CASE STUDY 1

This study focuses on issues of fear, bullying, aggression, and personal safety in secondary schools and  human relations in general. It requires close reading of the novels Stitches by Glen Huser (for younger adolescents) or The Beckoners by Carrie Mac (for older adolescents). Suggested time frame is 2-3 weeks and providing students with a calendar at the beginning may allow for their questions and concerns to be addressed. The study revolves around the choice between living in fear or living in responsible freedom. 

Curriculum Goals

Why are people mean to each other? (student bullying, domestic abuse, relational abuse, international conflict)


Stories are a good place to examine this question because they permit us to view the narrative and internal workings of another’s thoughts and feelings.

Skills

• Close reading strategies - careful study of selected passages
• Conflict resolution tools - countering bullying and aggression effectively
• Speaking more comfortably in pairs, small groups and class discussions
• Working well with others on a common project

Knowledge

• Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• Understanding the pathology of hatred, aggression
• Literary insight and appreciating the stories of others
  

Attitudes

• Empathy
  
• Mindfulness
• Understanding others and avoiding stereotypes
• Belonging in a safe environment
• Role in a larger social order