Taking-Responsibility Activities for High-School Students
High-school students are at a critical age of learning to become an adult. This independence comes with responsibilities the student must learn to handle. Teachers and counselors should take an active role to prepare the student for possible conflicts. Taking-responsibility activities provide students with tools and knowledge to be successful outside a classroom.
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Bullying Role-Play
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Design a role-play activity so that students recognize bullying, which can take many forms and be as subtle as peer pressure. After the demonstration, hold a class discussion. A student may want to discuss a personal instance when he has been either the bully or a victim of bullying. Students can write responses to the role-play in journals. This exercise allows each student to see how he relates to another.
Simulated Parenting
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Give each student an egg to nurture for a week. Tell students they must find a cushioned way to transport the egg so it does not break, and the egg should not be left alone. If the student must leave, the egg should stay with a responsible adult. This activity makes students aware of parenthood's difficulties. Although caring for an egg can in no way compare to the complexities of caring for baby, students get a glimpse of this tremendous responsibility.
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Mock Interview
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Interviewing skills are important as high-school students prepare to get first jobs and enter college. The student must learn to be responsible and present himself well. Arrange mock interviews within the school, with business leaders and others conducting the interviews. Students should learn to prepare resumes that include extracurricular and volunteering activities. Stress the importance of proper attire and presentation. During the mock interviews, students gain real-world knowledge of what business professionals value when hiring employees.
Conflict Resolution
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In high-school students' search for independence, conflicts arise among peers. Students at this age level should learn to cope with problems and seek constructive solutions; establishing conflict-resolution groups within schools helps provide those alternatives. Counselors and teachers should choose responsible students to lead the group. Students are trained to mediate, listen and provide suggestions. Training can take place with counselors, guest speakers or even videos that role-play scenarios.
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References
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