2016 - PDST

1 SIXTH CLASSC lassroom materials to support social, personal and health education (SPHE) curriculum2016 PDST 2016 This work is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike Licence may use and re-use this material (not including images and logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike cite as: PDST, Walk Tall, SPHE Curriculum, Dublin, 20163 TABLE OF CONTENTSI ntroduction to the Walk Tall ProgrammeReferencesSample Parent Letter 1 GROUP BUILDING: Classroom ContractUNIT ONE: Self-identity 01 Aiming High 02 We are all Unique 03 Reflecting on my Experiences 04 Celebrating Achievements 05 Class or Group Debates 06 The Ever-changing Ideals of Beauty 07 Being an Effective LearnerUNIT TWO: Taking Care of my Body Section A: Health and Well-being 01 Healthy and Unhealthy Behaviour 02 Learning to Deal with Worry 03 Reasons for Drug-taking 04 Risky Places Risky Choices 05 Dependency and Addiction 06 Help and the Community Section B: Food and Nutrition and Knowing about My Body 01 Food Choices 02 Care with Food 03 A Problem with Food?

2 04 Body Care 05 Differing Abilities 06 Infections and Body ProtectionUNIT THREE: Growing and Changing 01 Creation 02 Privileges and Responsibilities UNIT FOUR: Feelings and Emotions 01 Identifying and Exploring Feelings 02 Managing Feelings 1 03 Managing Feelings 2 04 Envy and Jealousy 05 Loss and Bereavement 06 What Happens when I Feel? 07 Needs and Wants 08 Affirming and Accepting MyselfUNIT FIVE: Safety and Protection 01 Medicines 02 Taking Risks? 03 Keeping Safe 04 Accident/Incident Prevention 05 Care with Substancespage 4page 14page 17page 19page 25page 26page 31page 37page 42page 46page 49page 54page 65page 66page 67page 75page 78page 85page 90page 94page 97page 98page 102page 104page 108page 111page 114page 119page 121page 128page 135page 136page 141page 145page 149page 152page 157page 160page 164page 170page 171page 175page 178page 181page 1864 UNIT SIX: Making Decisions 01 Making Informed Decisions 02 Decisions Have Consequences 03 Who Can Help with Decisions?

3 04 A Way of Deciding 05 Different ViewsUNIT SEVEN: Myself and Others 01 Families are Unique 02 Rights and Responsibilities in Families 03 A Kaleidoscope of FamiliesUNIT EIGHT: My Friends and Other People 01 Friends 02 New Friends 03 Groups and Me 04 Bullying UNIT NINE: Relating to Others 01 Communication 02 Listening 03 Assertive Communication 04 Influence and Persuasion 05 Name-calling 06 Conflict 07 Responses to ConflictUNIT TEN: Developing Citizenship 01 We Live in our Community 02 Between Cultures? Bridging the Gap 03 Paper Bag Game 04 Our Rights, Our Responsibilities 05 My World, Our WorldUNIT ELEVEN: Media education 01 All You Need is Love?

4 02 Media 03 Print Media: Newspapers 04 Advertising 05 Mass Media and Minorities 06 RecreationUNIT TWELVE: Looking Back, Looking Forward 01 Looking to the Future 02 Celebrations Shields, Worry Stars Appendix Overview of Content Objectives for 4th and 5th Class page 191page 192page 196page 201page 205page 210page 216page 217page 221page 225page 230page 231page 236page 239 page 242page 248page 249page 254page 259page 265page 269page 273 page 278page 283page 284page 291page 294page 300page 307page 311page 312page 318page 322page 326page 332page 333page 339page 340page 344page 350 TABLE OF CONTENTSINTRODUCTIONB ackgroundThe original Walk Tall classroom materials were devised in the mid-1990s on foot of a Ministerial Task Force Report (1996) which recommended that substance misuse preventative strategies should be put in place as early as possible in the classroom, and before children begin to experiment with drugs.

