Here you have a detail development of the first training course day for Helpers and Mediators
1. Introduction of all the participants:
Dynamics “I have a friend…”
2. Expectations they have:
We are going to set off from the expectations that each student has and for that purpose we will be using the dynamics “The two boards”.
Development:On the one hand,the participants write on a post-it what they expect from this course, what they would like to happen, what they want to achieve. On the other hand, they write what they don´t want to take place during these two days. They stand up and stick it on two different cardboards (one is for the YES and the other for the NO). After that one of us reads the post-it
3. Presentation of the work.
Aims of the course:
Obtain the basic knowledge that a helper or mediator must have.
Have a clear idea of the roles they must display and the situations when they can help.
Be aware of the fact that we are a team and must learn to work together and respect ourselves in the first place.
Get everybody´s hopes up because of this beautiful project if everybody does a bit to help and think that the world can be changed.
We will show them the course timetable on our laptop and will explain what the work for this day and a half is going to be about.
We give them the basic rules: how to take care of the building and the toilets and where they are placed, how to respect the timetable and specially to respect all the participants. As we have stickers with our names on them, it is vital to address each other using our names from the very beginning.
We will use music as the common thread of the course, between rotation and rotation, we will gather to listen to a song and we will always hear “We are the world” by Michael Jackson at the beginning and at the end.
We listen to this song all together to start with.
4. We form the groups:
These groups will be kept during the whole course.
Group 1: 1º ESO (helpers)
Group 2: 2º ESO (helpers)
Group 3: Mediators 1
Group 4: Mediators 2.
When they gather in groups, first they must make sure that they know everybody´s names; they must think of a name for the group and must name a speaker that will speak on behalf of everybody whenever it could be needed.
5. We will start with the work in groups:
The groups start rotating in the four units following this order: 1-2-3-4, 4- 1-2-3, 3-4-1-2 and 2-3-4-1.
Unit 1. MEANING OF HELP AND WHO WE CAN HELP
a.Brainstorming (one of the students takes notes down)
When should we ask for help?
Does asking for help mean that we are weaker?
b.Watching the short films.
We watch all the short films. We explain that they have not been dubbed to avoid the support of words. They must focus on each gesture, the actors and the music. We watch them at least twice because they are very short and it is easy to forget many details at the beginning. After watching each one, we will answer the following questions:
First short film: “The differences”
Who needs help in this story?
Does the boy finally ask for help?
Why does the older boy help him when he is relaxing himself with his gang?
Is the problem solved thanks to what the older boy did?
Is it difficult to help in this case?
What do the other kids do when they see the older boy?
Main Idea: Both the helpers and the mediators must feel what other people could need, even before they ask us for help and without taking into account if we know them or not.
Second short film: “The slap”
What happened to the main character when he was insulted?
Is it true that a word can be as harmful as a hit?
Do you know any real examples when somebody could feel very hurt because of some words? Mention that without saying any names.
What do the kids who appear at the end do?
How does the main character feel?
Was it difficult to make him feel better?
Central Idea: Helping is much easier of what we think many times and we can do the right thing without even imagining it.
Third short film: “The invisible girl”
What was the principal girl at the beginning of the story for the others like?
Was there anybody who didn´t feel well leaving her so alone?
Did he do anything to help her? Why?
What does the other girl´s greeting in the cafeteria mean to the leading girl?
Was it difficult to help her?
Central idea: Many times solitude is a shout asking for help.
c. Conclusions of the short films.
These conclusions and those of the other day must be noted down on the sheet inside a folder that the students have received. We ask them to tell us what there is in common among the three short films. We must make the following thing clear:
IT IS VERY EASY TO HELP, SOMETIMES WE ONLY HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT IS GOING ON CLOSE TO US. (This is an essential idea to start with for those who would like to become helpers or mediators).
d. Song. “Behind the books”.
We listen to the song watching the images which go with it. While the students are listening, they can write down the sentence or sentences they like the most. At the end we all answer:
What situation in relation to help is described in this song?
Would the problem have been solved without help?
Is the boy weaker because he tells his dad or is he stronger at that moment?
Central Idea: ASKING FOR HELP MEANS BEING BRAVE. WHO REPORTS INJUSTICE AND ASKS FOR HELP IS NOT AN INFORMER, THAT PERSON IS COURAGEOUS. THE ONE WHO SAYS NOTHING AND DOES NOTHING IS A COWARD.
e. Conclusions of this unit.
