Module 2: WHO CARES?

Page 18

topic six: in the community (continued)

to the teacher

The aim of this topic is to help the students to take a good look at their neighbourhood and to develop a pride in where they live and/or go to school. If this pride is developed, they are more likely to take responsibility for how things are.

A member of staff responsible for pastoral care in a Scottish school, which was in the midst of a big council housing estate, decided to help the pupils in their first year to have a pride in their new school and to discover that it was a good community to which to belong. To do this, he stressed that every pupil had something unique and of value to contribute and they were deliberately encouraged to find out what this was. As time went on he became aware that vandalism was growing less in the school and concluded that it was partly as a result of this policy.

topic development

Give out worksheet 4 (page 20) My neighbourhood.

Ask the pupils to put a circle around the things in the picture they think are making it a good neighbourhood to live in and then put circles, of a different colour, around the things they think are spoiling the neighbourhood.

When this is done, use it as a lead into a discussion.

discussion guidelines

• What things in the picture are making it a good neighbourhood to live in? What things are stopping it from being a good area to live in? Why?
• Are things happening in the picture which also happen around where they live?
• Do they ever throw litter in the street? Why?
• What does a dirty place say about the people who live there?
• What does a friendly, safe area say about the people who live there?