Refusal Skills Training Guide for Teachers

SESSION 1 (15 minutes)

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Session Objective: To honor teachers for what they do and inspire them to continue to
teach students not just to impart knowledge, but ultimately guide them towards making
the right choices in life. At the end of this session, teachers will be inspired to make use
of the platform of influence they have and compelled to go the extra mile as they teach,
knowing that they are not only investing in the lives of their students but also are
helping shape the future of the Philippines.

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There was this story of a sociology class that studied 200 young boys, most of whom
came from the inner city of Baltimore, Maryland. As a result of this study, the students
came to the same conclusion for each of the boys: He hasnt got the chance. Twenty-
five years later, another sociology professor did a follow-up study and was able to
locate 180 of the original boys. Of that number, 176 had become doctors, lawyers,
successful businessmen, etc. When the question was asked of the men how they have
been able to escape their predicted future, they all, in one way or another, said basically
the same thing: There was this teacher The professor found the teacher and asked
her what she had done to have such an impact on so many of the boys. She simply
smiled and said, I just loved these boys.1

This is just one of the inspiring stories of how a teacher makes a great impact in the
lives of their students. Teachers have the opportunity to teach students with right
knowledge, competencies, and values, whether in school or home setting. They have
the advantage to make good deposits in the lives of students that would help direct
them towards success instead of failure. Everyday, a teacher stewards a platform that
gives him or her an opportunity to speak to the hearts and minds of the students to
help them make wise decisions and make a difference in the society.

There is a reason why you are here as teachers. Its not an accident at all. We would
like to honor you for your dedication, commitment, perseverance, sacrifice, and genuine
concern for your students. The fact that you are here, going through this HIV and STI
Awareness Training, is a clear display of your passion to create awareness and help

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Zig Ziglar. Something to Smile About. 2016.
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instill the right values to your students as this is a crucial topic that concerns not just
our nation but countries all over the world as well.

Life offers us a gazillion of choices. You could have chosen to be somewhere else
today, do something else, be someone else, yet you chose to be a teacher. Making this
choice could only be out of sheer passion and passion can only spring from love. You
love what you do and that is what brought you here. The choice you made years back,
and the choice you still make up to this day - to continue to invest in the lives of
students - will not only benefit those you teach, but will also benefit all of us. The truth
of the matter is, what you do benefits the entire nation.

* Illustration: Share stories, testimonies, or videos of how teachers impact the

lives of students, families, and the society.

Thank you so much for what you do. Thank you for helping shape the future of the
Philippines.

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SESSION 2 (60 minutes)

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Session Objective: At the end of this session, students will be equipped and
empowered to make decisions that will set them up for future success by realizing their
purpose and value.

In this session, students will learn to ACT in any given circumstance:

Acknowledge their purpose and value
Choose the right thing to do for their future, and
Talk to trusted adults.

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INTRODUCTION

The Power of Choice

Choice is defined as the act of choosing or power to choose between two or more
possibilities. It is an opportunity or power to make a decision.2 In a study made in 2007,
it was said that we make choices and arrive to an average of 220 decisions daily just on
food alone.3 We are faced with numerous choices everyday the moment we wake up -
from the food we eat, clothes to wear, money to spend to, and the like. It is important to
consider the little choices we make as, for most of the time, these contribute to bigger
details of our lives such as our habits and practices.

Youth is a season where one get to do a lot of things such as make new friends, build
new connections, and explore new things. A new door opens where one feels the thrill
to experience new changes and dare new opportunities for growth. However, this
season will not be maximized and could even be robbed of its purpose if proper
guidance and support is not at hand or is not welcomed.
2
Merriam-Webster Dictionary. 1828.
3
Wansink, Brian and Jeffrey Sobal. Mindless Eating: The 200 Daily Food Decisions We Overlook. 2007.
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This lesson will help you become more aware of the possible challenges that you may
be facing today and prepare you to be able to respond accordingly. This also serves as
a reminder that the world may only offer us a lot of options, but we are never hopeless
and we are never without a choice. We have in our hands the power to choose.

You have a choice!

Transition: Before we move forward to discussing Refusal Skills, lets watch this video.

* Play video of Korean girl being taught to say no.

Refusal Skills

A student has to grow in all aspects of knowledge, attitude, and skills to be prepared to
enter the workforce once academic requirements are met.

A skill is the ability to be able to do something well or an expertise. A skill, unlike

knowledge alone, requires practice over and over for it to be developed. These skills
vary, depending on the subject and year levels.

Refusal skills are far different from the skills taught and graded academically. As a
matter of fact, these are necessary as such may contribute to ones failure or success
in life.

Refusal skills are a set of skills designed to avoid high-risk behaviors such as violence,
drug use, and sexual activity to help resist peer pressure and maintain self-respect.4
While it is important to learn academic skills, it is of equal value to learn Refusal Skills
when faced with situations that may not be beneficial for ones health and well-being.

Refusal skills can help us avoid life-shattering decisions that include:

Joining a group of friends to sneak a bottle of liquor from a parents store
Being with older guys that force one to be part of the group going on a
vandalizing spree in the neighborhood
Giving in to the pressure to have sex for the first time
Joining the cool kids who are smoking marijuana and saying just one take
wont hurt you

4
Webb, Frances Sizer. Just the Facts 101 Health: Making Life Choices, First Edition. 2017.
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Heres what a study says about this:

When faced with scenarios such as these, a young person needs to have a firm
response. He or she needs to know how to properly respond with confidence
and stay strong even in the midst of peer pressure. Hence, teaching Refusal
Skills to young ones is imperative to ensure safety and future well-being.

