SUBJECT and GRADE Life Orientation Grade 10

TERM 1 Week one

TOPIC Development of the self in society
AIMS OF LESSON • Identify factors that may influence self-awareness and self-esteem, including the media
• Strategies to enhance self-awareness, self-esteem and self-development:
• Develop strategies to build confidence in self and others: effective communication, successful completion of tasks
or projects, participation in community organisation or life, making good decisions and affirmation of others

RESOURCES Paper based resources Digital resources

Textbooks Notes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFzZ-xpyfoo)
Articles sources Internet resources
COVID 19 BOOKLET
INTRODUCTION • Watch the video in the link supplied
Various factors may influence your self-awareness and self-esteem, including the media … they shape you and guide you
into forming who you are and what you want to be.
In Grade 9 some of the issues we learnt about impacts on how we see ourselves and how much it impacts on us
like:
• Influence of cultural norms and values on individual behavior, e.g. dress code or religious activities
• attitudes and choices: cultural expectations, practices and traditions: family vs friends
• Challenging situations: depression, grief, loss, trauma and crisis
-Causes of depression, grief, loss, trauma and crisis
-Counterproductive coping techniques: using alcohol and drug.
How well you know yourself?
Do you follow what others are doing and do not understand why?
Are you influenced by what you see on TV and on the internet?
Do you want to be a Kardashian, or do you just want to be you?
Are you a follower or a leader?
• This week you will learn of concepts strategies to help you understand what influences your thought process on
how you think of yourself and how to cope with society’s demand on you.

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CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS: Complete the following activity
SKILLS SELF AWARENESS: you know and understand yourself
It’s about your: Can you identify your understanding of yourself by filling in the
Interests, likes, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses, goals, details on the hand below: eg a people’s person; hates doing the
dreams, wishes, hopes, values, beliefs, skills dishes; procrastinate; etc.

SELF ESTEEM: like yourself

Feeling satisfied with your abilities and that you deserve to be
liked and respected
It speaks about how much you value like and rate yourself
How much confidence you have in yourself
How much you believe in yourself

You have high self-esteem, when you:

• Likes, accepts and believes in yourself
• You are confident
• Able to identify strengths and weaknesses
• Works at being better and stronger
• Strives to improve the weaknesses

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 Self-Development: How do you improve yourself? Self Development is influenced by:
• Developing life skills
• Building on your strengths A Growth Mindset:
• Improving upon weaknesses
• Strive to be the person you want to be Having a growth mindset means you believe that you will
• How: continue to learn and become more intelligent with effort.
• By keeping a notebook or diary In contrast, someone who has a fixed mindset believes that they
• Plan your time or day are born with a certain amount of talent and intelligence and that
• Do not procrastinate cannot be improved no matter how much effort they put forth.
• Don’t waste time
• To get more experience you have to explore your Why is having a growth mindset important?
interests and skills A growth mindset is something that employers are always looking
• Make a list of other ways to make yourself better for.
Eg…volunteer to work with children or read to the aged. In
this way you are able to develop your communication skills If you believe that you can learn and become more skilled and
intelligent you will be a harder worker and you will excel in
whatever you do. You will be open to learning new things and
Factors that affect self-esteem and self-awareness including new information will come easily to you.
the media ( https://rasmussen.libanswers.com/faq/261724 )
Relationships and the media are the biggest influences on
your self-esteem and self-awareness. As you grow older and learn new things you should allow
Friends are integral to influencing the lives of young people. experiences to shape you and not remain in the static state you
have been moulded into.
The media can cause us to make comparisons to others, and Eg religion and culture play a big role in the lives of everyone. At
for us to say ‘should’ a lot, which can be detrimental to our some stage it might not be the cool thing to be doing. However, a
self-esteem. growth mindset will allow you to develop in the religion of your
choice will grow as a person. Your choices will be based on the
‘Social media can be a mixed blessing because it allows us to teachings of that religion, but you do not become static in the
connect to others, but it can become a trap for self-validation culture of it. You are more accepting than accusing. So its ok not
as is the media.’(explorable.com/e/media-and-self-esteem) to believe in Santa but you keep the myth for the little ones.
Its ok for families to share celebrations…but understand that
The people in your life family friends and those you consider during a pandemic celebrations must be different.
to be important plays influences the factors which affects
how much you like yourself and how well you know yourself:

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 • What people say about you
• that which happens in your life
• how you respond and cope with the challenges in
your life
• how you embrace or respond to your achievements
and disappointments
• your assessment of what your friends think of you or
how much they like you i.e. how popular you think
you are
• how you are treated by friends, family, other
important people influence your self-esteem i.e do
they show support of your actions; criticisms given;
negative comments towards you; eg what you are
wearing……looks good/ doesn’t suit
However, we are constantly exposed to the various the
media platforms. Each plays a huge role in shaping our self-
esteem and self-awareness.

