Values Toss

Teacher
Guide
Content
Time
Allocation
Objective
Students will gain further insight regarding their own values system as they engage in partner activities, class discussion and writing assignments to further understand how these shape their own abilities to lead others.

ASLA ESLRS TO BE MET
Animo graduates will be Academic Achievers who:

1. Think and write critically and analytically across the curriculum
2. Identify and use resources effectively to research and evaluate concepts across the curriculum
3. Demonstrate learned skills through the use of application, analysis, and synthesis
4. Gain eligibility for college by completing required coursework and are equipped with the knowledge of educational pathways; career choices; and institutions of higher learning
Animo graduates will be Cultural Learners who:

1. Are culturally aware and work towards understanding diverse perspectives, values, and histories
2. Are able to communicate with sensitivity within and across diverse communities and groups
3. Are leaders within their community who contribute to the improvement of life in their school and community
4. Are models of ethical behavior through their involvement in school functions, clubs, and committees
Animo graduates will be Effective Communicators who:

1. Utilize technology as a tool for learning and communicating
2. Demonstrate skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing for different purposes in an academic and social setting
3. Collaborate, work effectively, and manage interpersonal relationships with both peers and adults in diverse settings and groups
Animo graduates will be Life-Long Learners who:

1. Are adaptive to a wide array of professional and cultural settings
2. Are goal oriented and value continual goal setting and reflection
3. Are open to discovery and develop enthusiasm and interest for learning

Materials
1. post its
2. writing utensils

Procedures
1. Provide students with 5 post its.
2. Ask them to think of five values they have. You might want to word it like, “On each slip of paper write down a value you think is important.” A few minutes of thought and discussion may be needed to get them going.
3. When they have finished, ask them to spend a few minutes looking at what they have written.
4. Ask them at this time to close their eyes and reflect on those values. Tell them to think about how those values play into their daily life. How they look day by day. Do they change? Do you always keep these in mind? Are there other things that are just as important?
Give them a minute to think about if these are their top 5 values. Once they have decided to stay with the chosen values, they will proceed as follows:
1. They are to stack up the pieces of paper, putting the pieces they value least on the bottom of the pile and working up until they have all the pieces stacked with the most valued quality on top facing them.
2. Next, they are to turn the pile upside down so that their most valued value is on the bottom of the stack.
3. Ask them to turn over the least valued value and reflect on it. Ask them to read it to themselves, think about it, what does it bring up for them, what connections they have to this value and what it feels like to have this value.
4. Ask them to say goodbye to that part of themselves and discard that value by laying it aside, crumpling it up or tearing it in half.
[NOTE: Facilitator - For added effect have the participants tear the values in half before discarding].
5. Allow plenty of time for this part of the exercise and have them continue saying goodbye and discarding the values that they have of themselves until they come to the most valued which they may keep.
a. AFTER discarding the first two values you may ask the participants to reconsider the order of the remaining three values.
b. This can be quite a powerful exercise as participants struggle with giving up their values.
6. At the end allow time for sharing feelings aroused by this exercise. It is likely they will find they want to make changes in their priorities when they discover they can’t have all the values. Their feelings are also apt to open the group to some valuable sharing and discussion.

Debrief Questions
Use the following debrief questions to get them to share on this experience:
§ What did you feel doing this?
§ What value were you left with?
§ What value was most difficult to discard?
§ What did you learn about your values?
§ Are personal values different from leadership values?
§ As you rap up your sharing, let them know that “our values are central to our identity, and therefore to our leadership
§ Note: Remind students that all their values are still intact.