SUPPORTING CONFIDENCE #LIKEAGIRL MODULE TEACHING GUIDE

SUPPORTING CONFIDENCE #LIKEAGIRL MODULE TEACHING GUIDE

INTRODUCTION You run like a girl or You throw like a girl are common phrases we ve all heard or said as an insult. But did you ever think about how these insults can affect a girl s confidence, particularly during sensitive times such as puberty? An Always -sponsored survey 1 by Research Now found that the start of puberty and the first period mark the lowest moments in confidence for girls. 2 Fifty-six percent of girls lose confidence at puberty. Menarche and puberty are the lowest points of confidence. Nine in 10 females believe words can harm. Only 19 percent have a positive association with the phrase like a girl. That s why Always is fighting to change the negative perception of the phrase and make like a girl a declaration that means downright amazing! This global campaign aims to help girls, especially as they enter puberty, to feel proud and confident when they do things like a girl. As part of the #LikeAGirl campaign, and following many requests from teachers around the world, we have developed some educational materials that support the campaign and provide comprehensive, quality and time-saving resources suitable for students of all abilities. These resources, developed by teachers for teachers 3, are aimed at spurring conversation to help rethink and redefine common words and phrases used in society. This resource is supported by a social experiment created to show how people of all ages interpret the phrase like a girl differently, particularly younger and older girls. 1 2014 Always online survey of 1,300 U.S. females ages 16 to 24 2 Of 13 other milestones. Milestones include: when you got your first car ; your first love ; at college ; when you started working ; when you got your first boyfriend/girlfriend ; in high school ; your first date ; when you hear people being teased with like a girl ; in junior high school ; in middle school ; when puberty started ; when you got your first period. 3 Developed by teachers in the U.K. for additional info, visit www.always.com 2

MODULE CONTENTS In this module, students will learn about how words can be harmful and can damage confidence. Understanding this will help change behaviors among this age group through a better knowledge of vulnerabilities. The lessons can be taught in both single-gender classes and mixed. #LikeAGirl Lesson Guide Learning Objectives: Help students understand that words can be harmful. Help students understand that harmful words can have an impact on confidence. Help boost confidence among students during puberty. SUPPORTING MATERIALS The following Always #LikeAGirl videos are available at www.always.com/likeagirl, www.youtube.com/alwaysbrand and www.pgschoolprograms.com: Always #LikeAGirl Always Throw #LikeAGirl Always Swing #LikeAGirl Worksheets 1 and 2 can be photocopied for use in the lesson. The research infographic at the end of this booklet provides further information about the Always-sponsored survey by Research Now. for additional info, visit www.always.com 3

LESSON PLAN MODULE #LIKEAGIRL LESSON PLAN STARTER ACTIVITY 10 MINUTES Start the lesson by asking the students to come to the front of the classroom and perform some actions. Ask them in sequence to run, fight and throw like a girl. This exercise will get the students thinking about how they interpret the phrase like a girl in a fun way before completing other activities. Were these correct interpretations? Why? As individuals or as groups, give students Worksheet 1 with #LikeAGirl in the center. Ask students to describe what they think like a girl means and complete the thought cloud. Have you ever heard that phrase? Have you ever used/said it? Does it feel good or bad? Share responses via the whiteboard at the front of the class or using sticky notes on a shared class resource. What do students notice about the responses? Are they positive or negative? Watch the Always #LikeAGirl video available at www.always.com/likeagirl or via www.youtube.com/alwaysbrand or www.pgschoolprograms.com. Ask students about their initial reactions following the video. How do you feel? What s the video message? MAIN ACTIVITY 20 MINUTES In order to enable deep understanding of the content, continue with the exercise below, showing sections of the video when you feel it s necessary. STEP 1: Understanding words can be harmful The video provides a stimulus to pose key questions: Are expressions such as like a girl appropriate? Is it positive or negative? Is it okay to call someone a nerd? How about a loser? A geek? What about saying someone is fat? When you call someone crazy, what are you saying about him or her? Students are encouraged to contribute to these statements. Get students involved and ask them to explain their answers. How do you think these expressions make people feel? Do you think they can be harmful? Why? for additional info, visit www.always.com 4