A SWOT analysis will help you identify with your self and
determine your self -development. This in turn should boo t your
self -awareness and self -esteem. You may ask what is SWOT?
S - Strength

W - Weakness

O - Opportunities

T - Threats

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 Pictures of people with what is perceived to be perfect Now let’s do a SWOT analysis using the following as a guide:
bodies, faces, types of people, adverts of fashion may all have your Interests, likes, dislikes, goals, dreams, wishes, hopes,
an impact on you and how you see yourself. values, beliefs, skills.
You may compare yourself these images. And if you are not
successful you may feel that you are not worthy. State whether they are strengths, weaknesses and indicate how
they influence you and by whom you are influenced.
The media could have a positive
impact on you. During hard
lockdown we saw many people https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-12-06-
step up to help those in need. E.g. matric-rage-parties-were-superspreader-events-zweli-mkhize/

Young people were initially not severely affected by the COVID 19

infections. However, this notion had a negative effect. Reading
the above article proves interesting. These events saw young
people flout the rules by not wearing masks, not observing the
Siya Kolisi and JP Duminy required social distancing and encouraged by alcohol, they took
established foundations to the virus home with them.
help those in need by
putting together food Super spreaders are events where COVID 19 protocols are not
parcels and delivering observed and the number of [people present exceed the numbers
them to those in need. suggested for events. Many of these events are also held indoors
Songs and movies too could be a positive influence. and some who are already infected attend too. They may not be
It helps people to come together e.g. Jerusalema and it could aware they are infected, or they may be feeling sick but choose to
influence you to do something similar. ignore the symptoms.

Can you trace some of these events? Would you have attended a
matric rage or and end of year party? Why or why not? What
about your friends? How would they see you?
What would the impact be on you?
Is it cool to take a highly infectious virus home to our loved ones?

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 The media has been instrumental in influencing COVID 19
protocols:
Wearing masks
Social distancing
Sanitizing
By reporting daily
on stats presented
on COVID 19 e.g.
deaths, infected,
affected etc. this
would have had an
influence on how
we behave and
impact on our self-
esteem. How we see
ourselves with a mask, but our friends are not wearing on.
Influenced by initial stats that young people are “immune”
we believe we are not cool when wearing a mask. The media
has brought us images of Super spreader events like Matric
rage and festive parties. All fun. Missing out impacts on how
we see ourselves. But how cool would it be to take home with
us COVID 19 causing our families to become sick?

Strategies to build confidence in yourself and in others

When you have identified the triggers that impacts upon your
self -esteem, it becomes easier to improve by:

▪ Having good communication skills

▪ Being successful at finishing tasks well
▪ Participating in community activities
▪ Ensuring that the decisions you make, are well
thought through and good
▪ Always affirming others

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 Communication has been key during this pandemic.
Good communication skills mean that:
▪ You are clear when expressing yourself How cool are you?
▪ You avoid misunderstanding At school:
▪ Your message is received well and clear Do you wear your mask all the time?
▪ You are assertive How much social distancing are you doing?
How many of you are always together at break times?
Having assertiveness skills means you are able to: Do you feel that if you are closer, and that its ok to flaunt the
▪ Speak clearly rules like your friends do, you will have a sense of acceptance?
▪ Be self- assured Or do you follow the rules and ignore the teasing from your
▪ Know what you want friends?
▪ Stand tall and state your case Having good communication skills will help you.
▪ Be polite and respectful
▪ Speak up for yourself
▪ State your point of view clearly
▪ People understand what you are saying
▪ Use the words ‘please’ and ‘thank you’

Complete your tasks or projects successfully

▪ Make sure you manage your time
▪ Stick to the deadlines you set
▪ Finish what you started, persevere - don’t give up

Participate in community organisations or lifelong activities:

▪ Volunteer to help those in need. The more you assist
the better you will feel about yourself. You will
develop new skills and get to know yourself better
▪ Participate in events the community: you will develop
a like for certain hobbies, attend functions and
celebrations, be curious, lead the youth.
▪ Take part in sporting activities
▪ Register as a voter

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 Make good decisions
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a0Fe3AchAI)

You must take responsibility for yourself and the decisions

you make

▪ make good decisions

▪ take stock and evaluate your decision
▪ gather
information for
the options
available
▪ think – the pros
and the cons
▪ what will be the effect of the decision you about to ma
▪ choose the best option for you
▪ act on your decision

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ACTIVITIES/ 1. Complete the table below
ASSESSMENT The difference between self-awareness, self-esteem and self-development
Self-awareness Self-esteem Self-development

Definition
True or False?
Agree/ Disagree?
Examples
Explain.

2. What is a super spreader event?

3. Watch: https://citizen.co.za/news/2406015/watch-how-the-matric-rage-parties-turned-into-super-spreader-events/
How has it influenced your thoughts and feelings about yourself on how you feel about wearing a mask now or not gathering with
friends socially?
4. Evaluate critically how not going to a party with friends influences your self-esteem and discuss how the above has impacted on
your self-awareness.
CONSOLIDATION • In the next section on Gender, you will explore how an understanding of your self- esteem, self- awareness helps us to
identify with gender differences and how that impacts on your self- development. Especially when you are struggling to
come to terms with your own sexuality and the sexuality of others.
• The lives of young people are not easy. There are way too many choices, options, opportunities and influences available. It
is confusing and concerning ... and with your hormones trying to fit in everywhere, the tools in these lessons will help you
to face to world bravely.
VALUES Respect, understanding, responsibility, discipline, kindness, commitment, integrity, open mindedness, friendship, growth.
It is important to be disciplined and follow rules when its required of us, despite friends and their points of view.
Super spreader events could have been prevented if we were assertive enough to say that we were not going instead of allowing
the herd to influence our thought processes or allowed our confidence to share with our friends the disaster that awaited.