You and Me
We are all unique. Whether you like to fit in with the crowd or stand out and be noticed, no two people are exactly the same. Even identical twins have their differences. Some people like to play sports, others want to paint pictures and some want to play on their game consoles. Perhaps you like to chill out with a book or hang out with your friends? Is your ideal snack some fast food or a tasty, crunchy apple? Our differences, our gifts and talents are what make us one of a kind. They make us valuable to our schools, communities and the world we live in. In this set of questions we are going to think about our differences.
Friends
Sleepovers, sending texts, birthday parties, arguments and falling out, laughing until your sides hurt and jumping the line for school assembly so you can sit beside them — friends are really important. Sometimes they make you angry, sometimes they make you cry, sometimes they are willing to swap your boring apples for tasty crisps from their lunch boxes. There are people in this room who may stay your friend for the rest of your life. Others you might forget once you move on to your next school. Let’s explore what it means to be friends.
Influences
“Why did you do that?” “She did it first!” “If she ate a slug would you do it too?” Have you ever had a conversation like this with a parent or guardian or teacher? Sometimes it’s difficult to give a reason or explain why we behave like we do — we just do it! There are people we look up to and admire, like footballers and singers. We see them doing things and then we copy them. This means they have influenced us to be like them. Every time we watch the TV the adverts try to influence what we want. Who influences what you do and how you think?
Home
For each person in this room family and life at home will be totally different. Maybe you love the people you live with? Perhaps you wish you belonged to a different family — one that doesn’t argue or nag you to tidy your room? A family that lets you eat sweets and stay up late whenever you want? The truth is no family is the same and no family is perfect. Even the homes that seem perfect get tired and grumpy with each other sometimes. Today we are going to think about why family is important and what makes yours special.
Technology
Imagine what it might be like if everything you did only happened through a computer screen: you have your maths lessons through facetime or skype, email your teacher your homework and wet playtimes are a thing of the past, because all your friends are online in chat rooms. Lots of people use social networking sites on the internet for showing off pictures of themselves and telling their friends about their weekend activities. Many people stay in touch with their friends through texts — sometimes texting each other every day. Do we spend too much time using technology like the internet? Or is life impossible without computers and mobile phones? Are you becoming a ‘screenager’ — someone who spends a lot of time staring at a screen?
Opinions
Would you rather be given £10 every day for the rest of your life, or a one-off gift of £10,000 tomorrow? What would you do with the money you’d been given? Would you spend it, save it or share it? We make lots of little decisions about things every day: do you like cereal or toast for breakfast? Maybe you don’t even eat breakfast? As you get older you’ll start to make more important decisions. Sometimes there will be an obvious choice. At other times you will have to choose the best option for you. Some choices you make will be important, like what sort of job you’d like to do when you’re older. However, choosing which football team to support might not be such a big decision! Your ideas and decisions count. Let’s see what you think about some of the 'big questions' in life.
