Key Messages

  • I can ask for help when I need it.
  • There are lots of people at school to get help from.

Learning Intention

Students will:

  • Give examples of people in the school, home and community that can help them feel safe and supported.
  • Identify different methods of asking for help that will lead to positive outcomes.

Time

60 minutes

Required Resources

  • List of worries (could be provided to students or brainstorm as a group).
  • Photos of current staff members.
  • Pictures of helping people (included at the end of this activity plan).

Teaching Notes

It is often taken for granted that students will ask for help when they need it but successful help seeking is not a skill that all children have. Responsible adults and peers can be ‘officially identified’ by the
students.

Notify school that you and your class will be walking around the school to map out helping people with the campus. Make sure they understand the role of helper and that they agree to participate.

Procedure

  • Draw a large map of the school (or use overhead image from Google maps).
  • Paste the map with photos clip art or drawings of likely people that students could go to while at school if they needed help. For example:
    – another class teacher
    – canteen manager
    – teacher’s aide
    – librarian
    – teacher in the playground
    – principal
    – older students in mentor/buddy roles.
  • Name the people and show where they are located at school so that students could talk to them if they need help or have a problem.
  • Tell the students that you are all going to use the map to visit the people in the school who can help if the student needs it.
  • Take a walk through the school, model knocking on the door and informing the adults that they might be sought out by the students if they need help in any way.

Questioning

  1. Who are some people at school that you could go to if you needed help and where are they located around the school?
  2. What could you do if you couldn’t find the person you were seeking at school?
  3. Who are some trusted adults at home or in the community you can ask for help?

Curriculum Information