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YELLOW WINDOW OF HOPE2 3Growing and ChangingYELLOW WINDOW OF HOPE

TEACHERS’ MANUAL

YELLOW WINDOW

WINDOW OF CHANGE

YELLOW WINDOW OF HOPE2 3Growing and Changing

This Teacher’s Manual is part of the Window of Hope Series, which contains four manuals for grades 4 and 5 (green, yellow, blue and red) and four manuals for grades 6 and 7 (violet, orange, turquoise and lime-green).

Authors:

Erika von WietersheimLucy Y. Steinitz

Illustrated by:

Philemon Amalovu

This publication is intended to support life skills and HIV and AIDS activities and may be copied and distributed as required, provided the source is fully acknowledged.

Published by the Ministry of Basic Education, Sport and Culture, NamibiaHIV and AIDS Management Unit (HAMU)Private Bag 13186WindhoekTel. #: (061) 270 6125

Window of Hope is supported by UNICEF through the Government of the Netherlands and by USAID.

First Edition 2004

ISBN #: 99916-734-9-0

YELLOW WINDOW

WINDOW OF CHANGE

MAIN MESSAGES

Change is necessary for growing up

Change opens the way for new experiences!

The general objective of the YELLOW WINDOW is to assist children:

• to develop a positive attitude towards their changing bodies and feelings• to assist them to deal with their physical and emotional changes• to develop understanding and respect for the opposite sex

- so that they can take responsible, healthy and positive decisions with respect to their sexual behaviour and protect themselves against HIV and AIDS.

This Window covers the following topics:

1. Growing and changing 2. My changing body3. Can boys and girls be friends?4. Understanding and respecting the opposite sex5. Review

1YELLOW WINDOW OF HOPE

LIST OF CONTENTSNotes for the teacher/facilitator 3

Session 1: Growing and changing 9GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER 10STARTING RITUAL 12SHARING: How we have changed until today 13GAME: “Simon says ...” 20ART: My Baby-Child-Adult Picture 21STORY: ‘The Ugly Duckling’ 24CLOSING 29 Session 2: My changing body 31STARTING RITUAL 32SHARING 1: Naming the parts of my body 32GAME: ‘Get rid of it’ 40STORY: ‘Silas and Sofi a’ 41SHARING 2: Changes in boys, changes in girls 45SINGING: We are changing and we know it 47CLOSING 48

Session 3: Can boys and girls be friends? 49STARTING RITUAL 50SHARING: Feelings of boys and girls 50STORY : ‘Marta’s Homecoming’ 52GAME: “I wrote a letter to my mother...” 55ART: My Mandala 56CLOSING 58

Session 4: Understanding and respecting the opposite sex 59STARTING RITUAL 60SHARING: What boys and girls can do 60SINGING: “We are boys, We are Girls” (Rap Song) 64GAME: ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’ 65STORY: ‘Maggie, the soccer player’ 66CLOSING 71

Session 5: Review 73STARTING RITUAL 74SHARING: Looking back 74ART: Growing and growing ... 76GAMES & SINGING: Children’s choice 78GOOD-BYE AND CLOSING: Certifi cates & badges 78

Additional Activities 81Glossary 82

YELLOW WINDOW OF HOPE2 3

NOTES FOR THE TEACHER/FACILITATOR

NOTE: Words that are underlined in the text are defi ned in the glossary, at the end of each Window.

1. Why is the Yellow Window called the Window of Change?

The YELLOW WINDOW addresses the many changes that children go through during grades 4 and 5. These changes include: • the changes in their bodies• their changing feelings• the changing values and practices of society

The YELLOW WINDOW aims to assist children:• to develop a positive attitude towards their changing bodies and feelings• to deal with their physical and emotional changes• to understand changing social values and practices• to develop understanding and respect for the opposite sex

- so that they can take responsible, healthy and positive decisions with respect to their future behaviour. This is particularly important with regard to sexual behaviour, because responsible sexual behaviour is a key factor in protecting young people against HIV and AIDS.

2. Why is it important to learn and talk about change?

Often children experience physical and emotional change as scary or threatening. This makes them worried, shy and vulnerable to all kinds of negative infl uences. It often disrupts their performance at school, and affects their general well-being.

Children need to be helped to understand these changes and to learn how deal with them. They need to understand that change is normal, and is an important part of growing up. Although change is not always pleasant, in the end it can be seen as something positive, because it opens the way for new experiences.

At the age when children go through grades 4 and 5, many prejudices and misconceptions about the opposite sex develop. In many primary schools boys and girls almost never talk or play with each other. The WINDOW OF HOPE Club should provide a space where boys and girls get an opportunity to get to know each other better, interact with each other and practise good communication between the sexes. This should then serve as a basis for a more equal and respectful relationship between boys and girls, and between men and women later in life, when it comes to negotiating sexual practices like safe sex.

YELLOW WINDOW OF HOPE2 3YELLOW WINDOW OF HOPE

3. How does the YELLOW WINDOW relate to HIV and AIDS?

An important factor in the spread of HIV and AIDS in Namibia is the inferior position of women in many communities. Many women have less education and less economic resources than men, and often little control over sexual relations. This puts them in a weak position to stand up for themselves and protect themselves against HIV infection.

It is therefore important to show children that the roles of men and women have to change and have changed already in many ways. Only if women are treated with respect and as equal human beings can HIV and AIDS be controlled. NO prevention message like ‘Abstain from sex’, ‘Be faithful’ or ‘Safe Sex’ will be successful unless girls and women have the power to insist on them.

4. How do the activities in the YELLOW WINDOW help children to deal with change?

The following knowledge, skills, attitudes and values are set out in the YELLOW WINDOW:

1. The children will learn to identify and name different parts of their body, including sexual organs. They will practise saying and using the names of sexual body parts, in groups and individually.

2. The children will learn how their bodies and feelings will change during the coming years through stories and discussions.

3. The children will develop a positive attitude towards their body and towards the physical and emotional changes during puberty through games, songs and artwork.

4. The children will learn to develop a positive attitude towards the opposite sex by sharing thoughts and feelings in groups and in pairs.

5. The children will learn about the value of the equality of the sexes and ‘equal rights’ by discussing the feelings and abilities of boys and girls.

6. The children will practise talking about themselves and their feelings about change, for example by telling each other about “how I was as a baby and how I have changed”, what they like about their body, what kind of man or woman they like to be, etc.

7. In the stories the children will learn about how other children deal with feelings of change. They can compare them to their own feelings and learn new words and attitudes to express them.

Why is it necessary to learn a vocabulary of sexual body

parts?The most common cause of HIV infection in Namibia is

through unprotected sex with an infected person. Therefore, if we want to assist children

to protect themselves against infection with HIV they need to be informed about sex. Talking

about sex needs a correct vocabulary which everybody uses in the same way. Only

when children have learned the names of the different body

parts, can they begin to discuss ideas concerning sex and

sexuality.


8. The songs such as ‘We are changing all the time’ and ‘We are boys, we are girls’ encourage an expression of feelings of change as a group and develop a sense of togetherness.

9. The artwork ‘My Baby-Child-Adult Picture’, ‘My Mandala’ and ‘We are growing and growing’ encourages the individual expression of the feelings of change.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Below you will fi nd some background information about the changing bodies and feelings of children in grades four and fi ve.

1. THE CHILD BETWEEN 9 AND 12

The age between 9 and 12 is a very important phase in a child’s life. During this time children are very eager to learn about what is regarded as right and wrong, and to develop moral values. It is therefore an important opportunity to form positive behaviour, both towards themselves and towards others, especially toward members of the opposite sex.

Children around this age begin to understand emotions more maturely and are able to recognise and understand what and how others feel. They also develop a greater understanding for their environment, their society, and human relationships. As they grow older, the most important thing for children at this age is to fi t in with their friends. Being different is just not cool. At the same time, children at this age like to challenge the rules of adults and want to be more independent. This is when young people need strong, caring adults the most: to give them support while they are growing more independent, but also to set some ground rules that are not negotiable.

Children at this age enter the age of puberty and will experience physical and sexual changes in their bodies. Often, they are not emotionally ready for these changes, and need to be prepared for them. Taking on responsibility for themselves and others is an important idea to get across to children at this stage.

‘The Ugly Duckling’ shows that everybody needs his/her own time to change into an adult

person.‘Silas and Sofi a’ tells about the bodily changes of two children during puberty and about the

questions they have about sex. In ‘Marta’s Homecoming’,

two children think about their changing bodies and feelings and how this might infl uence

their friendship with a member of the opposite sex.

In ‘Maggie, the Soccer Player’ a girl expresses her negative feeling about her role as a

girl and how she manages to change it.


Through the artwork, the children get a chance to concentrate on their own feelings and to

express them in their own individual way. It is important that the children do not copy from

the fl ip-charts, and that you only show them the charts as an initial ‘inspiration’.

All artwork exercises are easy to do and devised in such a way that every child can produce

something beautiful. In this way, the artwork helps to develop a sense of achievement and

self-esteem.

Notes for the Teacher

2. WHAT IS PUBERTY?

Puberty is the time in a person’s life when he or she is changing from a child into an adult. Puberty usually happens from the age of about nine to eighteen. Changes happen quickly for some and may take much longer for others. There is no right or wrong way to go through puberty. All children will grow up in the end.

Puberty in Girls

The following physical changes will take place in girls during puberty: Many changes for girls cannot be seen, because they happen inside the body, rather than on the outside. Remember that these changes will take place in different ways and at different times for each girl.

Visible changes are set out below:

• Outside you can see that the breasts start to develop. The nipples get bigger and sometimes the breasts feel sensitive.

• Pubic hair will begin to grow around the vagina and under the armpits. Sometimes, the vagina will start to produce a whitish fl uid. This is normal and helps to keep the vagina clean.

• During puberty girls put on weight and grow taller.

• Sometimes they will get spots and pimples, but these will disappear after some time.

• Girls will start to menstruate. This means that they will lose a little bit of blood through the vagina every month. This is a sign that they are getting ready to become a women, and that the body is preparing itself to have a baby one day.

Puberty in Boys

The following physical changes will take place in boys during puberty:

• The scrotum and the penis start growing. Testicles will start to produce sperm so that the boy can become a father one day.

• Hair starts to grow all over the body, in particular on the face, under the arms and around the penis and scrotum.

• Muscles will develop and the voice will get deeper.

• Boys will start to have erections. This means that their penis will become stiff when they think of sexy things, or when they see someone they like or admire, or when they wake up in the morning, or for no reason at all.


