Youth Services

The Downers Grove Township Peer Led Life Skills teachers were back at Westview Hills on Thursday November 17, 2011. The teachers were excited to teach their second round of curriculum and to have this year’s first After School Program.

The 7th graders at Westview Hills received curriculum on self-esteem and self-image. The teachers reviewed the difference between self-esteem and self-image and how they affect our behavior. The 7th grade class participated in a “Labels” activity in which each student was given a stereotype label and had to interact with their classmates. During the activity their classmates had to treat them like their “label.” Afterwards the teachers facilitated conversations on how the students felt, what behaviors their classmates had towards them and how they can be proactive in their school to prevent “labels” and stereotypes from happening.

The 8th grade classes at Westview Hills participated in a booster curriculum on communication. The Peer Led Teachers reviewed verbal communication and different types of non-verbal communication. They discussed why it was important to have verbal and non-verbal communication match when relaying messages to one another and the outcomes of distorted messages. The 8th graders also discussed with the Peer Led Life Skills teachers the “roadblocks” in communication and how to overcome them. Their classroom activity was to follow a chain story about a young woman’s afternoon with her friends. They had to follow the story closely and relay the story to those who were not paying attention.

Once the last bell rang at 2:30, students who signed up for the After School Program met in the common area and were served snacks before they participated in their team activities organized by the Peer Led Life Skills Teachers. Each team would spend 10 minutes at a station and participate in a new activity. We had 60 Westview Students participate in the After School Program.

Downers Grove Township Peer Led Life Skills Program returned on December 2, 2011 to teach Conflict Management to the 8th graders and Communication to the 7th graders. An article on their teaching day will follow shortly.

Lauren Aramburu
Prevention Specialist