 6 o’clock), and the students have to take steps towards ‘Mrs. Fox’ according to the time ‘Mrs. Fox’ has called out. The students can choose to take big steps or small steps to get to their target. Students who reach ‘Mrs. Fox’ are given candy in order to motivate them to reach their goal. ▫ (When first person arrives at Mrs. Fox) Well done! Now all of you have to work towards getting to Mrs. Fox too! (When all students have arrived at Mrs. Fox) Well done!
▫ The rationale of this game is to get students to understand that stepping out of their comfort zone is unnerving and may cause some anxiety. It is also a mechanism to teach students that they make individual, conscious choices to take either big or small steps towards their goal.
Three-Legged Race (10 minutes) ▫ Script: Now we will play a game called three-legged race. As you can guess, it is a race where you will pair up with someone else and walk by using only three legs. First, pick yourself a partner – someone whom you do not talk with often. Then, use the string to tie your right leg to your partner’s left leg so that you have three legs. In this game, you have to communicate and collaborate with your partner and figure out a strategy that will allow you to walk faster and reach the finish line fastest. Alright – ready, set, go!” ▫ The students are split into teams of equal number. Each team member picks a partner and they tie two of their adjacent legs together, creating a situation in which they must rely on each other movement and the use of their ‘third leg’. The pair will race to a designated finish line and back to their team. ▫ The rationale of this game is to teach the students that they need to trust others and to strategize accordingly to get to their desired endpoint. Because the students are likely to run into collaborative goals in the future, the three-legged race is a good game to demonstrate how students should conduct themselves in those kinds of situations in which collaborative thinking and strategy are crucial.
Debrief/Discussion (15 minutes) Script: Now, we will have a discussion question that we want you to think about. The first question is: “What is something that you’ve done that you are proud of?” (Allow some time for students to think about it). Now for the second question, “what is a personal quality that you are proud of?” (Allow time to think). Now, we would like you to express your thoughts and feelings down on your notebook. So what did you learn from today’s activities? What do you think the point was of the Mrs. Fox game? Did you take small steps, big steps or a combination of both? Did you make individual decision as you were walking or did you walk together in a line? You will probably notice that all of you reached the goal of arriving at Mrs. Fox, some with small steps and some with big steps. You will also have noticed that you needed to listen well to what Mrs. Fox said. As for the Mrs. Fox, you dictated the pace of the game and had the responsibility to direct everyone else. How do you feel making the decision for the entire group? In the three-legged race, what strategy did you use with your partner to walk fastest? Were you able to work together as a team rather than individuals? Did you notice that collaboration was more important than simply trying to reach the finish line fastest? Does anyone want to share what they have written down for the discussion
questions? I hope the activities have pushed you to move out of your comfort zone and participate in them. In many daily life situations, we need to challenge ourselves and step out of our comfort space. This needs self-motivation and self-confidence. All of you clearly have the abilities to do well in such situations as we saw in the activities today and are capable of challenging yourselves to achieve your goals. All that is needed is a bit of self-motivation.
(5) O BSERVATIONS ‘Mrs. Fox’ was very enjoyable and had the students think about what it meant to take either large or small steps toward their goals. The first workshop was especially hectic because the workshop had been planned very late the evening before. In School 2, the students really enjoyed Mrs. Fox as a game, but did not understand the rationale of the game and were not able to grasp the concept behind
(6) S UGGESTIONS Mrs. Fox should be made more challenging as the children do not understand the objective or rationale of the game because the stakes are not high enough. Recommendations to have Mrs. Fox replaced by a physical flag and to have multiple foxes were made in order to make the game more challenging. The original plan to have the three –legged race was not carried out because we did not have string. In place of the original plan to have the three-legged race was a game that mirrored that “Shells and Pearls” game. The boys in the group were labeled as ’10 baht’ and the girls in the group were labeled as ‘1 baht’. The students were told to form groups according to when the teacher in charge calls out certain numbers (For example, when the number ‘59’ is called out, 5 boys and 9 girls will join together in a group). The objective of the game is to eliminate students from the game as the numbers become more and more difficult to form. The goal of the game is to have students understand that creating smaller numbers is easier than creating larger numbers. The numbers should represent goals – smaller goals are easier to achieve than bigger goals. Three-legged race was not a good idea because of safety issues involved with the execution of the game – a pair of students fell down and students were using their shoelaces as string. The danger in this activity is that students may not be able to grasp the activity or carry it out safely.
3.3.5 Staying Motivated and Setting Big Goals (1) R ATIONALE Students have already learned the importance of staying self-motivated and of identifying goals for the future. However, it is important that students retain a sense of self-confidence and are able to trust themselves to persevere. This workshop aims to reinforce to students that they need to trust themselves and to anticipate the obstacles and fears involved in achieving goals. Maximum ratio of students to facilitators = 15:1
(2) O BJECTIVE Short Term Students will be reminded that they must trust themselves to be able to participate in big goals Students will be able to visualize the obstacles and fears that are associated with goal setting Students will understand that each goal must be based on a solid foundation of work, effort and perseverance.
(3) M ATERIALS Small plastic ball Straws Butcher paper String Blindfolds Colored pencils Markers Index cards Multiple rolls of tape
(4) A CTIVITIES
Introduction (2-3 minutes)
Students are given colored pencils or markers and an index card. They are asked to write one of their goals on the card and to fold it up. The volunteer running the workshop collects them and saves them to read later. Script: Come in, sit down, and close your eyes. Think about your biggest goal. (Pause for a few moments) Now open your eyes. Please write your biggest goal on the index cards we’ve given you. Don’t forget to fold up you’re your card after you’re finished. I’ll take them from you and you can have them back later. Achieving goals requires determination, perseverance, and the ability to trust yourself to take action. When you are in the process of achieving any goal, you are bound to encounter physical, emotional, or social obstacles and personal fears that will hinder your progress. Do not forget to trust yourself to move forward in achieving your goal – it is a key element in determining your success.
