Teen Sexual Health

Teen Workshop Modules

Overview | Introducing The Workshop | What Are Values? And Why Are They Important | What's Important To You In Relationships? | What's Important To Your Sexuality?

Values & Decision Making I: What Are Values? And Why Are They Important

Estimated Time: 15 Minute

Procedure:

• Lay out a $20 bill, a $5 bill, a toonie, a quarter, and a penny, so all the students can see them.
• Ask for a volunteer.
  • Tell the volunteer to imagine that someone has given them the choice of any one of these bills or coins.
  • Ask which they would choose.
  • Once they have made their choice, ask them to explain why they made that choice.
  • Try to help them articulate that their choice was based on what had the most value. In doing this, you may want to use questions like: Why would you choose the paper over the metal? What makes the metal a better choice? Or vice versa, depending on what they choose.
• Write "value" on the board. Explain that in this situation, "value" refers to the monetary worth of the bill or coin.
• Ask the group what else has value in our lives. If the group focuses on material objects, ask them for examples of things they can't see or hold. If they are stuck, share some examples (social status, academic success, talent, friendship, love, honesty, etc.) Write all the examples on the board around the word "value."
• Explain that "value" can have several different meanings:
  • Actual worth of an object or item. Everyone sees the same value because it's on the price tag or written on the bill.
  • A personal assessment of how important certain beliefs, principles, ideas, morals, etc. are to someone. Values can be seen as the things that "just feel right" and guide behaviours. How important these things are to you shapes your values, which, in turn, shapes your behaviour.
  • Moral values are the concepts and principles a person uses to judge their decisions, a situation, or a dilemma.
• Ask the group:
  • Do these things (point to items on the board) have the exact same level of importance to all people?
  • Why is that?
  • Where do our values come from? (Family, friends, school, culture, religion, media, etc.)
  • How does the amount of importance we give these things affect our behaviour and choices? For example, if someone values education, how may that affect their behaviour? Or, if someone values religious beliefs, how may that affect their behaviour? What are other examples? (Someone who values education may choose to do homework before doing something for fun. Someone who values spiritual beliefs may be committed to following the rules of their religious texts.)
  • How might knowing your values help you make the best choices possible with regards to romantic relationships and sexuality?

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