DLST Facillitator's Manual

Self-reflection: Ask the participants to spend the next few minutes to think about the variouscharacters. Specifically think about the following questions. What was the difference between themason and the other workers? What made the mason so happy? How can anyone benefit byknowing what his or her contribution is? What did you learn from the story? Is being able to see thegoal enough to achieve it? What else is required?Discussion with partner: Once they have had time to reflect on the story ask them to turn to theirpartner and discuss the highlights of the story. Which worker would you relate to the most? Do youlook upon your work as a tiresome task? Have you at any point of time felt the same as theseworkers? Share these thoughts with your partner and try and understand what your partner’sviewpoints are.Summing Up:You can sum up by bringing out the following points through the question- Why do you think theother workers felt differently from the mason?  The other artisans did not have a passion for their work  Their work and their goals did not match  The mason however enjoyed his work, his goal in life was to construct beautiful buildings  Hence the Mason is filled with a sense of satisfaction  Goals should be realistic. You need to have a specific time frame to achieve a goal.Summary  Do a quick summary of the lesson and announce that one more class with would be undertaken to reinforce the topic and which would bring about more understanding.  You may conclude saying that the mason enjoyed his work, his goal in life was to construct beautiful buildings, and he was in a trade which fully satisfied his goal. You need to have a particular goal in life, and each task you take up needs to be dedicated to satisfying that goal. Only when your actions contribute to realizing your goals, do you feel motivated enough to act. Goals should be realistic, and moreover you need to have a specific time frame to achieve a goal.  Ask participants to complete the relevant sections of their workbooks in the class after the session. Give them 15 minutes for this activity. 51

Remember to go through the session plan on 90 minutesPage 10 to see how you can start the session Goals & Expectations Session 2.2- OptionalRecapPlease do a quick recap of the activities completed as part of the last lesson before proceedingActivity 2-Personal and Career Goals 20 mins Objective: To help participants realize the need for having goals Blank sheet of paper and articulate one’s personal and career goals and pen for each Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably, in a semi-circle or participant in rowsStart the Activity:  Ask each participant to spend a few minutes thinking about their dreams and aspirations. You may tell them to think about their long term goals for the next 10-20 years.  Ask the participants to write their thoughts as a 10 to 15 line essay in any language that they are comfortable with.  Ask the participants to spend some time thinking about their immediate or short-term goals for the next 3 to 5 years.Discussion:  Ask a few participants to volunteer and share their long term goals with the group.  Ask another set of participants to volunteer and share their short-term goals with the group.  Encourage discussion and point out that there is a need to have short-term goals that lead to their dreams.Summing Up:Sum up by asking participants what lesson they learnt from the activity? You could conclude bysaying that having personal and career goals is important in order to achieve what one wants toachieve. Students should spend time in thinking about these goals.Activity 3 – What do we expect? 20 mins Flipchart & markers Objective: To discover what participants expect from the life skills module Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circle or inStraorwt sthe Activity: 52

 Ask the participants to reflect on the following questions: What do I expect from the program? What can help me achieve this?  Ask each participant to present their answers, and note them on the flip-chart.  Once each participant has presented their answers, discuss any expectations that you feel are unrealistic.  Try to finalize a commonly accepted set of expectations for the group.Discussions:You can share the following with your participants as part of discussing their expectations from theprogram and what they will do to achieve those-What to expect?From this Life Skills Module participants can expect to achieve the following: they can improve theircommunication and technical skills. They can benefit from associating with a friendly faculty and alsolearn how to face interviews. They can improve your personality and gain self-confidence.Realizing expectationsWe had listed some expectations that participants may have from the Life Skills module. However tofulfill expectations, participants must undertake a course of action. Having expectations alone servesno purpose. If they do want to benefit from the Life Skills module, they need to follow certain rulesand regulations: be punctual and regular, participate in the class tests, practice speaking in English,respect their teachers and fellow participants, submit portfolios and assignments on time, keep theclassroom clean, adhere to acceptable dress code, complete the program successfully, be honest,open, frank and respectful while participating in the sessions.Summary:  Do a quick summary of the lesson including points from the last lesson as well.  You may conclude by saying that you need to have a particular goal in life, and each task you take up needs to be dedicated to satisfying that goal. Only when your actions contribute to realizing your goals, do you feel motivated enough to act. Goals should be realistic, and moreover you need to have a specific time frame to achieve a goal.  Ask participants to complete the relevant sections of their workbooks in the class after the session. Give them 15 minutes for this activity 53

Remember to go through the session plan on 90 minutesPage 10 to see how you can start the session Goals & Expectations Optional lesson 2.3RecapPlease do a quick recap of all the activities that you completed as part of the previous lesson fromtopics before proceedingActivity 4- What do we do to make it happen?Objective: To come up with a list of things to do in order to achieve 20 minsthe expectations from the life skills module Flipchart and markersSeating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circle orrowsStart the Activity:  Help the participants go through what they should do in order to achieve their expectations from the life skills module. Write these points on a chart as you share them with the participants: o Each participant should complete the entire training module. o Each participant should have 100% attendance. o Each participant should participate actively throughout the sessions. o Each participant should write all tests, complete all portfolio assignments. o Each participant should provide feedback, both negative and positive, and should always be honest and open regarding their experience in Life Skills Module.  Collect signatures of participants on the chart where the above details are written symbolizing a pact.Summing up:Conclude the activity by asking participants if they have understood the linkages betweenexpectations and responsibilities. They should understand that to fulfill their expectations they needto take responsible action and do the work they have planned.Activity 5 – Framing rules and regulations 20 mins Charts & markers Objective: To lay down conditions for working together in this life skills learning module Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circle or inStraorwt sthe Activity: 54

 Ask the participants to come up with list of pre-requisites, in order to fulfill the expectations they have from the life skills program. Some of them could be as follows, ask participants to suggest more: o Being punctual and regular o Participation in the class tests o Submitting portfolios/assignments o Being honest, open, frank & respectful while participating in the class  Make a list of the pre-requisites on a chart paperDiscussions:  Discuss the list with the participants point by point  Agree upon rules and regulations to be followed, with the class  Discuss and ask the participants to come up with steps to enforce the rules and regulations.Summary:  Do a quick summary of the lesson by talking about things they should be doing to meet their expectations from the program.  Also go through the rules that the class has decided for themselves.  Briefly talk about Goals and Expectations and how they are relevant for the participants.  You may conclude saying that you need to have a particular goal in life, and each task you take up needs to be dedicated to satisfying that goal. Only when your actions contribute to realizing your goals, do you feel motivated enough to act. Goals should be realistic, and moreover you need to have a specific time frame to achieve a goal.  Ask participants to complete the relevant sections of their workbooks in the class after the session. Give them 15 minutes for this activity 55

3. SWOT(STRENGTHS, WEAKNESS,OPPORTUNITY, THREAT) This exercise helps the students recognize the importance of evaluating their strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. The objective being to help them assess these in the context of their current situations and to help them formulate strategies to effectively build upon their strengths/opportunities to overcome their weaknesses. 56

Remember to go through the session plan on 90 minutesPage 10 to see how you can start the session SWOT Lesson 3.1: MandatoryIntroductionWelcome to this module on SWOT. SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunitiesand threats. The objective is to help participants access these in the context of their currentsituations and help them formulate strategies to effectively build upon their strengths, overcometheir weaknesses, exploit opportunities and be aware of threats.DefinitionsSWOT is short for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.  Strength is the property of being physically or mentally strong.  Weakness is a possible flaw or lack of strength.  Opportunity is a chance or possibility due to favorable circumstances.  Threat is a possibility that could adversely affect strength or opportunity.Learning Objectives  Recognize the importance of evaluating your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats  Recognize the importance of formulating strategies to effectively build on your strengthsIntroductory Activity: 20 minutesThis activity involves narrating the following real life issue.I am Rani and I belong to a middle class family. I have always been the victim of circumstances. WhenI was young, I could not pursue education, because my family could not afford it.As I grew up, I had to work. I did not like my job, but I had no choice. After so many years ofstruggling, I have now lost hope. I don’t know what my abilities are. I feel insecure and threatened.What should I do?Discussion:Invite participants to discuss their thoughts on the story and the relevance of knowing onesstrengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Ask them to provide feedback about what do theyfeel Rani should do. Note down the responses on a flipchart.Sum up the discussion:  Recap the salient features of SWOT.  Recap main points emerging out of the student discussions  Conclude the discussion on the story highlighting its relationship with the main topic 57