• Sometimes during a boy’s sleep, some sperm cells leave the body through the penis and when the boy wakes up there is some wetness on the sheet or blanket. This is called a wet dream and is very normal for boys.

Changes in feelings

Puberty brings many changes in feelings and thoughts. Both boys and girls may feel tense a lot of the time. They may feel happy and excited one minute and depressed or angry the next. These mood-swings can be hard to cope with, but they are completely normal.

Bodily changes can make boys and girls feel very shy or worried. They may feel that they are not growing up and developing in the right way. They may feel clumsy in their movements.

Girls and boys going through puberty may start to have romantic or sexual feelings for one another. They may start to feel that they want to have sex.

The following are some of the emotional changes experienced by boys and girls during puberty:

Boys may• think about sex all the time and have sexy feelings

when seeing a girl• have sexy thoughts and dreams• masturbate often• worry about their pimples and think a lot about how

they look

Girls may• be embarrassed about the size of their breasts• have sexual thoughts and dreams• masturbate• have sexy and romantic feelings when seeing a boy

they admire• spend a lot of time talking and thinking about love,

sex and boys• worry about pimples and spots and be concerned

about their appearance and clothes

Both boys and girls may get nervous around young people of the opposite gender. Sometimes they are also attracted to somebody of the same sex. They are usually very curious about sex and may have feelings of not-belonging, or think that nobody likes them.


Both boys and girls may masturbate. There are many cultural and religious beliefs that say that masturbating is wrong or harmful. But

masturbating does not cause any physical problems,

and in many societies it is considered quite normal.

One good thing about masturbating is that it may

satisfy someone’s need for sex without their getting pregnant

or contracting a sexually transmitted disease, like HIV,

leading to AIDS.

Notes for the Teacher

SESSION 1

GROWING AND CHANGING

Material needed for this session:• the fl ag• sheets of A4 paper (one for each child plus a few extra)• crayons and/or colour pencils

Time: Approximately 90 minutes

MESSAGES

We are changing all the time

Change means that we can learn and do more and more things

SESSION 1 consists of:

GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER 10 minutesSTARTING RITUAL 5 minutesSHARING: How we have changed until today 20 minutesGAME: “Simon says ...” 10 minutesART: My Baby-Child-Adult Picture 30 minutesSTORY: ‘The Ugly Duckling’ 10 minutesCLOSING 5 minutes

Note: Allocated minutes are just a very rough guideline

The aim of this session is to create a positive

attitude towards change.



1. GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER 10 minutes

Let the children sit in circle.

This part consists of: • Introducing yourself • Introducing the WINDOW OF HOPE• Children introducing themselves

• INTRODUCING YOURSELF

Greet the children, then introduce yourself by the name that you want to be called by the children.

• INTRODUCING THE WINDOW OF HOPE

Teacher: The WINDOW OF HOPE is for all Namibia’s children. All Primary Schools in Namibia will have WINDOW OF HOPE Clubs and activities.The WINDOW OF HOPE will make you strong. Not strong in your body, but strong inside. You will learn to become strong through talking, sharing feelings, playing, singing, drawing, and hearing stories.

The WINDOW OF HOPE will also teach you about HIV and AIDS. Because it will make you strong, it will also help you to protect yourself against HIV and AIDS and other diseases.

The WINDOW OF HOPE consists of four separate windows for grades 4 and 5 and four windows for grades 6 an 7. We have done the Green Window and are now busy with the YELLOW Window. The other two windows for grades 4 and 5 are Blue and Red.

Each window has a special message for you and will teach you something new. The Yellow Window is the Window of Change. It will deal with changes in your body and your feelings, and how to deal with them.

During grades 4 and 5 you will do all four windows. Once you have completed all four windows, you will have built a WINDOW OF HOPE.


• CHILDREN INTRODUCING THEMSELVES

Teacher: In order to build a strong WINDOW OF HOPE we have to get to know each other well. So let us start by introducing each other. Tell us your name. If you like, you can also tell us which colour you like best.

You can say, for example:“I am Nangula and I like the colour red.”“I am Leon and I like the colour black.”

You can then ask the children to shake hands with three or four other children sitting near them (or else do another modern handshake, like brushing their fi ngers to each other followed by a thumb-press). Make sure no child is left out.

NOTE: MAKE SURE NO CHILD IS LEFT OUT. It is very important in the WINDOW OF HOPE to include all children, including those who are shy and may not want to participate fully at fi rst. Every child should be encouraged to do JUST AS MUCH as he or she is comfortable doing (without pushing the child too much). This makes all children feel like they belong, and many of the children will become more active later on.


2. STARTING RITUAL (same for all sessions) 5 minutes

Rituals create a sense of belonging. Teachers are encouraged to make up their own ritual which takes into account the culture of the children.

The ritual should: • Be the same for every session of this window• Help to bring the group close together (in a circle)• Focus children on the window• Foster a sense of belonging to the group • Use symbols, movements and words

In this manual we give you an example of a starting and closing ritual called the thundercloud ritual.

Let the children stand in a circle.

Each WINDOW OF HOPE kit comes with a large cloth fl ag with the WINDOW OF HOPE logo printed on it. At the beginning of every session this fl ag should be hung up in the classroom so that everyone can see it, or draped over a table, or spread out nicely in the middle of the circle, possibly with some fl owers or candles or other decorations.

Then, the following rhyme is said loudly and together:

Thundercloud Ritual

WORDS MOVEMENTS

“Feel it proud pull out your chest and hold up your fi sts Say out loud raise voice and cup your hands around your mouth

We are the Yellow rub hands in circles together to make a swishing sound

WINDOW OF HOPE: patter your feet, like the sound of rain

THUNDERCLOUD!” very loud – followed by a sudden single clap!

AT THE END OF THE SESSION the same is said, and then the fl ag is folded up and given to the facilitator to be saved (with the other supplies) for the next session.


3. SHARING 20 minutes

HOW WE HAVE CHANGED UNTIL TODAY

During this sharing session, the children should realise that they are changing all the time, and that most changes are POSITIVE. Change means that we acquire more and more skills and that we can do and experience new things. The children will talk about: • changes in their bodies • changes in their feelings and behaviour

This part consists of:• Group sharing• Sharing in pairs• Report back• Singing

• GROUP SHARING:

Sit in a circle.

Teacher: Today we will talk about how you as a boy or as a girl have changed from the time that you were a baby until today.

Show them the ‘My changing body’ Illustration on the next page.

Look closely at the illustration. How have the children changed from the time that they were babies until they are 9 or 10 years old?How have their bodies changed?

15Growing and Changing

My changing body

14 YELLOW WINDOW OF HOPE

Let the children respond freely. Some changes they may describe are:• the children are bigger • their legs have become stronger• they have more hair• their heads look smaller (the heads are the same size, but the body has grown, which is why the

head looks smaller)

Teacher: We can see that our bodies have changed a lot. As our bodies changed from a baby’s body to a child’s body, we learned to do more and more things. Let us fi rst think about what you could do as a baby.

Children: Let the children give examples (sleep, cry, drink milk, smile, sleep, move legs and hands).

Teacher: And now tell me what you could NOT do as a baby, but what you can do today. For example, could you talk as a baby?

Children: Let the children respond. Examples they will come up with may be:As a baby -• I could not walk• I could not go to the toilet and had to wear nappies• I could not feed myself. My mother breastfed me or fed me with a bottle• I could not talk• I could not read and write• I could not climb trees, etc.

Teacher: Now think about all the things that you can do today and that you could NOT do as a baby. Think about how you have changed from a little helpless baby to the boy or the girl that you are today. Think about all the things you can do today and that you are proud of; or the things that you can do that make you happy and feel good.

Show the children the ‘Pieter and Pauline’ Illustration on the next page.

Point to the children on illustration and read to the children what Pieter and Pauline on the photo are saying:



Pieter and Pauline

Pieter: As a baby I was helpless. My mum had to do everything for me. I am very proud that today I can do most things myself. I can walk to school, I can make my own food, I can read what is written on posters and street signs and I can even help my mum with shopping or looking after my baby sister.

Pauline: As a baby I could not talk and I could not write. I am very proud that today I can write a letter to my Dad who lives in Botswana. I am happy that today I can talk to my friends, that I can talk on the telephone, and that I can ask questions when I do not understand something.


• SHARING IN PAIRS

Teacher: Now get together in pairs. Tell each other about the things that you could NOT do as a baby and that you can do today. Choose something that you are proud of or that you are happy about. Later, you will report to the group what your partner told you.

When you get together, tell each other two things:• something that you could not do as a baby • something that you can do today and that you are proud of, or about which you are very happy

Let the children stand up and get together in pairs. If there is an uneven number of children, form one group of three, or pair off with one child yourself.

Tell them that after about 5 minutes they will be asked to report on what they learned about their partners.

While the pairs of children are doing the exercise, move around the group and make sure that all the children fi nd something to say. Help them by giving hints.

NOTE: Some children have great diffi culty talking about themselves, because they have never been asked to do so before. These children need a lot of

encouragement and patience from your side. Acknowledge their achievement, even when they only manage to say something simple.

• REPORT BACK

The children stand in a big circle again.Call the fi rst pair to stand either inside the circle (if they are confi dent enough to do so) or to just report from where they are standing or sitting (some children might be too shy to stand in front of the class).

Agree with the group that no one should talk while a child is talking and that we do not make any comments about what each child says about another child.Now ask the children to report what their partner told them.

For example: ”My partner’s name is Petrus Nanumab. His favourite colour is brown. Petrus could not eat by himself when he was a baby. Today he can eat by himself and he can also cook food for himself and his family.”

Clap hands after each report to acknowledge what the children said.


NOTE: It is important to ACKNOWLEDGE the feelings or experiences of others. This tells the other person that we hear what he or she is saying, and we see that the person also has many strengths. Sometimes it is enough to say something

positive or give applause (to clap your hands), but at other times more is required. If children do not feel acknowledged at home, they may need even

more acknowledgement at school.

Let all children report pair by pair. (If there is a group of three, let child 1 report on child 2, child 2 on child 3, and child 3 on child 1.)

Then tell the children:Teacher: You will carry on changing as you get older. Next time, we will discuss how your body will go on changing in the next few years. When you become a teenager, a lot of changes in your body and in your feelings will take place. But even after that, you will go on changing all the time until you are old.

Now we will learn a very simple song about changing all the time.

• SINGING

We are changing all the time

Use the melody of ‘Old MacDonald had a farm’ with a new text.

If you do not know the melody then just speak the rhymes with the children. Maybe the children will fi nd their own melody after some time.

You do not have to do all three verses. You can choose only one or two. And you can also add your own verses, if you like.

