MAKE ME A GROWN UP
PROGRAMME 7: MARK
ACTIVITIES
Young people are often sensitive about personal development issues. These activities support a mix of individual, paired and group work, depending on the context and the composition of the groups involved.
Before viewing
Explain how you can tell if someone is listening to you and is interested in what you say. Are you a good listener?
Discuss the fashion statement made by people who wear large, baggy and shapeless clothes.
Imagine that you are going on a residential study trip and will only know a couple of the people there. Say how you could introduce yourself and start a conversation with people you do not know.
After viewing
To view 4Learning video clips you will need Windows XP/2000 and Windows Media Player 9, 10 or 11. Unfortunately, the clips are not supported on Macintosh computers.
The video clips may contain a few seconds of extra material at the beginning and end. We have therefore included opening and closing descriptions to help identify the intended scene.
Getting on with others
Clip one: 03:20 – 03:39
Discuss why Mark was described as being 'hard work' at the house party. Why do some people find it harder than others to relax and have fun at social events? Imagine that you are an agony aunt or uncle. What advice would you give Mark? Share and discuss your ideas.
Active listening
Clip two: 07:34 – 08:03
Listen to and summarise the advice that Stephen gives Mark about active listening. Working in a pair, preferably with someone whom you do not know very well, find out as much as you can about what your partner wants out of life and how he or she plans to get it. Combine with another pair, introduce your partner and share what you have discovered about his or her career and life goals. Review the activity using the following questions:
- Did you find it easy to listen to other people?
- How did you show that you were listening?
- Did you let your curiosity take the conversation forward?
- Did you ask questions?
- Did you give an accurate summary of what your partner wants out of life and how he or she plans to get it?
- What grade would you give yourself for your listening skills? Do the others agree with you?
- How could you improve your listening skills?
Good points, bad points
Clip three: 11:36 – 12:03
Say how Mark benefits from interviewing his friends about his good and bad points. Discuss:
- when you might have to tell other people about your strengths and weaknesses
- why it is important to have a clear and accurate picture of your strengths and weaknesses
- the pros and cons of asking people who know you well to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses.
List your strengths and weaknesses. Working with people you trust, share and discuss your ideas. Does their view match yours? Who is right and why? How can you use this list in the future?
Challenge negative thoughts
Clip four: 16:24 – 17:02
Give examples of negative thoughts that someone can have when meeting other people for the first time. Find positive statements to challenge the negative ones. Share and discuss your ideas before answering the following questions:
- Is Mark unusual or do a lot of people have negative thoughts about themselves?
- Why do some people focus on the negative rather than the positive?
- How does negative self-talk affect people? (Think about self-image, mood, behaviour, social life and ability to learn.)
- How easy do you think it is to challenge negative self-talk?
- How could you help someone who has a problem with negative self-talk? Who else could help?
Transformation
Clip five: 22:39 – 23:03
Discuss Mark's achievements. How do you think that these will change his life? What, if anything, can you learn from Mark's experience? Create a presentation (e.g. article, web page, podcast) showing how Mark has changed and what other people can learn from his experience.
