PSL

Personal Safety Lessons

for Grades 7 & 8

PSL GRADES 7 & 8

 Grades 7 & 8
Letter to Parents
To Be Placed on School Letterhead

Dear Family,

(Name of school) is participating in the Department of Education's Child Protection

Policy Program. The lessons are a research-based initiative designed especially for
Filipino students.

This program will include age-appropriate information about personal safety as well
as physical, emotional, sexual abuse and neglect for all high school students. These
classes are a core element of (name of school) plan to protect the right of each and
every student in our community to be safe.

These lessons will be led by (name of instructor(s)) and will be held over the next (#)
weeks. In each grade, the following key concepts and skills will be addressed:

· IDENTIFY! - Students will learn how to identify safe and unsafe situations.
· ACCESS! - Students will learn how to access support structures.
· ACT! - Students will learn how to act to stay safe.
· VALUE! - Students will learn how value themselves and others.

Your child will receive a range of exercises, some of them to be completed with you at
home. Children are more likely to use safety rules when they have multiple opportunities
to practice and talk about the topic with their parents and family. You play an essential
role in helping your child know how to stay safe!

We will be having a Parent Information Evening on (day, date, and time). At this time,
you will have the opportunity to learn more about the program, view the curriculum
materials, and ask questions.

For more information, please contact (insert name and email address of counselor).

Sincerely,

Sincerely,
Name and Signature of the Teacher

PSL GRADES 7 & 8

 The purpose of the grade 7/8 lessons is to build on the school safety and
child protection lessons of elementary school. As children grow and
Grades 7 & 8 develop, peer relationships become increasingly more important and
may become romantic. Students and youth have an active online
presence and are becoming more independent. They are experimenting
with and exploring their identity.

Concept 1 IDENTIFY! Safe and Unsafe Situations

Notes to the Teacher Skills Learners will be able to:

• Healthy relationships are ones where you are secure, you
will not be harmed, you don’t feel alone, or you are with
people you trust. Who are the people you trust within your
home, school, and community environments? Why do you
trust them?
• A positive friend encourages you to do things that are safe
and healthy and helps you learn and grow in healthy ways.
Think about your community and how these healthy
relationships may extend beyond friends and family to other
caregivers and support structures.
• Harmful relationships are ones where you do not feel
secure, you feel unhappy and worried, or you might be hurt
or injured (assault and interpersonal violence). Harmful
relationships may be physically, emotionally, or sexually
harmful or neglectful in nature. You might even experience
sexual harassment, which is defined as unwarranted,
unwelcome, or unsolicited conduct directed at you because
you are male or female.
• Emphasize to students that at times it may be difficult to
define unwanted behavior. Adults can help define the
behavior and may be able to give suggestions about other
things that can be done, or they may be able to take direct
action to keep the person from bothering them.
• Recognize the value of relationships and
their impact on the quality of one’s life
• Describe characteristics of healthy
(positive) and harmful (negative)
relationships
• Examine the potential impact of healthy
(positive) and harmful (negative)
relationships
• Define sexual harassment
• Explain the consequences of sexual
harassment and the impact on
relationships
• Identify and practice skills for dealing
with sexual harassment
Vocabulary assault, interpersonal
violence, healthy relationships, harmful
relationships, physical abuse, emotional
abuse, sexual harassment, cyberbullying

• Students may be harassed or abused via digital means

(cyberbullying, sexting, etc.). Sometimes people considered
friends and loved ones may hurt you.

Being able to identify healthy and harmful relationships can

help students stay safe.