Refusal Skills can best be developed by embracing the right values.

When values are clear and are set, we will have a stronger motivation to say NO to
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Illustration: In basketball, one may be good at dribbling and running, but

when the goal is missed that is, shooting the ball inside the ring, then a
game is impossibly won.

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1. You are created for a PURPOSE.

Fingerprints are considered markers for each human being and they are significant
because although there are billions of people on earth, studies prove that no two
human beings have the same set of fingerprints - not even siblings or twins. We are
unique - every single one of us.

Just as our fingerprints are different from everyone elses, so are our skills, talents, and
abilities. Have you ever wondered why each one is different from everyone else? This is
because each one of us is created for a specific purpose.

Possible Illustrations:
Paper clip: Bring a paper clip and ask students what it can be used for to
encourage participation and dynamics

Explanation: Consider a paper clip. It can be used to unlock a door, clean

fingernails, or as a hair clip. Google can give you over a hundred uses of a
paper clip. However, we know that paper clip was made and designed for
the purpose of clipping papers or holding papers together.

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 Users Manual (e.g., cellphone, scientific calculator): Bring a users manual
for a gadget or an appliance

Explanation: Most, if not all gadgets, come with manuals. This is so we

would know how to use and care for it properly. Most often than not, we
would only refer to the manual when the gadget or appliance is broken. It
would be beneficial for us to know how to use something properly so we
can avoid future difficulties. The best way to do this is to refer to the
manual that the creator of the gadget has provided.
Game: Split the class into groups and give them school supplies, one for
each group. In one minute, each group member will think of a possible use
for the school supply assigned to them without repeating what the
previous member did. The group that comes up with the most uses win.

Explanation: While our imagination can allow us to think of many possible

uses for a particular material, we know that something is created for a
specific purpose.

You are made and designed for a purpose. Your Creator had your purpose in mind
when He made you. Your life circumstances - your family situation, your financial
condition, or the way you feel about yourself - may not be so encouraging at times, but
this does not negate the fact that the One who made you has a specific plan and
purpose plotted out just for you.

Activity: Answer the questions you can find in your activity kit On Purpose.
Keep your answers in your envelope and read one card every quarter:
What are top 3 things you are good at? What can you do to start developing 1-2 talent/s
or skill/s in the next quarter or before the year ends?
What do you enjoy doing? Self-discovery promotes self-awareness (e.g., Drawing, Painting,
Spoken Word, Writing) What can you do to maximize it for the good?
Who are the people you look up to? Look for mentors who can help you become the best
version of you.

When you look at the design of the paper clip, you would already get hints of its
purpose. The answers you wrote during our activity time are actually obvious hints to
your purpose. The things you are good at, the activities that you enjoy doing, and the
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people you look up to can serve as your guide towards discovering your true purpose
as you go through life. Remember that you are intelligently designed to fulfill your
purpose.

When a person or a situation forces you to do something that you think would not
contribute to your journey towards success, remember that you have a purpose.

You can say NO to risky behavior because you were created for a purpose.
2. You are VALUABLE.

Value refers to the cost or the worth of something and is determined based on a
standard. It is difficult to determine value without a standard.

Lets take world currencies as an example. Currencies are based on a gold standard.
This is the basis for determining the value of a nations currency.

Possible Illustrations

P1000 crumpled money: Crumple the bill, throw it on the ground, step on
it, and then ask: Does the value of the bill change after being crumpled,
thrown on the ground, and stepped on?

The value of the bill did not change at all. And more than money, what is
most valuable today is life. The fact that you have life clearly indicates that
you are valuable.

You may have gone through situations where you feel like you are of
lesser value, but may this activity remind you that no matter what
happens, your value remains the same.

Your value is not based on how you see yourself or how others see or
treat you. It is not based on what you have gone through and the
decisions you have made in the past. You are valuable because you are
created for a purpose and the One who created you believes that you are.

Activity: From your activity kit On Value, pick 3-5 messages that contain an
inspirational quote or message and give each to one of your friends. Whatever
message you receive from others can be opened each quarter to serve as a
reminder of ones value.

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Practice saying No in a convincing manner (to be followed by role playing).

Saying No, accompanied by a convincing tone and body language, is enough to deter

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If you wont have sex with me, Ill break If being in a relationship with you means
up with you. I have to have sex with you when I dont
want to, then lets break up.

Why wont you have sex with me? Because I dont want to. You dont
need to explain further.

Weve had sex before; why say No I have the right to change my mind. Its
now? my body and my life and I want to wait for
the right time to have sex again.

Lets do it! You know you want to! What part of NO dont you
understand?

Your parents are out all night; lets go My parents dont want anyone to come
back to your house and make out. over without them to watch over me.

NOTE: While these tips are helpful for you in refusing future invitations to have sexual
intercourse, get drunk or take illegal drugs, we also acknowledge that some of you may
have already experienced being forced into one of these situations and you were
physically helpless to prevent it. In this case, we encourage you to find a trusted adult to
talk to and get help from.

SUGGESTION FOR TEACHERS: Discuss each scenario with your students. It would be
good to cite personal stories of instances where you were pressured to do something or
go somewhere and you had a hard time saying No, but you stood your ground.

SUMMARY

In order for you to build your refusal skills, always remember to A-C-T:

Acknowledge your PURPOSE and your VALUE.

You are created for a reason and you are worth it. You have to be the first person
to be convinced of this because what you believe affects how you behave.

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