Being Me: ABC health series
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Author(s): ABC Education Television
Date of publication: 2004
Websites: www.abc.net.au/programsales
www.abc.net.au/schoolstv
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Aims:
The Being Me program series explores issues that concern children. A range of skills and strategies to help them manage their lives are presented and children are encouraged to know themselves, like themselves and be themselves.
Target group:
The Being Me program series is designed for middle and upper primary students.
Program content and components:
There are eight episodes that explore the issues that concern children, and present a range of skills to help them manage their lives:
- Identity – Explores the idea that there are many parts to our personalities and that we are all individuals with our own ideas, own choices to make and something special to offer.
- Happy to be me – Presents the idea that our self-esteem is variable, and subsequently looks at the benefits of high self-esteem and identifies skills for boosting self-esteem (i.e. knowing our strengths, taking on challenges, staying calm and realistic self talk).
- Belonging – Looks at ways we can make connections with others, at our roles and responsibilities as members of different groups and explores ways to help other people feel included.
- Making friends – Explores why we need friends, how to be friendly and how to treat other people with respect. It also looks at ways to make friends (i.e. conversation skills such as ice breakers, question asking and active listening).
- Keeping friends – Looks at common friendship challenges, like arguments, exclusion, gossiping and teasing. It presents strategies to help children deal with these situations, (i.e. communication, negotiation, assertiveness, co-operation and staying calm).
- Power and responsibility – Examines the idea of responsibility and power in relationships and identifies times where power is abused by someone, such as in a bullying situation, and looks at how that can affect us. A range of strategies is also presented (i.e. staying calm, being assertive, helpful thinking and help-seeking).
- Changes – The program looks at transitions in children’s lives (i.e. to high school, to adolescence, or to another state or country). Strategies are presented to help children manage change including preparing for changes they know will happen.
- Taking risks – Explores the idea that intelligent risk-taking helps children learn, grow and gain confidence. It encourages risk assessment, in terms of positive and negative outcomes, and explores the importance of decision-making.
PROGRAM EVALUATION
Identified theoretical framework:
The program authors did not provide information for this section.
Evidence of effectiveness:
(according to criteria developed by CASEL for rating program effectiveness)
No evaluations were submitted that met the inclusion criteria.
PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
Program structure:
The program broadcasts on ABC TV in the Schools Television Service, but also comprises a double DVD set, which contains the eight 20-minute episodes. There are no books available to accompany the DVDs.
Staff professional learning (PL):
There is no staff training available for this program.
Program costs:
The Being Me program can be purchased on a 2 – DVD set by schools for $198.
About the author:
ABC Education Television
The series producer is Susan Redden, and the producer is Keryn James.
Contact information:
Radio, TV and Online Sales
GPO Box 9994
Sydney, NSW. 2001
Phone: 1300 650 587
Fax: (02) 8333 3975
Email: progsales@your.abc.net.au
Websites: www.abc.net.au/programsales
www.abc.net.au/schoolstv
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It is important to note that inclusion of a program in this Guide does not constitute an endorsement by KidsMatter Primary. All program details were correct at time of publishing.
