Story Name:  Be proactive and take control of your life

Teacher’s Notes:

a.  Key Topic

This story focuses on having your control over your life by being proactive.  Being proactive is a very important skill that will help kids better prepare for the future and save them from procrastinating and wasting time.  Through this story we help kids identify why it is important to do things on time and not postpone them for later.

b.  Concepts Introduced to the kids through the Story

• Learn the meaning of procrastination
• Understand the concept and importance of being proactive
• Realize that proactive people take responsibility for their actions and they are in control of their lives

c.  Learning Objectives for the Kids

• Understand that there is a cost of delay when we procrastinate
• Realize that it is easier to be proactive and that all it takes to do that is some prior planning
• Learn that it is never too late to adopt a proactive attitude and change things for the better

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

• Define what proactive means and ask the kids for some examples from their life.  Follow with a discussion of their examples.
• Define procrastination 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.

• • Describe the way in which Lucius had procrastinated
  • If Lucius was proactive, what could he have done better?

The Story

Our Soccertopia Eagles friends are getting together with their coach for their weekly chat.  Madya and Fiducius walk in together and take their seats and they are both wondering whatever happened to their friend Lucius who kept to himself today and did not talk much.

-Fiducius, do you know what is wrong with him?  Why is he staying away from us today? asked Madya.

-To tell you the truth Madya, I think Lucius is not feeling his best after what happened today in our history class, said Fiducius.

-What exactly happened? asked Madya.

-Well, replied Fiducius, the teacher returned our tests and he got a D.  He was very upset about it and he got into an argument with the teacher about the test being too difficult and all that.

-Was it really a tough test Fiducius? asked Madya.

-No Madya, it was not a tough test at all, said Fiducius.  I think Lucius got a bad grade because he did not study as much as he should have.

-Who did not study as much as he should have? asked Lucius who just came in.

Madya and Fiducius looked at each other and Fiducius turns to Lucius and says:

-We are talking about the history test results, the ones the teacher handed out to us today.

-I see, said Lucius in a sharp tone, I guess you are telling Madya that I did not do well because I did not study enough.

-Guys, do you mind telling us what is going on? asked Mr. Soccerball, looking at Madya, Lucius and Fiducius.

-Sir, today is not one of my best days, said Lucius.  It is one of those days that I really want to hide from the rest of the world and not see anybody.

-That sounds serious son, said Mr. Soccerball.  What made you feel like that?

-Sir, I did something really stupid, said Lucius.  We had a history test last week and I blew it.  Instead of studying for the test, I spent my afternoons playing this new soccer e-game on my tablet.  I knew that I had not studied enough, but I thought that the exam would be multiple choice so I would have a pretty good shot at getting a good chunk of the answers right.  But it seems that I was out of luck and instead of multiple-choice questions, we had to actually write answers to a number of questions.  So, I got a D and I am pretty upset about it.

-Okay, I understand what happened here Lucius said Mr. Soccerball.

-No sir, you don’t, said Lucius, there is more.  I promised my parents, in the beginning of the school term, that I would have mostly A’s and a couple of B’s in my report card this year.  My dad got pretty excited and said that I can get this cool tablet that I really want if I bring home a report card with all A’s and just a couple of B’.  So, you see now, there goes the cool tablet!

-Son, do you see what went wrong here? asked Mr. Soccerball.

-Yeah, I do, I did not study as much as I should have to get a good grade.  I kept putting off studying for my test and spent my time on playing e-soccer instead, said Lucius lowering his head in embarrassment.

-This is a lesson Lucius, actually a lesson for all of you kids, said Mr. Soccerball.  Instead of being proactive Lucius, which means being ahead of the game, you procrastinated which means you postponed studying, putting it off for later so that you could play the e-soccer game on your tablet.  When the test day came close there was not much time to study so you put your hopes on your good luck which did not really work and you ended up getting a D.

-So, there is a lesson to be learnt here kids, said the coach to all the kids.

-Yes sir, said Madya, being proactive is very important, this is the lesson to be learnt:  When we are proactive, we are doing things ahead of time and we are prepared for the future; we are not just waiting for things to happen.

-Indeed Madya, said the coach.  Being proactive means you are in charge of yourselves and you can make things happen for you, it is up to you to make things happen for you and create a great life!

Mr. Soccerball continued:

-In this case, if Lucius had studied well for his history test in the first place, he would have been proactive in making sure that he gets a good grade.  But he didn’t and he got a D.  So what can he do now?  To get that tablet he really wants, he has to have A’s and B’s in his report card.

-I know what he can do, said Fiducius.  He can talk to the teacher and ask her if there is a way he can change his term grade for the better, like do an extra assignment or project or perhaps extra homework.

-Can I do that sir? asked Lucius.  Do you think my history teacher would go for it?

-You don’t know until you ask Lucius, said Mr. Soccerball.  If you explain to your teacher that you made a mistake and that you are ready to take responsibility for it and ask to be given the chance to do things right by doing any extra projects, I think your teacher might consider it.

-Yes, said Madya, and this way you will show your teacher that you know what went wrong, that you are responsible for your actions and you are ready to do what it takes to change things for the better.

-So, the teacher will see that I am being proactive now, even if it is a bit late, said Lucius, that I am not just wishing I had gotten a better grade but I am actually ready to start doing what I have to do to get a better grade.

-Exactly son, said Mr. Soccerball.  Being proactive gives you the power to change things for the better.  Actually, being proactive is an important superpower which can change things only for the better!

-This is so cool, said Fiducius.

-It is more than cool, said Madya and started singing:

Being proactive gives you power

To do things the way you desire

To be ahead and take control

A true captain of your life and all

-I am ready to take control guys, said Lucius, very confident.  No more procrastination, just taking action from now on!