Tag Archives: self esteem

Sticky Note Gifts

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Give every student enough sticky notes for every person in the group including the teacher. Tell them that they have all the money in the world and are going to give each person a gift. They are to write the names of the people on each sticky note and write what they would give them. Once everyone is done, call each student up one at a time and have the other students read their gift out loud and hand them a sticky note. Make sure to discuss the importance of choosing something that would be meaningful to the gift recipient.

Just the Way you Are

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Watch Billy Joel sing “Just the Way You Are”. Follow along with the lyrics Have a discussion about why it is important to not change for others. For some more fun, have the kids sing along karaoke style with this background music. Have you ever tried to change something about yourself because you thought you’d be accepted more? What does it mean to be true to yourself?

The Candy Game

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  • Have participants sit in a circle
  • Give each person 10 pieces of candy
  • Go around the circle and have each person name one thing in their life that they think is special or some talent or ability that they possess
  • As each person says what they want to say, the other members of the group throw that person a piece of candy if that is not something that they have in common with that individual
Example: I say, “I can play the piano.” If you can also play the piano you do nothing, but if you cannot play the piano you throw me a piece of candy
  • You should try to encourage the members of the group who are having a hard time thinking of something, as there should hopefully always be something to find in a persons life that is good
  • The game should hopefully end at a point where all members have the same amounts of candy again or at least where everyone has some so that no one feels left out – this up to the leader

Gift from the Heart

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Description

Each member of the group chooses an imaginary gift to give to each person in the group. Each gift is drawn or described on a piece of paper to be given to the recipient. The gifts should be thought out so they represent the individuals who receive the gifts.

The gifts may be deep and thoughtful such as “courage to face life’s difficulties”, for someone who has shared many deep problems with the group. Or the gifts may simply be something the receiver would enjoy, such as “a season ski pass to go skiing any time you want,” for someone who enjoys skiing.

Once everyone has completed their gifts, let one person at a time give out his/her gifts to the others. When giving the gifts, the giver should explain what the gift is and why she or he chose to give that particular gift to the individual.

Discussion Topics

1. How did you decide what gifts to give?

2. What did you think about the gifts you got?

3. Do you think there was a good match between the people and the gifts they received?

Bean Esteem

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1. Give each student 5 dried beans. Ask them to examine the beans and choose the “Best” bean. Don’t give them any other information.

2. After 5 minutes, have some or all of the students to explain how they chose their “Best” bean.

3. Relate the beans to people by asking the following questions:
a. Are all of your beans the same on the inside?
b. Are all people the same on the inside?
c. When we eat the beans, do all the beans taste the same?
d. Imagine you are hanging off a cliff and are desperately clinging to a few blades of grass that are pulling loose from the ground. Suddenly, a hand appears from above to rescue you. Would you wait to see what that person looked like before you reached for help?
e. Is one bean better than another?
f. Is one person better than another?

Wisdom

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Eleanor Roosevelt said “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.” Have a group discussion about this quote. What does it mean? How true is it? Can you think of cases where it might not be true? In what kinds of situations would this quote be most useful to remember?