Once the students have completed this
list, there are four key points to
share:
-
Remind the
students that the focus of the previous classes has
been developing an understanding of the way personal,
social, and cultural factors affect the decisions they
make about alcohol, cannabis, and other drugs. Using
the Circles of
Influence slide (7.A), explain that
these factors can be described as
- How I
influence myself
- How
others influence me
- How I am influenced by the world around me
- How I
influence myself
-
Write the three factors on
separate pieces of flip chart paper. Alternatively,
make three columns on the board in front of the
classroom using the same headings. Ask the students for
examples of the things that might fit under each
heading. Some typical responses might look like this
-
We have control
over some of these influences and no control over
others.
- Sometimes, the various
influencing factors may be in conflict with each
other (for example, what friends want us to do and
what parents may want us to do).
- Depending
on our individual values and goals, some of these
factors have a strong influence on the decisions we
make, while others have only a minor or weak effect.
- The factors that influence us change over time.
- Sometimes, the various
influencing factors may be in conflict with each
other (for example, what friends want us to do and
what parents may want us to do).
- Ask the students to work in pairs
or groups of three and hand out a copy of
Student Handout
7.G-Circles of
Influence diagram to each student.
This provides them with an opportunity to talk about
“who” and “what” influences
them with a peer or peers.
- Ask the
students to think about “who” and
“what” influences them, based on what they
have learned in previous classes and their own
experience. Instruct them to talk this over in their
groups and fill in the Circles of
Influence diagram by placing the things
that influence them in the appropriate category: how I
influence myself, how others influence me, or how I am
influenced by the world around me.
-
When the
students have had about 5 to 10 minutes to complete
this, ask a few general questions of the whole group
about the things they identified as influencing them.
For example:
- How many
of you identified a friend as an influence?
- How many
identified a family member as an influence?
- Who
tended to be more of an influence, your parents or
your friends?
- How many
of you identified your knowledge about alcohol and
drugs as an influence?
- How many of you identified movies or television as influences?
- How many
of you identified a friend as an influence?
- Wrap up the activity and conclude the class by asking students to hand in their Circles of Influence diagram for assessment.