26 • MODULE FIVE: DECISION-MAKING
ACTIVITY TWO
You Are in The Driver’s Seat
Group Check in- Discuss with the group the fact that when we do not change, we become passive and lose
control. Give the example of a bus (which stands for your life) where you are in the driver’s seat.
If you decide to sit there, you can take the bus wherever you want. If you keep the driver’s seat
empty in your bus and sit in the back, your bus will either go nowhere or to places over which
you have no control. It is important for the children to understand that they are responsible for
their actions. Taking responsibility means not saying, “I am unlucky or it is not my fault when I
get into trouble” or “I do it because my friends do it.” If you are in the driver’s seat, you decide
your route and who gets into your bus.
(You could introduce this activity using cutout pictures of a bus, etc. Or you could pretend you
are in a bus with seats and passengers.
This would be useful with younger children or those who have shorter attention spans.) - Divide the group into groups of six to seven, and in each group give chits to all. No one must
show her/his chit to anyone. Only two persons get a chit with an X on it. These children must be
passive, i.e. do nothing. They do not harm the group process but do not help either. - Assign any group activity to the children. You can develop activities of your own depending on
the time and resources available. Some suggestions are given below:
A group art project or collage.
The theme could be a group symbol or something the children like greatly. Or it could involve
building a tower with building blocks or cards where the tower has to be made as high as
possible without collapsing.
Tips for the facilitator- Always do the activity with a small group of 10 - 12 children. This activity tends to get out of
control and takes a lot of time if not held tightly together. - A group skit can be developed with a song and dance.
Review
If you were active, how did you feel?
If you were with an X and playing a passive role, how did you feel?
How can taking control of what you do make a difference in your life, school, or where you live?Linking Learning With Life
Children decide on one thing they will take control of and turn to their buddy to assist them. The
facilitator must check with the children that what has been decided is realistic