If the singing proves to be too diffi cult, only sing the fi rst two lines of the three verses.


WE ARE CHANGING

TEXT MOVEMENTS

1. We are changing all the time – ee-ai-ee-ai-oh! (clap hands) We are changing all the time – ee-ai-ee-ai-oh!

We are changing here We are changing there

Here we change (point to legs) There we change (point to arms) Everywhere we change-change

We are changing all the time – ee-ai-ee-ai-oh! (clap hands)

2. We are growing all the time – ee-ai-ee-ai-oh! (clap hands) We are growing all the time – ee-ai-ee-ai-oh!

We are growing here We are growing there

Here we grow (point to chest) There we grow (point to nose) Everywhere we grow-grow

We are growing all the time – ee-ai-ee-ai-oh! (clap hands)

3. We are learning all the time – ee-ai-ee-ai-oh! (clap hands) We are learning all the time – ee-ai-ee-ai-oh!

We are learning here We are learning there

Here we learn (point to heart) There we learn (point to head) Everywhere we learn-learn

We are learning all the time – ee-ai-ee-ai-oh! (clap hands)


4. GAME 10 minutes

“SIMON SAYS”

This game develops bodily awareness. It makes children realise in a playful way what they can do with their bodies.

The game involves all the children and is a lot of fun. It is good for letting children relax after a long discussion or after a diffi cult sharing session.

• Let all the children stand in a big circle.

• The teacher or a leader of the group should stand in the middle.

• He or she shouts different orders, starting with “Simon says ...” and all children have to follow the instructions.

• For example:• “Simon says: hop on one leg!”• “Simon says: raise your right arm!”• “Simon says: clap your hands!” (stamp your feet, shout hooray, jump with both legs, shake

your body, raise both arms, turn around! etc.)

• Every now and then, the teacher or group leader shouts the instruction on its own, without beginning with “Simon says ...” In this case, the children should NOT follow the instruction and should stand still.


5. ART 30 minutes

MY BABY-CHILD-ADULT PICTURE

This artwork session helps children to understand the changes that they have undergone in the past and changes that they will experience in the future through the

medium of art.

NOTE: Emphasize that the pictures will NOT be collected and MARKED or GRADED in any way. The pictures are drawn by the children to keep and enjoy.

1. Before starting the artwork, let the children sit down and imagine the following:

- let them imagine themselves as a baby: what do they think they looked like- then let them think about what they look like now- and then encourage them to think about what they will look like when they are grown up:

what will they be doing, what kind of clothes will they be wearing, etc.

2. Give each learner a sheet of A4 paper.

3. Put ALL the crayons in a box in the middle of the room and tell each child to take three or four crayons from the box.

4. Tell the children to draw three lines like this, to divide the paper into three equal parts.


5. Show them the fi nished example on this page.Show the drawing to the children for a few seconds, but DO NOT let them, copy it. This is only to give them a basic idea and each child should be free to do the drawing his or her own way.

6. In the left part, they draw themselves as a baby. In the middle they draw themselves as they are now.In the right part, they draw themselves as an adult person.

(different clothes, different hair, different size)

7. Around each fi gure, the children will draw or write words, symbols, or pictures that describe what they could, can or will be able to do. For example:Baby: drink, sleep, cry, smileMe now: read, talk, write, do sport, have friends, etc.

Adult: drive a car, earn money, get training as a policeman, have a baby, etc.

NOTE: Give the children time to produce something beautiful. Encourage them to take their time.

While the children are busy drawing, walk around the room. Encourage each child by acknowledging what he or she has done so far. Praise them for special

things they have done, for example: “I like the red and yellow colours you have used” or

“This pair of trousers looks very nice”.

After each drawing session, take a few minutes to look at all the pictures with the children. Put the chairs in a circle and spread the pictures on the fl oor in the middle of the circle.

Ask if anyone would like to talk about his or her picture, but never force any of the children to discuss their picture.

It is very important to praise children for their artwork, especially those who had diffi culty doing it! It does not matter how well they did it, the important thing is that they produced something of their own.

8. Ask the children if they want to take their artwork home. If not, keep it for them and ask them again at the end of the fi ve sessions. If they still not want to take it home, tell them that you will keep it for them. Do not throw anything away!



6. STORY 15 minutes

THE UGLY DUCKLING

This part consists of:• the teacher reading or telling the story of the ‘The Ugly Duckling’• a short discussion of the story

Note: Create a good atmosphere when telling a story. Let the children settle down comfortably in a circle around you. They can also lie down if they are tired or lie against each other. Make sure that children are calmed down before you

start telling the story and ensure that they are quiet during the story. You can also TELL the story in the home language of the children.

THE UGLY DUCKLINGAdapted from the classic fairy tales of Hans Christian Anderson

It was lovely summer’s day. Near a beautiful small river, a mother-duck named Marietjie sat on her nest. Marietjie was waiting for her young babies to hatch out of their eggs. She was getting tired of waiting and waiting. The little ones took a long time coming out of their shells.

At long last one shell cracked, and then another, and from each egg came a little duckling. Each duckling lifted its head and cried, “Peep, peep.”

“Quack, quack,” said Marietjie-the-Mother-Duck. Then all the little ducklings also quacked and looked around.

Show the ‘Mother Duck and her nest’ Illustration.

This is a story about the growing pains of a little ugly

duckling who, in the end, develops into a beautiful bird

after all.


Mother Duck and her nest

„The world is so big!“ said the little ducklings when they looked around. They now had much more room than when they were inside their eggshells.

“Do you think this is the whole world?” asked Marietjie-the-Mother-Duck. “You will see much more once we go down the river! And from there the world stretches even further and further, but I have never gone so far. Are you all out?” she called, and got up.

“No, look here! The largest egg is still there. I wonder how long it will take to break. I am quite tired of it.” And with that, Marietjie-the-Mother-Duck sat down again on the nest. “Well, how are you getting on?” asked an old Dilly-Duck, who visited her. “One egg is not hatched yet,” said Marietjie-the-Mother-Duck. “It will not break. But just look at all the others, are they not the prettiest little ducklings you ever saw?“

“Let me see the egg that will not break,” said the old Dilly-Duck. “Maybe this is an ostrich egg? Let me look closer at the egg. Yes, that must be an ostrich egg, because ostrich eggs are very, very large. Well, take my advice and leave it where it is and teach your other children how to swim.”

“I think I will sit on it a little while longer,” said Marietjie-the-Mother-Duck. „I have sat so long already. A few more days will be nothing.” “Please yourself,” said the old Dilly-Duck, as she went away. At last the large egg broke, and a big, grey youngster stepped out crying “Peep, peep.” It was very large and very ugly.

Marietjie-the-Mother-Duck stared at it and quacked, “It is very large and not at all like the others! I wonder if it really is an ostrich. We shall soon fi nd it out when it is time to go into the water.“

The next day the sun was shining and Marietjie-the-Mother-Duck took her young ducklings to the river, and jumped in with a splash. “Quack, quack,” she cried, and one after another the little ducklings jumped in. The water closed over their heads, but soon they came up again. They all swam very well. And the ugly duckling was also swimming in the water! “Oh,” said Marietjie-the-Mother-Duck, “This is not an ostrich. He can swim very well. He is my own child, and he is not so very ugly after all if you look at him properly.“ Then she turned her head and quacked “Come with me now. I will take you to meet all the old ducks who live nearby. But you must keep close to me and, above all, beware of the cat.” The little ducklings did as they were told and walked to the old ducks. But the old ducks just stared at the ugly duckling and said, “Quack, Quack! Look! What a strange looking one he is!“ And they pointed to the ugly duckling. „We don’t want him here.” And then one old Daffy-Duck fl ew out and bit him in the neck.

“Let him alone,” said Marietjie-the-Mother-Duck. “He is not doing any harm.”

“Yes, but he is so big and ugly,” said Daffy-Duck “Quack, Quack! He must be chased away!”



“He is too big,” agreed the other old ducks. So it went on from day to day, getting worse and worse. Everyone teased the poor ugly duckling. Even his brothers and sisters were not friendly

to him. They squawked, “Quack, Quack! You ugly duckling! I wish the dog would get you.”

The old ducks pecked him, the chickens beat him, and the other animals kicked him with their feet. It got so bad that one day Marietjie-the-Mother-Duck said she wished that he had never been born.

So at last the ugly duckling fl ew away and spent the night all alone by himself. The next day he met some more ducks and some other birds, but all of them said, „Quack, quack! You‘re too ugly! We don‘t want you. Go away!“

The days were getting colder and colder, and soon it would be winter time. One evening, a storm blew in. The ugly duckling felt cold and wet and very sorry for himself. The storm was so strong that he could go no farther. He sat down by an old hut, and then he noticed that the door of the hut was not quite closed. So he slipped inside the hut and stayed dry for the rest of the night.

It would be very sad if I had to tell you everything that the poor little ugly duckling suffered during the rest of the winter. But he survived, and when the winter had passed and he felt the warm sun on his back, he felt much better. Everything looked beautiful in the early spring.

One day, from behind some bushes, he saw three beautiful white pelicans - rustling their feathers and swimming lightly over the smooth water. The duckling remembered these lovely birds, and swam towards them to get a closer look.

When the three pelicans saw him, they rushed to meet him with outstretched wings. „Look, a new pelican!“ they cried. The little duckling became confused. He said, „Who, me? A pelican? No, Go on!“ And the other pelicans said, „Yes, you! Look in the water.“ So he looked at his image in the smooth water and said, „EE-ow--eee! It‘s true! I AM a pelican.


I‘m not an ugly duckling any more. I have become a big, beautiful pelican!“

At that moment, some children came to the dam and saw the pelicans. „See!” called the youngest child. “There is another pelican: a new one

has arrived.” And another child said, “The new one is the most beautiful of all. He is so young and pretty.” And then the old pelicans bowed their heads before him.

THE PELICAN

As soon as the children left, the pelican rustled his feathers, curved his long neck, and fl ew up into the air. While gracefully fl oating in the blue clear sky, he cried joyfully, from the depths of his heart, “I never dreamed of such happiness as this while I was an ugly duckling!”


• Discussion

1. What can you learn from the story?

(Children can learn that everybody takes his or her own time to grow and to become an adult person. Being small, or even ugly or helpless as a child, does not mean that we become small, ugly and helpless adults. We change all the time and in the end we will all become beautiful adult human beings. We can also learn that everybody is different in his or her own way.)

2. Why did the other ducklings tease the ugly duckling?

(Because he was different, ugly, strange - they did not know what to think of him - they were cruel, they only accepted ducklings who looked like them.)

