Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) · 4th Year (TY) · Myself and Others: Relationships · 3.º Período

My Friends and Other People

Examining the qualities of a good friend and how to build positive relationships. Pupils will learn about empathy and respecting others' perspectives.

TL;DR:My Friends and Other People is a core part of the 'Relating to Others' strand. In 4th Class, friendships become more intense and sometimes more volatile. This topic helps students identify the qualities of a good friend, such as loyalty, honesty, and kindness, while also teaching them how to be a good friend to others.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• Myself and others: My friends and other people

About This Topic

My Friends and Other People is a core part of the 'Relating to Others' strand. In 4th Class, friendships become more intense and sometimes more volatile. This topic helps students identify the qualities of a good friend, such as loyalty, honesty, and kindness, while also teaching them how to be a good friend to others.

Empathy is a major focus here. Students learn to look at situations from different perspectives and understand that their actions have an impact on others' feelings. The curriculum also addresses the importance of respecting people outside of their immediate friend group, promoting a culture of kindness throughout the school. This unit lays the groundwork for healthy social interactions and conflict resolution.

This topic comes alive when students can engage in role plays and peer teaching, allowing them to practice empathy and social problem-solving in real-time.

Key Questions

1. What makes someone a good friend?
2. How can I show empathy towards others?
3. Why is it important to respect different viewpoints?

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Best friends have to do everything together and never disagree.

What to Teach Instead

Students often think a disagreement means the friendship is over. Active learning through role play helps them see that healthy friendships allow for individual interests and that 'falling out' can be followed by 'making up' through communication.

Common Misconception

Empathy means you have to agree with the other person.

What to Teach Instead

Children often confuse empathy with agreement. Through structured discussion, they can learn that you can understand and respect how someone feels even if you would have acted differently in their position.

Active Learning Ideas

Peer Teaching

The Friendship Recipe

In small groups, students 'teach' the rest of the class their 'recipe' for a perfect friendship (e.g., 2 cups of honesty, a pinch of humor). They must explain why each 'ingredient' is necessary for a relationship to last.

30 min·Small Groups

Role Play

Stepping into Their Shoes

Students are given a scenario where a friend is left out or feeling sad. They act out the scene twice: once where the characters are indifferent, and once where they show empathy. The class discusses how the 'vibe' of the room changed.

25 min·Small Groups

Think-Pair-Share

Resolving a 'Friendship Fizzle'

Students think of a time a friendship had a small problem (without naming names). They share with a partner one thing that helped fix it and one thing that made it worse, then report back the best 'fixing' strategies to the class.

20 min·Pairs

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I deal with 'cliques' in 4th Class?

Use frequent group rotations in all subjects to ensure students work with everyone. In SPHE, focus on the 'Wider World' and the importance of being a 'friendly person' to everyone, even if they aren't your 'best friend'.

What are the best hands-on strategies for teaching empathy?

Perspective-taking activities are best. Use 'Thought Bubbles' where students look at a photo of a social situation and write what each person might be thinking and feeling. This visual and active exercise helps them practice the mental 'shift' required for empathy.

How can active learning help students build better friendships?

Active learning provides a safe laboratory for social interaction. When students work together on a 'Friendship Recipe' or a role play, they are practicing cooperation, negotiation, and active listening. These are the very skills they need to maintain real friendships, and doing them in a structured way helps them see the value of these behaviors.

What if a student is consistently excluded by their peers?

Address the behavior of the group rather than just the individual. Use collaborative investigations to explore the impact of exclusion and work with the whole class to create 'Inclusion Rules' that everyone agrees to follow.