"Cool" Parent VS.

"Messed-Up" Parent

By Jose Luis Gacitúa

 •Characteristics of parents at
Topic home.

Duration of •70 minutes.

the lesson

Level
•Intermediate.
Goals of the lesson.

This lesson uses past experiences and

perceptions to cause students to
personalize and take ownership of future
opportunities to be a successful parent.
The purpose is to build critical thinking, self- esteem,
and establish personal goals.
Objective:
•Students would copy student’s
suggestions of criteria and then
complete a personal activity.
Materials:
•Paper and writing instruments for each
student, plus a whiteboard. Drawing or
coloring materials would be optional.
 Warm Up: 30 Minutes

Students get together in groups of 4,

and they will describe their own
experience with their parents.
Each group will reach a conclusion
about the do’s and don'ts of the ideal
parenting in front of different situations.
For example, curfews, sleep over,
parties, etc.
Each group will choose a “group
leader”, who will have to discuss their
own conclusions with the rest of the
classmates.
 A “Messed up” Parent A “Cool” Parent

The teacher asks the

students to describe the
actions of a messed-up
parent and lists them on the
left side. This generally
produces good comments
and interest on the part of
the students. After a good list is developed, then the right side can be started by
taking the opposite of the characteristics from the left side and asking how the cool
parent would be. Then ask for other "cool" characteristics. After the two sides of the
chart have been filled out, make the point that each student has the power to
become the cool parent regardless of past personal or family situations.
Depending on specific teacher objectives,
the students could be assigned to write an
essay on the characteristics they would like
to have as a parent or to draw a picture or
series of simple pictures showing how they see themselves being
successful as a parent.
Original lesson plan from:

http://www.col-ed.org/cur/misc.html#misc3