The HVF in Coventry, UK
I work in what is regarded as a deprived area. The groups I teach are aged 16 -19, predominately girls, although occasionally we enrol young men wishing to enter the caring field.
The groups consist of girls who have not achieved well at school. They vary in attitude and intelligence and many girls do not achieve because of circumstances rather than lack of ability. This is where the resources contained in the Social and Emotional Education (SEE) programme have become a useful tool for me.
The main course is Health and Social Care and the SEE programme is useful in introducing the students to the values that they will need to carry forward into their chosen career paths. I adapt the lesson plans slightly to take into account the higher age range.
I have found the resources on lifestyle choices useful in teaching about “Risks to Health” when we look in detail at the problems associated with alcohol, smoking, drugs and sexual health, relating the material to real life experiences of the students and giving them the tools to react in a positive, healthy way.
The students mature during their first year with me and I am hoping that with periods of quiet reflection, the students will become more self-aware and take the opportunity to explore their own feelings and consider various ways of expressing them.
The lesson plans contain an abundance of activities that can be used as they are, or tailored slightly to suit working with the older age group.
Christine Green
Teacher, Henley College, Coventry