PSL GRADES 7 & 8

 Teaching Activities Concept 1

1. Group activity Step 1: Place the students into groups and give each group the chart below. As a
group, discuss which are traits students feel indicate positive friendships based on the list (place a check for
positive friendships)

Shares ideas & Yells at others when he or she is Doesn’t listen

feelings angry
Encourages you to Accepts the fact that you Encourages others; says things
do your best sometimes do things with about others that are
other people positive
Listens to you Carries weapons Stands up for you
Has fun Lies Spreads rumors
Enjoys some of the Does things you think are wrong Gets to know people before
same interests you or that your parents wouldn’t forming opinions about them
do approve of
Does things which Tells you no one else would be Makes put-down statements
are illegal your friend except him or her
Spends time with Talks about himself or herself all Pushes you to do things that
you the time you don’t want to do
Is dishonest Uses drugs Gossips
Is trustworthy Cares about how you feel and Helps to solve problems
what you think
Dresses cool Cares about how others feel Doesn’t use drugs
and what they think
Does things that are Encourages you to stay away Has a positive sense of humor
dangerous from illegal activities
Is loyal Doesn’t talk behind your back Keeps promises
Gets good grades Looks neat & clean Obeys rules & laws
Shares clothes Acts jealous Makes fun of you
Tells the truth Hurts other people by making Makes general statements
fun of them or calling them about groups of people (males,
names females, a specific race, how
people look), rather than
thinking about people as
individuals
Encourages you to Uses physical force to get you to Relies on other people’s
pursue your do what he or she says opinions
interests and talents

In the blank spaces, write other characteristics that are important to you in positive friends.

Step 2: Have the students rank the checklist, with the most important characteristic as first. They can do this individually
or in groups.
PSL GRADES 7 & 8

2. Nora Talk about digital connections and relationships.
Students at this age might be spending a lot of time on the
internet. This is called digital connections and these connections
also can be healthy or harmful. Some of the examples above, if
done through the computer or your phone, would be called as
cyberbullying. If the content is sexual, then it is sexting. Use the
story of Nora for further discussion.
Nora is asked by her boyfriend to send him a cell phone picture
of her in a sexual pose. She does this because she doesn't want
her boyfriend to break up with her. He shows the picture to his
friends. One of his friends takes the cell phone one day and
sends himself the photo, which he then sends to his friends,
who send it to their friends and girlfriends, and so on. Now
Nora is getting the picture sent to her from people she doesn't
know, calling her names.
Concept 1
Processing
 Is this a characteristic of a good friendship?
(no)
 Whose privacy has been violated? (Nora’s)
 Were any laws broken? (no)
 How does Nora feel? (any answer that
shows she is upset)
 Could this be an example of sexual
harassment? (yes)
 Change Nora from a female to a male and
rewrite the story. Then answer the same
questions. (answers should be the same
because boys and girls experience this type
of abuse the same and have the same
feelings)

3. Sexual Harassment Sexual harassment is defined as any

To continue discussion about sexual
harassment, use these questions:
unwarranted, unwelcomed, or unsolicited conduct directed at you
because you are a male or because you are female. The behavior  What are the consequences of sexual
interferes with a person’s education or employment by creating a hostile harassment to the person being
or intimidating learning or work environment. Brainstorm with the class harassed? (The person harassed might
to describe at least three behaviors which are sexual harassment. feel hurt inside, not want to go to
school (or work), have trouble
Possible answers: studying and learning, and/or suffer a
 Blocking someone’s way drop in grades.)
 Mocking and making fun of how other people look or dress  What are the consequences of sexual
 Brushing up against someone’s body harassment to the person doing the
 Lifting someone’s skirt harassing? (The person who does the
 Sexual gestures harassing might get into trouble, get
 Whistles or noises of a sexual nature suspended, must go to the principal’s
 Pushing someone so that they run into another person office, must talk about the problem
 Grabbing sexual body parts of self or others with his or her parents and other
 Making obscene comments adults, feel bad about himself or
 Telling dirty jokes herself instead of feeling better,
 Hugging or touching someone who doesn’t want to be touched and/or might not be seen as a positive
 Leering at someone friend or someone others want to be
 Rating the looks of other people around.)
 Spreading sexual rumors  What are the consequences of sexual
 Writing sexual graffiti harassment to those who witness the
 Writing notes or drawing pictures of a sexual nature harassment? (They might feel scared,
 Name-calling of a sexual nature anxious, or worried that it might
 Pushing people into opposite sex rest rooms happen to them.)
 Pulling at another person’s clothes

PSL GRADES 7 & 8

 Concept 1
4. Review As a quick review for Concept 1, give the class the following situations and ask if they are examples of
sexual harassment.

