Chaos Versus Harmony
| Site: | Akademie EU |
| Course: | Empathy for Children |
| Book: | Chaos Versus Harmony |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Thursday, 30 January 2025, 12:50 AM |
1. Chaos versus Harmony
2. The Cognitive Diamond
RATIONALE
The word ‘Cognitive’ comes from the Latin word ‘Cognitus’, which means ‘learning to know, recognise, understand’, that is, the things that have to do with cognitive processes in the brain. The cognitive diamond captures the various inner processes that take place in any situation that anyone might experience on a daily basis where communication is present. The processes in the cognitive diamond affect each other mutually and consistently and must be seen as a tool to understanding and better resolving conflicts.
The cognitive diamond has two dimensions:
Firstly, the cognitive diamond is a tool for teachers to better understand themselves, and their students’ reactions. The tool makes it easier to analyse the process of why challenging situations between students occur and how to effectively resolve them by adding the steps of the conflict into the cognitive diamond. It also helps teachers to better let go of those things that trigger their own, unwelcome responses.\
Secondly, the cognitive diamond is a tool to practise with students for them to understand themselves and their classmates better. Without actual calling the process of resolving a conflict ‘The cognitive diamond’, the teacher can ask clarifying questions from the cognitive diamond to understand what lead to the conflict. That makes it easier to empathise with all students involved in the conflict. It also enhances empathy between students.
OBJECTIVE
In this exercise, older students should practice reflection and communication in the plenary phase of the lesson. Based on the cognitive diamond, they need to think about how they react in different situations.
MATERIALS
Worksheet and pen. Most students have probably tried to be in a situation where a friend has cancelled an appointment and where they became annoyed and upset. They felt a little hurt and didn’t necessarily understand why the meeting was cancelled.
PROCEDURE
A thought arises in them: ‘Why?’ They consider, that perhaps there may have been a different cause than the one they were told and whether in reality it had to do with a possible break-up. ‘Are we not friends anymore?’ ‘What did I do wrong?’ ‘Am I not good enough?’ ‘I thought we. were best friends.’ A sadness grows, and disappointment and anger fill the whole body. As a reaction, aggression, anger, ignoring and a cold shoulder is given. The body collapses, the heart beats hard and it hurts in the throat when the crying is suppressed, and distance is born. ‘I will leave him alone.’ ‘If he doesn’t want to be my friend, I don’t want to be his either.’ ‘I don’t want to come to school.’
In a situation like this, a thought arises, which becomes a feeling that affects the body and finally leads to action. Based on the cognitive diamond, students need to think about how they react in different situations.
In working with the students, the teacher should create and hand out worksheets with the title ‘What Challenges’. Here, students are asked to describe briefly three different situations where they have tried not to be sad, scared, insecure, or angry, and where they did not know what to do. This may be because they were afraid of being hurt or rejected. It may be from the experiences they have had with friends, teachers, family or others.
If there are students who cannot think of any challenging situations, they may recognise some of the following situations:
- If your friend suddenly does not want to talk to you.
- If your parents or teachers get angry or disappointed with something you have done.
- If you experience being kept outside by some friends that you usually talk to during recess.
- If you are sad and do not dare to say it out loud.
- If you get outraged.
- If your parents decide to divorce.
- If you have sent a personal text message to a friend/classmate and have not received a reply.
- If someone has written negatively about you on social media.
- If you are nervous that someone in the class is gossiping about you.
- A party where you were not invited.
- If your boyfriend/girlfriend talks a lot with another boy/girl from the class.
Next, illustrate the processes; thought, feeling, body, and action (without necessarily calling it the cognitive diamond). Let those of them who want to, tell stories from their lives in which they have experienced something challenging and see if they have grasped the meaning. They will have to analyse their behaviour themselves, with support from the teacher.
Say: Where in the cognitive diamond should this be? So, you felt sad, right? Do you remember, what you were thinking about and what happened? Oh, so you were afraid that you were no longer friends. That makes sense. Now we have a thought and a feeling. How did your body feel, can you remember that? Heavy! That is understandable. Did you do anything? Okay, so you walked alone in the schoolyard and playing alone. Thank you so much for sharing your story.
Students will subsequently learn how it can help the teacher understand each student better and how the students can understand their own reactions and those of their classmates more thoroughly, and thus express empathy towards each other and themselves.
WHAT TO OBSERVE
Even though the first part is a written exercise, it will most often leave the student calm and energised. When the teacher allows difficult situations and hurt feelings to be typically talked about, an atmosphere of inclusion, warmth, care, and inclusiveness is established. It gives students space to be themselves.
QUESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION
- Did you gain new perspectives, as a result of newly acquired background knowledge of the cognitive diamond?
- How can you use ‘The cognitive diamond’ actively in situations in which your students find themselves in future?
NOTE TO TEACHERS / TRAINERS
Pay attention to any students who feel uncomfortable or have difficulties in writing about what hurts. Maybe they need a little more of your attention after the class is over.
This exercise can be used on all ages and modified to be less academic for the lower age groups.
