Summary of Story #1
Sofia is the video role model who tells the students about her world of CIRCLES and how she learned to use CIRCLES to understand and improve her relationships. Sofia shows that she is in the center of all her CIRCLES. She is the only person in her Purple Private Space and she decides who will be close to her. Sofia lets the students get to know her as she conveys her self-esteem.
She establishes the reference framework for the students to create their own personal world of CIRCLES
Teacher’s Note:
This introductory story to Part I: Social Distance is an opportunity for students to identify with and be engaged by the lead character who invites them to be involved in this video learning experience. Sofia stresses her self-worth and her individuality. She encourages the students to explore their own individuality and to value themselves
Program Aims:
- To establish the importance of each person as the center of their own world of CIRCLES.
- To establish that each person stands along in their Purple Private Circle: the central focus of their world of CIRCLES.
- To introduce social boundaries as invisible lines that set the rules for touch, talk and trust.
Methods:
Step 1
Teacher will inform students that today they are starting a unit called CIRCLES that will teach them about different kinds of relationships. The teacher will tell the class that videos and class activities will make learning CIRCLES fun.
Step 2
Begin the curriculum, CIRCLES: Intimacy & Relationships, by showing the video Introduction and the video vignette “All About Me” and pause for discussion when the story concludes.
Step 3
Elicit the following information from students, either from their memory or by replaying the video vignette:
- Sofia is the only person in her Purple Private Circle
- Sofia has her own private thoughts and feelings which are part of her Purple Private Space.
- Sofia is the most important person in her world of CIRCLES.
- Show the sign for the Purple Private Circle.
- Each student is the center of all their circles too.
Step 4
Ask students:
- Who is the most important person in Sofia’s world of CIRCLES?
- Who is the most important person in your world of CIRCLES?
Help students enjoy the individual differences among the students in the class. Tell them that just as each person is unique and special, as they begin to learn about CIRCLES, they will each develop a world of CIRCLES that reflects the relationships that are unique to them. Even though each individual CIRCLE diagram will have the same 7 circles, each student will populate the graph differently beginning with each individual in the Purple Space.
Step 5
Teacher uses the laminated figural icons with the wall-mounted CIRCLES graph to demonstrate the placement of each new character on the CIRCLES graph. Teacher asks each student to select a photo (a “selfie” printed on paper would work) or have them personalize a laminated figural icon representing themselves, and in place it in the Purple Private Space on the large graph. Encourage each student to make a positive self-statement.
Step 6
Tell the students that now is their chance to learn about their own world of CIRCLES by making their own personal CIRCLES graph. Give a personal CIRCLES graph to each student. Have students identify and color their own Purple Private Circle and choose a “Peel n’ Stick” icon or photo which best represents themselves and appropriately place it on their graph.
Step 7
Have students stand in front of the wall-mounted CIRCLES graph. Direct each student to stand near and point to the Purple Private Space and demonstrate the sign for the Purple Private Circle. Encourage and assist students to make a positive self-statement such as “My name is Bill. I’m a good baseball player,” or “My name is Margie and I’m good at telling jokes.”
- Remember to praise students for their positive efforts and encourage other students to show their approval of their peers’ achievements by clapping or cheering.
Step 8
Tell students that each of them is the most important person in their world of CIRCLES and that they will decide who will be close and who will be far away. Tell the students they will learn about the different kinds of touch, talk, and trust that are mutually satisfying in all their different CIRCLES relationships:
- Touch - means how much body contact you will have with another.
- Talk - means how much and how formal your conversations is with another person.
- Trust - means how much you can rely on another person to safeguard your interests
Step 9
Replay the video asking students to pay particular attention to the kind of touch, talk, and trust Sofia uses in the Purple Private Circle. Elicit the following from students, or state directly, the following:
- Touch - Sofia’s body is her own and she may touch her body respecting social norms for private behavior. Sofia decides who can touch her.
- Talk - Sofia uses self-talk, instead of talk that other people can hear, to silently think and reason out problems. She decides whom she will talk to and what she will say.