Activity 1 –Realizing one’s potential 20 mins Objective: To bring out the important aspects of SWOT analysis No specific material Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circle, required which is best for a story telling activityStart the Activity:This activity involves narrating the story – ‘Realizing One’s Potential’Realizing one’s PotentialThere was an old woman who loved her little grandson very much. Each day, she used to see hergrandson off to school. One day as she was watching, a speeding car got out of control and hit hergrandson. The boy was knocked over and his leg was caught under the front wheel. A crowdgathered, they tried to lift the car and set the boy’s leg free but couldn’t. His grandmother could notbear to see her grandchild stuck under the wheel. So she stepped forward and with all her might,lifted the front of the car, setting her grandson free. The crowd cheered. But the old woman begancrying. She and her grandson went home. When her grandson asked her why she had started crying– she replied –\"All these seventy years I’ve never known my capacity. If I had discovered my strengthwhen I was young, I would have used all my efforts to realize my dreams. I wouldn’t have given up onmy dreams.\"Discussions:Ask the participants to spend a few minutes thinking about the story. Think specifically about thefollowing questions:  Why do you think the old woman was crying?  What did you learn from the story?  Why is it important to know what your strengths and weaknesses are?  How can you use your strengths and weaknesses to help achieve your goals?  List down your strengths and weaknessesOnce they have had time to think about these ask them to discuss the same with their partners.Summing Up:  Provide a summary of the discussion and highlight its relation to the topic on SWOT  Recap the salient aspects of the topic on SWOT  Conclude by saying how the story \"Realizing one’s Potential\" helps us understand the importance of recognizing our strengths.Summary  Do a quick summary of the lesson and announce that one more class with would be undertaken to reinforce the topic and which would bring about more understanding. 58

 You could conclude by saying that it is important for you to know where your strengths lie. This may happen when an opportunity presents itself. But it is always better to be self-aware. Having strength and not realizing it, amounts to wasting a God given gift. In the same context, you need to be aware of your weaknesses. Knowing your weaknesses will keep you on your toes. Some of your weaknesses can be turned into strengths – this can happen through determination. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses makes your goals achievable. You would have thought of your goals while considering your strengths. So the task of goal setting becomes easier, when you choose goals based on your strengths. Ask participants to complete the relevant sections of their workbooks in the class after the session. Give them 15 minutes for this activity. 59

Remember to go through the session plan on 90 minutesPage 10 to see how you can start the session SWOT Lesson 3.2- OptionalRecapPlease do a quick recap of the activities completed as part of the last lesson before proceedingActivity 2 – Personal SWOT AnalysisObjective: To enable participants perform a personal SWOT 75 minsanalysis, articulate the importance of doing personal SWOTanalysis and make the most of it. Blank sheet of paperSeating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circle or and pen for eachrows participant, flipchartStart the Activity:  Ask participants to write 5 characteristics that they feel are their strengths. Some examples could be hard working, honesty, multi-tasking etc.  Now ask the participants to explain why they feel those are their strengths. Ask the participants to analyze and write down in 5-10 sentences how each of these 5 strengths have helped them in the past.  Now ask the participants to write 5 characteristics that they feel are their weaknesses.  Ask the participants to analyze and write down in 5-10 sentences about these weaknesses and explain why they feel these are their weaknesses.  Ask the participants to analyze and write down how these weaknesses have hampered them and the steps they wish to take within the next 3 months to overcome them.Activity in Progress:Walk around and watch the progress of this activity. In case participants cannot find appropriatewords for some characteristics help them with examples.Discussions:Ask some participants to share their strengths and weaknesses and also how these have helped orhampered them. Discuss with the class how one can identify weaknesses and think of steps toovercome them. You could end with saying that all of us have strengths and weaknesses and eachone can overcome his/her weaknesses with planning and perseverance.Summary  Do a quick summary of the lesson including the classroom discussions and revisit the use of SWOT.  You may conclude by saying that Knowing your strengths and weaknesses makes your goals achievable. You would have thought of your goals while considering your 60

strengths. So the task of goal setting becomes easier, when you choose goals based on your strengths. Ask participants to complete the relevant sections of their workbooks in the class after the session. Give them 15 minutes for this activity 61

Remember to go through the session plan on 90 minutesPage 10 to see how you can start the session SWOT Lesson 3.3- OptionalRecapPlease do a quick recap of all the activities that you completed as part of the previous lesson fromtopics before proceedingActivity 3 - Environmental Threat Opportunities Perceptions (ETOP)Analysis:Objective: To enable participants perform an ETOP analysis, 90 minsarticulate the importance of doing ETOP analysis and make themost of it. Blank sheet of paperSeating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circle and pen for each participant, flipchartStart the Activity:  Explain to the participants that you are going to help them explore the positive and negative impacts of elements in their current environment. These elements could be- o Educational qualifications o Family support o Financial position o Health problems o Gender issues o Friend circle o Personality o Responsibility issues o Location issues  Ask each participant to individually list each of the factors and how each of them would affect their goals.  Ask the participants to then think and write about the pros and cons of each of these factors as well as the advantages and disadvantages they present to the environment.  You can ask some participants to share what they are writing..Discussions:Discuss with the participants the need to build strengths and opportunities as well as work towardsovercoming weaknesses and threats, if any.Summary  Do a quick summary of the lesson including the points from the previous lessons of the same topic. 62

 You may conclude by saying that knowing your strengths and weaknesses makes your goals achievable. You would have thought of your goals while considering your strengths. So the task of goal setting becomes easier, when you choose goals based on your strengths. Ask participants to complete the relevant sections of their workbooks in the class after the session. Give them 15 minutes for this activity 63

4. ATTITUDE This exercise helps students to understand why it is important tohave a positive attitude in life. Theywill also understand ways in whichthey can develop positive attitude. 64

Remember to go through the session plan on 90 minutesPage 10 to see how you can start the session Attitude Lesson 4.1- MandatoryIntroduction:Welcome to this module on Attitude. In this module you will learn how important it is to develop theright attitude when faced with a problem. Overcoming obstacles in life is not easy, but with the rightattitude one can do wonders.Definition:The dictionary would define the term attitude as a ‘feeling or position regarding a person or a thing’.A person can have an attitude that can be considered \"good\" or \"bad\".Examples of Good AttitudeHere are some examples of good attitude. Rita has the attitude that hard work is fun. Kumar thinksthat girls must be considered equal to boys in all respects. For Rani, respecting all life is important.Examples of Bad AttitudeHere are some examples of bad or poor attitude. Anwar wants to become rich without having towork for it. Mary hates it when her mother asks her to clean her room. Kumar thinks it is fun tothrow stones at dogs.Learning Objectives:  Define the term attitude  Explain why having the right attitude is important  Describe how three well known personalities rose to fame because of right attitude.  Recognize the importance of attitude, through an exercise and story.Introductory Activity: 20 minutesThis activity involves narrating this real life issue:Kumar: Anwar, I am very upset because I don’t think luck favors me at all. My friend told me to beton a horse race assuring me that I could make Rs. 20,000 in a single day. I lost Rs. 2500.Than anotherfriend told me to buy some shares. He assured me that I could make as much as Rs.1 lakh in twoweeks. I invested Rs. 10,000 and now that is worth almost nothing. Now my family thinks I amworthless. What they do not understand is that I am plain unlucky.Anwar: Kumar, I am sorry that you lost money. But you gambled and lost. There is no short cut toachieving things in life. Why don’t you work hard and make things happen for you instead of waitingfor luck to favor you?Kumar: Well, what do you know about life? You were lucky to have got the highest grades in collage,and you were lucky to be promoted at office too. 65

