Story Name:  Who do you want to be when you grow up and how will you do that?

Teacher’s Notes:

a.  Key Topic

This story aims to teach kids the difference between a dream and a goal and to show them that they need to set and follow specific steps within a time plan to achieve their goals.  The story also addresses how the kids can use the superpowers of Consistency and Discipline to turn their dreams into reality.

b.  Concepts Introduced to the kids through the Story

• Dreams and Goals
• Creating an Action Plan to turn dreams into reality
• Using the Superpowers of Consistency, Discipline and Good Decision-making to make dreams real

c.  Learning Objectives for the Kids

• Understand the difference between a goal and a dream
• Discover the process of goal setting
• Create conditions that will help them get closer to achieving their goals by setting a plan

d.  Tips for Teaching through Storytelling

When teaching youngsters, we need to use a slightly different approach than when teaching adults, meaning that youngsters relate better to visuals, examples and stories (real life examples/stories are even better) and interactive technology.  Also, young kids do not need a lot of jargon, they need a much simpler vocabulary that they can understand.  In addition, the teacher has to figure out a way to relate to the kids and there are a number of things that can be done in this direction from the type of clothes the teachers wear, to the language they use, the way they move about in the class, etc.

Storytelling is more than just reading the words of a story out loud.  It takes other skills as well.  It is important for teachers to use different tones in their voice when they are telling a story.  If the teacher’s voice stays at the same level, it becomes boring!  The teacher will want their voice to go higher and lower, louder and softer.  Teachers should try to use different voices for different characters and make sure that they speak loud enough so that everyone hears them, and say the words clearly so that everyone can understand them.

Teachers should also have in mind that storytelling is not just words; it is motion as well.  They will have to move around when they tell their story; they should use their arms, legs, hands and their face to tell the story.  In addition, they have to make sure to maintain eye contact with their audience.  Eye contract is one of the most important non-verbal ways to connect with other people.  It helps keep the attention of the audience and it also conveys a sense of confidence and truthfulness.  It is best that teachers always look directly into the kids’ eyes; they will connect with them and keep their attention longer.

e.  In-class discussion after the storytelling

• Describe the difference between dreams that can turn into goals and dreams that just cannot become real and ask the kids for some examples from their life.  Follow with a discussion of their examples.
• Explain that you need a plan which gives you enough time and has specific steps to turn your dreams into reality and ask the kids for some examples from their life.  Follow with a discussion of their examples.
• Ask the kids the following questions and discuss their answers.  Usually there is time to take and discuss the answers of 2 to 3 kids.

• • How does Fiducius plan to make his dream come true?
  • How do the superpowers of discipline and consistency can help in making dreams come true?

The Story

Today we are going to check in on our friends in the sunny island of Soccertopia and see how they are doing.  Remember Madya, Lucius and Fiducius, the Soccertopia Eagles academy and their coach Mr. Soccerball?  After their last practice, Mr. Soccerball and the kids talked about how they can create their own superpowers and that the little things they do everyday, can help them have a great life and how good choices can actually make them better people who can make the world a better place.

All the kids at the Soccertopia Eagles Academy got very excited with the chat they had with Mr. Soccerball and the next time they had practice, they asked Mr. Soccerball if they could have this kind of chats more often.

-I will tell you what we will do, said Mr. Soccerball.  Once a week, right after practice, we can spend half an hour and talk about things that you kids have on your mind.  What do you think about this?

-A really good idea, said Madya.  And every week we can talk about something else and learn new things!

-What are we going to talk about today Mr. Soccerball? asked Fiducius.

-What do you want to talk about today Fiducius? asked the coach.

-I don’t know sir, said Fiducius, it is just that I heard my older sister yesterday, talking about how she wants to be a pilot when she grows up and fly planes and I was wondering…

-Wondering what son, asked Mr. Soccerball.

-Well, how do we know what we will be when we grow up?

-Son, this is a really good question, said Mr. Soccerball.  We really don’t know what we will be when we grow up, but most of you must have a hunch about what you want to be in the future.  I think you can start by asking yourselves “What do I like to do when I grow up?”

-Can I be Superman sir? asked Fiducius, and have superpowers?

-Well son, remember what we said about superpowers last time, replied Mr. Soccerball.  You can create your own superpowers by knowing that you have to do the little things every day and actually doing them, and making good choices.  Do you know what the word is for doing something all the time?  The word is CONSISTENCY.  Doing something consistently means you do it repeatedly, often enough; to do something consistently though you have to be disciplined.  DISCIPLINE is a very important superpower too.  Discipline is when you do something that has to be done even though you don’t feel like doing it.  Consistency, discipline and making good choices and decisions are super-wow superpowers which can make your dreams real.  Don’t you dream about things, about good things happening to you?

-Oh yes, sir, I do, almost every day, said Fiducius.  I dream about being in a championship game, playing for Reachelona and we are competing against Manchpool in the finals.  And, I have scored three goals and I give my team a big win.  All the fans are cheering and calling my name from the stands, and I get called to receive the trophy on behalf of my team, and I am so happy; I feel like all this happiness will make my chest burst!

-Wow, that sounds like a great dream!  I can see that it makes you really happy just talking about it, said Mr. Soccerball.  OK, so how can you use the superpowers of consistency, discipline and making good choices and decisions to make your dream come true Fiducius?  What else do you need to make your dream real?

-I think I need a plan sir, said Fiducius.

-That’s right, said Mr. Soccerball, you have to have a plan; and then what?

-Maybe I should use the superpowers of discipline, consistency and making good choices to put my plan into action? said Fiducius in an unsure tone.

-Son, you have really nailed it here! said Mr. Soccerball.  You use these superpowers to put your plan into action and you will be unstoppable.  You need to remember a couple of things though.  First, you have to give yourself enough time to make your dream real and second, your dream has to be a doable one.  Being Superman is not a doable dream.  Superman is fiction, which means that he is not real, he was created by some writer’s thought, he does not exist in real life.  To make your dream real, it has to be something that can be done practically.

-So how about being Reachelona’s best scorer when I grow up? asked Fiducius.

-Being the best scorer of Reachelona when you grow up, is quite doable my boy, said Mr. Soccerball.  If you come up with your plan now and start using the three superpowers, and practice consistently every day, discipline yourself to do your homework every day, and make good choices about what you eat, how you spend your free time, how you have fun, and how you do a whole bunch of other stuff, then you are on your way to Reachelona!

All the kids stared at both Fiducius and Mr. Soccerball with an excited look on their face.  Each one of them was thinking about their own dreams, and how they could use the three superpowers to make them real and they felt so happy and so energized.  You could actually feel the energy floating into the air and it was catchy!

Madya got up and said:  I get it now, and she started singing:

When our dreams turn into plans

And our superpowers jump-start

If we stick to our goal

We will definitely grow

And become who we want!

Fiducius looked quite ecstatic.  With a dreamy look on his face, he turned to the rest of the kids and said:  -Hey guys, when you will be cheering for me at the Reachelona game, some fifteen years from now, just remember that it all began today!

LESSON DETAILS

Lesson Duration: 45 minutes

Lesson Breakdown
Story Delivery: 8 minutes (Word Count -1001 words)
Explanation of concepts and discussion: 17 minutes
Questions in connection with the story and discussion of answers