家庭原型示范

Family Sculpture Demonstration

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Author: Michael Fitzgerald
School or Affiliation: Drug Education Consultant Nevada Department of Education
Endorsed by: These lesson plans are the result of the work of the teachers who have attended the Columbia Education Center's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of teacher from 14 western states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the rural, western, United States, and particularly the quality of math and science Education. CEC uses Big Sky Telegraph as the hub of their telecommunications network that allows the participating teachers to stay in contact with their trainers and peers that they have met at the Workshops.

Date: May 1994

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Grade Level/Subject: 7-12.

Overview:

In an average class of 25 students, between 4 and 6 are Children of Alcoholics (COAs). There will also be children from homes disrupted by other family dysfunctions who have much in common with COAs. In these families members tend to adjust their behaviors and take on certain roles to cope with the family problem. These survival roles frequently become compulsive, self-destructive and without choices.

Purpose:

To empower participants by giving them some tools to examine their live, and not to tell them that the way they are behaving is dysfunctional or based strictly on dysfunction.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

1. Examine their behaviors at home, in school, and in their social lives.
2. Assess the extent to which these behaviors are connected to their families or their families' problems.
3. Determine whether or not these behaviors are beneficial to them within and outside of their family environment.
4. Explore alternative patterns of behavior if they choose to make changes.

Resources/Materials: None needed but feel free to get creative and have fun with props.  You may wish to contact local organizations such as AA, Ala-non and ACOA for handout materials.

Activities and Procedures:

1. A demonstration family sculpture can be a safe and effective technique to teach family dynamics. To do this, the teacher can read a simple description of a family. Here is an example:

   
   
     * "I'm going to describe a family to you. First  I'm going to describe it
   
   with words, then we're going to describe it together by doing what I call a
   
   family sculpture. There are 6 people in this family. They are:
   
   
   
       -  Dad: The dad is a very successful executive. He works 60 to 70 hours
   
   per week. When he comes home, he is very demanding of both his wife and
   
   his children. He is not an alcoholic, but nevertheless, his moods are very
   
   intimidating. Once, a year ago, he slapped his wife and knocked her down.
   
   He has never done that since, but he still controls people with anger.
   
   
   
       -  Mother: The mother works part-time at a local library, but spends
   
   most of her time taking care of the home, planning social occasions, and
   
   overseeing the growth and development of her children. When dad is home,
   
   mom has to spend most of her time trying to keep the kids quiet and well-
   
   behaved so they do not bother him.
   
   
   
       -  Van, The Hero: Van has been very successful at football, and is an
   
   excellent student. His father is pleased with him. When Van does not
   
   perform well in sports or school, however, his father is extremely critical
   
   of him.
   
   
   
       -  Linda, The Rebel: Linda is a sophomore in high school, and is doing
   
   poorly in school. She dates boys two or three years older than her, and
   
   whom her father invariably hates. He forbids his daughter to date these
   
   young men. The daughter rebels, but the mother covers up. The mom does
   
   not let the father know when Linda is acting out or getting in trouble.
   
   
   
       -  Jan, The Lonely One: Jan is quiet, shy, and no trouble to her parents.
   
   She spends most of her time in her room.
   
   
   
       -  Mickey, The Joker: Nine-year old Mickey is always singing, making
   
   noise, and making jokes. He is very cute, has a winning smile, and tends to
   
   cheer up the rest of the family.
   
   
   
   

2. Now, the teacher will ask students to play the roles. Care should be taken not to place people in roles similar to their roles in real life. The family members are to be placed in relative positions to each other ,and in poses which describe their roles. Some players may be assigned lines. For example:

   
   
     *  The father can be placed standing on a chair, arms folded, staring
   
   sternly across the room above the heads of the rest of the family
   
   members.
   
   
   
     *  The mother can be on one knee in front of her husband with one hand
   
   reaching toward her husband. She would look up at him, frightened and concerned. Her other hand would be positioned toward the kids in a manner that
   
   indicates "be quiet, stay away."
   
   
   
     *  The Hero could be standing with a big smile, facing his father, with
   
   arms outstretched. In one hand he could have a piece of paper with A+
   
   written on it and in the other a football. Lines: "I'm great, our families
   
   great, we're going to make it. We're going to do really well."
   
   
   
     *  The Rebel could be some distance from the father, her body facing
   
   away, hands on hips, but turned around giving the father the dirtiest looks
   
   possible. Lines: "This family stinks. I hate it here. I want to get away from
   
   here. They blame me for everything. Get off my back!"
   
   
   
     *  The Lonely One will be well away from the family, sitting in the floor,
   
   hunched over reading a book, facing away from the family.
   
   
   
     *  The Joker will be right next to dad, hanging on to his pants leg, trying
   
   to shake it, smiling up at the father, and trying to get his attention. Lines:
   
   "Hey, let's lighten up. Don't worry, be happy. We don't have to worry about
   
   our problems, we can just have fun.
   
   

3.  
4. Once the sculpture is set up, players can be cued to say their lines.

Tying It All Together:

1. With sculpture in place, the teacher can ask those not a part of the sculpture:
   • How do you feel when you look at the sculpture?
   • How do you feel about Dad/Mom/Van/Linda/Jan/Mickey?
   • What is each person getting/not getting out of their position?
2. The teacher can also ask each participant in the role-play:
   • How do you feel in the pose?
   • What power do you have/What power are you giving away?
   • What are you doing for the family/What is your family doing for you?
3. All children should be provided with the message that if this activity srikes home to remember:
   • You are not alone.
   • Your parent's alcoholism (or other problem) is not your fault.
   • Alcoholism is a disease.
   • You are a person of worth who deserves to get help for yourself.
4. Interested students can be provided with readings and resources--such as the school counselor, Alanon, etc. if they desire to explore this topic further