We finish this having a look at the main ideas that students have been writing down on their piece of paper.
f. Dynamics of the taxi (we will only do it if we have enough time).
Five or six volunteers are taken out of the class and we have to tell them that they are going to be taxis that cannot take people who have a certain characteristic. For example one of them will only take boys, another will take girls, one of them will take those who are wearing jeans, another will take those who are wearing sneakers and so on. When they come into the class, the others must call those taxis to take them by the shoulder from one part of the class to another. They will soon see that some taxis will not take them anywhere and they must figure out why. We leave them for some minutes and when we think that they know what is going on, everybody sits down and comments on it. We check if they know what kind of people the taxis were taking from place to place.
Then we ask them if they see any relationship between this dynamics and their role as helpers or mediators in our high schools.
Central idea: THE HELPERS AND MEDIATORS MUST BE AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY, no matter if they are my friends or not. We must behave as a taxi that everyone can get when he/she needs it.
Unit 2:HELPERS AND MEDIATORS´ CHARACTERISTICS. EMPATHY.
Dynamics of the characteristics:
Each person writes three personal characteristics on a post-it note and sticks it on the chest. Next, we read the person´s characteristics that we have on our right. Someone writes down on the board and we check which characteristics are repeated with more frequency. In the end we highlight those repeated characteristics. Those are the vital characteristics that helpers and mediators have to take into account. The list should include the following things and if it doesn´t, we will add them:
To know how to listen.
Not to mock or tease anybody.
To be a good person.
To be trustworthy.
To be willing to help others.
To like to help people.
To be able to avoid problems.
It is very important to give a positive sense to our project: WE REALLY ARE DREAMERS AND THINK THAT, LITTLE BY LITTLE, THE WORLD CAN BE IMPROVED.
The characteristics and this idea will be noted down in the students´ conclusion sheet.
Dynamics of the ring (depending on the time we have). We make a ring and someone must be in the middle. With his/her eyes shut, he/she must let himself/herself fall backwards and the others must pick him/her up. We assess if he/she has trusted his peers or not (everybody must be careful when picking that person up).
Empathy.
Empathy is one of the key characteristics that we have noted down before. We start brainstorming what the students understand when we say the word empathy. They can give us examples of situations when they used empathy or when they saw somebody using it.
Next we carry out the dynamics of THE GLASSES. We arrange 5 subgroups and distribute the roles; each little group will have a type of glasses assigned. They must think for a few minutes of a situation that they will perform in front of all the others and they will listen with the glasses they have and after that without them.
We comment on the different views that we can adopt when somebody tells us something.
Main idea: IT IS PARAMOUNT TO SIDE WITH SOMEBODY WHEN THEY ARE TELLING ME SOMETHING SO THAT THE OTHER CAN FEEL WELL. In other words, my attitude must be collaborative and willing to listen (we write it down on our conclusions sheet).
Unit 3: THE ABILITY TO LISTEN. NON VERBAL ABILITIES AND ACTIVE LISTENING.
Previous ideas:
Does everybody know how to listen?
What is the difference between listen and hear?
What needs to be done to listen to the other person?
Non-verbal skills:
Students will be organised in pairs and one person in each pair will go out of the classroom.
A teacher will explain to those remaining in the classroom that while their peers speak, they will show that they are not listening but not saying it. For example: they will look to other people, look to their phones, check the time, yawn…
Those who went out will be told to say something to their partner that is important for them (not real).
Students will go into the class again and for some minutes they will talk to their partners while we observe their reactions.
After that, they will share how they felt when the others were not paying attention.
We will ask them:
Is body language important?
Is it true that we communicate more with our body than with our words?
How can we show that our body is listening?
Key idea: FOR US TO LISTEN WE NEED TO: HAVE A CORRECT POSITION, LOOK IN THE EYES TO THE OTHER PERSON AND NOD (they will note down their comments on a paper)
Active listening:
We need to show that we are listening with our body language and also with words.
We will explain techniques for active listening by using the photocopy they can find in their folder (page 78 of Torrego’s book)
Then, in pairs they will complete the next copy we have prepared for them ( page 79 of Torrego’s book)
After that, we will gather ideas and share them to make sure they have understood.
We will then practise what they have learnt.
Paraphrasing and reflection technique.
Students will be divided in two groups in a circle, one within the other. In the inner one there will be 8-10 students. They will practice paraphrasing and reflection except for one who will be the referee.