5 At that time, the classroom materials were piloted, and feedback from teachers contributed to cycles of review, prior to their finalisation and dissemination to primary schools. The current edition of Walk Tall has been informed by feedback from teachers gathered at a series of one-day reviews held around the country during 2009/10. While teachers were happy with the overall content, structure and features of the Programme, they suggested that an update was timely, both in terms of tailoring the classroom materials to a more diverse pupil population, updating some of the content (for example, stories), and making a more explicit link between Walk Tall and the content objectives of the 1999 Social Personal and Health education (SPHE) curriculum in order to assist classroom planning. Teachers were also looking for a comprehensive programme for implementing the SPHE Curriculum.

6 All of this feedback informed the revision of the Walk Tall Features in the Walk Tall ProgrammeThis latest version of the Walk Tall Programme retains all that is best from the 1999 edition, but with some important new features. The layout of lesson plans is similar, with detailed notes for teachers on the content and delivery of the lessons. Stories have been updated to take account of the diverse student population in Ireland. Use of technology in classrooms is included, and possibilities for whiteboard activities are made easier by the layout and format of materials. A significant feature of the revised Programme is the explicit link made with the strands and strand units of the SPHE Curriculum (1999), as well as links in each lesson to specific content objectives. This, it is hoped, will help teachers to plan for SPHE with a clear idea of what Walk Tall addresses in the curriculum.

7 It will also be evident that the Walk Tall Programme has the potential to deliver much of the SPHE Curriculum (1999), making it an ideal base programme for instruction in this area. For the first time, lessons are included which cover the Growing and Changing strand unit in the curriculum. Schools will exercise discretion as to how and when to use these lessons in line with their own school ethos and particular policies, for example, their policy on Relationship and sexuality education (RSE). An overview of the content objectives that are addressed at each level of the revised Walk Tall Programme is contained in an appendix which teachers can use to check what is covered in any lesson/class. This will be very useful for planning of the Walk Tall MaterialsOne might ask whether the need for an SPHE programme that incorporates substance misuse prevention is still as pressing as it was perceived to be in the mid-1990s.

8 While research indicates that there has been some success in relation to drug use among young people (ESPAD 2012 HBSC Survey, 2010; ), this should not lead to complacency. Every 5generation faces new challenges in relation to substance misuse, (for example, on-line and over-the-phone ordering of alcohol), while the continued incidence of binge-drinking is worrying. It appears that as soon as one threat to children's safety around drugs is tackled, others emerge to take their place. For this reason, substance misuse prevention education will remain relevant. The new Walk Tall Programme delivers this and much original aims of the Walk Tall Programme still hold true. These were to give children the confidence, skills, attitudes and knowledge to make healthy choices in their lives. This has been broadened to include aspects of children's lives, not only around substance misuse prevention but also around, for example, personal safety and development towards puberty.

9 The Walk Tall Programme is designed for use with all children in a class, and will also complement any additional interventions with a social/emotional skills focus which are targeted at individual children. Role of the School in SPHEThe importance of school climate and ethos is stressed in the SPHE Teacher Guidelines (1999). Schools are encouraged to create a positive climate and atmosphere where individuals 'are valued, cared for and respected' (SPHE Teacher Guidelines, 1999: 22). Building relationships internally and externally is crucial to the promotion of this positive climate, and in many communities schools are valued as a communication hub and a resource that extends beyond the walls of the school. In recent years, schools have been encouraged to plan in particular ways for the teaching of SPHE. Guidelines have been issued to schools for policy development around substance use, bullying, sexuality (RSE) and personal safety education , all of which fall within the SPHE curriculum.

10 Recent DES circulars (Circulars , 0022/20100065/2011 0045/2013, ) have provided further guidance to schools in this area. In particular, a whole school approach to the implementation of SPHE is advocated, which will be facilitated by a carefully articulated and documented plan for each class level. A balanced approach is emphasised, where pupils have an opportunity to develop skills as well as attitudes and understandings in a health-promoting context. Schools are encouraged to plan for 'age and stage appropriate' interventions on an on-going basis (DES Circular ), rather 0022/2010than once-off activities which have limited effect. Partnership with parents is essential in relation to the promotion of key life skills contained in the SPHE curriculum. Many schools have in the past provided access to the Walk Tall classroom materials for parents who are interested. It may be possible from time to time to inform parents and guardians in a more substantial way through parent meetings.