Situation 1:
Jennifer and her friends walk up behind Ed. As they pass the girls’ restroom, they push Ed in and run away laughing.

Situation 2:
Tonya is walking down the hall between classes when two boys walk up behind her, one on each side. They reach over
and touch her inappropriately. Then, they laugh.

Situation 3:
Kevin tells Adriane he really likes the dress she is wearing. The color is great, and she looks great in it.

A final message to the class would be, “I hope that you learned today about healthy and harmful relationships that can
help you decide how to check your own relationships. In the next lesson we will talk about where you can get help when
you need or want it.”

Home Connection A possible homework assignment is to ask the class to connect with their parents: “Ask your
parent or other caring adult: Was sexual harassment an issue when he or she was in school? How are things the same or
different now? If they are different, what does he or she think caused the changes?”

PSL GRADES 7 & 8

Concept 2 ACCESS! Support Structures

Notes to the Teacher Every student is entitled to a trusted person and Skills Learners will be able
to be heard. “Trusted persons” can be different for each student. Help is all around to:
us: • demonstrate how to tell a
helping person if abuse
Family: Families are often the first source of help and support. Parents and other occurs or if they are
family members care about the safety and well-being of their young people. confused or afraid.
Consider your community and who is considered “family”. These people can listen, • verbalize understanding that
help to solve problems, and provide access to other professionals who can help if they must tell and keep
needed. telling until someone helps.
• acknowledge that it is never
Adult Friends: Sometimes, talking to a trusted adult other than a family member is too late to tell.
easier. Adults who care about youth will help find needed resources or help a
person think about the problem so that he or she has more ways to solve the
problem.

Vocabulary support
Peers: Friends of the same age can often listen and offer suggestions. They may be
willing to go with the person, as support, to get help.
system, trusted person, access
Church: Ministers, priests, imams, rabbis, elders and other caring adults at church
are often willing to listen and provide guidance.

School Personnel: Teachers, principals, counselors are easily accessible and willing
to provide the support and guidance needed.

Physicians/ Nurses: Doctors and nurses know community resources and can see
that you know where to go for help. They should also be contacted to treat injuries
if necessary. This may be the school nurse or local health center.

Hotlines: Hotlines are just a phone call away. The people who answer the phone
are trained to help others sort out problems and get help. These may or may not
be available in the international community. The school nurse or counselor will
have more information about local resources.

Health Organizations: Many public and private health organizations are in the
community and designed to provide physical and mental health services, including
information, counseling, and treatment.

Barangay: The barangay may assist a person reporting cases to the police or law
enforcements.

Police: the police do the investigation to build up a case and apprehend people
who have violated the law.

PSL GRADES 7 & 8

It is important for each student to be able to identify and access those trusted
persons. Access can be defined in many ways. Never keep a secret about feeling or
having felt unsafe. Keep telling until someone listens. Friends should help each
other find help. Getting help is often the only way to learn to deal with the
situation. Some people who don’t get help live their lives in constant fear of the
situation happening again or continue to blame themselves and feel badly about
themselves.

Those who hurt or bully others also need to get help. It is equally important for
people who bully or abuse others to get help. A person who is intimidating or
violent may choose these behaviors for many different reasons. He or she needs
help to learn how to interact with others so that` no one gets hurt.

Being in an unsafe situation could mean that the person is being abused. Abuse is
always wrong, hurtful, and illegal. A person who is abused, assaulted, or raped
often feels alone, ashamed, and as if he or she is to blame for the violent act. The
person who is abused, assaulted, or raped is NOT at fault. They should report the
abuse and get help.

