March+Classroom+Guidance

The Control Game ** **(Please note: Not all scenarios are listed below)** The control game is an experiential, hands on opportunity for students to explore their ideas about personal control and influence in their own lives and their control and influence in the lives of others.
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Students will: - Discuss what they can and cannot control in their lives. - Recognize that different people feel they have different levels of control. - State that they have more control over their own behavior than the behavior of others. - State that they have more control over their own emotions than the emotions of others. - Differentiate between control and influence Scenario #1 For students who say they cannot control if they pay attention or not, I ask them, “If I told you that I have a hundred dollar bill for anyone who pays attention to me for the remainder of the lesson.” This gets them every time. “I can! I can!” So who chooses whether you pay attention? The final step of this lesson is to verbally review (with the assessment tool below) what has been learned or discovered about control. Then ask students if they would agree that if you can control something, can you change it? And if you can change or influence something, do you have some responsibility in the situation? A good example is if a student sees someone being teased. Do you have a “responsibility” to help because you can influence the outcome?
 * 1) Counselor tapes one control sign at one end of the wall and the other control sign at the other end.
 * 2) Counselor begins by telling students that they will be playing a game today. The game is going to be about control. Ask students what it means if you have control. An example you might use is a remote control car. If you have control **you** determine where the car goes. You have power over the car’s actions. Write some of the student’s descriptions of control on the board.
 * 3) Now it is time to play the game. Counselor tells the students that in order to play, students will need to listen carefully to the “ground rules.” The ground rules are:
 * There are no right or wrong answers. Throughout the game students will be encouraged to make opinions. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion.
 * You may always, at any time during the game, change your opinion. In fact, opinion changing is encouraged because it means you are thinking!
 * Whatever your opinion is, you need to be able to explain your perspective. That means when I ask you, “Why do you believe that?” “I don’t know,” is not an answer.
 * With the idea that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, when discussing your thoughts, please use the word “I” not “you” or “someone.”
 * This game is played in the “real world.” None of us is a millionaire or superhuman. Your response needs to be based on reality.
 * 1) Now that we have covered the ground rules, I’ll tell you how we are going to play. I am going to call on four volunteers to come to the front of the room. I will read a 2-3 sentence scenario, one sentence at a time. After each sentence, you will decide if, in this particular situation, you have no control at all or total control or if you are somewhere in between. If you decide you have no control, where do you think you would stand? (Under the “No Control at All” sign.) And if you decide you have total control, where would you stand? (Under the “Total Control” sign). What if you thought you had a little control but not much control? Counselor continues until students understand the continuum between the two signs.
 * 2) Then the counselor begins with an example with himself/herself being the person between the two signs. The example is:
 * “It is raining.”: Ask students where they would stand if they were between the two signs. A good paraphrase is: How much control do you have whether it rains or not? Most students should agree that in the real world, we have no control at all over whether it rains. So the counselor stands under the “No Control at All” sign.
 * “You get wet.”: How much control do you have over whether you get wet when it rains? Some students will say that they have no control at all over whether they get wet, especially if they are on their way to the bus or out in a field. Others may insist that they can always find a way to stay dry if they choose. This is a good opportunity to stress the ground rule that everyone has the right to have a different opinion. Some students may decide that this is when they would stay in the middle.
 * 1) If students are still having difficulty with the concepts you may do other examples such as: You are 12. You have red hair.
 * 2) Counselor tells the students it is now time to start the game. Choose 4 volunteers. Remind them that they are encouraged to change their minds and that you will be asking them questions. These questions do not mean you think they are wrong. The questions are designed to get them to think about their opinions.
 * 1) You pay attention in class.
 * 2) You are making A’s and B’s.
 * 3) You don’t pay attention in class.
 * 4) You are failing.

Assessment
Students will be able to answer the following questions: by Wendy Logan can be found at http://[|www.learnnc.org]
 * Who controls your behavior? (I do)
 * Who controls your feelings? (I do)
 * Are you more likely to control others or influence them? (Influence them)