Lesson Plan | Socioemotional Learning | Politics and Power

Objective

Duration: 10 - 15 minutes

The aim of this segment in the Socioemotional Lesson Plan is to equip learners with a comprehensive understanding of power and its interactions with politics. By clarifying our goals for the lesson, we intend to steer learners towards developing essential skills and knowledge in a structured environment. This approach will help them appreciate the significance of power in politics and its broader social implications while also nurturing their socioemotional skills.

Objective Utama

1. Understand how power is constructed in political philosophy.

2. Explore the connection between power and politics and how this dynamic shapes society.

Introduction

Duration: 15 - 20 minutes

Emotional Warmup Activity

Mindfulness for Focus and Presence

The chosen emotional warm-up is a practice of Mindfulness. Mindfulness encourages learners to focus on the present moment without judgment. This technique fosters better concentration, lessens stress, and enhances emotional well-being, preparing them for a more engaged learning experience.

1. Prepare the Environment: Invite students to sit comfortably, with feet flat on the floor and hands resting on their laps or desks. Ask them to silence their devices to minimise distractions. (2 - 3 minutes)

2. Deep Breathing: Encourage learners to either close their eyes or fix their gaze on a point ahead. Guide them to breathe deeply through the nose and exhale through the mouth slowly and steadily. Repeat this three times. (2 - 3 minutes)

3. Focus on the Present: Ask students to pay attention to the sensations in their bodies, starting from their feet up to their heads. Encourage them to notice each feeling without judgment. If thoughts come up, gently remind them to bring their focus back to their bodily sensations. (3 - 4 minutes)

4. Attention to Breathing: Guide learners to concentrate on their natural breathing, observing how air flows in and out. If their mind wanders, kindly steer them back to their breath. Continue this for a few minutes. (3 - 4 minutes)

5. Closing: Gradually nudge students to move their fingers and toes and, when they’re ready, open their eyes. Ask them to reflect briefly on how they feel after this mindfulness practice. (2 - 3 minutes)

Content Contextualization

To highlight the relevance of studying Politics and Power, it’s crucial to connect these concepts to everyday experiences and historical contexts. You could mention how political decisions impact citizens' lives, like education and health services. A relevant case is the handling of COVID-19, where various political strategies led to differing outcomes for health and the economy.

Furthermore, you can relate this discussion to influential figures like Nelson Mandela, who leveraged political power to drive significant social transformations in South Africa. By linking these concepts to real-life examples, learners not only grasp theoretical ideas but also cultivate empathy and social awareness, understanding the effect of political choices on people's lives.

Development

Duration: 60 - 75 minutes

Theory Guide

Duration: 25 - 30 minutes

1. Definition of Power: Clarify that power reflects the ability to influence or control how people behave. It has multiple facets, such as coercive power, legitimate power, reward power, referent power, and expert power. Use real-world examples, such as a political leader wielding legitimate power to enact public policies.

2. Classical Theories of Power: Introduce the ideas of classical thinkers like Machiavelli, who saw power as a tool for achieving political objectives, Hobbes, who regarded power as essential for maintaining social order, and Rousseau, who envisioned power as a mandate from the people through a social contract.

3. Power and Politics: Delve into how power and politics are intertwined, explaining that politics refers to the process by which groups make decisions. Politics involves the distribution of power and resources within a community. Provide both historical and modern examples to illustrate this link.

4. Forms of Political Power: Discuss the various forms of political power, including executive, legislative, and judicial powers, and how these are shared across different governance systems, be it democracies or autocratic regimes.

5. Impact of Power on Society: Examine how political power can affect multiple sectors of society, such as the economy, education, health, and human rights. Reference public policies that have had noteworthy impacts, both good and bad.

6. Inequality of Power: Discuss how disparities in power can lead to social injustices and highlight how social and political movements have fought to redress this power imbalance. Use examples such as the Civil Rights Movement in the USA or feminist movements.