3. What do you think the other ducklings learned when they saw that their brother had become a beautiful pelican?

(Everybody is different, everybody needs his or her own time to change into what he or she is, everybody will in the end become a beautiful bird, the ugliest may even become the prettiest, the weakest can become the strongest, etc.)

7. CLOSING 5 minutes

• First let the children clean up.

• Then let them sit or stand in a circle. Ask them what they liked or disliked in today’s session (short recap).

• Repeat the main message of the session:

We are changing all the time.Change means that we can learn and do more and more things.

• Give the children a small assignment to do at home: Ask them to talk to their parents, caregivers or brothers and sisters about how they were as a baby and how they have changed. Maybe some children can even bring a photo of themselves as a baby or as a very small child.

• Repeat the starting ritual, see on page 12.

• Remind children of when to meet again, encourage them to talk about the session to parents and friends and say good-bye.

The aim of this session is to create a positive attitude towards the physical changes that are happening during

puberty.


SESSION 2

MY CHANGING BODY

Material needed for this session:• the fl ag• several old newspapers for making about 30 paper balls (one per child)• sticky tape


MESSAGES

Our bodies are changing all the time

Boys and girls change in different ways

These changes prepare us to grow into a man or into a woman


1. STARTING RITUAL 5 minutes2. SHARING 1: Naming parts of my body 30 minutes3. GAME: ‘Get rid of it’ 10 minutes 4. STORY: ‘Silas and Sofi a’ 10 minutes5. SHARING 2: Changes in boys, changes in girls 20 minutes6. SINGING: We are changing and we know it 10 minutes7. CLOSING 5 minutes

Note: Allocated minutes are just a very rough guideline.

My Changing Body


1. STARTING RITUAL 5 minutes

This is the same for all sessions. See page 12.

2. SHARING 1 30 minutes

NAMING THE PARTS OF MY BODY

This part consists of:• Recap (5 minutes)• Talking about myself (5 minutes)• Group sharing (20 minutes)(no sharing in pairs, because this diffi cult session can easily get out of hand)

• RECAP (short revision)

Ask the children what they can remember from the previous session. Ask them specifi cally to name some changes from babyhood to childhood.

Then ask them if they asked parents, caregivers or brothers and sisters about how they were as a baby or small child. Take a few minutes to talk about this, or let the children tell each other in pairs (this is not sharing in pairs).

• TALKING ABOUT MYSELF

NOTE: Children need to learn to talk about themselves. Their opinion should be valued. This enhances their self-esteem and prepares the ground for talking about more diffi cult issues.

Ask children about what they like about their body. Do they like their eyes, or their feet? Maybe somebody thinks he or she has a beautiful nose or a pretty mouth? Or beautiful hands, strong legs, lovely hair? Each child should get a turn. If a child is very embarrassed, help him or her by saying, for example, “I think you have very beautiful eyes”.

• GROUP SHARING (20 minutes)

Let all the children sit in a circle.

The group sharing will consist of TWO PARTS:

1. Why we will go on changing (5 minutes)2. Naming parts of our body, including sexual organs (15 minutes)

PART 1: Why we will go on changing

Gather the children around you and tell them the following:

Teacher: Last time you saw how you have changed from being a baby to a child.Today we will talk about how you will change in the future.

In which way will you change during the coming years?

Let the children give some answers – always involve them with questions.Some answers might be:

• We will grow taller• We will get fatter• Girls will develop breasts• Boys will get deeper voices, etc.

Teacher:You see that during the coming years a lot of changes will happen to you.

Your body will change, and your feelings will also change.

These changes happen so that girls will gradually grow into women and boys into men.

The changes happen in a different way for each boy and each girl. Each boy and each girl has his or her OWN way of changing.

For girls, these changes start when they are about nine, ten or eleven years old or even later.

For boys these changes start, when they are twelve, thirteen or fourteen years old. The changes usually go on until they are about 17 or 18.

Some of the changes and feelings may be confusing and not always easy to deal with. This is because not only your body is not changing, but your feelings as well.

Now let us have a look at the body of a boy and a girl.

YELLOW WINDOW OF HOPE32 33My Changing Body


PART 2: Naming parts of the body

You as a teacher must decide at this stage if you want to separate boys and girls for the following parts of the session. In many cases it will be easier, more successful, and less embarrassing if boys and girls learn about the parts of their body in their own gender groups.

NOTE: If you decide to conduct your WINDOW OF HOPE sessions in one of our local Namibian languages, that is okay – but it may be easier for the learners to name the body parts in English. We have found that in English, the children are often less embarrassed than in their local language, because in English there are not so many taboos about speaking about sex and sexuality.

Let the other group play outside or do some artwork.

The aim of this part is to help children to become comfortable saying the names of the sexual organs. For this we will not talk about sexual organs ONLY, but about a number of important organs.

By talking about several organs of our body, children will learn that all parts of our body work together and that the sexual organs (or reproductive organs) are a natural part of the body, as are the heart, the lungs and the brain.

Talking in a positive way about sexual organs is important for establishing a positive attitude towards sexuality and positive sexual relationships.

Most people – adults and children alike – feel shy, when they have to talk about sexual organs. This is part of many cultures, where it is taboo to talk about sex and sexual organs.

However, if we really want to fi ght against the spread of HIV and AIDS and against our country’s social problems such as child abuse and rape, we ALL have to learn to overcome this shyness. Not everywhere and with everybody, but in certain situations such as:• in the class room (if we teach biology or life skills)• in the WINDOW OF HOPE group • whenever we have to deal with problems such as child abuse, rape, etc.

With practise this will get easier by the day!It could help, if you as a teacher fi rst practise at home to say the names for the sex organs aloud, either by yourself, or to a friend or family member.

Start this part by showing the children the two pictures of a boy and a girl with some bodily organs.

Show the ‘Boy’ and ‘Girl’ Illustrations.

Boy


Girl



Say the following:

Teacher: These pictures show you some of the most important organs of our body. Our organs help our body to do its work so that we can breathe, eat, sleep, think and so on.Let us look at the fl ipchart and see which organs you can name. Let us also see if you know what kind of work each organ has to do for our body.

Now go through all the organs of the fl ipchart that are the same for boys and girls one by one (brain, lungs, heart, stomach, bladder). First ask children to name the organ, then ask them to describe its function or job.

Let all children repeat the name of the organ together.Also repeat the correct information about its function.Do not take too long for this exercise.

Here is all the information you need:

1 brain – the brain helps us to think and is the manager of the whole body

2 lungs – the lungs help us to breathe air into and out of the body

3 heart – the heart is between the lungs, and pumps the blood through the body

4 stomach - the stomach manages the food we eat

5 bladder - in the bladder the urine is stored that we pee out a few times every day

6 scrotum/testicles – the scrotum is a little bag holding two testicles outside a boy’s or a man’s body in the testicles sperm cells are produced which are needed to make babies

7 penis – the penis two functions: the urine passes from the bladder through the penis to the outside when the penis gets hard, sperm cells are carried through the penis to the outside; or into a woman, to make a baby

8 vagina - the vagina is the opening of a woman’s body through which babies are born to make babies, the sperm of the man must be passed from the penis of the man into the vagina of the woman urine is passed just next to the vagina through a separate hole

9 uterus a woman also has a uterus (known as a womb) inside her body – this is where a baby grows

Because children – and you – are often very embarrassed to talk about sexual organs, you can proceed in a different way when coming to the body organs that are DIFFERENT for boys and girls.

Here is a suggestion:

Teacher: Some parts of our body we do not like or want to name. In some cultures we are not allowed to name certain body parts, especially those that are different for women and men. We say that some parts of the body are TABOO.

We have to respect the different cultures and what our parents and elders teach us.

However, here at school, and in our WINDOW OF HOPE group, we are allowed to name and to talk about all parts of the body.

In our WINDOW OF HOPE group NO parts of the body are taboo.

If we want to understand our body and if we want to protect our body against sicknesses and harm, we have to learn to name all parts of our body.

In our WINDOW OF HOPE group and in school with the teacher we are ALLOWED to speak and to learn about all parts of the body.

We will learn words that are acceptable to everybody.

Now let us learn the names and the function of the parts of the body which are diffi cult to talk about:

EXAMPLE: SCROTUM

• Point to the scrotum and ask if anybody knows any name for this part of the body.

• Let them tell you all slang words, silly words or even dirty words, also in the different languages.

• Then tell them that in the WINDOW OF HOPE group we will use the name as shown on the fl ipchart, namely SCROTUM.

• Then tell them what the function of the scrotum is: The scrotum is a little bag outside a boys or a man’s body. It holds two TESTICLES.In the testicles sperm cells are produced which are needed to make babies.

• Ask children to repeat the word “scrotum”.

• When they are very shy to do this, ask them:



Teacher: What can we do to practise saying these words?Who will try to say the word?Shall we spell it out fi rst?

OK, I give you an S Everybody shouts S

I give you a C Everybody shouts C

I give you an R etc.

Do this until the word is spelled from S to the M, then call out SCROTUM.

Then do the same with penis, vagina and uterus (womb).

Explain the function of every sexual organ as suggested above (see page 36).

Praise the children for their courage and co-operation.


3. GAME 10 minutes

‘GET RID OF IT’ GAME

Material needed: old newspapers, sticky tape, a watch or alarm clock

Instructions:

1. Draw a playing fi eld on the fl oor of the classroom or outside.

Draw a line in the middle.

2. Divide the children into two teams.

3. Each player is given one sheet of newspaper, which must be squashed into a paper ball and fi xed with sticky tape.

4. One team stands in one half of the fi eld, the other team in the other half. (If the fi eld is too small, form four teams and let two teams play fi rst, then the other two teams.)

5. Set the alarm clock for six minutes.

6. On your command, all the children throw their paper balls into the opposite half of the fi eld.

7. The aim is for both teams to have as few balls as possible on their side of the fi eld at the end of the game. So each team immediately throws the balls that land on their side of the fi eld back to the other side.

8. After 6 minutes everybody must immediately stop throwing any balls into the opposite fi eld.

9. When time is up the winning team is the team with the fewest balls on their side of the fi eld.

10. Repeat the game if children have to get rid of more energy or tension!

Note: Don’t forget to ask children to collect the paper balls and throw them away after you have fi nished the game.

The discussion on sexual body parts and sex possibly creates

a lot of tension within the class. The GET RID OF IT game

is a good game for letting off steam. Two groups are

playing against each other, throwing as many paper balls as possible into the fi eld of their

opponents. By getting rid of as many paper balls as possible in a short time, the children

get rid of tension and/or aggression.


