Resources:

Poems, Beans and Chips! by Ian Moore & Mike Dicey ISBN 978-0-9567314-0-1

Outcomes:

For children to recognise when it does not feel ‘good to be me’

To explore this theme through humour

Plan:

Ask children to reflect on what they’ve covered both in and out of class in this SEAL theme so far. Explain that sometimes it does not feel ‘Good to Be Me’ and that sometimes this can be due to something minor and/or out-of-proportion (list/briefly dramatise some examples, eg stubbing your toe, not having as good a phone as your friend, your football team losing at the weekend) while some things are more serious and need to be shared (remind ch of support networks, anti-bullying procedures etc).

Read / perform the following poems asking the children to reflect / respond to each one, considering to what extent the scenario portrayed through the poem would really affect whether it would be ‘good to be me’.

• Uh Oh, p 11 (in which a child suddenly realises they have forgotten to put on underwear that morning and they now have to get changed for PE);
• I’m Not Good At Anything, p 12 (where the child negatively compares themself to their peers’ exploits, but in the end identifies two tongue-in-cheek things that they are in fact good at);
• My Mum Yelled At Me This Morning, p 10;
• Is It Me?, p 14 (when a child is overlooked once again to be chosen for the weekly school achievement assembly).

Extend / facilitate children’s contributions and discussions in line with normal assembly practice, drawing the strands together at the end and asking the children to reflect on what they’ve considered during the assembly. End with an affirmation / visualisation / prayer in line with the school ethos.