The coach spends extra time with a player - on and off the field. Do you tell someone?
H&PE Curriculum Connections
Grade 7: A1.1, A1.2, A1.4, A1.5, A1.6, D2.2, D2.4
Grade 8: A1.1, A1.2, A1.4, A1.5, A1.6, D1.4, D3.3
Grade 9: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, C2.2, C3.3
What Is It All About?
Healthy relationships are very important to student well-being. Youth need to understand the qualities of healthy relationships with peers, family members, and adults in order to be able to maintain healthy relationships throughout their lives. This Draw the Line scenario explores youth–adult relationships in a school or sport setting and the actions students can take to identify healthy and unhealthy relationships and support their peers.
During this activity, students identify their feelings and emotions about the scenario, taking note of how these stem from their core values and beliefs around communicating and interacting with trusted adults. Students consider taking various challenging or uncomfortable actions as a bystander, and assess short-term and long-term implications for their choices.
The video used for this activity has two parts.
In Part 1 of the video, Julie Lalonde presents the most common responses to the Draw the Line coach scenario including:
- What if the young person is really struggling and the coach is just trying to be nice?
- How do you know when it crosses the line from friendly to grooming?
In Part 2 of the video, Julie summarizes the key lessons from the Draw the Line coach scenario.
What Do We Need?
- Link to the coach scenario video and projection equipment
- Draw the Line coach scenario and/or projected copy of the scenario card
- Guiding questions for facilitation:
- What are some “red flags” that someone might be unsafe in a relationship?
- What does it mean to support someone you think is being manipulated?
- What stops people from asking for help?
- IDEAL Decision Making Model – This framework for decision-making includes five steps: I , Identify the problem; D , Describe all possible solutions; E , Evaluate the pros and cons of each solution; A , Act on the best solution; and L , Learn from the choices.
- Student Worksheet 1
- Student Worksheet 2
Opportunities for Assessment
Use students' responses to Student Worksheet 1 to assess their understanding of the impact of sexual harassment and how to apply strategies to prevent and/or respond to such situations.
Use students' responses to Student Worksheet 2 to assess their understanding of the benefits of healthy relationships and the skills and strategies needed to build healthy social relationships.
During the Consolidation, observe the large-group discussion in order to assess student understanding of healthy relationships and strategies for responding to situations involving sexual harassment.
How Is It Done?
Minds on
Introduce the Draw the Line coach scenario. Ask students for their initial impressions/reactions to the scenario.
Have students work in small groups. Use Student Worksheet 1: Draw the Line Coach Scenario, questions 1–2, and the Draw the Line coach scenario to facilitate dialogue.
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As a large group, watch Part 1 of the Draw the Line coach scenario video, and then pause and reflect:
- Ask students to individually reflect on what they heard in the video and to note similarities and differences to the responses they brainstormed in their Minds On small-group conversations.
- Facilitate a large-group discussion about what students heard in the video and ask them to again note similarities and differences to their small-group conversations. Ask students to consider what actions could be taken if they thought someone was in the situation described in the Draw the Line coach scenario. Then ask them to share what some of the repercussions might be if they took those actions.
As a large group, watch Part 2 of the coach scenario video. Encourage students to pay attention to the reasons why it is so hard for a bystander to intervene and why healthy relationships are so important at all levels.
- After watching Part 2 of the video, facilitate a large-group discussion to consolidate the key messages of the video.
Have students complete Student Worksheet 1: Draw the Line Coach Scenario, questions 3–7. Encourage students to think about practical ways to take action. Refer to the How to Draw the Line section on the back of the scenario card for prompts.
Have students reflect further about the qualities of healthy and unhealthy relationships using Student Worksheet 2: Social-Emotional Learning Skills (SELS) / Living Skills.
Consolidation
As a large group, have students discuss why it is important for bystanders to act even when they are not directly connected to a situation. Use the following questions (which Julie suggests in the video) to facilitate the discussion:
- Is there any potential abuse of power or of trust in the relationship?
- What is your gut feeling about the situation? (What do your instincts tell you?)
- Is there a trusting adult you can talk to?
- Would you want someone to act on your behalf if the roles were reversed?
Ideas for Extension
Before the activity: Review the IDEAL Decision-making Model with students. This framework includes five steps:
- I, Identify the problem
- D, Describe all possible solutions
- E, Evaluate the pros and cons of each solution
- A, Act on the best solution
- L, Learn from the choices.
After the activity: Use the IDEAL Decision-making Model with students when exploring other Draw the Line scenarios.
The scenario could be extended to anyone in a position of authority, such as a family member, youth leader, community group leader or employer.
Watch additional Draw the Line videos to extend discussions about taking action.
Educator Notes
- Before starting conversations in the classroom, it is important to have supports in place so that students know where they can get help or receive more information during or after the conversation. Without knowing in advance what some of your students may have experienced (directly or indirectly and past or present), a trusted adult, teacher, guidance counselor, social worker, social services, health nurse, or school liaison officer can help you identify sources of assistance you may want to have available.
- Ensure students are aware of and can access referral services and resources if they need to. Consult the Working with Adult Team Members section in the Ideas for Action: Growth and Development resource for more information. Also refer to Ophea's Gender-Based Violence Prevention Education Resource Database for additional resources.
- Co-ordinate with school support staff (school guidance counselor, social worker, principal) to ensure they are aware of and available to support or refer students as needed during and after discussions. Allow students to capture their feelings in a variety of ways, such as making notes, pictures, doodles, or drawings. Understand that students may have a lot of different feelings in reaction to this scenario. Help students “unpack” (analyze) their feelings and work through them in a healthy way.
- Support students with strategies to identify and manage their emotions in ways that allow them to focus on self-care and their overall well-being.
- Review effective means of communication and how to be affirmative.
- Each of us has a responsibility to protect children and youth from harm. As a professional educator working directly with students and supporting others who are, you have a duty to report when you have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is or may be in need of protection.