3. Morning Routines
Suggested Activities
Sing together
Start the morning off by singing two songs from the students’ songbook. Let two students choose a song each (alternatively, let it alternate according to the protocol). If you can play guitar, it’s only good - otherwise, every one sings along to the best of their ability. Singing is a beautiful way to start the day as it brings togetherness and creates inner peace and a shared positive energy. The teacher uses a couple of minutes afterward to end the singing with 5 deep, guided breaths.
Question of the day
Since it is essential to give students self-determination and recognition for their competencies, the teacher can ask them each week to write down some questions on a small piece of paper. It can be all kinds of questions that the student wants answered, such as. “Why do we have to do homework?” “What is your favorite color?” “Why does anyone tease?” “Why do you say cats have seven lives?” “The best thing about a friend is ...?” “What I love most is ...?”
The students’ questions will form the basis for the “Question of the day” in the following week, which the students will be met with in the morning - written on the board. When students enter the class, they must, in their notebook, answer the day’s question in silence until everyone has responded to it. This brings the class together, gives a calm and reflection, and gives a sense of meaning because they know they came up with the questions themselves.
The teacher uses 10 minutes to hear some of the answers and end the round with 5 deep breaths.
Morning yoga
Morning yoga is a significantly positive way to start the school day. Many students can come to school anxious or stressed, already from the morning, if the parents have not created some lasting morning routines at home. This can make it harder for students to learn and receive instruction, as their thoughts are often disturbed by worries.
Yoga provides a way to relieve stress and gain focus. By teaching students simple yoga poses, their attention can be maintained, reducing the accumulated stress.
Students can stand in a circle, and do a few exercises with a focus on breathing and balance.
The teacher guides by saying:
- Reach your arms out to the sides, lift them up to the sky, and then relax back down.
- Twist your whole body from side to side and swing your arms back and forth.
- Lift up onto your tiptoes and reach your fingers high.
- Bend your knees and sweep your arms back.
- With your knees bent, glide your hands up high.
- Press down through your feet and stretch your spine so it is long.
- Roll your shoulders back and press your palms together.
- Sit with your legs crossed (still in the circle). Grow your spine taller, roll your shoulders back, and rest your hands on your knees.
- Still sitting comfortably, close your eyes. Take a deep breath in and let a long breath out. Let your whole body relax. Notice the air as you take another deep breath in and out.
- Does it feel cool?
- Does it feel warm?
Now, let a word come into your mind that describes how you want to be today. It could be a word like “joyful,” “kind,” “friendly,” or “curious.” It could be a word like “happy,” “peaceful,” “enthusiastic,” or “brave.” Choose the word that best describes how you want to feel. Hold it in your mind. As you breathe in, fill yourself up with the feeling you want and as you breathe out, send this feeling out into the world. Feel how you want to be today. Take another deep breath in and let a long breath out. Open your eyes. You are ready for this day.
Breathing exercise
This exercise is good for students when they need to focus and concentrate on a task. It takes 5 minutes and creates a good start to the day.
The teacher guides:
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of 4. Hold your breath for a count of 7. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of 8.
4. Class Rules
RATIONALE
Suppose students experience inappropriate reactions from the teacher or their classmates, their ability to distinguish between right and wrong may be blurred. Understanding the students is crucial in achieving a consistent empathic behavioral pattern and a place where they can feel safe and secure. Therefore, it can be a good idea to have rules in class about ensuring the best possible circumstances for well-being and a behavioral
framework that everyone can lean on.
OBJECTIVES
Community, co-responsibility and cohesion.
MATERIALS
(No materials needed)
PROCEDURE
The teacher says:
Together with the students, the teacher works out some class rules on how they can be good classmates. They can create a healthy and caring classroom environment for everyone to feel accepted and confortable in the class.
Talk to the students about class rules. Use the following questions:
What are class rules?
- Can rules be different in different contexts?
- Why are class rules important?
Divide the students into groups of 3-4 students. Let the groups work on the following questions:
Describe one situation where a class rule could be necessary (e.g., when eating, talking during class, recess, feeling upset, need help).
- Why is it essential in this situation?
-
What should the class rule be?
- Have students present their suggestions to each other by writing it down, drawing it, constructing it in LEGO, or showing it as drama.
- Formulate based on the students’ suggestions 5-7 class rules, which correspond to your own wishes about class rules.
- Tell students that you have formulated a draft class rule based on their suggestions.
- Review the class rules for students. Describe any connections and similarities between the groups’ different proposals.
- Invite students to a joint talk about whether the class rules are comprehensive or if something important is missing - something you have overlooked in their suggestions. The adjustments are made jointly.
- The class rules are copied, laminated, and made visible in the classroom.
The class rules are passed on to the parents at the next opportunity or via the schools communications tool.
WHAT TO OBSERVE
Knowing that the rules are made jointly create a sense of security in the classroom, as everyone knows what to relate to.
NOTE TO TRAINER / TEACHER
It is possible for the teacher to adjust the rules together with the class during the year if needed. Rules should not be seen as inflexible and rigid, but as a common frame of reference that everyone in the class can relate to and lean on.