LESSON PLAN MODULE #LIKEAGIRL LESSON PLAN STEP 2: Understanding that harmful words can have an impact on confidence Discuss how harmful words can impact confidence. As a class, align on the definition of confidence. Consider that confidence is to know yourself to understand your strengths and believe you can achieve something. What does confidence mean? What can impact your confidence? Can you give examples of what can impact confidence in a good or bad way? Pose the question: How damaging are expressions such as like a girl to girls? What are the consequences of using them? Each answer can be highlighted to generate awareness of the drop in confidence in students during puberty and to stimulate discussion about the actions we can take to avoid or minimize it. You can also watch the Always Throw #LikeAGirl video available at youtube.com/alwaysbrand or www. pgschoolprograms.com to use as additional stimulus. MAIN ACTIVITY 20 MINUTES STEP 3: Boosting confidence This is the most important part of the module, as it actively contributes to stopping the drop in confidence. Re-watch the Always #LikeAGirl video from 0:40 to 1:02 and/or from 2:00 to 2:55. Watch the Always Swing #LikeAGirl video available at youtube.com/alwaysbrand or www.pgschoolprograms.com to use as additional stimulus. Show respectful images of women or images from the #LikeAGirl campaign. These could be girls throwing, running, performing onstage, doing a science experiment, painting and more. Then ask the question again. Is this behaving like a girl? From here, encourage students to think about the things they do #LikeAGirl and complete the confidence-boosting activity on Worksheet 2. The activity is designed to make the students think about their achievements and strengths to help boost confidence. You may want to keep these worksheets to review at a later date. for additional info, visit www.always.com 5

LESSON PLAN MODULE #LIKEAGIRL LESSON PLAN Ask students to complete the thought cloud task again. Ask them what the phrase like a girl means after your discussions. Can this be a positive comment that can encourage girls and boost confidence? Before and after responses can be reviewed to assess learning among the class. Discuss the moral of the lesson: Boosting confidence is key! Having confidence helps teenagers make safe, informed decisions. Confident teenagers can have the ability to avoid people and situations that aren t necessarily right for them, and to find those that are. From the lesson plan, the students should now: Realize how harmful words can be. What you think may be harmless could actually have a negative effect on students. Understand others vulnerabilities and how easy it is to damage selfconfidence. Ask students if they have ever chosen not to do something positive because of what others will think or say. SUMMARY 10 MINUTES Now that students strengths have been identified, has this boosted their confidence? Ask students to consider confidence-boosting activities on a regular basis to keep them motivated. What else can we do to keep our confidence high? Ask students to think about how they act and how they are perceived as individuals moving forward. Ask them to pledge that they will only use like a girl in a positive way from now on. Teachers are encouraged to find a creative way to do this. For example, students could wear pledge bracelets or display pledges on the walls of the classroom. FOLLOW-UP SESSION (OPTIONAL) If another session is planned, ask students to bring to life what they do like a girl. The class could create posters, take photographs or make storyboards of their own #LikeAGirl video. These could be visually displayed around the school to show support and stamp out the negative perception of like a girl. for additional info, visit www.always.com 6

WORKSHEET 1 THOUGHT CLOUDS Activity Describe what you think like a girl means using the thought clouds below. #LikeAGirl for additional info, visit www.always.com 7

WORKSHEET 2 YOUR STRENGTHS AND ACHIEVEMENTS 1. WHAT HAVE YOU ALREADY ACHIEVED? Think about your life so far and list the three best things you have achieved. For example, did you ace an important test, play an important role on a team, do well at a sport or take part in a play? It could also be helping a friend or family member with something important or anything else in life you are proud of. 2. THINK ABOUT YOUR STRENGTHS. What are you good at? Thinking about both your school and personal life, list three things you are good at. This could be a subject, a hobby or anything else you or someone else thinks you are good at. 3. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE BY THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR? Write down one main goal you want to achieve by the end of the year. This can be a personal or academic goal. Make sure this is something realistic. 4. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THERE? The best way to achieve your goals is by setting mini goals in order to get to your big goal. If your goal is to complete a report for school, think about how you would work to get there. On the first day, you might do some research and make notes. On the second day, you could write your introductory paragraph. On the third day, you might work on the body of the report. Set your goals like this and check them off when you have completed them. This will really help boost your confidence and help you reach your big goal. When you achieve your goals, you can start the process again. Your list of achievements and strengths will grow, and it will continue to boost your confidence! for additional info, visit www.always.com 8

RESEARCH INFOGRAPHIC for additional info, visit www.always.com 9

NOTES 2015 P&G #LikeAGirl www.always.com/likeagirl