4. STORY 20 minutes

SILAS AND SOFIAHOW WE WILL CHANGE IN THE COMING YEARS

This SHARING part consists of: • a story and• a game

Begin by telling the children that in the coming years their bodies and feelings will change a lot. You will now read to them a story about a boy and a girl. In it, they experience something that all of you will experience one day, perhaps soon, maybe only in two or three years time.

The STORY of SILAS and SOFIA

Adapted from ‘Adventure Unlimited’

Silas and Sofi a were cousins and they grew up together in the same house. When they were both nine years old, they often played together with toys.

At the age of ten, Silas and Sofi a made friends with their neighbours. Silas played soccer with the neighbour’s boys and Sofi a played games with the girls.

When Sofi a turned 11, she realised that her body was changing. Hair was growing under her arms and around her vagina. Her breasts also started to grow bigger. One morning she noticed that a little bit of blood came out of the opening of her vagina.

In this part the children will be taught in a playful way how boys and girls will change in

different ways during the coming years.

It is not necessary to give too much detail.

Children who need more information should be encouraged to ask questions.

You can separate boys and girls to answer their personal questions, but you do not

have to. It depends on the group and how comfortable boys and girls are with each

other.If you cannot answer their questions

yourself, fi nd out who in your school or community is able and willing to give more

information to children.

Sofi a told her friends about this. One of the girls, Christa, who was already 15, said, “Sofi a, join the club! All girls have this, when they get older. This is very normal. It shows that your body is developing for you to become a woman. But go to your mother or auntie and tell her about it.”

Sofi a went to her auntie Petrine and told her about her discovery. Auntie Petrine said the same to Sofi a as Christa, but she explained a bit more. “Every month the body of a woman produces a tiny egg inside her body,” she said and placed a hand on Sofi a’s stomach. “The place where the egg is produced is about here,” she continued. “This tiny egg can develop into a baby inside the womb or uterus. But this only happens when a woman has sex with a man.”

“What happens during sex, Auntie Petrine?” asked Sofi a. She had always wanted to know this but was too embarrassed to ask anybody. But now, she thought, was a good chance!

“Ah, this is diffi cult to talk about,” said Auntie Petrine. We are not used to talking about this. Sex is something very special and private which happens between a man and a woman.”

“But we always hear that people say we must stay away from sex. How can we stay away from sex if we do not even know what sex is?”

“OK, let me try, my child. You are right, you have a right to know this. Come sit near me so that I can talk more easily about it.”

With these words Auntie Petrine put her arms around Sofi a and drew her very close to her. “You see, sex is when a man’s penis goes inside a woman’s vagina,” she explained. “When a man puts his penis near or inside a woman’s vagina, the sperm cells of the man will come out of the man’s penis and fl ow into the woman’s body. There it will join with the egg inside the body of the woman. This may be the beginning of a tiny baby which will grow inside a woman’s body for nine months until it is born.”

“Does this happen every time a man and a woman have sex?” asked Sofi a, “No, my child,” answered Auntie Petrine, “for example, if a man puts on a condom this will not happen. But without a condom, there is a very good chance that it happens, even with very young girls.”


“But now I will tell you something very important,” Auntie Petrine continued. “If two grown up people love each other and care for each other, sex can be a wonderful thing. Men and women then have sex because they like to be close together and feel each other’s bodies. Sex is a way to show their love with their bodies. If they do not want to make a baby during sex, they can talk about it and decide to use condoms.” Auntie Petrine stroked Sofi a’s head. “Stay close to me, my child,” she said and gave Sofi a a hug. “I must now also talk to you about another side to sex. Sex can also be a very frightening and painful experience. This happens when a boy or a girl are too young, or when people have sex without respecting each other and without caring for each other.”

“What can happen, Auntie Petrine?”

“A girl can get pregnant when her body and her feelings are not ready for having a baby. This can harm her body and this can do harm to her whole life. She will have to leave school to give birth to her baby, and perhaps she cannot go on with her education.”

“You can also give each other very bad sicknesses by having sex, for example AIDS or sexual sicknesses.”

“And thirdly, my dear, sex can be very painful if you do it with somebody who does not care about you. So I strongly advise you stay away from sex and wait until you have grown into a strong, responsible and caring woman. And even then it is best to wait until you have found a caring and responsible man with whom you can have sex without getting harmed.”

Sofi a wanted to think about all this on her own for a while. But she still had one question on her mind. “Why am I bleeding when I start to become a woman, Auntie Petrine,” she asked.

“Oh, yes, I forgot to explain,” said Auntie Petrine. “Let us go back to the tiny egg which is growing inside a woman every month. When this tiny, tiny egg does not come into contact with a man’s sperm to develop into a baby, then it is released with some blood through your vagina. You cannot see the egg because it is so small, you only see the blood. This is called menstruation or your monthly period.”


Sofi a felt very happy that in her body a tiny little egg was growing every month, just like in all women. Maybe, sometime later in her life, when she would be a responsible adult woman and would get to love a responsible caring man, a baby would grow inside her! But now she had heard enough of sex and menstruation and eggs and sperms for now! She hugged Auntie Petrine and ran outside to play with her friends.

When Silas was about 13 years old, he also discovered many changes in his body: Hair was growing around his penis and under his arms. Even a few beard hairs appeared on his chin and above his upper lips. He worried about pimples on his face, and about the fact that his penis sometimes grew hard. He worried about his whole body almost all of the time. His voice started to change and became deeper. He often thought about girls, but when he came near them, he became embarrassed – even with Sofi a, his cousin.

One night, while he was asleep, he had a strange exciting dream. As he woke, he discovered a moist, jelly-like substance had fl own out through his penis and left some stains on his clothing and the sheet.

The next morning Silas walked to school with his friend’s elder brother Patrick, who was already 17. He told him what had happened to him during the night, because he did not want to talk about this with his mother. Patrick laughed and explained, “My boy, Silas, you have started to grow into a man! Your sex organs have started to work. You have started to get erections. You know what an erection is?

An erection means that your penis becomes stiff. You know: when you see a lovely girl that you like, or when you think of sexy things!

Sometimes you also get an erection while you are sleeping - and then you have a ‘wet dream’. You want to know what a wet dream is? Listen: the testicles inside your scrotum produce sperm. This sperm is sometimes released through your penis during the night while you are dreaming. This is what we call a wet dream, and it often happens to boys who are growing into men.”

Silas was very happy that what had happened to his body was just normal and he joined his friends at school, feeling very proud that his body had started to grow into a man’s body.



In the evening he saw that Sofi a looked at him in a different way. “Why are you staring at me?,” he asked her. Sofi a smiled and said, “I think it is time for you to have a long talk with Auntie Petrine. She told me one of the most important things about life today and I want you to hear the same. Will you go and see her?”

Short Discussion:

For this discussion it would again be helpful to separate boys and girls. The discussion should mainly serve to answer questions that children have. For example, you could start the discussion by asking:

What other questions could Silas or Sofi a ask Auntie Petrine?

5. SHARING 2 10 minutes

CHANGES IN BOYS, CHANGES IN GIRLS

This part of the session is done in the form of a game.

GAME: Boys and Girls

Ask the children to stand up, in front of their chairs.Tell them:

TEACHER: I will call out changes that will happen to children like you during the coming three, four or fi ve years.

These are all normal changes which boys and girls will experience, but not at the same time.

These are necessary changes so that you can grow into a man or into a woman.

When you experience these changes, you should be very proud, because then you know that your body is developing into the adult body of a man or a woman.

Some changes happen to boys AND girls.Some changes only happen to girls.Some changes only happen to boys.

When I call out a change that will only happen to boys, you shout:

BOYS!

When I call out a change that will only happen to girls, you shout:

GIRLS!

When I call out a change that will happen to BOTH girls and boys, you shout:

BOYS AND GIRLS!

When I call out a change that will happen to nobody, you just keep quiet.

Then begin the game.Shout out the following sentences. After each sentence wait for the children to shout the correct answer. Repeat the sentence if necessary:

1. Some children will grow taller! (boys and girls)

2. Some children will get a deeper voice! (boys)

3. Some children will grow horns on their heads! (-)

4. Some children will grow breasts! (girls)

5. Some children will get green hair! (-)

6. Some children will start to grow hair under their armpits (boys and girls)

7. Some children will start to grow hair around their vagina! (girls)

8. Some children will grow tails! (-)

9. Some children will begin to grow hair around their penis and scrotum! (boys)

10. Some children will put on weight! (boys and girls)

11. Some children will grow more hair all over their body! (boys)

12. Some children will produce sperm in their testicles and perhaps have wet dreams. (boys)

13. Some children will walk on four legs! (-)

14. Some children will start to have erections. (boys)

15. Some children will get spots and pimples for a while. (boys and girls)

16. Some children will start to menstruate and lose a little bit of blood through the vagina every month. (girls)

Now let us sing another song about changing.


We are changingand we know it and we’re really proud about it

We are changingand we know itClap your hands. clap-clap

Boys will changeinto mentell me whytell me whenBoys will changeinto menStamp your feet. stamp-stamp

Girls will changeinto womentell me whytell me whenGirls will changeinto womenSnap your fi ngers snap-snap


6. SINGING 10 minutes

WE ARE CHANGING AND WE KNOW IT

For the new song, use the melody of the song ‘When you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands ...’

The words are as follows:

WE ARE CHANGING AND WE KNOW IT

1. We are changingand we know itClap your hands clap-clap

We are changingand we know itClap your hands clap-clap

2. Boys will changeinto menStamp your feet stamp-stamp

Boys will changeinto menStamp your feet stamp-stamp

3. Girls will changeinto womenSnap your fi ngers snap-snapGirls will changeinto womenSnap your fi ngers snap-snap

You can also repeat the song from the previous session if there is time.






Our bodies will go on changing. Boys and girls are changing in different ways. These changes prepare us to grow into a man or woman.

Encourage children to come to you if they have any questions about what they learned today. Perhaps you cannot answer all the questions yourself, but tell children that you will try to fi nd the answers for them.

• Repeat the starting ritual, as on page 12.


The aim of this session is to make children

realise that: • one can make friends with both boys and girls

• it helps to get to know each other as we

are growing up.


SESSION 3

CAN BOYS AND GIRLS BE FRIENDS?

Material needed for this session:• the fl ag• sheets of A4 paper (one for each child plus a few extra)• crayons and/or colour pencils


MESSAGE

Boys and girls can be friends!