Anwer: Kumar, luck had nothing to do with it. I studied very hard at college. I even worked part timeat a mall and studied till midnight. At office, I worked extremely hard to increase the company’srevenue. My promotion was a reward for my hard work. With the right attitude, you can also makethings work for yourself, instead of waiting for luck to do it for you.Discussion:  Discuss with the participants what they felt about the story.  What would they say about Kumar’s and Anwar’s attitude?  What effect has Kumar’s and Anwar’s attitude had on them?Sum up the discussion:  Recap the salient features of Attitude.  Recap main points emerging out of the student discussions  Conclude the discussion on the story highlighting its relationship with the main topicActivity 1: The story of Helen Keller/Gandhiji/Dhirubhai AmbaniObjective: To show participants how having the right attitude can 20 minspull people out of adversity and make them famousSeating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circle Blank sheet of paper and pen for each participant, flipchart(Instead of Helen Keller you can also tell them story of Gandhi or Dhirubhai Ambani or some localperson who the participants can relate to better)Start the Activity:This activity involves narrating the story of Helen Keller/Gandhi/Dhirubhai Ambani:Helen Keller was born on 27 June 1880. She was born normal. But during the course of her childhoodshe lost her sight and hearing, due to an illness. She was a very difficult child to manage. However,her life changed when she was put under the charge of a tutor called Anne Sullivan. Under theguidance of Anne, Helen learnt how to write. She quickly learnt how to write using both ordinary andBraille typewriters. Her fame grew as she was a very fast learner in spite of her disability. She was thefirst deaf blind person to earn a bachelor's degree in Arts. She also became a member of the socialistparty. A full length documentary film about her was made, called the \"the Unconquered” which wonan Academy award. Helen won he highest civilian award in 1964. A year after this she was elected tothe Women’s hall of Fame. In spite of adverse circumstances, Helen was able to make her mark insociety. Would she have achieved this, had she given up on life? She had the fighting spirit, the spiritto succeed, the positive attitude.Mahatma Gandhi: We need no formal introduction to this great man. India was shackled by colonialrule for a long time. Gandhi sought to bring India freedom through non-violent methods. He wasunsuccessful in the beginning. Yet he was firm and did not waver from his goal. At last in august1947, India gained independence. Gandhi had a positive attitude. He never had doubts about themethod he embraced to bring about freedom to the country. He believed that there was the only 66

solution- Freedom through Non-violence. He was able to achieve this goal, because he firmlybelieved in it.Dhirubhai Ambani: Everyone knows about the Dhirubhai the man behind the giant conglomeratecalled Reliance. But do people know this man had humble beginnings? He started as a dispatch clerkin a company called Besse. After a period of 10 years, he started a company called RelianceCommercial Corporation with a capital of just Rs. 15, 000. He started branding the fabric, which wascalled Vimal in those days. His sons carry on the legacy of his hard work. Both of them are headingcompanies which have assets worth billions. How did Dhirubhai rise from a dispatch clerk to a manworth billions? It was through hard work, and attitude. We need to learn from his success story, thatnothing is impossible in life if we face it with the right attitude.Discussions:Ask the participants how they felt about the activity. Ask them to share their thoughts on the story.Discuss with them how this connects to the attitude that these people had. From the story can theparticipants comment on what role does attitude play in our lives.Summing Up:  Tell the participants how important Attitude is for success. Knowledge and hard work alone cannot assure them success.  You may conclude by saying that we have discussed how important having the right attitude is. We have cited examples of famous people who have had the fighting spirit and the right attitude. Overcoming problems in life is not an easy task. We need to have the right attitude to fight any hardship. We learnt how Helen Keller in spite of being blind and deaf was able to overcome her disability and strive forward. We learnt how Gandhiji was able to bring independence to the country by his sheer will power and attitude. We also saw how a small time clerk rose to become a successful businessman of a multi-billion company. All this was achieved by having the right attitude.Activity 2- Attitude is…… 20 mins Objective: To make one aware of how important attitude is. Blank sheet of paper Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a circle and pen for each participant, flipchartStart the Activity:  Ask participants to write the following three words on their sheets: o KNOWLEDGE o HARDWORK o ATTITUDE  Now below each of the letters write down its corresponding number from the alphabet. Ex- A=1, B=2, C=3 etc.  Add all the numbers corresponding to a word and note down the total.  You will see that KNOWLEDGE adds up to 96, HARDWORK to 98 and ATTITUDE to 100. 67

Discussions:Discuss how did they feel about participating in this activity? What can we conclude from thisexercise? Having knowledge and working hard are important. However a quality which is a primemover is Attitude. You will be able to accomplish wonders with the right attitude.Summary  Do a quick summary of the lesson including the points from the previous lessons of the same topic.  Tell the participants how important Attitude is for success. Knowledge and hard work alone cannot assure them success.  You may conclude by saying that sometimes a particular job or situation seems beyond our capacity. Our attitude towards any job should be positive than half the job is done. In challenging situations, a positive attitude, motivation, encouragement and guidance from others will help you overcome it. We work better when we believe hat we are not alone and that our burden is shared by others. We need a positive attitude to help us work in a difficult situation.  Ask the participants to complete the relevant section of the workbook 68

Remember to go through the session plan on 90 minutesPage 10 to see how you can start the session Attitude Lesson 4.2- OptionalRecapPlease do a quick recap of the activities completed as part of the last lesson before proceedingActivity 3- Positive ThinkingObjective: For the participants to know the power of positive 60 minsthinkingSeating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circle No special materials requiredStart the Activity:This activity involves narrating “The Power of Positive Thinking”.A man was driving along in his car. Unfortunately, his car got caught in a hole. Unsure what to do, helooked around. He saw a farmer working in his field. He went to him, explained the situation andrequested for help. The farmer in order to help out the man got his old blind donkey. He tied thedonkey to the car, and yelled? Pull Billy pull. At this, the donkey made one feeble attempt at pullingthe car and soon gave up. The farmer then called out? Come on Tommy, Pull harder. On hearing this,the donkey began pulling in earnest and got the front wheel out of the ditch. The farmer once againshouted? Jimmy Pull, you can do it! The donkey then with all its might pulled the rear wheel too outof the ditch. The man thanked the farmer profusely for his help. Though he was perplexed, he askedthe farmer as to why he had addressed the donkey with three different names. At this the farmersaid, that the donkey was blind. The first time when I called his name he didn’t try hard enough. Thesecond time, when he used some other name and called out, the donkey thought there was anotherdonkey nearby helping him, so he tried a little harder. The third time, when the farmer called out athird name, the donkey was sure that there were 3 of them to pull the car. The donkey thought with2 more donkeys to help him out, pulling the car would be easy.Discussions:Self-ReflectionNow that you have heard the story, reflect on the following questions: What do you think was theattitude of the donkey towards this particular work? What positive lessons did you get from thestory? What similar situations can you think of where having the right attitude helps?Discussion with PartnerNow that you have had time to reflect on the story, turn to your friend and engage in a discussion.Ask your partner what he/she felt about the story. Both partners reflect again on the questionsposed. Discuss a situation where you or your friend showed positive attitude to be successful.Summary: 69

 Summarize the topic by sharing salient points from the activities and discussions. You could sum up by saying that sometimes a particular job or situation seems beyond our capacity. Our attitude towards any job should be positive than half the job is done. In challenging situations, a positive attitude, motivation, encouragement and guidance from others will help you overcome it. We work better when we believe that we are not alone and that our burden is shared by others. We need a positive attitude to help us work in a difficult situation. Thank the participants and conclude the session Ask the participants complete their student workbook for the relevant sections 70

