National Safe Schools Framework 5-8 - Values

Safe Schools

Values: student activity

Pass it on

Our shared school values communicate what everyone in our school community believes to be important. Our values guide our decisions and behaviours, especially with regard to the way we interact with each other in both our social and learning relationships.

It is important to reflect on our school values and to build our understandings and skills so that we can put our values into action each day. In doing this we can contribute to building a safe, supportive, respectful and inclusive school community.

Focus

Reflect on and share ideas about three core values and what they look like in action. The three values are: Respect, Support and kindness, and Acceptance of differences.

Get ready

You’ll need:

  1. Clipboards, paper and pencils/pens (one for each student)
  2. A chair for each student
  3. X-Chart (A3 size) for each group (handout 1)
  4. X-Chart guiding questions for each value (handouts 2–4)

Activity Steps

Step 1

View the videos from the video gallery and think about the scenarios presented, using these questions to guide your thinking:

  • What happened in each scenario?
  • How did the boys’ game plan affect the girls?
  • What effect can respect and disrespect have on relationships, learning and self-esteem?
  • How can we show respect in our relationships at school?

Share your thoughts with the class.

Step 2

Doughnut activity

  • Enter the circle and sit on a chair. You and the student in the other circle who is sitting directly opposite you will form a pair.
  • Number off, from one to six, until all pairs have a number. This is for group work in the next step.
  • Once everyone is seated, the facilitator signals when to start.

Round 1: Respect

Questions: How can you tell that someone respects you? (What do they do or say?) How can you show respect for others at school?

  • Take turns to share your ideas with your partner. There is no note-taking at this stage. You will have three minutes.
  • When the facilitator gives the signal, the partner in the outer circle stands and moves four seats in a clockwise direction. On the next signal, take turns to paraphrase your previous partners’ ideas for three minutes.
  • When the next signal is given, end your conversation, pick up the clipboard that is under your seat and take one minute to complete an interim reflection. Jot down 5–10 key words from the ideas shared about ‘respect’. This will help you to share ideas during group work.
  • On the signal, students in the outer circle move one seat in a clockwise direction, taking their clipboard and notes with them.

Round 2: Support and kindness

Questions: How can people show kindness and support you? How do you show kindness and support to people at school?

Repeat the process outlined in Round 1 with questions about support and kindness.

Round 3: Accepting difference

Questions: How do you know that differences are accepted in our school? (eg the physical set-up at our school, the programmes that are in place, what people do/say in class and the playground). How do you show that you accept other people’s differences at school? What do you do and say?

Repeat the process outlined in Round 1 with questions about accepting people’s differences.

Step 3

Form six groups according to your allocated number. So, all of the ‘one’s form a group, all of the ‘two’s form a group, etc. Remember to take your notes with you.

The facilitator will allocate, or invite your group to select, one of the three values, ensuring that two groups work on each value.

Processing the information

Your group will need a copy of a blank X-Chart (handout 1) and a copy of the X-Chart guiding questions (handouts 2–4) for your selected value.

The facilitator will explain the purpose and process of the X-Chart.

  • Read through the guiding questions and ask any questions of clarification before commencing your group task.
  • Select a discussion leader and a recorder before you begin to share ideas. Consider rotating these roles within the group, changing roles with each quadrant of the X-Chart.
  • The discussion leader invites each member of your group to share their ideas from the Doughnut activity. After the group identifies the key ideas, the recorder will write them on the chart.
  • When you have completed your X-Chart, take time to read it and make sure that all of the important ideas are included.
Step 4

Once all groups have completed their X-Charts, think about how you can model these values on a daily basis.

Then think about how you could share this information with younger students such as your buddies in an engaging way. For example, your group could:

  • dramatise a scenario
  • compose a story, poem or song
  • create a cartoon or animation
  • create a poster or brochure
  • negotiate a unique mode of presentation with the teacher.

Once your group has decided on the mode of presentation, begin to plan and draft it.

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