1. STARTING RITUAL 5 minutes2. SHARING : Feelings of Boys and Girls 10 minutes3. STORY and DISCUSSION: ‘Marta’s Homecoming’ 20 minutes4. GAME: “I wrote a letter to my mother” 10 minutes5. ART: My Mandala 40 minutes6. CLOSING 5 minutes

Note: Allocated minutes are just a very rough guideline.

Can Girls and Boys be Friends?





FEELINGS OF BOYS AND GIRLS

This part consists of:• Recap• Group sharing• Story• Sharing in pairs• Report back• Singing

• RECAP

Recap the previous session about body parts.Let the children name all the body parts again.Ask the children if they feel less shy to name them than last time?Ask the children if they remember some of the changes that their bodies will go through soon.

• GROUP SHARING

Sit in a circle.

Teacher: We are born either as girls or as boys. When girls grow up, they become women. When boys grow up, they become men. We saw that boys and girls have differences in their bodies. But do they also have different feelings?

Let the children discuss this briefl y.

Teacher: Let’s fi nd out if there are feelings which only girls have, or feelings which only boys have.

Let the children name all sorts of feelings.

Feelings that might come up are:

I am sad

I am angry

I am frightened

I am lonely

I am happy

I am tired

I am embarrassed

I am proud

I am feeling strong

I am feeling weak

I am compassionate

I am greedy

I am jealous

I am loving

I am caring

After each feeling discuss if only boys, or only girls, or boys and girls can have this feeling.

YELLOW WINDOW OF HOPE50 51Can Girls and Boys be Friends?


3. STORY 20 minutes

MARTA’S HOMECOMING

Tell the children that they will now hear a story about a friendship between a boy, Sakaria, and a girl, Marta.

MARTA‘S HOMECOMINGSakaria last saw Marta, his favourite cousin, about three years ago. It was at their aunt‘s funeral. They were both ten years old at that time. And today - just imagine! - Marta was coming back for a visit.

Long ago, when Sakaria and Marta were small children, they played together every day after school. Often, they ran together through the village, to see who was the fastest runner. Sometimes they took short-cuts through the veld and looked for birds. They counted how many different kinds of birds they could see. And sometimes they went together to Sakaria’s home. Sakaria‘s mother made the best mielies, with just a little bit of sugar, and Sakaria and Marta often shared a mielie together.

But three years ago, after their aunt‘s death, all of that stopped. Soon after the funeral, Marta moved to another village far away. Since Marta had gone, Sakaria didn‘t like to go bird-watching by himself. He still ran a lot - but it wasn‘t the same without Marta.

Today Marta would come back.

In fact, all of their family would come together this weekend for a big family wedding. Marta would also be staying on for the school holidays.

Almost every night, Sakaria dreamed about seeing Marta again. He was very excited, but he was also a little worried. Three years was a long time to be apart. He had changed a lot, and maybe Marta had changed too. Sakaria wondered, „Will we still be friends?“ On this morning, Sakaria walked to meet Marta at the petrol station where all the long-distance taxis stopped on their way to the north. As the time passed, many taxis stopped and drove on again.

But Marta was not on any of them. Sakaria started to worry, „Maybe Marta can‘t come,“ he thought to himself. Or worse, „Maybe there was an accident and she got hurt!“

As the sun moved across the sky, Sakaria also started to feel hungry and tired. He wanted to walk home to get something to eat. But then he thought, „I cannot go home now. I must be here when Marta arrives.“

With that, Sakaria sat under a nearby thorn tree where it was shady. After some time, his eyes started to close and soon Sakaria fell fast sleep.

About an hour later, Sakaria awoke with a start. Standing over him with her back to the sun was a tall, beautiful young woman. „Who is this person and what does she want?“ he thought to himself. Sakaria turned his head, so he could see her better. He stared at her for a long time. Could this really be his cousin? „Is that you, Marta?“ he fi nally asked, in a soft voice.

The young woman started laughing. „You‘re very funny, Sakaria!“ she said. „I‘m gone for just three years and you already forgot what I look like!“

Sakaria jumped to his feet. Marta was so tall! When she had gone away three years ago she looked like a child and now, well now… Sakaria couldn‘t even describe what he saw. Her body had curves and breasts, almost like a grown woman. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words came out all jumbled. „Oh, yes!“ Sakaria said. „I mean… oh NO! Um, uh. Wow, Marta, is that REALLY you?“

Marta held out her hand, but now she also felt shy. Sakaria had also grown bigger. One day, she thought, he would become very handsome. And she – what did she look like? Was she pretty? She had also changed so much. „Will Sakaria still like me? „ she thought. „Will he still talk to me? Or will he only play and talk with boys? „ Marta felt embarrassed. Her breasts had grown so big - and she was worried about a big pimple on her chin!

But Marta didn’t want her fears to show. So she took a deep breath and said, „Yes Sakaria -- It’s me, Marta! But you have also grown such a lot! And your voice is deeper. But I hope you are still the same old Sakaria. Because I am still just the same Marta.“


Sakaria nodded his head. This made sense. Marta had changed. Yet the way she spoke was just the same.

Sakaria smiled, and thought: We are like the birds in the veld. When we saw each other last time, we were like little birds who couldn‘t fl y very well. Now the birds have grown wings and bright, colourful feathers and they look very different.

Marta felt her face grow hot. She did not want to talk about changing any more. She wanted to play with Sakaria as they used to three years ago. So she said, „Let‘s see who can get home the fastest. I think I can still get there before you!” Sakaria liked this idea. It was just like old times! He reached down to pick up Marta‘s two bags and called, „Hey Marta! You take one bag and I‘ll take the other. Then I‘ll call out so we can start at the same time, and we‘ll start running. Are you ready?... On your mark, get set, GO!“

With that, the two youngsters started running along the gravel path. After a couple of minutes, Sakaria noticed he was ahead of Marta.

He ran across a dried river bed, and then turned to the left. When he looked back the second time, Marta wasn‘t there. Sakaria thought, „Can’t she run fast any more? Or maybe, she forgot the way…“

Sakaria looked back once more. He couldn‘t see Marta anywhere. „Well,“ he thought. „I‘ll just run home, put down her bag, and then go out looking for her. Maybe she saw some birds, and stopped to watch them.“

A few minutes later, Sakaria reached the old farm gate. As he came nearer to the house, what did he see? Marta was waiting for him! Sakaria opened his mouth, and for the second time that day his words came out all jumbled up. „How…uh.. how did you get here, Marta?“ he stuttered. „I mean, did you f-f-fl y?“

Marta laughed, „Oh, Sakaria! I still remembered the old short-cut through the veld, so I went off there, and arrived here before you!“ She held out her hand. „Thanks for carrying my bag. Now let us go and greet your mother, and see if we can fi nd something to eat!“

And with that, the two old friends walked through the yard, where



Sakaria‘s mother sat with a bowl of hot mielies and sugar, as a warm welcome home for Marta. Then Sakaria knew: Some things had changed but still: the two cousins would have a wonderful holiday together - for sure!

DISCUSSION

• SHARING IN SMALL GROUPS

Discuss in small groups:

Why did Marta and Sakaria not recognise each other?What did Marta and Sakaria do together as children?Do you think Marta and Sakaria can remain friends? What can they still do together? What won’t they do together, but rather do together with boys or girls?

Do you think it is nice if Marta and Sakaria stay good friends? Why?

• REPORT BACK

Let each group choose a reporter.

Children stand again in a big circle.Call the fi rst group to stand inside the circle.Agree with the group that no one should talk while a child is talking and that we do not make any comments about what each child says about another child.Now ask the children to report what their partner told them.


4. GAME 10 minutes

“I WROTE A LETTER TO MY MOTHER”

The children sit on chairs in a circle with eyes closed.Leave spaces between the chairs. (You can also do this game sitting on the fl oor.)

One child volunteer starts the game by singing a chant.

This game is good for improving a spirit of

togetherness between boys and girls.


He/she walks around the back of the circle, tapping each child on the head or shoulder with each word. The others can sing along.

The chant goes like this:

„I wrote a letter to my mother; Along the way, I lost it. Someone picked it up It wasn‘t you… or you…. or you… ....“

Eventually he/she taps someone and says, „It was YOU“,and then that person jumps up and runs around the circle in the opposite direction from the volunteer who had been singing.

They both race around the back of the circle in different directions to see who can get back to the one vacant chair fi rst.

The one remaining has to go through the chant again, and the whole thing repeats several times.

5. ART 40 minutes

MY MANDALA

Instructions:

1. Hand out a sheet A4 paper to each child.

2. Let each child carefully choose four or fi ve wax crayons of different colours.

3. Tell the children that they will now draw a mandala. Drawing a mandala will make them strong inside. They can also draw mandalas themselves in their spare time, even if they only have a pencil. They can also draw mandalas in the

MANDALAS are simple, round, harmonious forms around a centre, that every child can easily draw and

colour in. Mandalas symbolise change and growth while at the same time concentrating on the centre.

Talking about their changing bodies and feelings and breaking cultural taboos like naming body parts, and talking about sex, might be upsetting for many

children.

Drawing mandalas is a wonderful exercise to help children to calm down, relax, channel their energies,

and to focus their concentration.

Especially during times of change and transformation, drawing and colouring in a mandala have a soothing

effect on restless and depressed children.


sand or make a mandala with stones and twigs.

4. Ask each child to draw a dot or small circle in the middle of the paper. This will be the centre of their mandala.

Start at this point and draw a small circle around it.Fill the circle with a pattern.

5. Now draw a bigger circle around the smaller circle and again fi ll it with a beautiful pattern and colours.

Repeat until the circles fi ll the whole page.

Show the children the illustration of the complete mandala

NOTE: It is important that each child fi nishes his/her mandala.

Drawing mandalas is also a lot of fun and helps a child to feel good about herself/

himself.

Whenever there is time in between encourage children to draw a mandala,

also in the classroom.

There are many mandalas found in nature, for example, if you cut an

orange in half horizontally you will see a mandala pattern, or if you cut a piece of wood horizontally. Many fl owers also have mandala forms, all arranged in a pattern around a centre of a circle. A

pattern is a shape that is repeated over and over again.


Complete Mandala

After each drawing session, take a few minutes to look at all the pictures with the children. Put the chairs in a circle and spread the pictures on the fl oor in the middle of the circle. Praise the children for their beautiful mandalas.





Boys and girls can be friends. Boys and girls are different in some ways, but in many ways they feel and think the same.

• Repeat the starting ritual,as on page 12.


The AIM of this session is to assist children to

understand and respect the opposite sex.