Activity (20 minutes)
Goal Mountain (5 minutes) ▫ The class is separated into several groups. Volunteers draw a mountain on the butcher paper that is separated into three parts; the top of the mountain is set aside as a space for students to write down their goals, the midsection of the mountain is reserved for obstacles students want to share, and the base of the house is reserved for students to express their fears. ▫ The rationale of this activity is to have students share their goals with the class, and to have a visual understanding that they must overcome fears before they are able face obstacles, and to face obstacles before they can achieve their goal. ▫ The volunteer in charge reminds the students that they should persevere despite the many fears and obstacles they might encounter in the process of achieving their goals. ▫ Script: Don’t give up even though there are many fears and obstacles that you will need to surpass on the way to achieving your goals. You must trust yourself to take the necessary steps needed to get where you want to be. You need to trust yourself to face your fears and conquer the obstacles in your way before you can finally reach your goal. Obstacle Course (10 minutes) ▫ Script: The rationale of this game is to go through the obstacle course blind-folded, relying on only the instructions from one of your classmates. You should be able
to trust yourself and your classmates to go through the obstacle course and to get to the finish line. ▫ The class is divided into two. Volunteers construct an obstacle course using string and/or desks and chairs. This could be done by using one long length of string and tying it in various places to create a zig-zag formation. Chairs or desks can be added to the obstacle course according to how difficult volunteers want the obstacle course to be. One half of the class begins their journey through the obstacle course; the group is told to form two lines – everyone in the line except for the person on the end of the line is blindfolded. The person at the end of the line must give the people in front instructions on how to go through the obstacle course. The process is repeated for the other half of the class after this group completes the obstacle course. ▫ The students are told to reflect on how they must trust themselves and be confident in their own abilities to cross the obstacle course successfully. ▫ Script: See how you were eventually able to cross the obstacle course? You have the ability and the courage to overcome obstacles. Trust yourselves to be able to have the strength to deal with adversity while you try to reach your goals. Believing in yourself is very important in guiding you to achieving whatever you want to achieve. Straw Game (5 minutes) ▫ The class was separated into several groups with an equal number of people in them. Each group is given 7 straws and a roll of tape. Each group is given 5 minutes to create a structure that can both hold the weight and balance the weight of a small plastic ball. Each group must present their structure to the rest of the class after the 5 minutes they are given are completed.
▫ The rationale of this game is to show students that they must build a solid foundation of self confidence to overcome their fears and obstacles before they can go on to achieve more elaborate goals.
Debrief/Discussion (10 minutes) Goals were randomly chosen from the folded up goals the students submitted in the beginning of the class. Students were asked to share their goals. Students were also asked to share what they learned that day in the workshops. Script: The process of achieving goals takes lots of little steps. You are the master of your own destiny – you control how big the steps you take are and how far you will go in achieving your goals. The first step you take in reaching your goals is to conquer your fears. It’s like the obstacle game where your sight taken away by the blindfold. You have to conquer the fear of not knowing where you are going before you can begin to face
obstacles. The second step you must take to achieve your goals is to face the obstacles in your path – you must maneuver yourselves as efficiently as possible and make a genuine effort to reach the end of the obstacle course. The same concept applies with goals you have for yourself outside of the game. After you have taken these two steps, you can finally take the leap and achieve your goals. You saw this in the ‘Straw Game’, where you had to build a strong foundation to achieve the goal of balancing the ball on your structures. To build a strong foundation for yourself, you need to believe that you have the ability and strength to achieve your goals. Go forward with self-confidence – bravely conquer your fears, power through the obstacles in your way, and reach for the goals that sit on top of these hindrances.
(5) O BSERVATIONS The students should have the right mindset to reflect about how they can find inspiration within themselves to be self-confident enough to reach their goals. This is why students should close their eyes and reflect about what their goals are and why they want to reach them before beginning the activity When there is no incentive for the students to achieve the goal of balancing the ball on their straw structures, they are unfocused. Students are often bored when they are not participating in the obstacle course and do not listen to the teacher because they lose interest in the activity altogether.
(6) S UGGESTIONS The students were not originally told to come in and close their eyes and reflect about their goals. When they were not asked to quietly reflect, they did not take the activity seriously and did not have a focused mindset throughout the workshop. It would be helpful to sit the students down and reflect to create a calmer classroom environment. The ‘Goal Mountain’ was originally not planned to occur in the first half of the workshop. However, by moving the ‘Goal Mountain’ towards the first half of the workshop, students can better reflect on how they should go about achieving their goals. Give the students blindfolds only when it is their turn to go through the obstacle course. When they are given the blindfold before it is their turn, they tend to play with the blindfolds and are too distracted to focus. When the students do not have the incentive to achieve the goal of balancing the ball on their straw structure, they do not take the game seriously. When there are only twenty seconds left of the five minutes they are given, begin to count down. When their time limit is up, have all the students stop and watch the volunteer in charge balance the ball
on each group’s straw structure. This motivates the students to focus on their task and maintains a calmer classroom atmosphere.  The university students did not prepare scripted wrap up speeches for their activities. Sometimes they were not able to present their main points in an organized manner because they did not know precisely what they wanted to say. It would be easier for them to present and easier for the students to understand the main points of the activities if there was a legitimate wrap up speech for the activity.