Dove Self-Esteem Workshop for Girls & Boys 11-14 yrs Speaker’s notes (lesson plan) to accompany PowerPoint presentation (90 minute flow) N.B. The language you use will need to be adapted to the precise age / needs of your pupils Topic Homework

What to say

What to use

Rev 15.10.12

Presentation charts

Soon we will be running a workshop to explore body confidence and self-esteem. Please prepare by doing this easy piece of homework: Bring in an image from a magazine or the internet of someone who shows “true beauty”. What does "true beauty" mean? That's up to you. There’s no wrong answer but please treat the task sensibly, you'll get more out of it that way.

Welcome & introductions

Distribute photocopies of Activity Sheets 1.1, 2.1, 3.2 and 3.3, ideally copied with 2 Activities on each side of 1 piece of paper.

Presentation

(1 minute) Hello. We are here today to participate in this workshop on body confidence and selfesteem. It's been created with the support of the Dove Self-Esteem Project. Objectives & Warm-up (6 minutes)

So what's this workshop all about? - It is designed to help you develop skills for self-esteem and body confidence. - And give you specific tools to help build them. Why do I think this is important? You could add a relevant story from your own youth. Let’s do a quick warm-up exercise. Put your hand up if, this morning, you: - Put your left shoe on before your right shoe? - Put your shirt on with some buttons already done up? - Are alive (!) - Spent more than 1 minute looking in the mirror? - Wondered if you look good enough for the day ahead? - That’s where this workshop should help – to support you in feeling good about yourself. Now consider these facts (see charts).

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Every day we make decisions based on what we see. But sometimes things are not what they seem … Show MPEG (1 min)

What we will be doing (1 minute)

Play film “Sometimes things are not what they seem”

There are 3 parts to this workshop: 1. Understanding what ‘self-esteem’ and ‘body confidence’ mean 2. Understanding what affects them 3. Improving our self-esteem skills

How we will work

Here are 3 ground-rules to help us get the most from this session.

(2 minutes)

(Extra ground-rule for large groups: I won’t shout for silence. Instead, when you see I have my hand up, please become silent and put your hand up. Let’s see how quickly we can get the whole room to become quiet.)

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What is selfesteem? (3 minutes)

Right, let’s start. What do ‘self-esteem’ and ‘body confidence’ mean?

Hands up if you think self-esteem can be learnt…

… good news: it can.

Activity 1.1 Self-Esteem Supports

This Activity, Self-Esteem Supports, aims to help us understand what builds our self-esteem. Knowing the things that make us feel good means we can support ourselves when times are hard.

Activity Sheet 1.1

(8 minutes) Read instructions on Activity Sheet 1.1. Afterwards ask how they found this activity. Can they share some of the things that make them feel good about their bodies & build their self-esteem? Prompt further using the ‘Did you know?’ chart.

Link to next activity: pupils sometimes mention that they like looking at pictures of celebrities, and dream about being more like them …

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Activity 2.1 How Would You Feel?

Research tells us that things we see in the media can affect the way we feel about ourselves. This Activity helps us to explore these feelings.

(14 minutes)

Read out instructions on Activity Sheet 2.1.

Activity Sheet 2.1

While they are working in their pairs, walk round and look out for interesting choices. Ask individuals if they will share their choices with the whole class. Afterwards ask which words came up most commonly. Draw out contrasts between (e.g.) ‘stereotypical’ and ‘natural’. Reinforce that each young person is unique and all the better for it. Different ideas of beauty make life interesting. Imagine how dull it would be if we were all the same ‘perfect’. Prompt further: If you met the person in your picture when they were relaxing at home, do you think you’d recognise them? What might be different? Prompt further: Use the ‘Angelina Jolie’ chart.

When people are dissatisfied with their looks, they can be vulnerable and exploited. What kinds of company can get money out of us by making us think our bodies are imperfect?

Prompt further: It is easy to be tempted by plastic surgery. What problems do you think it can really solve?

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Exploring media imagery

Who says who is beautiful? We’re going to explore why images may be manipulated in the media.

