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Life Skills Curriculum

Session Design

Structured Session

What are “structured” sessions in Life Skills Curriculum?

The curriculum outlines structured sessions that focus on building specific life skills and include
 clear activity steps, discussion questions, personal story instructions and reflection prompts.

CHECK-IN (5 MINUTES) Instruct the learners to quickly check-in with themselves about their moods using several, fun questions.

LIFE SKILLS ACTIVITY (15 MINUTES) Facilitate given activities focused on developing healthy behaviours related to one targeted life skill. Note that each life skill activity includes activity steps, discussion questions and a space for facilitators to prepare personal stories to share with the learners.

REFLECTION (10 MINUTES)

  •  Lead a discussion on key messages or life skills focused on that day's session. Ask
     the learners for feedback on what they learned during the session and how they
     can connect lessons to real life.
  • Address any conflict that occurred during the session and how the group can
     resolve it.
  •  Praise a participant for at least one strength that they demonstrated during the
     session.

CHECK-OUT (10 MINUTES) Instruct the learners to quickly check-out with themselves about
 their moods using several fun questions.

Unstructured Session

What are “unstructured” sessions in the Life Skills Curriculum?

Unstructured sessions are space given to facilitators to design and deliver the life skills
activities and interventions based on the need of their learners. This curriculum does not
outline the steps for unstructured activities, but you (facilitator) should use many of the same
rituals as in your structured sessions. Begin each session with check-in activities, conclude
with a Reflection Circle, and make the most of your Caring Facilitator Time. Use kilos, churmuri to grab group attention, refer to the Team Agreement, praise the learner and utilise any tools you find useful from the structured sessions.

*Refer Facilitator's Handbook for Details
How should a Facilitator balance structured and unstructured sessions?

Take support of co-facilitators, other class teachers and staff, headmasters, principal, volunteers and learners to decide how to integrate and schedule structured and unstructured sessions into your school calendar. You should complete all structured sessions at least once in a year and use the rest of the time for unstructured sessions.

How can a Facilitator lead a Reflection Circle in an unstructured session?

Praise at least one learner every Reflection Circle and ask some of the following questions:

  • How did today’s session make you feel?
  • What did you learn in today’s practice?
  • What was your favourite or least favourite part of today’s session?
  • Were there any conflicts in today’s session? How can the team resolve the conflict?
  • Is there anything important going on in your life that you would like to share?

Using The Life Skills Curriculum

Please read through each session twice, a day before facilitating, so that you are properly prepared.

Refer to the Facilitators handbook as a guide while you work with learners and keep in mind that the:

  • Words in italic font are instructions for learners which you need to read to learners as it is.
  • Words in normal font are instructions for you to read on your own.
  • Outcomes are for your reference and you need not share them with the learners.
  • Reflection questions are just guiding questions. You can refer to them based on where your learners are at.
  • Check-In and Check Outs questions are mapped considering the main activity and age appropriateness.
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