Values voting

This strategy will help students to:

  • identify and clarify attitudes about issues

  • consider others' thoughts and attitudes.

Implementation

  1. Select a statement and read to the group. 

  2. Students indicate their opinion or the opinion of other groups (e.g. friends, family and community members) by casting a ‘vote'. This may be done using one of the variations below.

  3. Discuss the statement as a class. Provide students with the option to pass or reconsider their vote after the discussion.

  4. Examples of questions to ask students during this strategy are:

  • Why would someone vote in that way? 

  • What experiences would have brought them to that conclusion? 

  • Would they feel differently if they had more information about this? 

  • Was it easy to make a vote? Why or why not?

Example: Thumbs up, thumbs down

Ask students a series of questions about relationships and then ask students to close their eyes and indicate whether they agree or disagree with the questions by showing their thumbs up or down. It is important for the students to close their eyes so that they are not influenced by the choices of others. If students feel comfortable, invite them to share their reasoning for their answer.

Examples of questions can include:

  • Is it ok for someone our age to kiss their mum or dad at school?

  • Is it ok to hold hands with your boyfriend or girlfriend at school?

  • Is it ok to hold hands with your boyfriend or girlfriend at the movies?

Variations

Dot voting

Devise a health or safety question or statement and a set of responses for students to consider. Write each response on a large sheet of paper. Give students two sticky dots each to place on the response or responses that resound more strongly with their attitudes and values. As a class discuss the voting responses.

For example:
The potential consequence associated with risky sexual behaviour under the influence of alcohol or other durgs that would be most likely to stop me from engaging in sexual activity while drunk or high are:

  • contracting an STI because you fail to use proper contraception

  • contracting HIV because you fail to use proper contraception

  • becoming pregnant because you fail to use proper contraception

  • engaging in sexual activity that you are not ready for

  • having sex with someone you don't like or don't know very well 

  • being forced to have sex 

  • having relationship difficulties

Fist of five

Students consider a statement and then indicate their feeling or opinion by using their hand. A fist indicates ‘strongly disagree' and proceeds up to five fingers for ‘strongly agree'.