Teaching Activities
1. Define and discuss Open the
class by giving the definition of abuse as, when
someone you know hurts you on purpose. But
not all hurtful behaviors could be legally defined
as abuse. Students do not need to know if
something is legal or not to know that they are
hurt, and so they need help. Even if what
happened to you is not legal abuse, it is still
abuse because someone you know hurt you on
purpose. So often we are afraid to get help for
when we are abused because we worry that we
will be told we can only get help from the police
or DSWD. Most abuse, like bullying and
harassment, can and should be handled by the
trusted adults around you. Only the most severe
cases need to go to the Courts.
Processing Have a group discussion: What makes
someone a “trusted person” and who in their environment could
be their trusted person? A trusted person implies someone that
they know, so when they make a list of who that person could be,
they must give the person’s name (rather than role, such as
“teacher” or “DSWD”)
 someone who will listen and make a list of who that could be
_______
 someone who knows how to help and make a list of who that
could be _______
 someone who won't make fun of my problem and make a list
of who that could be _______
 someone who will believe and make a list of who that could be
_______
 someone who will not blame me for what happened and make
a list of who that could be _______
 someone who is available and make a list of who that could be
_______
 someone who won't tell everyone else

PSL GRADES 7 & 8

 Concept 2

2. Scenario Creation Explore trusted persons for self and friends by stating to the class … “You are in
following situation. Who do you talk to?”

 You saw your classmate stealing your other classmates’ baon.

 You are walking when a man grabs your hand and tells you to go with him.
 Your mother tells you that she will drop by the school to fetch you, but it is getting dark and she’s not yet arriving.
Your mobile phone is low battery.
 Your favorite uncle started teasing you that you are getting mature and sexy. It makes you feel uncomfortable.
 A friend disclosed that she is being physically maltreated by her mother.

3. Individual Activity State the definition

of access as, “a means of approaching or entering a Satellite Diagram
place”. We all need to know how to access our
trusted person, how to enter their place. Access
means not only where to find that person, but how to
communicate to that person so that they understand
you.

Have the class draw a satellite diagram to illustrate

access to trusted people (family, adult friends, peers,
religious group). The idea is to place the people
whom they trust from former activities and state how
they have access to that person.

On a piece of paper, draw you in the middle. Then

draw circles around you for each of your trusted
people. Draw the circles closer or farther from you to
show how much you think that you can trust that
person or how hard it would be to find that person
(such as a grandmother who lives in another
province). Put the name of the person in each circle
and how you would contact that person. Draw a road
of arrows between you and each support person in
which you write how to contact that person (live at
home, phone number, facebook, viber).

Home Connection Ask your parent, “Did you ever have a situation where a friend was in trouble, and you didn’t
know what to do?”

PSL GRADES 7 & 8

Concept 3 ACT! To Stay Safe
Notes to the Teacher It is essential to know how to remove yourself from an Skills Learners will be
unsafe situation and how to identify respectful and disrespectful verbal, nonverbal and able to:
physical behaviors. • demonstrate how to
question confusing
If you feel unsafe, you don’t have to be polite! It doesn’t matter if the person you are behavior
trying to get away from is your boyfriend, girlfriend, a parent, a stranger, a teacher. If you • identify 5 methods for
are in danger, be assertive. Identify your boundaries and know how to communicate seeking help from
them to others. Sometimes people cross boundaries intentionally to make another others
person upset or anxious or to try to control him or her. This can lead to trouble. Other • demonstrate saying
times, people cross boundaries because they don’t understand what the boundaries are. NO and other
Let’s learn how to communicate our boundaries in a way that others are likely to listen assertive responses
and respond respectfully.

Whenever a person is threatened, harassed, intimidated, or assaulted, it is always a good

Vocabulary refusal
skills, assertiveness,
idea to talk to someone. Getting help is often the only way he or she can learn to deal
verbal, nonverbal,
with the experience. Some people who don’t get help live their lives in constant fear of
respectful, disrespectful
the situation happening again or continue to blame themselves and feel badly about
themselves. Friends hold each other accountable. We should expect each other to act
safe.