(15 minutes)

Share some of the altered images of Keira Knightley (posters for the same film promoted in the UK and USA), Jessica Alba, Britney Spears, Andy Roddick, Faith Hill. What physical differences can you see in these photographs? (This is an easy question for pupils to answer if they’ve not raised their hands already.) What stereotypes have led to these changes? (You might need to remind what ‘stereotypes’ means.) How do you feel about media companies doing this?

Now top fashion photographer Rankin shows us what happens behind the scenes. Show MPEG (5 mins).

‘Fabricating Beauty’ film

What did you find most surprising? We saw a former top model’s face (Jodie Kidd) being made thinner. What do you think about this? How do you think models & stars feel about being manipulated? Balance with how beauty can be fun too, as long as you are doing what you want rather than what you think others want you to do. (When ‘doing what you want’, you need to make sure you respect your teachers / parents!)

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Activity 2.4 Playing With Beauty

Let’s go back to when we were younger and see how toys and characters in stories may have shaped our thoughts on body shape.

(12 minutes) Read the charts and get the class to discuss in groups for a few minutes. Then ask for volunteers to share with the whole class.

Prompt further: Was there anything else in your childhood that showed a narrow view of beauty? -

Activity 3.1 Power Of Words (8 minutes)

What about the fairy tale prince – was he always muscly? And the princess blonde and slender? What about Shrek – what do you think about the way he looks?

Sometimes being surrounded by all this ‘perfect’ imagery can make us feel less good about ourselves. So how can we improve our self-esteem skills? We can start by appreciating how others’ communication towards us makes us feel. Words are powerful things. They can be used to stop wars or start wars; build understanding or build barriers. Let’s explore their power. For each of the quotations that I’m about to give you, please answer these 3 questions: 1) How does this statement make you feel? 2) What was the person trying to say? 3) How could this have been rephrased respectfully?

You could write up these 3 questions on a flip chart

What would you say to somebody who accidentally insulted you? Discuss different ways to respond e.g. - Ask what they really meant to say - Separate your feelings and judgments from the information that you want to give - Keep your comments respectful - Take a deep breath, think, speak later

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Activity 3.2 Unfinished Sentences (10 minutes)

Now we’re going to look at how to help build others’ self-esteem. It seems much easier to point out things we don’t like about ourselves and others, rather than things we do. Do you agree? When was the last time we told the people who are special to us how much they mean to us? (It’s said that South Americans do this more often than North Europeans.) We all like receiving compliments. And we all have the power to give them. With practice, we can improve our skills. Get into pairs. Read out instructions on Activity Sheet 3.2.

Activity Sheet 3.2

Remind about the need to be positive, respectful and avoid any hurt. “Important: do not let your partner see what you have written.” Make sure the pupils really listen to you now. There’s often a high point if you get the class to do the next thing at the same time. When they finish writing, ask them to swap sheets, read what has been written, look their partner in the eye and then thank them. You can invite them to hug, if appropriate. What did it feel like to complete the sentences for your partner? What was it like to receive these statements? What was easy? What was hard? Reinforce that confidence can be learnt.

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Activity 3.3 Promise Card

This last Activity is called the Personal Promise Card. It’s about committing to action to build our own self-esteem and body confidence.

Activity Sheet 3.3

(7 minutes) Write down a promise to yourself. No one else will have to see what you have written. Try to make this as specific as possible, e.g.: - ‘I will do a reality check when I read magazines’ - ‘I will make eye contact with myself in the mirror’ and give myself a compliment - ‘I will stop calling others skinny or fat’ - ‘I will hold my head up high when I walk through the school gates’ - ‘I will think before commenting on others’ looks’ How will you meet your promise? Perhaps share it with a partner then check-in together in a week. Ask if anyone wants to share their promises (acknowledging that you just said they were confidential)! Further information

If anyone has anything specific or private they’d like to talk about, please see your teacher or school nurse afterwards.

(1 minute) Summary (2 minutes)

Read out chart. You could hand out a copy of this summary with the ‘letter to parents’ printed on reverse.

Hand out summary

Option to hand out Activity Sheet 2.2 or 3.1 as homework. Well that’s the end. I hope this has been valuable for you and that it helps you in your journey with body confidence and selfesteem. Thank You!

TOTAL 90 minutes

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