Remember to go through the session plan on 90 minutesPage 10 to see how you can start the session Attitude Lesson 4.3- OptionalRecapPlease do a quick recap of all the activities that you completed as part of the previous lesson fromtopics before proceedingActivity on Positive thinking/Self-Esteem 60 mins Objective: To help trainees understand the importance of positive No special material thinking. required Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circleStart the Activity:The activity involves reading following story:There was man who made a living by selling balloons at a fair. He had balloons of all colors includingred, blue, green and yellow. Whenever the business was slow, he would release a helium-filledballoon into the air and when the children saw it go up, they all wanted to buy one. They wouldcome up to him, buy a balloon and his sales would go up again. He continued his process all day. Oneday, he felt someone tugging at his jacket. He turned around and saw a little boy who asked, “If yourelease a black balloon, would that also fly?” Moved by the boy’s concern, the man replied withempathy “Son, it is not the color of the balloon; it is what is inside that makes it go up.”Source: You Can WinDiscuss:  Ask the participants what they understood from the story.  Give time to the participants to discuss their thoughts on the story.  Explain that the same thing applies to our lives – It is what is inside that counts; the thing inside of us that make us fly is our attitude.Summary:  Summarize the topic by sharing salient points from the activities and discussions.  You could sum up by saying that sometimes a particular job or situation seems beyond our capacity. Our attitude towards any job should be positive than half the job is done. In challenging situations, a positive attitude, motivation, encouragement and guidance from others will help you overcome it. We work better when we believe that we are not alone and that our burden is shared by others. We need a positive attitude to help us work in a difficult situation.  Thank the participants and conclude the session  Ask the participants complete their student workbook for the relevant sections 71

5. SELF ESTEEM The concept of self-esteem is an important one for youth who are starting out on a new path. It takes confidence to venture into uncharted waters, no matter the rewards, and the participants should be reminded of this. It is important for the facilitator to encourage the participants to actively participate in the life skills module program to identify their strengths and work on their weakness. 72

Remember to go through the session plan on 90 minutesPage 10 to see how you can start the session Self-Esteem Lesson 5.1 - MandatoryIntroductionWelcome to this module on Self Esteem. You should know that your physical and mentalcharacteristics form the image which other people see. Knowing your self-worth and having apositive attitude are important.Definition:Self Esteem: It can be defined as Feeling of pride in oneself, Respect for oneself, or Impression ofoneself. A person can have a healthy self-esteem or a poor self-esteem.Examples of Poor Self-EsteemHere are some examples of poor self-esteem \"I am ashamed of my short height\" \"I am not good atstudies\" \"I cannot do anything right. I am always nervous\"Examples of Healthy Self-EsteemHere are some examples of healthy self-esteem \"I am proud of my neat handwriting\" \"I am very goodat studies\" \"I think I can achieve anything through hard work\"Learning Objectives:By the time you complete this module, you should be able to:  Define the term self esteem  Recognize the importance of self-worthIntroductory Activity: 20 minutesThis activity involves reading the following real life issue:Tina is physically challenged both her legs were amputated. She was the brightest student in hercollege. She is good at computer skills and business management. Her dream is to work in an MNCbut she worries that since she is not physically fit, she will fail to get through the interviews.What can be done to make her realize that she can stands as good a chance as anyone else?Discussion:  Discuss with the participants what they felt about the story.  What do the participants have to say about Tina’s self-esteem?  What role does self-esteem play in our lives?Summing up:  Recap main points emerging out of the student discussions  Recap the salient features of Self Esteem 73

Activity 1 – The Story of Anita 20 mins Objective: To illustrate the importance of self esteem No special materials Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circle reuiredStart the Activity:This activity involves narrating ‘The Story of Anita’.Anita was a young girl who had just finished her education. She came from a poor family background.Her parents wanted her get married off, now that she had completed her studies. Anita howeverwanted to work and pursue a career. However her parents thought that her work was not a priority.So they began to make efforts to search for a groom for their girl. Soon, they succeeded. Anita'smarriage was fixed. The day of the wedding dawned. Anita's parents had spent all their money forthe wedding arrangements-they had absolutely no money to spare. As the auspicious hour neared,the father of the groom drew aside Anita's father and demanded 5 lakh rupees. Anita's father washorrified, he had absolutely no money. He begged and pleaded. Seeing her father in such a sorrystate, Anita intervened. Anita said that she had no wish to marry a spineless man, who demandsdowry. She would rather be unmarried her whole life than being married to such a man. Hearing this,groom's father relented. He said that the dowry could be paid later. But Anita was adamant-shewalked out from the wedding hall with her head held high.Discussions:Self-ReflectionNow that you have heard the story of Anita, give yourself a few minutes and reflect on the story.Think how you would have acted, had you been in Anita's place. Do you think Anita is too bold? Doyou think her actions were justified?Discussion with PartnerYou've had some time to reflect on the story. Now turn to your partner and discuss the story. Alsodiscuss these questions - If you were Anita's father: Would you be proud of her? How would youreact? What does your partner think of the story?Reinforcement of QuestionsYou have had time to think carefully and answer the questions. Would you have taken the easy wayout like most people and agreed to the marriage? Would you have shown sufficient self-esteem likeAnita?Summing Up:  Provide summary of the discussions by asking the questions- o What would you have done had you been in Anita's place? o What would you have done had you been in Anita's father's place?  Recap the salient aspects of the topic on Self Esteem. 74

 Conclude the discussions on the story and highlight its relation to the topic on Self EsteemOR 20 mins Markers & chartsActivity 1: Story of Ganesh Objective: To illustrate the importance of self esteem Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circleStart the Activity:This activity involves reading the story of Ganesh:There was a small boy named Ganesh who lived in a small village with his parents. They were verypoor. His father worked in a nearby town. When Ganesh was in 9th standard, his mother expired dueto poor health and lack of proper medical care. Ganesh was very upset and sad. He felt very lonely.He had been very attached to his mother. Because of job responsibilities, his father to stay in townand so Ganesh was left alone at home. Ganesh used to prepare his own meals, clean the house andattend classes at school. After completing his 10th, he relocated to town to stay with his father.Ganesh wanted to become a doctor because he felt that if his mother had received appropriatemedical treatment, she could have lived. It was his aim to become a doctor and serve the needy. Oneday, his father took him to his employer’s house and introduced Ganesh to his employer’s wife. Hisfather told her that Ganesh wanted to be a doctor. The employer’s wife was very critical of hisambition. She laughed at him asked “does your son look like a doctor? Don’t waste your money onhim.” Ganesh was very hurt by this.He took it up as a challenge and started working hard to achieve his goal. He used to work during theday and attend college at night. He passed his 12th with an impressive percentage, and was acceptedinto a Medical School. After successfully completing the course, he got his degree in medicine.(MBBS)After Ganesh had become a doctor, he once received a call in the middle of the night. It was from hisfather’s office. It was an emergency and they needed a doctor. Ganesh went over immediately andattended to the patient, who felt better immediately. The employer’s wife was appreciative of hiswork. Ganesh very humbly said, “Aunty it’s because of you that I am a doctor today.”Discussions:  Ask participants to share their thoughts on the story.  What did you like about Ganesh? Do you find Ganesh’s character interesting?  What role does self-esteem play in our lives?Activity 2 – Feel Like a Star 40 mins Papers & markers Objective: To get the participants to recognize qualities they like in each other and to use this to enhance their self e7s5teem Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a circle

Start the Activity:  Give each of the participants a piece of paper and a marker.  Have them write their names on top of their paper  Now ask all of them to sit in a circle and pass their sheet to the neighbor on the right  Instruct the participants that when they get a paper, they should read the name on the paper, and write a friendly comment about that person. The comments can be about the personality, dress, appearance etc. They should all emphasize something positive.  Once they finish writing on the sheet, ask them to pass it on to the next person. Ensure each sheet goes a full circle, before reaching its owner  Once each paper finishes a full circle and each participant gets back their paper, give them time to read through the comments.Discussions and Summing Up:Go around the circle asking each participant to read out their favorite comment, or the commentthat made them feel like a star. Discuss various aspects of the activity with the participants:  How did they feel about participating in this activity?Summary  Do a quick summary of the lesson and announce that one more class with would be undertaken to reinforce the topic and which would bring about more understanding.  You may conclude with saying that we are confronted with many challenges in life. Certain challenges can make you feel worthless and helpless. You need to pick yourself up, and have faith in yourself. Think of Anita, she had the guts to walk out from the marriage hall, because she believed in herself. Remember you need to have a lot of courage to stand up for yourself in tough times. Preserving your self-esteem is very important. You need to have faith in yourself, a belief that you will win over any situation.  Ask participants to complete the relevant sections of their workbooks in the class after the session. Give them 15 minutes for this activity.Remember to go through the session plan onPage 10 to see how you can start the session 76