Teaching Activities
1. Worksheet: Setting my boundaries. What do boundaries have to do with showing respect and
acting responsibly? Each person decides what is acceptable for him or her to do and what is acceptable for others to do.
These decisions are based on what we have been taught is right and wrong. Our personal boundaries may be different
than for others. Each person is unique in defining and setting their personal boundaries. Knowing our limits or
boundaries and not choosing behaviors which are out of bounds shows self-respect and responsibility. Not crossing the
boundaries that others have set for themselves shows respect for them and is one way to demonstrate responsibility.

In-Bounds Out-Of-Bounds
Behaviors I expect of myself and others Behaviors that are not acceptable to me and my friends

PSL GRADES 7 & 8


2. Assertiveness When someone breaks
our boundaries, we need to be able to communicate
to that person how we feel and what we would like
to happen next. Let’s practice how to refuse
something that we don’t want because we feel
unsafe, because someone has broken our boundary.
There are many ways to refuse something. The most
basic way is to say “no” in some way. Remember the
3 ways to respond to something. Passive means to
do nothing. Aggressive means to hurt the other
person. Assertive means to stick up for yourself
without hurting the other person. Passive often
results in feeling bad about ourselves for doing
nothing. Aggressive often gets us into more trouble.
Assertiveness is the best way to respond to
something, until that time when being aggressive is
the only way to remove yourself from an unsafe
situation.
Concept 3
Let’s focus on assertive responses. Here are some situations
for the students to practice assertive refusal skills. Read the
scenarios and have students show you a positive (assertive)
refusal skill.
 A male classmate keeps bugging you to go out with him
for a date. This irritates you.
 Your girlfriends invite you for a sleep over and find out
that it will involve drinking with your boy classmates.
When you refuse, they say that you are “old fashioned”.
 An on-the-job training college student assigned in your
class asks for your mobile phone number. He then starts
texting you with green jokes.
 An older cousin who moved into your house for summer
vacation invites you to watch porn movies with him and
gives you porn magazines and videos.

3. Tact Talk more about assertive responses by

talking about “tact”. As preparation, place the
information below on a manila paper and post it on the
wall of the classroom.
Tact is saying what needs to be said as gently as possible
and trying not to offend the other person.
• Take ownership! Say… “I think…” or “I feel…” or “I
don’t want to…” Rather than… “Everyone thinks
that…” or “People say that…”or “Everyone feels…”
• State the facts that are involved in the situation: what
happened, who did what, your thoughts and feelings.
• State your reasons for thinking or feeling the way you
do.
• Tell the person what you want to happen.
For example: A friend of yours promised to go with you to
the movies this Saturday. On Friday, he or she said, “Oh, by
the way, I can’t go to the movies Saturday, I’m going to a
party.”
You might say, “We agreed to go to the movies and now
you have made other plans. I’m disappointed and angry. I
don’t think friends should break promises. I’d really like
you to keep your commitment and go with me to the
movies.”
Describe how you would, tactfully, handle the following
situations:
 Situation #1 You wore a new shirt to school.
One of your friends laughed and told some
other people you looked like a manang in that
outfit.
 Situation #2 A couple of your friends play on
the school basketball team with you. Lately,
they have been hogging the ball and will only
pass to each other, not to you.
 Situation #3 You loan your clothes to your
best friend. Your best friend has a sweater you
really like. You ask to borrow it to wear to
school, but your best friend refuses.
 Situation #4 Ever since your friend found out
you went to the movies with a different friend,
she/ he won’t talk to you.

PSL GRADES 7 & 8

Concept 4 VALUE! Self and Others

Notes to the Teacher You have a right to be kept safe. Skills Learners will be able to:
There is always support and someone to talk to. You have a • feel empowered rather than frightened
responsibility to your community to help each other know and and can act
practice ways of staying safe. If you can identify the warning signs • choose healthy relationships and avoid
of potential danger in relationships, you can help keep yourself and harmful ones
others safe. If someone hurts you, it’s not your fault. You are • know the steps to follow to access help
valuable and deserve to be protected. for themselves and friends and realize
the importance of doing
How do you think you are a resource for others? Friends often go to
other friends before they talk with an adult. You can help a friend
examine a situation by listening, asking questions, and offering an Vocabulary responsibility,
objective view. You can help a friend understand he or she needs to community, value, respect
get adult help. You can offer to go with a friend to talk to an adult.

