COURSE OVERVIEW
As a student in the Blake Middle school, you are subjected to the overwhelming challenges, choices, and conflicts of today’s adolescents. Your bodies are changing, your social circles are transforming, and your academic and athletic demands are increasing with speed. On top of the changes, you are surrounded by a wide variety of voices and influences - especially from the media and from your peers - that can make your transitions even more confusing. What you need as a student is not more information about adolescent problems - you are inundated with it already. What you need is better information about how you can improve your physical and mental well-being.
The Middle School Wellness course will aim to educate and empower you to make your own well-informed and thoughtful decisions regarding your mental, physical, and social development. It is my goal as your teacher to have students leaving my course realizing that they have the ability to take their wellness into their own hands by empowering themselves through education and awareness.
Upon completion of this course, it is my goal that you will...
- Understand that emotional health is equally important in your personal wellness, and that physical and emotional health are not mutually exclusive.
- Gain tools to help you achieve and promote healthy behaviors.
- Have improved communication and cooperation skills.
- Be more appreciative of your emotions, your body, your family, your friends, and your place in the world.
EXPECTATIONS
I am so excited to spend this year with you. My first, and most important, priority is to ensure a safe environment in which all people are treated with respect and acceptance at all times. You will take on new challenges throughout this course, and I expect you to help me establish a comfortable atmosphere so that everyone feels willing to take risks. Confidence in taking risks and sharing information only comes from a sense of security as well as a felling of being supported by others. It is important that you feel safe and respected no matter what. We have to create this atmosphere together!
DO YOUR PART! BE A GOOD CITIZEN!
- Follow HARRT at all times:
- Be Honest (demonstrate academic honesty and complete assignments thoroughly and promptly)
- Be Accepting (do not judge others and accept varying opinions)
- Be Respectful (of self, others, and property)
- Be Responsible (be on time and come to class prepared)
- Be Trusting and Trustworthy (take risks and trust others)
MATERIALS
- 3 - ring binder with loose leaf paper
- Pencils/Pens/Markers/Crayons (any utensil your heart desires)
- Journal (Any blank journal or notebook will do)
ASSESSMENT
- Journals, Projects, Assignments - 50%
- Participation, Effort, and Citizenship - 50%
There will be many writing assignments and journal reflections in this course. However, because this will be a course largely based on discussion and group work, it is very important that you feel comfortable taking risks and participating during class activities and discussions. Participation does not just mean offering comments. A good participator also must demonstrate great listening and cooperation skills, and a good participator must never judge or put down another person or his/her opinions and ideas. In other words, your participation grade will not just be based on how much you talk.
COURSE OUTLINE
Unit 1: Mental and Emotional Health
- Personal Identity. Who am I? What defines me?
- Self esteem and self appreciation
- Body awareness
- Strengths and weaknesses
- Role models
- Gender identity
Unit 2: Family and Relationship Health
- Reading others' emotions and displaying emotions effectively
- Communicating emotions through posture and expression
- Conflict resolution with friends and family
- What makes a healthy relationship?
Unit 3: Social and Community Health
- Social Agents (i.e. families, peers, religion, media, school) and their effects on self
- Power and its relation to social interactions and discrimination
- The media and its messages
- Stereotypes, discrimination, and privilege
- Diversity and pluralism
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