Session 4

UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECTING THE OPPOSITE SEX

Material needed for this session:• the fl ag


MESSAGE

We respect boys and girls as equal human beings


1. STARTING RITUAL 5 minutes2. SHARING: What boys and girls can do 40 minutes 3. SINGING: “We are boys, We are Girls” (Rap Song) 10 minutes4. GAME: “Ladies and Gentlemen” 15 minutes5. STORY: ‘Maggie, the Soccer Player’ 15 minutes6. CLOSING 5 minutes

Note: Time allocation is only a very rough guideline.

Understanding and Respecting the Opposite Sex




WHAT BOYS AND GIRLS CAN DO

This part consists of: • Recap• Talking about myself• Group sharing• Sharing in pairs• Report back

Sit in a circle.

• RECAP

Recap what children remember from the previous session.In which way can boys and girls be friends? Do they have the same or different feelings?

• TALKING ABOUT MYSELF

Ask the children which animal they would like to be if they were a man, and which animal they would like to be when they were a woman. If possible, let them also give a reason.Let them tell each other in pairs, or do the exercise in the whole group.

• GROUP SHARING

Tell the children that the “animal exercise” shows that girls and boys see themselves in different ways. This is because boys and girls, and men and women, look different and like and do different things. They often also fi nd different things important.

However, in may other ways, boys and girls are very similar. In the last session, we saw that boys and girls have many similar feelings.


HINT: If, for example, it comes to the word IRONING, and everybody (or anybody) shouts: only girls – remind children again that we are

talking about BEING ABLE to iron. If they still insist that

only girls can iron, ask a boy if he would iron 10 shirts if he would get N$ 1,000 (or

10,000!) for it.

YELLOW WINDOW OF HOPE60 61Understanding and Respecting the Opposite Sex

Today we will fi nd out if boys and girls can DO the same things.

I do not mean if they WANT to do the same things.

I also do not mean if they are EXPECTED to do the same things.

I mean if they are ABLE to do the same things.

NOTE: In most cultures men and women, and girls and boys, are EXPECTED to do different things, but this does not mean that women are not able to do the

things that men usually do, and that men cannot do the things that women usually do.

So let us have a look:

I will now name different things that people do and then you can shout if only boys, only girls, or boys AND girls are able to do these things:

Call out the following words or phrases. After each phrase, wait for the children to call out ONLY BOYS! or ONLY GIRLS! or BOYS AND GIRLS!

Remember that we talk about BEING ABLE to do something and NOT about being expected or not expected to do something.

- doing mathematics- riding a bicycle- working in the garden- washing the car- doing a science experiment- collecting wood- washing dishes- earning money- cooking food- fetching water- crying- changing the nappies of a baby- playing soccer- telling stories - hitting another person- loving another person- ironing clothes- digging a hole

Ask children:

So what does this exercise tell us?

There is not much that ONLY girls or ONLY boys can do. Or ONLY women or ONLY men. Can you give an example of what ONLY women can do?(giving birth to a baby, breastfeeding a baby.)

It is true that in many cultures, boys do certain things and girls do certain things. This does not mean, however, that boys are more important than girls or that girls are more important than boys.

We respect our different cultures. But we must also respect the laws of our country.It is very important that you know:

In Namibia, men and women, and boys and girls, have equal rights.

This means, for example, that both boys and girls have an equal right to go to school. All girls have a chance to learn and do the same things as boys, and all boys have the chance to do and learn the same things as girls.

In our school and in our WINDOW OF HOPE group, boys and girls should therefore help each other to respect each other at all times. This includes respect for our bodies.

Talk briefl y about how children can respect each other: be polite, listen to each other, help each other, recognise that everybody is important, recognise that every girl and every boy has a beautiful body which must be protected, and a beautiful soul that must not be hurt, etc.

• SHARING IN PAIRS

Divide the group into pairs.Tell the children:

I now want you to work in pairs and think about the following:

Boys: Think about a woman that you like very much. It can be an old woman or a young woman. It can be a friend or a family member, or a teacher at school, or somebody in your church.

Girls: Think about a man you really like very much. It can be an old man or a young man. It can be a friend or a family member.

Why do you like this person?Think of two things that you can name, for example how the person IS (friendly, generous, funny, gentle, etc.) and what the person DOES that you like (gives you food, tells you stories, always greets you in a friendly way, tells you jokes, shows you how to make things, etc.)


This exercise encourages children to think about

positive qualities in men and women

Tell your partner about this person.

Here is an example:

Stephen says: “I like my aunt Maria very much. She is very strong and she tells other women and men how to respect each other. Whenever I visit her, she gives me a big hug.”

Give children fi ve minutes to talk to each other.Then call them back into the big circle to report back.

• REPORT BACK

Children stand again in a big circle.

Call the fi rst pair to stand inside the circle.

Agree with the group that no one should talk while a child is talking and that we do not make any comments about what each child says about another child.Now ask the children to report what their partner told them.



Girls:We are girls! We are girls!What can we do?What can we do?We can singWe can dance We can shoutCoockle - dee- doo!

Girls:We are shy!We are shy!What can we do?What can we do?We can singWe can dance We can shoutCoockle - dee- doo!

Girls:We are proudto be girls!What can we do?What can we do?We can singWe can dance We can shoutCoockle – dee - doo!

YELLOW WINDOW OF HOPE64

3. SINGING 10 minutes

“WE ARE BOYS, WE ARE GIRLS!”

The following text can be said or sung alternatively by boys, by girls and together.

Children are encouraged to fi nd their own melody or sing the song as a rap song.

“WE ARE BOYS, WE ARE GIRLS!”

Boys:We are boys!We are boys!What can we do?What can we do?We can singWe can dance We can shoutCoockle – dee- doo!

Boys:We are shy!We are shy!What can we do?What can we do?We can singWe can dance We can shoutCoockle - dee- doo!

Boys:We are proudto be boys!What can we do?What can we do?We can singWe can dance We can shoutCoockle - dee- doo!


4. GAME 15 minutes

‘LADIES AND GENTLEMEN’

Instructions:

1. All boys are asked to go outside.

2. The teacher then makes a list of all the girls’ names.

3. Next to each girl’s name, the teacher will then write the name of one of the boys outside and show the list to the girls. The teacher will ask the girls to remember which boy is matched to which girl.

If there are more girls than boys, then play the game twice so that each girl gets a chance to play.

If there are more boys than girls, then write the name of two boys next to some girls so that each boy outside is matched with a girl inside the classroom.

4. Now the girls sit down in a semi-circle. They must remember which boy (or boys) are matched with them.

Then the boys are called back into the room.

5. The boys are told that each boy has been matched up with one of the girls in the semi-circle. They are then asked to stand in a row. One by one they will come forward and bow before the girl they think they ‘belong’ to.

This is a game which encourages interaction between boys and girls in a playful, but

‘polite’ way.

65Understanding and Respecting the Opposite Sex


Show the children the ‘Ladies and Gentlemen‘ Illustration.

If the boy bows before the right girl, everybody cries “Yeah!” and the boy can sit down.If the boy bows before the ‘wrong’ girl, everybody calls “No!” and he has to bow before another girl – until he fi nds the right one.

Then the same game can be played the other way round, with the girls going outside.

6. STORY 15 minutes

MAGGIE, THE SOCCER PLAYERTwo times a week Maggie stayed late after school. But she never told her family why. If they knew that she was playing soccer, they would be really angry. Maggie’s mother always said, “Girls should do girly things - sewing and cooking and helping out at home. You leave the sports to the boys!”

Maggie always helped her mother around the house, but she also wanted to play soccer. At school they had formed a small girls’ soccer team called The Wild Cats and they were practising very hard. Maggie played the right-wing position, and she could kick the ball very far.

One day, Maggie’s school held a soccer match against another team from a nearby town. It was only for boys’ teams, but because Maggie played so well, the sports teacher asked her to play alongside the boys. “If you help us out,” he said, “the school has a good chance to win. But don’t tell the boys that I said this!”.

Maggie felt proud. The boys usually made fun of girls who played soccer. But now she could prove to the team just how good she really was!


This is a story showing how gender perception and roles

are changing all the time - the grandmother was not

allowed to go to school, the mother was not allowed

to work in town, and the daughter was not allowed

to play soccer. However, all this has changed and is still

changing.

What was regarded as completely against our

culture is accepted today. Today in Namibia, both boys and girls go to school, and both men and women work

to earn a living.

Understanding and Respecting the Opposite Sex

You should have seen the game! It was a tough match, and both sides played the best they could. At the very end, the score was still one all. But then – almost in the last minute - Maggie’s school came out one goal ahead of the other team. Can you guess who scored the winning goal? It was Maggie, who took her chance when the ball was passed to her just 5 minutes before the game ended. Without so much as a glance around, she kicked the ball from her right-wing position straight towards the goal.

The goal-keeper was so astonished that a girl could kick so far and so hard, that he let slip of the ball.

Soon the whole village started talking about the game. “Can you believe it?” the people said. “This was supposed to be a boys’ soccer match, but it was that girl Maggie who won the game for us!”

But when Maggie’s mother heard about this, she got very angry. “How could you do this to me?” she said to Maggie. “The whole village is talking about you, and I did not know a thing! I was very embarrassed to hear from Mr. Haimbodi at the shop that you are playing soccer. You are a girl and should do what girls do! No more playing soccer for you, young lady!”

Maggie felt her face get very hot. What could she say, now? As soon as her mother fi nished talking, Maggie ran down the street to her grandmother, who lived a few houses away.

“Oh Grandmother!” Maggie cried out when she saw the old lady sitting outside the house and stirring a pot of mielies over the fi re. “I love playing soccer, but now I have to quit the team. Mama is very angry with me. Can you help me? I don’t know what to do!”

Maggie’s grandmother saw that Maggie was very upset. “Come sit by me while I fi nish these mielies” she said. “Then we can take a dish of them to your mother and talk.”

Maggie sat down and felt a little better. Her grandmother always knew the right thing to do. When the mielies were fi nished, Maggie helped her grandmother clean up and put out the fi re. Then, with the old woman walking very slowly, the two of them made it back to Maggie’s house.



Maggie’s mother put the best chair she had under the shade tree outside, so that the old woman could sit comfortably. She and Maggie sat near her on a low bench. After exchanging the traditional greetings, Grandmother handed over the dish of mielies. Then she started speaking in her traditional language.

“I want to tell you both a story from long ago. Our family lived on a farm, and we were very poor. There was a little mission school in the neighbouring village and I so much wanted to learn how to read and write. But my grandfather said: “Girls do not need an education. School is only important for boys.” So I had to stay at home and help my family on the farm while my brother Philemon went to school.

But every Sunday, after church, I asked Philemon to show me his school book, and then I taught myself to read and write with Philemon’s help.”