Teaching Activities are on the next page.

Below are Suggested Additional Teaching Activities

By grade 7/8, students can synthesize the material taught in previous lessons into a project that makes the information
applicable to their lives - emphasizing community responsibility on the topic.

S1. School Community Building: Create a campaign to help remind your school how to stay safe. Include specific safety
situations that pertain to your community.

S2. Classroom Community Building: Community Agreements about Staying Safe – make a list as a class that everyone
understands and agrees to abide by. These should be repeated often to become internalized.

Examples: Speak respectfully, no bullying…

S3. Drama: Assembly skit to animate all child protection skills and topics

PSL GRADES 7 & 8

Teaching Activities Concept 4
Ask the students to find at least 3 other classmates and together look at how the Groups
media influences how we build relationships. Person/group 1: Look for
behavioral themes of all boys
“Recall or find media messages from TV shows, movies, magazines, songs, etc. barkadahan (gangs, clans,
that show major behavioral themes of forming and maintaining relationships with fraternity and the like).
friends and with boy/girlfriends. Next, examine these messages from different Person/group 2: Look for
perspectives. Each person in your group will take one question.” behavioral themes of all
girls groups.
When the groups have completed their task, come together as a group and ask Person/group 3: Look for
each other the following processing questions: behaviors and expectations
of men towards their
• What did you observe about the roles of each particular group? girlfriend.
• After talking with your groupmates, look at the common comments and talk
Person/group 4: Look for
about if you noticed them in the media messages that you reviewed.
behaviors and expectations
- All boy groups tend to resort to violence like gang wars as a means to
of women towards their
get power and prestige. boyfriend.
- Girl groups like to gossip, talk about boys, are pre-occupied with
fashion or how to look glamorous, brag about their new clothes.
- Men are aggressors - force girlfriends to kiss or have sex with them, men
are the protectors of vulnerable girls, OK to initiate sex, justifiable Assessment Questions
when he cohabitates with girls, expects girlfriend to give in to his pleas, 1. Check the traits that you
expects girlfriend to be submissive, expects girlfriend to behave like feel indicate positive
Maria Clara. friendships (choose several
- Women are weak, submissive, follow orders, passive, must do the from lesson 1, activity 1 list)
household chores, submit to sex advances of boys, always says yes to
sex. 2. For you, what is the most
• How would you label all these descriptions? (social pressure, gender important thing that makes
stereotypes) someone a “trusted person”?
• How might these messages/gender stereotypes as portrayed in the media
affect or influence your choices and contribute to forming a healthy
relationship with friends or boy/girlfriends? (Gender stereotypes and 3. Tact is saying what needs
social pressures as portrayed in the media have a strong influence on how to be said as gently as
we view ourselves, our roles, and our choices in forming relationships. possible and trying not to
Media bombardment of these messages may appear to be true when offend the other person.
exposed in a regular basis. Oftentimes stereotypes limit our potentials and [true]
social pressure unconsciously teaches us to tolerate violence.) [false]

Home Connection Talk with your parents: “Our class has been talking about how to make and keep positive,
healthy relationships. As I get older, relationships with special people will become more important. Talking about
special relationships with boyfriends or girlfriends will help me know your opinions and expectations so that, when I
have permission to “date,” I will know how to behave. Please listen as I share my ideas, and then, share your ideas
with me.”
“The characteristics that are important to me as I think about someone I might want to date are: (share your
list with your parents/guardians)”
“What characteristics do you think are important for me to consider as I think about dating someone?”
“What are some guidelines or rules and expectations you think are important when I begin “dating”? Think
about things like where I may go and how often I may go out?”

PSL GRADES 7 & 8

PSL GRADES 7 & 8