The outer ones, will observe and note down what they see in the different interventions, specially whether they paraphrase or reflect or not.
They sill perform the situation “Heart transplant” (Torrego’s page 81).
Then observer will comment on what they saw.
Regarding the active listening, we will give them some key ideas:
Being neutral in the active listening is basic to perform the role of helper or mediator (Torrego’s page 84).
Messages must be said by using the first person, talking about how you feel (Torrego0s page 88).
Finally, we will read page 91 and will comment on which conflict will be solved more easily and why.
When we speak about personal needs it is easier to reach an agreement.
Key idea: We will help them to reach the following conclusions (that will be noted down). IT IS NECESSARY THAT A HELPER AND MEDIATOR KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT:
BODY LANGUAGE
ACTIVE LISTENING
TECHNIQUES TO SHOW INTEREST, PARAPHRASING, SUMMARYSING, REFLECTION, FIRST PERSON MESSAGES TO SPEAK ABOUT FEELINGS AND NEUTRALITY TO REACH A BETTER AGREEMENT (avoiding prejudices).
Unit 4: CONFLICT AND ITS ELEMENTS
Previous ideas: we will start from their previous knowledge
What is a conflict?
How can it be solved?
Conflict concept:
(we will explain the concept in a PowerPoint)
Conflicts are situations in which 2 or more people disagree because their positions, interests , needs, wills or values are not compatible and are seen as incompatible. Feelings and emotions have a main role in this situation and the relation between the two parts can be strengthen or weakened, depending on the process to solve the problem.
How to analyse a conflict. Its elements:
(we use our PowerPoint presentation)
Elements related to people:
*Main characters: they will be directly involved in the conflict. *Power in the conflict: it is the influence of the main characters in the conflict. We need to know if it is an equal relation or not.
*Perceptions of the problem. Our way to perceive or interpret a conflict, its causes and explanations.
*Emotions and feelings. Happiness, sadness, rage, fear, etc.
*Sides: Initial state of the people involved in the conflict. It is what each part will claim.
*Interests and needs. It is what people will say when they are asked why and what for.
*Values and principles: cultural elements and ideology that justify the behaviour. They are different depending on the person.
Elements related to the process:
*Conflict dynamics: a situation in which both parts do not perceive the problem but it is there and can start a difficult situation. It can also happen that both parts think they are right.
*Communication and relation: it can be helpful or not.
*Conflict styles: competition, avoidance, accommodation, engagement and collaboration. They will be seen later.
Elements related to the problem:
*The food of the plate: facts and information
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Afther this explanation we will analyse a conflict using examples.
Juan Luis and Rubén case will be handed in for them (Torrego’s book page 33) and the guide to analyse them (page 32).
They will complete it in pairs.
Key idea: (it will be noted down). CONFLICTS ARE NOT AS SIMPLE AS THEY MAY SEEM. IF WE WANT TO REACH A GOOD SOLUTION, WE MUST START BY ANALYSING WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING.
HOW TO FACE A CONFLICT:
We will show them a graphics (page 43 Toreggo’s book). Here we will show them the 5 styles mentioned before, relating them with the importance to know what happens to ourselves and to the other.
es hacemos en la pizarra el gráfico de la pág. 43 de Torrego. Les distinguimos
How can we solve a conflict?
We can face and solve a conflict in different ways. We think mediation is a good way to do it.
Practical exercise:
Watching the first part of the mediation video of the Univesrity of Barcelona and they will analyse the conflict between 2 girls using the lements they know already.
We will give examples of how each style of facing a problem it is.
Key idea: WE MUST KNOW HOW MEDIATION IS A KEY ELEMENT WHEN FACING A PROBLEM (BETWEEN ENGAGEMENT AND COLLABORATION) AND HOW IT CAN SOLVE CONFLICTS TOGETHER WITH NEGOTIATION OR JUDGEMENTS.
SONGS USED IN THE ACTIVITIES:
In this course, the use of music is of vital importance. At the beginning and in the end, we will use Michael Jackson’s song.
Unit 1: “Tras los libros “ “Behind the books”.
When we change activity and groups, we will listen to one song.
End of group work 1: “No dejes de sonar” “Don’t stop dreaming” by Manuel Carrasco
End of group work 2: “Crío” “Child” by Lagarto Amarillo
End of group work 3: “Celebra la vida” “Celebrate life” by Axel.
End of group 4: No new song will be played, as we will listen to the first song of the course again, Michael Jackson.
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