Life Skills Education Toolkit

LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION TOOLKIT FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN INDIA• 15

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ACTIVITY THREE

Our Behavior – Passive, Aggressive or Assertive

(This a fairly long activity and may need to be broken up)

1. Ask participants to pay attention as you role play each behavior. They have to help you come up with
   a list of similar behavior. If there are girls in the group, you may get a lot of passive examples. Help
   them to define aggressive behavior. Many children do not know about assertive behavior. The
   facilitator can ask them to observe the role play and then make a list of the assertive behavior.


2. The facilitator says, “Can I go to the movie?” and “Why did you not allow me to go out?” in a very
   passive manner, looking down, shuffling the feet, and in a low tone. Ask the children to list what
   they saw and add to the list. Brainstorm with them what they do when they do not want to do
   something they are supposed to do without confronting the person involved.
   The list may look like this:
   
   
   • Low tone;
   
   
   • Giggling ;
   
   
   • Hesitant voice;
   
   
   • Hiding the face in the hands;
   
   
   • Fidget;
   
   
   • Pout or sulk, do not talk to anyone;
   
   
   • Pretend you did not hear;
   
   
   • Forget you had to do something; and/or
   
   
   • Fall ill.
     Tell the children that this is passive behavior. Explain that when you act like this, you do not
     make your own decisions, you wait for someone to make it for you
   
   
   
   


3. The facilitator repeats the same questions: “Can I go to the movie (or any other statement or
   question)?” and “Why did you not allow me to go out?” in an aggressive way. Ask the children to
   list what they saw in the way it was said and the action. List what they say. Next ask them to
   think of a time when they or their friend had to do something they did not like and their reaction
   was not passive.
   The second list may look like this:
   
   
   • Shouting;
   
   
   • Frowning;
   
   
   • Speaking ill of someone or insulting;
   
   
   • Talking behind their back;
   
   
   • Shaking their fingers and pointing;
   
   
   • Complaining about the other person—does not understand, never lets me do it;
   
   
   • Saying ‘I will show you what I do next time’; and/or
   
   
   • Physically showing force or pushing.
     Inform the children what they saw was aggressive behavior. Explain that in such behavior, you do
     not think or care what the other person feels. This is because you do not think it is important.