90 minutes Self-esteem Lesson 5.2 – MandatoryRecapPlease do a quick recap of the activities completed as part of the last lesson before proceedingActivity 3 – How well do I Know MyselfObjective: To help participants gain confidence and become more 30 minsaware of themselves and of their strengths and weaknesses. Charts and pensSeating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a circle and rowsStart the Activity:  Ask the participants to draw a picture of them in the center of the sheet of flip-chart paper.  In the top left corner of the picture, ask them to write the words \"As a PERSON\". In the top right-hand corner have them write the words \"As a WORKER\".  On either side of the picture, under each heading, ask them to write five words that describes them as a \"person\" or as a \"worker\"; ask them to list the things they like, enjoy and can do well. They should title the picture as \"THE BEST OF ME\".  Display the pictures on a wall, or have each participant hold their pictures up  By a random selection, have some participants ask some others to explain their picture description of themselves.Discussions:Discuss with participants their thoughts about the activity. Did they enjoy doing it? Did they findsomething about themselves they didn’t know?Summing up:  Recap the salient aspects of the topic on Self Esteem  You may conclude by saying that understanding one’s strengths and weaknesses helps one to gain confidence and perform every task easily. We should use our strengths both at the workplace as well as in personal life.Activity 4: Appreciate!! 20 mins Charts, board, marker Objective: To help the students the importance of appreciating themselves Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circle 77

Start the Activity:  Write a positive statement on the board. It could be one of these- o We are young o We are good o We are hardworking o We are dynamic  Explain the meaning of the statement or ask the participants what they understand from it.  After ensuring that the participants are familiar with the statement, make them stand in their respective places.  The facilitator should read out the written statements one after the other and simultaneously the participants should repeat the sentence.  By practicing this activity one can develop positive thinking.Summary  Do a quick summary of the lesson including the points from the previous lessons of the same topic.  You may conclude with saying that we are confronted with many challenges in life. Certain challenges can make you feel worthless and helpless. You need to pick yourself up, and have faith in yourself. Think of Anita, she had the guts to walk out from the marriage hall, because she believed in herself. Remember you need to have a lot of courage to stand up for yourself in tough times. Preserving your self-esteem is very important. You need to have faith in yourself, a belief that you will win over any situation.  Ask participants to complete the relevant sections of their workbooks in the class after the session. Give them 15 minutes for this activity 78

Group 2: Social andInterpersonal Skills 79

6. GENDER“Gender” is a very sensitive issue where normally people believe it is too personal and there isn’t much to discuss. But once peopletake up this issue seriously the discussion ends up with debate and arguing. Discussions are best stimulated through situations and case presentations. Generally in our society there is a brief that males are dominating and females are suppressed which is the cause for argument. Gender differentiation in society basicallydepends on belief such as, males are stronger than women. That is the reason beyond the debates related to gender. One should remember that always women should be respected. 80

Remember to go through the session plan on 90 minutesPage 10 to see how you can start the session Gender Lesson 6.1 - MandatoryIntroductionGender is a very sensitive issue; normally people believe discussing issues related to gender toopersonal. People generally have little to discuss about gender related issues. But once people take upthis issue seriously, the discussion ends up as a debate with much arguing.Definitions:The term gender is used to distinguish persons based on sex or anatomy such as Male or Female.Today, it is not polite to refer to the \"sex\" of a person as being a male or female. Instead it is betterto use the term Gender. The term Gender is also used to refer to the role or identity of an individualin a group or society.Sex-Gender distinctionIt is important to understand the distinction between the terms SEX and GENDER. In manydiscussions, the terms Gender and Sex are used interchangeably. Usually, the distinction in terms ofthe term sex refers to the biological aspects such as anatomical and reproductive. The distinction interms of gender usually refers to those based on sociological and cultural aspects.Gender – Influences and ContextOur thoughts and ideas about gender are influenced by a number of factors or contexts that overlapand create a particular view or a perception. These are:  Legal context- this refers to how the law distinguishes between men and women. Egg: what does the law say in the context of the minimal age for a man and a woman to consent to getting married?  Social context- this refers to the commonly held view or perception regarding certain issues. Eg: what is the commonly held view or perception in the society regarding widow re- marriage?  Cultural context- this refers to how a specific culture views situations involving the gender issues. Eg: are women held in the same regard and esteem as men?  Religious context- this refers to what religious texts, beliefs and views the religious leaders are regarding issues of gender. Eg: does a particular religion state that women cannot be discriminated against?  Economic context- this refers to what people have to do for survival. Eg: for economic survival, would the females in families be permitted to take up jobs traditionally meant to be for men only?Traditional beliefs & assumptions 81

There have been several traditional gender based stereotypes. In a study of the topic of gender, it isuseful to be aware of some of these stereotypes. One of the stereotypes is that the male is strongerthan the female. While there are biological differences between the male and the female, thisstereotype emerges from sociological and cultural framework. Another stereotype is that naturecreated the Male to be performing the role of a breadwinner of the family, while the female is toperform the role of child rearing and home-making. Many traditions and communities believe thatthe female is less intelligent than the male. Some males and indeed a few females in certain societiesbelieve that the female was just created to serve and please the male. Many hundreds of suchstereotypes based on gender exist. None of these are true, they are just stereotypes. However, theexistence and belief in some gender based stereotypes can often put women at a disadvantage.Gender Issues – MythsDiscussions and arguments around gender often tend to have their basis in several gender basedissues. Some of the gender issues are several patriarchal societies create the situation of maledomination and female subjugation. Females are often discriminated against in several areas.Females are also subject to harassment based on their gender. Many girls discontinue theireducation midway and several do not even get primary education. Women are often constrained toserve traditionally determined roles based on gender.Lesson Objectives  Define the term gender, gender differentiation  Understand the various traditional myths with regard to gender  Understand prevailing gender issuesIntroductory Activity: 20 minutesThis activity involves narrating this real life issue:Rita reached home late at night.Father: Why were you late? Where were you? You should stop going to office from tomorrow.Rita: But papa, I have a reason for coming late.Father: I don’t want to listen to any of those. You are not going any here from tomorrow. I don’twant to be a fool, and give my neighbors a chance to find faults in your Character.Rita: But, would you behave the same way if Kumar came late in the night?Father: Well, for your kind information he is a boy.What should Rita do?Discussions:  Ask the participants to share their thoughts on the issue.  What do they have to say about what Rita’s father said?  Do you think he did the right thing? 82

Sum up the discussion:  Recap main points emerging out of the student discussions  Recap the salient features of Gender and conclude by saying that Gender is much more than just biological differences between men and women. We need to be conscious of gender discrimination in our conduct and the various aspects through which this discrimination manifests itself.Activity 1 – Rita’s Dreams 20 mins No special materials Objective: To illustrate the sensitivities involved while dealing with gender issues. Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circleStart Activity:This activity involves narrating the story ‘Rita’s dreams’In the small village of Champa lived a young, intelligent and bubbly 16 year old girl called Rita. Ritalives with her younger brother Aman, her mother Rani, her father Kumar, and her paternalgrandparents. Rita has just completed Class X. Aman is extremely close to his sister Rita and looks upto her as friend, philosopher and guide. Aman is also pampered by his parents and grandparents. Thisis Rita's home. The family is seated in the courtyard, relaxed, and in conversation. A happy,enthusiastic Rita and her doting brother Aman walk in and join the family. Well, children, did youhave a good time at the playground? Yes, Papa, Rita and I had a lovely time. After we played, shetaught me how people calculate the distance from earth to the moon. None of my friends know howto do this. My sister is really smart. Papa, now that I have completed Class X, I would like to go to themain town school and study from this year. Papa, is there a problem? I have always wanted to studymore, go to college, even study to get a Ph.D., and then become a good professor. I lovemathematics and sciences. I know that I can achieve my dreams. Rita, you are no longer a small girl.You are almost ready to be married. We think you must stop your studies, learn how to be a goodwife from your mother, and prepare to get married. But that is not fair. Rita is the smartest person inthe village. She must go study and become a professor. Aman, do not shout at elders. This is amatter for adults. Just stay quiet. But that is so unfair. I have my own dreams. Stopping studies andgetting married now are not part of this dream. I do want to become a professor one day. I can getscholarships as I have been a good student. Please, please let me study. No, Rita, we have decided tostop your studies. Also, we think we can fix your marriage to Suresh, the son of the vegetable shopowner in our neighboring village. Please Papa, let me study. Mama, tell Papa to let me study. Mydreams will be dashed and I will have to spend the rest of my life in the kitchen and doing householdchores. I have heard you several times tell Aman to study well so that he can become a doctor. Whycan't I study too? Rita, you are a girl. The right place for a woman is with her husband, taking care ofhome. Aman is a boy. He is to be the breadwinner of his family. So he can go and study to become adoctor, engineer or whatever. But, you must learn what it is to be a woman. Why it is that womanmust always be only at home. Can't I be a professor and also be a good wife and mother? Why is itthat men always dominate women and put them down? I hate you all for dashing my dreams. 83

