Mixed Feelings A. Here is an example of when someone is said to have ‘mixed’ feelings: Dan’s story came first in the competition. He was to get a computer as a prize and had been invited to read his story at the National Finals. His teacher asked him how he was feeling. He said, ‘Well, part of me feels proud and happy and part of me feels scared and worried.’ B. In pairs, discuss: 1. whether you think people have different ‘parts’ of them where they feel different feelings, or 2. whether people might feel different feelings in the same place (their brain?). C. Then see what everyone else in the class thinks.

Mixed Feelings – pleasant or not? A. Think privately of a recent occasion when you felt mixed feelings of your own – for example, pleasure & guilt, doubt & determination. B. Continue thinking about: whether one of your ‘mixed’ feelings was pleasant and the other not 2. whether mixed feelings always have to be a mixture of pleasant and unpleasant C. Share your thoughts about 1 and 2 with your talking partner.

Mixed Feelings – where and when As a whole group, discuss: 1. whether everyone agrees about what goes on in someone’s mind when they have ‘mixed feelings’ 2. whether people have feelings ‘in their mind’ (or perhaps elsewhere?) pretty much all the time, even if not very strong ones 3. if so, whether they in fact have mixed feelings pretty much all the time

Mixed Feelings – strength and effect ‘Snowball’, i.e. pairs of talking partners should now pair together, so that ‘Twos’ become ‘Fours’. Now share your examples with each other and in particular discuss: 1. whether one of the mixed feelings was always stronger than the other 2. whether things would have turned out differently if it had been the other way round

Mixed Feelings - choosing A. For further whole group discussion: 1. When people do have mixed feelings, can they ever make a choice as to which feeling to feel more? 2. If so, can you make yourself better at making good choices of feelings? Think privately about advice to yourself on ‘how to deal with mixed feelings’ – and write down your main advice in a sentence or two.