Estimated time: 5 minutes
Have an empty seat available in front. A group of adults pretending to be students walk in a huddle and act like they are having fun, laughing, going out to play at recess, etc. An outsider tries to get into the group.
She might say something like, “What are you guys doing? Can I play too? I want to come in.”
But they won’t let her in. The group members say, “We are already playing our game…You can’t join us…We don’t want to play with you….You can’t come in…You are not invited…” etc.
The lonely adult leaves and sits in the empty chair at the front of the class, looks sad, covers her face with her hands and continues to maintain this position for several minutes.
The AAW class leader goes over to the adult in the chair, puts a hand on her shoulder , and asks the class how this feels. Have you ever been left out? Discuss examples. Have you ever left somebody else out? Discuss how everyone should be included. It takes just one person to make an invitation. If the rest in the group won’t go along, then you can leave the group to play with that kid.
Discussion:
Can you tell me the best thing to do when you meet someone who is differently-abled? Yes, we might help them, but the MOST important thing for us to do is to include them. You need to talk to them, to make sure they are part of the group, that they are part of the game that you are playing, to ask them to your parties, to ask them to come to recess with you, to ask them to join you for lunch. Remember that we are all different in some ways, as we have talked about this morning. We are all part of the rainbow.
What is the worst thing you can do when you meet someone differently-abled? (Enter into a discussion about teasing: “Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can break your heart”; intervening when you see teasing on the playground; helping with P.E. or with play participation.)
How can you help?