Author: Michael Fitzgerald
School or Affiliation: Drug Education Consultant Nevada Department of Education
Endorsed by: These lesson plans are the result of the work of the teachers who have attended the Columbia Education Center's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of teacher from 14 western states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the rural, western, United States, and particularly the quality of math and science Education. CEC uses Big Sky Telegraph as the hub of their telecommunications network that allows the participating teachers to stay in contact with their trainers and peers that they have met at the Workshops.
Date: May 1994
Grade Level/Subject: 7-12.
In an average class of 25 students, between 4 and 6 are Children of Alcoholics (COAs). There will also be children from homes disrupted by other family dysfunctions who have much in common with COAs. In these families members tend to adjust their behaviors and take on certain roles to cope with the family problem. These survival roles frequently become compulsive, self-destructive and without choices.
To empower participants by giving them some tools to examine their live, and not to tell them that the way they are behaving is dysfunctional or based strictly on dysfunction.
Objectives: Students will be able to:
Resources/Materials: None needed but feel free to get creative and have fun with props. You may wish to contact local organizations such as AA, Ala-non and ACOA for handout materials.
* "I'm going to describe a family to you. First I'm going to describe it
with words, then we're going to describe it together by doing what I call a
family sculpture. There are 6 people in this family. They are:
- Dad: The dad is a very successful executive. He works 60 to 70 hours
per week. When he comes home, he is very demanding of both his wife and
his children. He is not an alcoholic, but nevertheless, his moods are very
intimidating. Once, a year ago, he slapped his wife and knocked her down.
He has never done that since, but he still controls people with anger.
- Mother: The mother works part-time at a local library, but spends
most of her time taking care of the home, planning social occasions, and
overseeing the growth and development of her children. When dad is home,
mom has to spend most of her time trying to keep the kids quiet and well-
behaved so they do not bother him.
- Van, The Hero: Van has been very successful at football, and is an
excellent student. His father is pleased with him. When Van does not
perform well in sports or school, however, his father is extremely critical
of him.
- Linda, The Rebel: Linda is a sophomore in high school, and is doing
poorly in school. She dates boys two or three years older than her, and
whom her father invariably hates. He forbids his daughter to date these
young men. The daughter rebels, but the mother covers up. The mom does
not let the father know when Linda is acting out or getting in trouble.
- Jan, The Lonely One: Jan is quiet, shy, and no trouble to her parents.
She spends most of her time in her room.
- Mickey, The Joker: Nine-year old Mickey is always singing, making
noise, and making jokes. He is very cute, has a winning smile, and tends to
cheer up the rest of the family.
* The father can be placed standing on a chair, arms folded, staring
sternly across the room above the heads of the rest of the family
members.
* The mother can be on one knee in front of her husband with one hand
reaching toward her husband. She would look up at him, frightened and concerned. Her other hand would be positioned toward the kids in a manner that
indicates "be quiet, stay away."
* The Hero could be standing with a big smile, facing his father, with
arms outstretched. In one hand he could have a piece of paper with A+
written on it and in the other a football. Lines: "I'm great, our families
great, we're going to make it. We're going to do really well."
* The Rebel could be some distance from the father, her body facing
away, hands on hips, but turned around giving the father the dirtiest looks
possible. Lines: "This family stinks. I hate it here. I want to get away from
here. They blame me for everything. Get off my back!"
* The Lonely One will be well away from the family, sitting in the floor,
hunched over reading a book, facing away from the family.
* The Joker will be right next to dad, hanging on to his pants leg, trying
to shake it, smiling up at the father, and trying to get his attention. Lines:
"Hey, let's lighten up. Don't worry, be happy. We don't have to worry about
our problems, we can just have fun.
