Keep hope alive

Stay Alive I Supplemental Activities

June 2006

Introduction

Valuable feedback from African teachers about the existing Stay Alive program indicates that additional activities and resources would enhance the basic program. Lilian Odiero, Evaluation Supervisor for Reach the Children, says:

“Eight weeks, as I have mentioned in my previous reports, is not adequate time for the program to leave lasting impressions in the minds of the children. Here are some of the comments [from the teachers] made in regard to the length of the program.

“We need more time and more supplementary materials to enable children understand better. We also need to give them exercises to gauge to whether they have understood or not.”

Imanga Primary School

“Children attitudes need more time to be cultivated.”

Emunuku Primary School

“Small children and illiterate parents take time to understand new concepts.”

Ematatwa Primary School

As a result of these evaluations, the Stay Alive Steering Committee has developed supplemental materials and activities for Stay Alive I. These activities require minimal resources and can be easily adapted to local cultures. The supplementary materials follow the 5 P's (Picture, Principle, Practice, Pledge, and Parental Interaction.) We have confidence that local teachers will choose which additional activities their students would most enjoy and benefit from. They may also want to modify activities to better fit their available resources and local culture.

Stories and Proverbs

Because traditional stories, proverbs and sayings are so effective in teaching positive community values to children, teachers should be attentive to gathering examples that will be useful in teaching Stay Alive principles. They can get ideas from parents, local leaders, and community elders. Asking for contributions at early orientation meetings can be helpful. These stories and sayings can be shared among the teachers in an area and will preserve valuable community wisdom as well as share that wisdom with the children.

Mind Picture

Each Stay Alive lesson begins with the discussion of a picture. The Stay Alive I Supplements suggest that the teacher extend this activity by helping the students to envision the principles being taught as applied to their own lives and futures.

Teachers can help students envision situations of hope, health, love, and happiness in their own lives. Following this guided envisioning, students can write or draw in their Stay Alive Notebooks to solidify these happy and forward-looking thoughts.

Stay Alive Notebook

A Stay Alive Notebook will be provided for each student for use during Stay Alive lessons. In the notebook students will explore their thoughts and ideas about the principles being taught and record their pledges. Teachers do not need to correct or judge the work in these notebooks. They are a tool for the students to use in their learning and, when taken home after the Stay Alive course is completed, will stimulate family discussion and serve as a reminder of the commitments they have made. A regular school exercise book dedicated only to the Stay Alive lessons is to be used for this purpose. If an exercise book is not available, any paper kept together for this purpose could be used as an alternative.

Question Box

In order to evaluate students' knowledge and address any concerns or misunderstandings, teachers are asked to institute a simple class Question Box for anonymous questions to be collected throughout the course and answered during the final lesson. Students will benefit from hearing the answers to questions they were too shy to ask themselves. If a Question Box is not practical, the teacher can ask children to make a note of any questions they have in their notebooks, which can then be discussed during the last lesson or individually with the teacher. As they explain the purpose of the Question Box to their students, teachers may want to recite the proverb: “Due to shyness the tortoise died in a boat.” While it is difficult sometimes to discuss sensitive topics, it can literally save our lives.

Conclusion

We encourage teachers of the Stay Alive program to use whatever activities they feel will reinforce the principles and concepts taught. We know teachers that develop Stay Alive vocabulary lists and those who encourage the creation of skits, poetry and song. Please share these “best practices” with us and we will review them for possible inclusion on this website page to share with other Stay Alive teachers. We also welcome feedback and suggestions to improve these currently posted supplemental activities. Please send your ideas to stayalive@reachthechildren.org.

May we express our great confidence in those who will be teaching these precious children to live long and loving lives. We thank you all!!


Stay Alive I Supplements

Lesson 1: “I Choose to Be Happy”

Lesson 2: “A Loving Family Can Bring Happiness”

Lesson 3: “People Who Love Me Will Care About Me”

Lesson 4: “I Will Not Do Anything to Hurt People I Love”

Lesson 5: “I Will Sacrifice for People I Love”

Lesson 6: “I Need to Protect My Happiness”

Lesson 7: “I Can Help My Family Be a Happy Family”

Lesson 8: “I Need to Protect Myself and My Future Family by Staying HIV/AIDS Disease-Free”

Activities by Topic