Discussions:Once the story is over ask the participants to spend about 10 minutes reflecting internally thinkingabout the story, the characters involved, the circumstances and the behavior of the severalcharacters. They should specifically reflect on the following questions: 1. Do you think that Rita is entitled to her dreams? 2. Do you think Kumar and the family are justified in dashing Rita's dreams? 3. Do you think Rita's mother was justified in keeping quiet and not expressing her opinion? 4. Why do you think Kumar being an educated school teacher expressed such a view? 5. What do you think Rita should have done? 6. Is it possible for women to balance work and family life?Summing Up:  Recap the salient aspects of the topic on Gender  Provide a summary of the salient points of the discussions  Conclude the discussions on the story and highlight its relation to the topic on Gender  Reinforce that gender related situations need to be handled with great sensitivityActivity 2- If I were……Objective: To develop an insight on gender differences and 20 minsunderstand the values associated with each gender.Seating: Make the participants sit in 2 groups- men and women Blank sheet of paper and pen for each participantStart the Activity: 1. Ask each male participant to complete the following sentences on their sheets of paper: a. If I were a woman, I would ….. b. I am happy I am a man because ………… c. The man I admire or look up to the most because ……….. 2. Ask each female participant to complete the following sentences: a. If I were a man, I would …… b. I am happy I am a woman because …….. c. The woman I admire or look up to the most is because ……….. 3. Ask participants to read their notes aloud.Discussions and Summing Up:  Encourage discussion, the objective being that they realize that each of the gender had their own importance and value in any social context.  What did they feel while participating in the activity?Summary  Do a quick summary of the lesson and announce that one more class with would be undertaken to reinforce the topic and which would bring about more understanding. 84

 You may conclude by saying that Gender related situations need to be handled with great sensitivity. And when the situation involved shows signs of extreme gender based discrimination and wrong doing, one must be prepared to fight for your rights. Ask participants to complete the relevant sections of their workbooks in the class after the session. Give them 15 minutes for this activity 85

Remember to go through the session plan on 90 minutesPage 10 to see how you can start the session Gender Lesson 6.2 - OptionalRecapPlease do a quick recap of the activities completed as part of the last lesson before proceedingActivity 3: Group discussionObjective: All students will be able to explain that our attitudes are 40 minsbuilt by the environment in which we live and will be able to re-look at attitudes towards man-woman interaction. White board, charts,Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circle markersStart the Activity:1. Paste 2 charts on the wall labeling them as “A” & “B”2. Write the given content on chart “A”  Consider a normal man or woman  Legal context = what the law says about the age of consent for man woman interaction  Societal context = what are the commonly held view in the society that we live in3. On chart “B” write the following  Cultural context = does our culture encourage women to be as highly regarded as men  Religious context = what does our religion say  Economical context = how does one feed one’s family when the man’s earnings are insufficient4. Divide the class into group A & Group B5. Read & make the participants understand the questions only.6. Let them write their reply on a chart as a group within 20 to 30 minutesDiscussions:Give opportunity to participants as a group to give their presentation by displaying their chart andtell them to explain their answers (5 minutes for each group). Let other participants ask questions ifthey have any.Summing up:The facilitator will then summarize and point out that the attitudes & perceptions, which emerged,are influenced by all these various components of our environment. These perceptions and attitudesin turn affect and influence our behavior. 86

Activity 4 – Gender Roles 30 mins Objective: To reinforce new ways of perceiving gender roles Blank sheet of paper Seating: No special arrangement required and pen for each participantStart the Activity:1. Ask the participants to write down what they think are some of the traditional roles that males and females play in society.2. Next, ask them to write the various emerging roles of men and women today.Discussions:  Ask each participant to share what they have written as some of the perceived traditional roles of men and women in society.  Ask each participant to then share what they have written as some of the perceived emerging roles of men and women in society.  Encourage them to think loud about these perceptions by having them see how many of the roles they have identified for each gender.  Also encourage participants to think in terms of how such roles are being or can be filled by the opposite gender.Summary: 5 minutes  Do a quick summary of the lesson including points from the last lesson as well.  You may conclude by saying that Gender related situations need to be handled with great sensitivity. And when the situation involved shows signs of extreme gender based discrimination and wrong doing, one must be prepared to fight for your rights.  Ask participants to complete the relevant sections of their workbooks in the class after the session. Give them 15 minutes for this activity87

Remember to go through the session plan on 90 minutesPage 10 to see how you can start the session Gender Lesson 6.3 - OptionalRecap:Please do a quick recap of all the activities that you completed as part of the previous lesson fromtopics before proceedingActivity 5: Sculpting Activity 45 mins Objective: All students will become aware of how society White board, markers , influences our perceptions of gender roles. any props available in Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circle the classroomStart the Activity:1. Ask the participants to pair up, both persons would be required to play two roles, one of a sculptor and other of clay2. Let them decide on who would be the sculptor first and the other clay. For the first round of the exercise, half of the sculptors should create a “good man” and the remaining half should create a “good women” with their respective mould of clay. These good men and women could be anybody, people from everyday life or characters from history, literature and mythology etc. When the sculptors are working the moulds of clay are supposed to follow the directions of their respective creators and not speak or move on their own accord3. The participants can use any props available with them or in the classroom4. After 15 minutes tell clap loud, indicating participants to stop. The sculptors and their statues should freeze5. Now ask the sculptors what they created and note down answers on the board. (for examples, house wives, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Sita etc. for a “good women” and Mahatma Gandhi, Responsible father, Prithviraj Chauhan etc. for a “good men”)6. Now conduct the second round of the exercise and ask the participants to reverse roles, those who were the sculptors earlier shall become the moulds of clay and those who were moulds of clay would do the roles of sculptors.7. Ask half of these sculptors to create a “bad man” and the remaining half to create a “bad women” from their respective clay moulds8. After 15 minutes tell clap loud, indicating participants to stop. The sculptors and their statues should freeze9. Ask the sculptor what they have created and note down answers on the board (examples like nagging housewife, a vamp, woman involved in prostitution etc. for a bad woman, and for bad man, batterer (wife beater) a terrorist etc.)Discussions:Discuss the following questions with participants and ensure that the participants have participatedand explained their choice, thus bringing out the definitions for good and bad man and women. 88

a. What made you choose these characters?b. What makes them good or bad?c. Where do we get our ideas of good and bad men or women from?d. Are the roles interchangeable, will a simple sweet man also be a good man: or would a working successful woman also be considered a good woman?Summing up:After the activity, point out the common aspects of choices and perceptions and point out that thesestem from messages received from our social environment.Activity 6: Pairing & SharingObjective: All students will learn to trust and respect each other 20 minsSeating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circle Blank sheet of paper and pen for each participantStart the Activity:1. Ask the participants to walk around in the room as if they were in a park. Instruct participants not to speak to anybody and think about themselves, who they are and where they come from.2. Stop on hearing a clap after 2 minutes3. Pair up with the student next to them (the trainer needs to ensure that the partners chosen are not good friends with each other)4. Next ask them to share their name, place of stay, any two important bits of information about self, secrets, positive and negative qualities and favorite food or games with each other within a time of 5 minutes5. Ask them to write what their paired buddy shared within 5 minutes6. Now come back to the large group and introduce your partner to everybodySummary: 5 minutes  Do a quick summary of the lesson including points from the last lesson as well.  You may conclude by saying that Gender related situations need to be handled with great sensitivity. And when the situation involved shows signs of extreme gender based discrimination and wrong doing, one must be prepared to fight for your rights.  Ask participants to complete the relevant sections of their workbooks in the class after the session. Give them enough time to complete the task. 89