Grandmother stopped and looked at Maggie before she continued. “By the time your mother was born, things were different. We sent Mama to school just like her brothers. And she learned how to read and write and speak English.

But then, when your Mama had fi nished school, she wanted to move into the town and work as a secretary in a big offi ce.

When I heard about this idea, I said, No! It is too dangerous for a young woman to live in town, away from her family. A young woman should stay at home until she get married.

But one day, the following happened. Listen carefully!

Your mother came to me and said, ‘I want to go to town and visit my cousin for a few weeks’ - and I agreed. But after a few weeks she did not come back. After three months she still did not come back. I became worried and angry. But then your mother came home. You know what she told me? She put fi ve green pieces of paper money on the table and said: ‘Mama, I found a job in town. I am earning money and this is for you. I am learning so many new things. And don’t worry, Mama, I am staying in a safe place with my cousin’s family.’

Suddenly I remembered the time when I was a girl and taught myself to read all by myself. And I could see then that your mother was trying out something new, just like I did then.”


Now Maggie’s mother spoke. “I see what you want to tell us,” she said. “When you were young, girls did not go to school. But you did not accept that and taught yourself to read. And today most girls go to school. When I was young, girls did not work outside the house. But I also did not accept it and I started to work and earn money. And today many women get a job and earn money.

And today it is the same with Maggie. We think girls should not play soccer, but Maggie does not want to accept this and just does it. Maybe one day playing soccer will be something very normal for girls to do.”

“Yes, our lives change from one generation to another,” Maggie’s grandmother said, “from grandmother to mother to daughter. And it is good that Maggie tries out new things, just as I did when I was young and you did when you were young.”

Maggie’s mother now turned to her daughter. “Maggie, Grandmother taught me an important lesson today. So, I will no longer forbid you to play soccer - as long as you still help me out in the house! And in future – please let me know fi rst if you plan to do something different. Let’s sit down together and talk about it before I hear about it from someone else.”

When she heard this, Maggie jumped up. “Oh, thank you! THANK YOU!” she cried. “I promise, I promise! The soccer team is playing again next Saturday. You and grandma must come and see the game! With your support, I know our team will win again!”


Discussion: (this discussion should take the culture and the level of understanding of the children into account)

Suggested questions – teachers can also ask their own questions:

1. Which part of the story did you like most? Why?2. Did anybody NOT like the story – and why not?3. What do you think will still change in the future?





We respect boys and girls as equal human beings.

• As a small task ask the children to talk to their mothers, aunts or grandmothers at home about how the lives of women have changed from generation to generation.

• Repeat the starting ritual, as on page 12.


YELLOW WINDOW OF HOPE72 73Review

The aim of this session is to review the Yellow WINDOW OF HOPE and to consolidate what

children have learned.

SESSION 5

REVIEW

Material needed for this session:• the fl ag• a blackboard or two sheets fl ip-chart paper• two Koki-pens or chalk • sheets of A4 paper (one for each child plus a few extra)• crayons and/or colour pencils• a certifi cate and a badge for each child



1. STARTING RITUAL 5 minutes2. SHARING: Looking back 25 minutes3. ART: Growing and growing... 25 minutes4. GAMES AND SINGING: Children’s choice 20 minutes5. GOOD-BYE AND CLOSING: Certifi cates and badges 15 minutes

Note: Time allocation is only a very rough guideline.


This part serves as a review for children and as a feedback for teachers and facilitators. It is also important to show children that the teacher/facilitator is interested in their views.




LOOKING BACK

• GROUP WORK : LOOKING BACK

You need • a blackboard or two pieces of fl ip chart paper,

fi xed to the board or a wall• two Koki-pens or chalk

This part consists of:

• Listing everything that children have learned in the Yellow Window (the teacher will write words or symbols on the board or on a fl ip-chart)

• Group discussion on what children fi nd most important and what they liked most• Every child drawing stars and crosses next to what they found most important and what they

liked most on the fl ip-chart

• LISTING of things learned

Let the children sit in a semi-circle, facing the board or the fl ip charts.

TEACHER: Today is an important session of the Yellow Window. Let us look back at what you have you learned so far. Can you name a few things?

CHILDREN can answer with whole sentences or just by calling different words that come to mind. They can describe anything that they did.

For each correct answer the teacher should write a very simple word or draw a very simple symbol on the fl ip-chart or board. Leave some space between them (for stars to be placed there later).


• GROUP DISCUSSION

TEACHER: What did you fi nd most important in the Yellow Window? Why?

CHILDREN: Let some children (three or four) give an answer and a reason. Then ask them:

TEACHER: What did you like most in the Yellow Window?

CHILDREN: Let some children answer.

• CHILDREN DRAWING STARS AND CROSSES

TEACHER: Each of you will now get a piece of chalk (or Koki pen). You will draw a little star (or cross) next to the item YOU found most IMPORTANT in the YELLOW WINDOW OF HOPE on the board (or on the fl ip chart).

Let the children come to the board one by one and do this exercise.

Then ask them to draw a circle next to the item they LIKED most.

After everybody has had their turn, briefl y discuss the fl ip chart. Is there a difference between what children found most important and what they liked most?Do different children like different things or do most children like the same parts of the window?

Then thank the children for their co-operation.

Review


This is an exercise to experience change and growth by drawing symbolic forms which grow bigger and bigger.

3. ART 25 minutes

GROWING AND GROWING

Tell the children that they will draw something today that will show in a very simple way how they are changing all the time.

Fold a sheet A4 paper twice to get a centre point.

Start from the middle.

Tell the children: When you were a little child you started to explore the world around you in all directions. But you did not go very far and you always came back to where you started off.

Growing and Growing

As you grew older and stronger you went a little further.


And each year a little further, and further, and further. But you always came back to the centre.

You will continue to grow and grow.

In the end your picture will look like this:

Show them the ‘Growing forms complete’ Illustration.

You can now colour it in and make it beautiful.

Review

79

4. GAMES AND SONGS 15 minutes

CHILDREN’S CHOICELet the children play their favourite games and sing their favourite songs from the WINDOW OF HOPE songs & games.

5. GOOD-BYE AND CLOSING 20 minutes

CERTIFICATES AND BADGES

Teacher: We have now almost fi nished the Yellow WINDOW OF HOPE. Now we shall do the following good-bye ritual. It affi rms that we all belong to the WINDOW OF HOPE and that we shall think of each other in the future.

• GOOD-BYE RITUAL

Let the children stand in a circle.

Then let every second child step forward so that an inner circle is formed. The children in the inner circle then turn around so that each child is facing a child in the outer circle.

Then let the children do the following movements together with the words below:

Text: It’s YOU and ME

and the WINDOW OF HOPE.

The following movements go with the text:

It’s - clap your hands

You – right hand of child A claps against left hand of child B.

and – each child claps her/his own hands

me – left hand of child A claps against right hand of child B.

78 YELLOW WINDOW OF HOPE

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and the – each child claps her/his own hands together

WINDOW – children clap both hands against each other

of – children cross arms and clap hands against their own shoulders or upper arms

HOPE – children clap hands against their own upper legs.

Let the children do it twice, fi rst slowly, then faster.

Now the inner circle moves on, so that children stand opposite another partner. The same ritual is performed again twice: once slowly, and then again fast.

• HANDING OVER OF CERTIFICATES AND BADGES

For this part of the session you could ask the Principal or a senior teacher to attend and hand over the certifi cates.

Stand again in a big circle.

Tell the children that each of them will be handed a certifi cate for attending the Yellow WINDOW OF HOPE. Read to them what is on the certifi cate.

Ask them to keep it or to give it to their teacher, principal or parent for safekeeping.Then call out the name of each child and hand over the certifi cate.

• CLOSING

Inform the children when and where the next window will be ‘opened’.

Then do the closing ritual, as on page 12.

Review

SUGGESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL SESSIONSBelow we provide you with some ideas for activities you can do after having completed the fi ve compulsory sessions for the Yellow WINDOW OF HOPE.

During the following sessions, the children should be encouraged to work more independently, although they will still need your guidance. In between the different tasks and discussions, you can play games and sing songs from the previous sessions in this manual.

Question Time

Ask the children to suggest and collect questions on changing bodies and feelings. Assist them to make a list of the questions that they fi nd most important.Invite somebody from your nearest clinic, your church or an organisation like Life Line/Child Line to the WINDOW OF HOPE Club to answer the questions.

Mandala Competition

Let the children build a huge mandala outside in the fi elds, or on the school ground using sand, branches, stones, etc.

You can also do a ‘mandala competition’: Divide the WINDOW OF HOPE Club members into groups of fi ve or six. The different groups then build their own mandalas. Ask a number of teachers or senior learners to be the judge on which one is the most beautiful mandala.

The Yellow WINDOW OF HOPE Show

Divide the club members into groups. Give each group a topic which they have to act out, for example:

One group can act out a situation where somebody (a teacher, a nurse, a parent, a brother or sister) teaches a group of children about three or four human body parts.

One group can tell the story of the Ugly Duckling in their own words or in their home language, using the fl ip-charts.

One group can make a poster of how a child changes from a baby to a child to an adult and let each child in the group say one or two sentences about the poster.

One group could act out some parts of the story ‘Maggie the soccer player’.

One group could practise the songs ‘We are changing all the time’ and the rap song ‘We are boys ...’

When every group has practised its part, combine all parts into a little show and present it to the rest of the school, for example during assembly time.


GLOSSARYCHILD ABUSE means hurting a child, either physically or emotionally, and may include sexual abuse, which is when someone uses the child for his or her sexual pleasure. It includes touching the child’s private places.

COMPASSIONATE means caring very much about other people.

To be EMBARRASSED is to feel shy or ashamed about something.

GENDER PERCEPTION is how we look at men and women (and boys and girls) as being the same or different.

GREEDY means wanting everything for yourself.

MANDALA is a pretty pattern that can be fi lled in with small pictures or symbols, that can become a personal design to keep in a private place or hang on the wall.

When people MASTURBATE this means that they touch their own sexual parts or sexual organs for pleasure.

OUTSTRETCHED WINGS are wings that are spread wide apart.

SELF-ESTEEM is how good you feel about yourself and accept yourself as a whole person. Having high self esteem means that you can trust yourself to make many of your own decisions, and that you also know when to ask for help.

SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR is about how people express their physical and emotional attraction to each other.

SEXUAL and other ORGANS. This refers to different parts of the body.

TABOOS are things that are forbidden according to a local culture, even though they may be permitted by the law of the land.

TENSE is feeling very jumpy and emotionally tight or highly-strung inside your body.


YELLOW WINDOW web - OVC Support

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