- Trust - Sofia decides what emotions she wants to reveal to others and is self-reliant when possible.
Step 10
(Optional) Practice Purple Private Space concepts using the Circles Social Skills Utility™
Summary
Teacher points out that the person in the Purple Private Circle is the most important person and is unique. Each person stands alone in the Purple Private Space and is inherently valuable.
Evaluation
Teacher will question students and review, replaying video if desired:
- Who is the most important person in your world of CIRCLES?
- What circle are you in?
- Show the sign for the Purple Private Circle
- What kind of touch, talk, and trust should the most important person show for him/herself?
For Greater Depth (Optional)
Have students explain why they are unique and important.
Support Activities
- Personalize the Purple Private Circle with a photo of each student or ask students to bring in a photo from home to tape or glue onto the Purple Private Space on the personal graph. (See Part III, section #1 “Self-Esteem” for additional activities.)
- Using a “Magic Box” (a plain box with a mirror glued securely inside) tell the students that you are going to show them who is the most important person in the world, someone who tries really hard and works really hard, etc. (making sure you personalize it to your students). Then have each student, one at a time, open the “Magic Box” to reveal themselves as they look into the mirror. (See Part III, section #1 “Self-Esteem” for additional activities.)
- Demonstrate that there are private locations in your students’ environment. Have students identify private places and have them roleplay knocking on closed doors or responding to a knock on a closed door. (See Part III, section #2 “Autonomy’’ for additional activities.)
- Select photos or drawings that depict various facial expressions that signify the feelings happy, sad, angry, and scared. Have students label each expression and model the facial expression of each feeling, both with and without the use of a mirror. (See Part III, section #4 “Feelings” for additional activities.
- Introduce the concept of selfcare. Ask student to use magazines and drawings to create a collage of ways to take care of their bodies (e.g., healthy foods, activities, dental hygiene). (See Part III, section #13 “Health Care” for additional activities.)
- Divide students into pairs. Have them stand at opposite sides of the room and move slowly towards each other. Have them signal each other with a raised hand indicative of “stop” when their personal comfort zone is about to be crossed. This can help them understand the idea of the boundary of their Purple Private Space (their own comfort zone).
- Use your imagination! Create a new activity based on the special talents and interests of your class!
For Greater Depth (Optional)
Ask students to name something they do (or something they like) that makes them feel important and special. Have students notice and appreciate the variety and diversity in what their classmates report.
For Critical Thinking (Optional)
What if…
- Another person tells you you’re not important?
- Another person makes fun of you for having a disability?
- You can’t use the toilet alone?
- You get a new haircut and you worry what your friends will say?
- Some of your friends like your haircut and others don’t?
- A friend got a new camera or smartphone and wants to take your picture?
See Part 2, Disk #4“ Cyberspace Rules” for Purple Private Circle considerations for online safety.
Consider This
Sofia demonstrates by her actions and by telling the audience that her room is a place where she can be alone. She has the luxury of surrounding herself with things that are special “just to her.” Undoubtedly, many of your students don’t have that kind of privacy and may share a room with multiple family members or group home residents. Some may sleep in a common area of their living space or share a bed with siblings. With that in mind, the concepts to reinforce in this section are about personal space and agency over our bodies. Some points listed below may be beyond the scope of your class to explore but nevertheless worthwhile to consider:
- No matter how cramped a living space might be, we generally can close bathroom door and be alone.
- If wall space or shelf space is unavailable in students’ homes for displaying mementos or photos, remind them that a scrapbook might suffice (like the one Sofia and her mom are looking at)
- We can take care of our bodies by making healthy lifestyle choices and our minds, through stress reduction
- We take our private thoughts, ideas, and preferences with us everywhere we go. They are ours.
- We know our own likes and dislikes and these matter!
- Individuality is a basic human right. We all are unique and intrinsically valuable.
- Finally, if sexuality education is a component of your course, here would be an opportunity to talk about masturbation as a Purple Private activity. (See Part III, section #6 “Masturbation” for more on this topic.)