Dealing with Aggression

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Introduction
The overall goal of the Healthy Relationships Curriculum is to promote gender equality and to end violence in society. The activities are based on a holistic approach towards learning with a methodology and content that seeks to educate for change and violence prevention by empowering students through the acquisition of knowledge (cognitive), the application of skills (behavioral) and a change in attitude/self-efficacy (affective). The learning outcomes and objectives listed below offer the facilitator an overview of how each session and activity supports students' essential learning of what they need to know, do and value in order to form and maintain healthy relationships.

HRC Learning Outcomes
Students will:

• Strengthen their resiliency
• Build their emotional intelligence
• Improve prosocial skills and social competence
• Increase problem solving ability
• Feel a sense of personal power and belonging
• Celebrate positive aspects of gender
• Develop respect and tolerance for differences
• Use critical thinking to make healthy lifestyle choices
• Have stronger self-awareness and self-esteem (internalized locus of control)
• Learn effective communication skills and practice positive emotional expression

Instructional Objectives
Volume One: Dealing With Aggression

Subject: The Personal

Session Themes:

• Exploring Emotions
• The Nuts and Bolts of Aggression
• Being Responsible
• Conflict Resolution

Students will learn to:

Knowledge (knowing)

• Understand the three ways people deal with anger
• Explain the indicators and consequences of physical, emotional/ psychological, and sexual violence
• Describe the different types of violence
• Understand the power dynamics between the Bully and the Innocent Victim

Skills (doing)

• Interpret another's emotions by their facial expression and other non-verbal cues
• Recognize the physical warning signs of anger
• Employ "I" statements to express emotions
• Employ assertive responses in a variety of situations
• Communicate other emotions that lie beneath the anger
• Express anger, and other emotions, constructively
• Select strategies for dealing with problem-solving and conflict situations
• Create a climate that discourages bullying
• Manage stress so it doesn't manage them
• Discourage bullying conditions
• Recognize stress cues and interrupt one's internal process that compounds the stress

Attitudes (valuing)

• Accept responsibility for feelings
• Value assertive choices and methods when expressing emotions
• Appreciate that everyone has different emotional responses to experiences
• Appreciate the value of sharing vs. competing

Instructional Objectives
Volume Two: Gender Equality and Media Awareness

Subject: The Social

Themes:

• Exposing Gender Stereotypes
• Learning Gender Stereotypes
• Impact of Gender Role Stereotypes
• Options and Choices

Students will learn to:

Knowledge (knowing)

• Recognize gender stereotypes: origins, effects and alternatives
• Understand the prevalence of TV violence and gender stereotypes
• Identify violent and non-violent role models
• Comprehend the impact of stereotypes on women
• Comprehend the impact of male stereotypes in initiations
• Explain how addictive substances are made attractive to consumers
• Recognize how objectification through pornography can affect behaviors and attitudes
• Discuss the harm caused by heterosexism; tolerance and respect for differences
• Recognize sexist messages in magazine ads, fairy tales, and television
• Measure the frequency of violent incidents, and the lack of consequences on TV
• Understand the impact of television on our attitudes about relationships
• Describe the negative consequences of peer pressure

Skills (Doing)

• Use critical thinking to analyze media messages
• Interpret how media affects values, consumer choices, and attitudes toward violence
• Examine the destructive impact of stereotypical female body images
• Question the violence implicit in male initiation rites, and its effect on boys/men
• Distinguish between fantasy and reality in media ads; understand how the inability to do this can lead to addiction
• Analyze songs for healthy and unhealthy relationship values
• Evaluate the influences of violent/ non-violent role models
• Differentiate healthy and unhealthy messages in song lyrics
• Examine how exposure to violence is desensitizing

Attitude (Valuing)

• Increase self-acceptance and self-esteem
• Assert gender-positive values
• Develop empathy
• Accept and recognize one's own strengths and limitations
• Make assertive behavior choices
• Feel self-empowered about one's own values

Instructional Objectives
Volume Three: Forming Healthy Relationships

Subject: The Interpersonal

Session Themes:

• When Relationships Go Wrong
• How Sexism Leads to Violence
• Understanding Anger
• Communication Skills
• Gender Justice in the School

Students will learn to:

Knowledge (knowing)

• Understand the role of stereotypes in relationships
• Define how power and control dynamics affect domestic violence
• Understand the myths and facts about violence in relationships and sexual harassment
• Understand the influence of gender stereotypes on dating decisions
• Identify the warning signs of date rape
• Explain the power dynamics of a domestic violence scenario
• Describe how teen dating violence can lead to domestic violence
• Differentiate between "Power With" and "Power Over" attitudes and behaviors
• Relate how sexist attitudes can lead to harmful behaviors
• State the connection between gender stereotypes and conflict in relationships
• Identify anger as the second emotion, and the primary feelings that have been covered up
• Recognize anger cues
• Select passive, aggressive and assertive behavior responses
• Understand the consequences of solving problems with force
• Understand that anger can be used in positive ways if properly channeled
• Differentiate between helpful, unhelpful, and harmful communication
• Monitor activities at school for gender justice

Skills (doing)

• Demonstrate how gender stereotypes are acted out in conflict scenarios
• Assert their own values in relationships
• Show how gender stereotypes influence dating attitudes
• Recognize how sexist attitudes can lead to harmful behaviors
• Explain the effects of unequal power versus equal power in relationships
• Deal with anger through recognition and assertiveness
• Employ the refusal skill of how to say "No"
• Communicate constructively
• Distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behaviors in school
• Evaluate activities in the school for gender equality
• Protect and assert one's personal boundaries effectively
• Support a friend in an abusive relationship

Attitudes (valuing)

• Affirm and assert one's own personal boundaries
• Respect others' personal boundaries
• Appreciate that one effect of our violent culture is to solve problems with force
• Respect that No means No
• Appraise attitudes regarding sexual harassment
• Appreciate the difference between flirting and sexual harassment
• Believe that each of us has the power to decide which behaviors are acceptable and unacceptable at school
• Conclude that we can make a difference when we work together

You can reach the developers and publishers of
Healthy Relationships Curriculum
through any of the following means:
Phone: 1 (902) 457-4351
Fax: 1 (902) 457-4597
E-mail:

May 2000
Men For Change Receives Peace Award
Men For Change was honoured to receive the MTT Community Peace Award, "In recognition of an outstanding contribution to promoting harmony in our schools," on May 12 at the first annual conference of the League of Peaceful Schools.