Healthy Within Body Confidence Program: A Comprehensive Curriculum for Adolescents
The Healthy Within Body Confidence Program is an extensive curriculum designed for students grades six to nine. The objectives of the course include a better understanding of what it means to be assertive and how assertiveness affects your body confidence. Students will gain knowledge about how societal expectations influence their feelings about their bodies, as well as why it is important to identify and express their feelings. Overall, the program aims to provide the tools for the acceptance of oneself and others.
The four main tenets of the program are described by the four A’s: Assertiveness, Awareness, Acceptance, and Action. Through participation in a variety of activities and role-plays, students will discover what it means to be assertive and develop new ways to enhance their assertiveness skills. This training will address issues of gossiping and cliques as a failure to embody healthy self-confidence. Awareness classes will focus on media literacy, encouraging students to examine how societal influences affect body image. Students will learn ways to empower themselves so they will feel less vulnerable to advertising and negative media images. Through becoming more familiar with the ways their bodies will change during adolescence and the influence of genetics on body type, students will gain better understanding of the term "self acceptance," as well as learn ways to improve their body image. Action training enables students to discover the importance of identifying feelings. Students will be encouraged to find positive ways to express feelings and emotions.
While students undergo the Body Confidence Program, it is crucial for the lessons and skills they learn to be reinforced at home. Therefore, as a compliment to the classroom sessions we will offer a parent and teacher night which will focus on how to help your child develop a positive body image and sense of self. The presentation to parents will outline the mission of the Body Confidence Program as well as give them valuable prevention advice.
We understand that each school has unique dynamics; therefore, the curriculum is flexible and can be adapted to fit your school’s needs. The program coordinator will work with school personnel to ensure the successful implementation of the program. We look forward to bringing the Healthy Within Body Confidence Program to your school.
Sincerely,
Divya Kakaiya, Clinical Supervisor
Healthy Within Body Confidence Program Curriculum Outline
Unit I: Assertiveness
a. Objectives:
 | Discover what it means to be assertive and develop new ways to enhance their assertiveness skills. |
| Become more aware of the barriers to being assertive. |
b. Lessons:
| Assertiveness Ability |
| Developing Self-Awareness |
| Obstacles to Being Assertive |
| Role Plays |
c. Additions:
| Cliques: The Queen Bee and Her Court |
| Validating Gender Culture |
| Building Healthy Relationships: limits, boundaries, communication skills, conflict resolution skills. |
| Bullying |
Unit II: Awareness
a. Objectives:
| Become more aware of the societal influences on body image |
| Gain a better understanding or manipulation tactics employed by the media and advertisers. |
| Learn ways to empower themselves so they will feel less vulnerable to advertising. |
| Explore ways women are objectified in our culture. |
b. Lessons:
| Media Awareness |
| Creating a Class Magazine |
| A Healthy Advertising Contest |
| Video: The Body of Fashion |
| Fascinating Facts About Advertising |
| The Fine Line: Healthy vs. Unhealthy Exercise |
| Dieting is the Pits |
c. Additions:
| Becoming Media Literate |
| What is Body Image? Body Image Test |
| Body Drawings |
| Exploring Our Beliefs About Fat |
Unit III: Acceptance
a. Objectives:
| Become more familiar with the ways their bodies will change during adolescence. |
| Become more aware of the influence of genetics upon body type. |
| Gain a better understanding of the term "self acceptance," as well as learn ways to improve their body image. |
b. Lessons:
| Worksheet: Did you know |
| Genetics and Body Type |
| Turn a "put down" into a "put up"! |
| Feel Good Exercise |
| Love Your Body - It’s the Only One You’ve Got! |
| Re-framing Negative Messages and Learning to Love Your Body |
| The Self-Esteem Tree |
| Kirsten’s Story |
| Five Steps to a Better Body Image |
c. Additions:
| What is Healthy Eating? |
| The Truth About Metabolism |
| The Grungies: Term to describe your negative voice. Every time that you tell yourself that you feel fat or are fat, ugly or stupid you have been "hit by a grungie." |
| Dead Flower Ceremony (Get rid of the grungies)! |
Unit IV: Action
a. Objectives:
| Discover the importance of identifying feelings. |
| Find positive ways to express feelings and emotions. |
b. Lessons:
| Examine Your Feelings |
| Risk Expressing Your Feelings |
| Positive Relationships |
c. Additions:
| Sense-of-Self: Mobile, Bottle of Beans, Girls’ Day |
| Saying Yes! And Saying No! |
Unit V: Perfectionism
a. Objectives:
| Describe the qualities of perfectionism |
| Empower students to manage stress through healthy means |
b. Lessons:
| Cognitive skills stress management |
| Relaxation Techniques |
