1. I can support my friends when things go wrong
Year 5 – Solving problems
I can support my friends when things go wrong
© Leeds South and East CCG

2. Learning outcomes Knowledge Skills
I am developing an awareness and understanding of the role peers can play in supporting one another, including restorative approaches
I can listen to others talking about a problem
I can help others develop coping strategies that will work for them 2

3. How we will work together
Can you remember the ground rules we have already talked about, let’s take a minute to think about them
Teacher notes
Read these through with the children. Hopefully the ground rules will be displayed in the classroom already. 3

4. What do we already know?
Who would you go to if you needed help to sort out a problem?
Discuss as a class and record children’s ideas. 4

5. Let’s get started Why do people turn to their friend to support them?
Create a list as a class
A good friend will… 5

6. Spotting clues How do we know when someone has a problem?
Identify clues from facial expressions, body language and behavior
Children work in groups and cover a range of emotions or each group could have 1 emotion to cover. Children record the emotion and think about facial expressions, body language and actions that give us clues as to how people are feeling.
Come together as a class and share thoughts.
Why is it important for us to be able to spot these clues? Ensure children understand that sometimes people do not want to talk about their problems and they may say that nothing is wrong. If we are able to spot certain clues it can help us understand how people might be feeling and therefore we can try and help. 6

7. What is restorative justice / practice?
Discuss the role of a peer mediator. Show info on restorative practices. You could display the questions used during a session.
This link gives information about restorative practice
Watch the film clip, ‘Seeing both sides’
© BBC Bitesize, 2007 7

8. What is restorative justice / practice?
Ask children to think about whether they think they could support someone using these techniques. What would you find easy/difficult? What do you think you would need support with?
This link gives information about restorative practice
Watch the film clip, ‘What makes a good peer mediator?’
© BBC Bitesize, 2007 8

9. What support can you give?
Discuss your ideas as a group
Give each group a problem which they discuss together and think about what they would do to support their friend/peer. This could be done as a role play activity.
Remind children of the restorative practices discussed. You could display the questions using during restorative work.
Ask children to think about how each person is feeling and talk through the questions used during restorative work.
Invite groups to share their role play/ or ideas. Discuss 9

10. Sharing problems How can we support each other? 10
Share a problem you have yourself and ask children to think about what support they could give to you. Ensure children understand that adults need support for their problems as well as children. Invite children to share their own problems, class offers ideas/strategies to cope with the problem. Some children may feel that they would prefer to do this as a group rather than a whole class. 10

11. How has our learning progressed?
How can we teach other children about how to support each other?
How can we show other children about restorative practices? Create a how to. Scribe children’s ideas.
This could be done as a poster or could be an extended lesson where children create their own film clip that could be shown to other classes. 11

12. Taking the learning away
Think about how you can help people experiencing difficulties outside of school
Think about the strategies discussed and which you think would be useful 12

13. Additional resources and help
Talk to your teacher or an adult in school
Talk to your Mum, Dad or someone you trust at home about how you are feeling
If you have them: – Write your worry down and post it in the class worry box – Talk to a peer mediator in your school – Write your worry down on the worry wall on the school’s website
Contact:
im-a-young-person
Where can I go for help? 12