7. VALUES &PERCEPTIONS Values are a personal right, and should not be dictated by others. Values are not necessarily from family or friends, but instead through personal experiences and beliefs. 90

Remember to go through the session plan on 90 minutesPage 10 to see how you can start the session Values & Perceptions Lesson 7.1 - MandatoryIntroductionThis session deals with two of the most important aspects of Life Skills - Values & Perceptions. Valuesand perceptions are important since they shape a person's beliefs. People have their own set ofbeliefs and notions and one should respect them.DefinitionsValues: When we think of the term values we may think of words such as \"freedom\" or \"education\".So we can have positive values. We may also think of words such as \"greed\" or \"cruelty\". There canbe negative values too.Some words that imply positive values are freedom, education, happiness, love, cleanliness, sincerity,hard work and truth. We encourage you to think of some more words that present values in apositive context. Write them down as part of your portfolio.Similarly, when we think of values in a negative context, words like anger, blasphemy, crime, cruelty,selfishness, hatred and greed come to mind. We encourage you to think of some more words thatpresent values in a negative context. Write them down as part of your portfolio.Perceptions: Perception is one's interpretation of the world, situation, etc. as sensed by theindividual. We can sense through our sensory organs. We have the sense of sight through our eyes,the sense of hearing through our ears, smell through nose, taste through our tongue and sense oftouch through skin, hands, etc. Whatever we sense through our sense organs is then interpreted byus based on several factors such as our age, gender, culture, education level, occupation, etc. Theseinterpretations then become our perceptions.Learning Objectives  Know about the importance of values and perceptions  Recognize that people differ from each other by the values and perceptions they holdIntroductory Activity: 20 minutesThis activity involves narrating a real life issue:I am working as a facilitator in a social organization. I work with street children. These are peoplewho are homeless and could sometimes end up doing some criminal activities. I really enjoy my job.Recently, my father visited the Centre I am working in. He does not want me to continue in such anenvironment. He wants me to quit this job and take up a corporate job. But I really love my job. Atthe same time, I don’t want let my father down.What should I do? 91

Discussions:  Ask participants to share their thoughts on the story.  Encourage them to think of ‘values’ and ‘perceptions’. What would they say about this person and his father’s values and perceptions?  Provide appropriate examples to illustrate the term “Values” and “Perceptions”Summing up:Distinguish between the two terms, “Values” and “Perceptions”. You may do this by saying that theterms though closely related and sometimes used interchangeably are very different from eachother. We must learn to use the right term in the right context. Values may shape one's Perceptions.Perceptions may influence one's acceptance or rejection of certain values. Let us see a few exampleswhere the differences between the terms values and perceptions may be clearly understood. Kumarthinks that the soup is too spicy. This is his perception. The term \"Perception\" is used correctly in thecontext here. Jenny gets very angry when she sees a policeman accepting bribes. According to hervalues, a policeman who protects the law should not break it.Activity 1 –The Story of Mala 20 mins Objective: To illustrate that individual values can be different & No special material individual perceptions of other persons vary required Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circleStart the Activity:This activity involves narrating the ‘Story of Mala’In the central part of India, there are two small villages Keela and Neela separated by a big river. Inthe village of Keela lived Mala, a young girl of 18 years. Ratan, a young boy of 18 years lived in thevillage of Neela across the river. The pretty Mala and the bright Ratan were classmates. Mala wasdeeply in love with Ratan who returned her love. Kumar is Mala's cousin. He is a young man of 27years and a very busy businessman. Kumar loved Mala a great deal. Mala did not love kumar, butrespected him very much and had a great affection for him. Anwar is a 31 year old social worker wholived in Mala's village. Many consider Anwar to be a committed social worker who is helpful and fair.Anwar knows of Mala's relationship with Ratan. Mala and Anwar would meet often and discussdifferent social issues of their village Keela.One evening, Mala heard that Ratan was very ill at his home in Neela. She was disturbed and anxiousto see Ratan. She rushes to the riverside to take a ferry boat to Neela. The clouds were dark and theweather stormy. All the boats had been moved to a safe place. But Mala was desperate to cross theriver and see Ratan. When she finds no boats available, she starts walking towards her homedejected. On her way, she meets Gopu, a 25-year old ferry boat operator. Mala asks Gopu, whetherhe would you take her to Neela right away. She says that her friend Ratan is very ill and that shewould like to see him and help him. Gopu thinks Mala is crazy and says that crossing the river in thestormy weather would be dangerous. Mala pleads with Gopu and says at any cost she would want to 92

meet Ratan and take care of him. At this Gopu makes a demand that if Mala were to kiss him andhave sex with him he would agree to take her across.Mala was aghast and angry at Gopu's indecent proposal. Mala argued and pleaded with Gopu. ButGopu just restated his one condition. Mala was now desperate. She wanted to reach Ratan's placeand reluctantly agreed to Gopu's condition. Mala feels angry, helpless and shamed. But she isconsoled that she is able to reach Ratan's home after all. She sees Ratan in bed, weak and with highfever. Mala tenderly takes care of Ratan, taking care to clean him, feed him food and medicines, andslowly nurse him back to health. After a few days, Ratan gets better and recovers completely. Ratanknows that Mala has lovingly nursed him back to health. He wants to know the details of how Malalearnt of his illness, and how she came here. Ratan thanks Mala and asks her how she knew of his illhealth. Mala replies that she missed him in school and that she met the teacher and enquired abouthis absence. She said that it was the teacher who informed her that he, Ratan had high fever andcould not come to school.So she then decided to cross the river to meet him. Ratan wonders as to how Mala was able to crossthe river in the stormy weather, and then asks her as to how she managed it. Mala then tells thestory of how Gopu had agreed to take her across and on what terms he had agreed. Ratan is shockedto hear this story and turns angry and abusive. Mala tries to make Ratan understand, but he isunmoved. Weeping Mala goes back home. Mala goes to Kumar’s house and tells him the wholestory. She asks kumar to help her by talking to Ratan and help him change his mind. Kumar tells herthat he always loved Mala. But unfortunately, with this incident with Gopu, he cannot help her now.Moreover, he would be leaving on a business trip in the next ten minutes. Firmly, but politely, kumarsends Mala out of his house.Mala had always respected Kumar, and had expected him to support her and help her. Unhappy, sheleaves Kumar’s home and goes to see Anwar. Mala tells Anwar the whole story. Of how she wasabused and rejected by Ratan. Anwar is moved by Mala's story and her weeping affects him. He getsvery angry with Ratan and rushes to Ratan's house. Anwar enters Ratan's house angrily. He shouts atRatan for insulting Mala. Anwar tells Ratan that he must look at Mala with respect and affectionsince she nursed him back to health and acted selflessly. Ratan defends his behavior by saying thathe values the virtue of fidelity in a woman more than anything else. His honor is very important. Andhe cannot forgive Mala for her dishonorable act with Gopu. Ratan stresses that he does not everwant to see Mala again. Mala returns to her home very unhappy. This is the story of Mala – the girlwho took some extreme steps out of love for Ratan, and was finally abandoned by Ratan.Discussions:Self-ReflectionAsk participants to spend about 10 minutes reflecting internally thinking about the story, thecharacters involved, the circumstances and the behavior of the several characters. Specifically,reflect on the following questions:  Which characters did you like most? Why?  Which character did you like the least? Why?  Do you think Mala was justified in doing what she did? Why?  Do you think Ratan was justified in his reactions? Why?  What do you think of the actions of Gopu, Kumar and Anwar? 93

