Key Messages

  • Relationships should be respectful if they are to be successful.
  • Everyone has their own definition of what respectful behaviour in relationships looks like.

Learning Intention

To provide open discussion about behaviour in relationships, as a means of exploring emotional, social and physical safety within relationships.

Time

30 minutes.

Required Resources

  • A set of Giving relationships the green light cards.
  • Giving relationships the green light Teacher reference sheet.
Download Required Resources

Teaching Notes

Some of the most difficult topics in human relationships involve the complexities around acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. It is vital for educators to explore these topics with young people, as it provides the perfect platform for highlighting warning signs within relationships alongside attributes that are found in healthy relationships. Sessions need to be provided in a supportive environment as discussion may be ‘close to home’ either for the students themselves or within their family.

If possible, plan this session with the support of other school staff such as a counsellor, nurse or psychologist. Make sure students are referred to suitable places for help or support.

Concepts of incest, pornography and rape/sexual assault sexuality and gender are relevant to this discussion. Discussion may include where these ideas of male/female stereotypes come from.

Procedure

Procedure

  1. Place three traffic light cards on the floor.—red, amber, green and note what each colour represents on the board (see Teacher reference sheet).
  2. Explain that we are going to think about relationships and how we feel about what is acceptable behaviour in a relationship.
  3. Read through what each of the lights represent.
  4. Hand out a behaviour card to each student.
  5. Ask the students to read their card out in small groups and to together decide colour it belongs with.
  6. One person from each group then places their cards with their chosen colour.
  7. Discuss the location of the cards with the students and identify any that some people believe belong with a different colour.
  8. Identify the features that are common to those in the red category (abusive or exploitive relationships).
  9. Answer any questions and focus the discussion on the attitudes expressed by the students.

    Alternatively: behaviour cards could be displayed on a screen one at a time. Invite class discussion around where behaviour belongs within the traffic light system.

Questioning

  1. What made your group decide to place the card there?
  2. What extra information do you need to make a decision?
  3. Does anyone else think the card belongs in somewhere else? Why?
  4. Could that behaviour ever be okay?
  5. If I told you that these behaviours had happened more than once in the relationship, would that change things? Why/why not?
  6. How might the behaviours in the green category make you feel?
  7. What signs might you get that show you that you’re not feeling okay about the behaviour in the amber and red categories?
  8. What could you do if you were faced with behaviour that is in the amber or red categories?
  9. Who could support you or a friend needing help in a relationship?

Curriculum Information