Activity with Socioemotional Feedback

Duration: 35 - 45 minutes

Simulation of Political Decision-Making

In this engaging activity, learners will take part in a political decision-making simulation, embodying various roles within a fictional government. This exercise aims not only to deepen their understanding of the political process but also to hone socioemotional skills such as empathy, teamwork, and conflict resolution.

1. Group Division: Break the class into groups of 5 to 6 learners. Each group will represent a government with distinct roles, including president, ministers, and party leaders. (5 minutes)

2. Role Distribution: Within each group, designate roles ensuring every learner has a specific function. Clearly outline the responsibilities tied to each role. (5 minutes)

3. Political Scenario: Present learners with a fictional political dilemma involving resource allocation for health, education, and security. Groups must deliberate and come up with a solution. (10 - 15 minutes)

4. Debate and Decision: Each group engages in an internal debate to reach a consensus on the best course of action. Encourage students to listen actively and weigh different perspectives before deciding. (15 - 20 minutes)

5. Presentation of Solutions: As a closing task, each group presents their solution to the class, elaborating on their decision-making process and how they arrived at their conclusions. (10 - 15 minutes)

Discussion and Group Feedback

⭐ Applying the RULER Method ⭐

Recognize: Start the conversation by prompting students to share the emotions they experienced during the activity. How did they feel discussing and making group decisions? Encourage them to consider the emotions they noticed in classmates.

Understand: Help learners unpack the causes behind these emotions. What stirred feelings of frustration, joy, or anxiety during the activity? Discuss the repercussions of these emotions in decision-making contexts.

Label: Empower students to accurately name the feelings they encountered. Offer a broad emotional vocabulary to assist them in articulating their emotions more precisely.

Express: Converse about appropriate ways to express these feelings in the setting of a political debate. Stress the importance of clear and respectful communication of emotions.

Regulate: Finally, discuss techniques for managing emotions during high-pressure scenarios, like debates and political decisions. Cover breathing techniques, strategic pauses, and the value of remaining calm.

Conclusion

Duration: 10 - 15 minutes

Reflection and Emotional Regulation

📝 Reflection and Emotional Regulation Activity 📝

To wrap up the lesson, have students engage in a written reflection or discussion about the challenges they faced during the class and how they managed their emotions. Suggest they consider the following points:

• What were the main challenges encountered during the political decision-making simulation?
• How did you feel at various points throughout the activity?
• What strategies did you employ to handle your emotions during this exercise?
• What insights did you gain about yourself and your classmates through this activity?

Objective: 🎯 Objective of Reflection and Emotional Regulation 🎯

This section encourages self-reflection and emotional management, guiding learners to discover effective methods for navigating tough situations. By reflecting on their emotions and behaviours during the activity, students can boost their self-awareness and self-mastery, vital skills for responsible decision-making and fostering healthy social ties.

Glimpse into the Future

🔮 Closing Activity and Looking to the Future 🔮

To conclude the lesson, prompt students to set personal and academic goals related to the topics discussed. Explain that these goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Encourage them to contemplate how they can apply their newfound knowledge of power and politics in their everyday lives and future academic or career paths.

Penetapan Objective:

1. Read a book or article on political philosophy to deepen understanding of the topic.

2. Join debates or discussion groups on politics to practice argumentation and active listening skills.

3. Design a school project that examines the relationship between power and politics in a specific community.

4. Reflect on how political decisions impact personal and communal life and explore ways to engage more actively in local politics.

5. Establish a routine of mindfulness practices to enhance emotional regulation in stressful situations. Objective: 🎯 Objective of the Closing and Looking to the Future 🎯

The goal of this section is to bolster learners' autonomy and practical application of learning, fostering continuity in their academic and personal growth. By clearly defining goals and reflecting on their learning, students can map out a more intentional and focused future, confidently applying their developed socioemotional skills in meaningful ways.