Discussion with PartnerAfter reflecting on the story, the characters and the questions posed ask participants to turn to theirpartner and discuss the answers. Take 10-15 minutes for these discussions.Summing Up:You may sum up by saying- now that you have discussed with your partner, the various aspects of the story.During your self-reflection, you would have had certain thoughts. You would have perceived certain things andformed some opinions. These are your personal perceptions and values. Later, you engaged in a discussionwith your partner. Think about your own perceptions and values in the context of the story of Mala. Also thinkabout the thoughts, opinions, perceptions and values as expressed by your partner.Activity 2 - What People think of others?Objective: To illustrate that individual perceptions vary 20 minsSeating: Make the participants sit comfortably initially. Later theywould be required to move around Blank sheet of paper and pen for each participant, double side tapeStart the Activity:1. Ask each participant to write on their paper 5 words that he or she thinks apply to themselves. Each participant writes this down without showing this to other participants.2. When the task is done, request the participants to place the paper face down in front of them.3. Next, arrange for a white sheet of paper to be taped on the back of each participant. And when ready, ask each participant to write on the back of at least 5 other participants one word that describes what he or she thinks about the other person. For example, one participant could write on the back of another participant words such as \"Intelligent\", \"Short-tempered\", \"Aggressive\", \"Helpful\" or \"Leader\" that he/she thinks applies to the concerned participant.4. After reasonable time elapses, ask the participants to return to their seats.5. Next, ask the participants to remove the paper that is taped on their backs. Then ask them to read what others have written about them and compare with what they had written about themselves.Discussions:Ask the participants to share what they feel about the activity. Specifically, they are asked to share ifthere are similarities or differences between what they perceived about themselves and what othersperceive about them. What did they gain from this activity? Ensure a lively discussionRestate the objective that there may be differences in the perceptions of individuals of the sameitem, issue, or event. Such differences are to be respectedSummary: 5 minutes  Do a quick summary of the lesson and announce that one more class with would be undertaken to reinforce the topic and which would bring about more understanding.  You may conclude by saying that some people would express strong opinion, one that hurts someone too. Some people would have values that are extreme, and94

some that are easy to follow by others. The important points to note are: No one is absolutely right, and no one is absolutely wrong. People have a right to their values, and they have a right to express them. Ultimately values are formed from your own personal experiences. Values differ from person to person. Personal differences also influence values of individuals. Try to respect that person’s choice, and if you want, agree to disagree Ask participants to complete the relevant sections of their workbooks in the class after the session. Give them 15 minutes for this activity. 95

Remember to go through the session plan on 90 minutesPage 10 to see how you can start the session Values & Perceptions Lesson 7.2- OptionalRecapPlease do a quick recap of the activities completed as part of the last lesson before proceedingActivity 3 –The Bomb ShelterObjective: To illustrate that individual values can be different & 20 minsindividual perceptions vary from person to person.Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circle No special material requiredStart the Activity:This activity involves narrating the story ‘Bomb Shelter’A war has broken out between the cities of Kasturi and Himath. In Himath, most of the civilians havebeen evacuated. Those who have stayed behind are in hiding in bomb shelters. You are in one ofthese shelters – the major there tells you there is room for three more people in your shelter. Youlook around you and see a group of individuals – they are a businessman, a religious leader, apregnant woman, a doctor, a social worker, a police woman, a 2 year old child, a chief minister and ateacher. Whom would you choose?Discussions:Self-ReflectionNow you have seen the scenario. Please think carefully for about 10 minutes about the choices youmade. And consider the following questions: What exactly made you choose a particular person?What qualities in a person are invaluable according to you? Are you able to justify your choice bylisting a few points in favor of each person you choose? Will you be able to give reasons as to whyyou did not choose a particular person? Will you be able to list them?Partner sharingTurn to your partner and discuss your answers. Share your thoughts with your partner, and listen toyour partner's choices and the reasons for the choices.Summing Up:You may sum up by saying- Now you have had the opportunity to reflect on your choices as well asdiscuss them amongst your group. There are no right and wrong choices. You have come up withthree choices based on what you find important in life. Each person's priorities are different. Sincethe situation is a war scenario, it is possible that some people may make practical choices based onthe fact of who could be beneficial in that situation. While some people would pay more attention towhat is beneficial, others would be moved by the sympathy factor. 96

Activity 4: Starfish 20 mins White board & markers Objective: All students will know how values and perception differ from student to student Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circleStart the Activity:This activity involves narrating the story of starfish: A man was taking his morning walk at the beach. He saw that along with the morning tide came hundreds of starfish and due to the sun’s rays, they would die. A fresh tide came along, and the man could see a few more starfish, they were alive. The man took a few steps, picked one and threw it into the water. He did that repeatedly. Right behind him there was another person who couldn’t understand what this man was doing? He said, “There are hundreds of starfish. How many can you help? What difference does it make?” This man did not reply, took two more steps, picked up another one, threw it into the water, and said, “It makes a difference to this one.”Discussions:  Do you agree with person-1 who was throwing the starfish back into the sea or with person-2 who was asking the question? Why?  Ask the participants to share their personal experiences related to the topic?Summary: 5 minutes  Do a quick summary of the lesson including points from the last lesson as well.  You may conclude by saying that some people would express strong opinion, one that hurts someone too. Some people would have values that are extreme, and some that are easy to follow by others. The important points to note are: No one is absolutely right, and no one is absolutely wrong. People have a right to their values, and they have a right to express them. Ultimately values are formed from your own personal experiences. Values differ from person to person. Personal differences also influence values of individuals.  Ask participants to complete the relevant sections of their workbooks in the class after the session. Give them 15 minutes for this activity97

Remember to go through the session plan on 90 minutesPage 10 to see how you can start the session Values & Perceptions Lesson 7.3- OptionalRecapPlease do a quick recap of all the activities that you completed as part of the previous lesson fromtopics before proceedingActivity 5: Values and perception differ from person to personObjective: All students should explain that values and perception 20 minsdiffer from person to person, and that these differences should berespected No special materialSeating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circle requiredStart the Activity:This activity involves narrating the story of Frog and Snake:Ramu walked down the street and saw a snake with a frog in its mouth. The snake was very hungryand the frog would satisfy its hunger. Even if the frog escaped, it had very little chance of survival. Ifyou were Ramu, what would you do? Divide the class into groups Guide each group to come-up with their points After that each group should share their viewsDiscussions:Give space to the groups to share their thoughts and ensure a lively discussion. Ask them how werethe discussion in the group? Did everyone get a chance to share their thoughts? Did people havedifferent thoughts on the story? Why?Ask participants how this story links to the ideas of values and perceptions.Activity 6: Question & Answer 60 mins Objective: All students will understand that Values and Board & marker, paper Perceptions change according to the context. cutting of insects Seating: Make the participants sit comfortably in a semi-circle related to the topicStart the Activity:Ask some questions to participants.Q. 1. Which creature do you like? 98

A. Butterfly, dog, fish, birds etc.Q. 2. Do you like worms?A. 99.9% Participants will tell no.Q.3. WhyA. They look ugly, they crawl and they are found in rotten food or polluted water, which is unhealthy,they are not useful for anything. (This leads to the perception)Q.4. what do you know about silk worms, leeches or earthworms? Are they useful worms? Why?A. Silkworms produce silk, leeches are used in medical treatment and earthworms are used forfishing and in fields for making soil fertile.Q. 5. Are they valuable / useful?A. Yes, they are of commercial value. (The perceptions towards worms is now positive)SummarySummarize the topic, ‘Values & Perceptions’  Summary must be lucid, simple and brief  Summarize the items covered under the topic  Refer to the real-life issue and summarize how this topic addressed it.  Ask the participants to complete the relevant sections of the workbook in class in 15 minutes.  Thank the participants and conclude the session 99

8. BALANCINGRELATIONSHIPS While it is good to feel confident about yourself And the decisions you make, you can’t forget One other thing that is also very important. That is being sensitive to the feelings of others And balancing your relationships. 100