Love is not mystical concept that defies rational analysis, but many teenagers think it is. Their understanding often is limited to popular stereotypes--especially ideas expressed in song lyrics and the media--which, if not challenged, can lead to tragic errors. At the same time adolescents are idealistic. Most of them want their families to be good ones. They want personal satisfaction, but they also want their own children to grow into productive adults.
Family living may be taught in social studies, consumer education, home economics or some other school department. Regardless, The Family: A Study of Group Living can be used effectively. The instructional kit consists of a 51 page Student Text in addition to 90 pages of activities and teacher's material organized in three separate booklets. The module has a 1991 copyright with a 1998 Supplement booklet.
The unit begins with a historical and global overview of family life. Pupils learn that extended families traditionally have been based upon blood ties, and young people within these families frequently have had limited personal choices. They also learn that religious and secular communities--monasteries and communes, for instance--are found in many cultures, and these often provide a family structure for members.
Love as personal attraction comes next. Part Two--the core of the unit--is an analysis of the Western concepts of love as it relates mate selection. Students learn that high emotion based upon projection and sexual stimulation (romance) can come quickly and be short-lived unless trust, understanding, and cooperation develop. These are qualities that evolve slowly. The section ends with a discussion of "masked love." Since behavior and symbols associated with love trigger positive emotions, the word often is used in self-serving ways. Cult leaders, advertisers and others use it as a manipulative tool--as some people do in personal relationships.
Characteristics correlated with enduring family life in the United States are investigated in the final section. Subtopics include "Sharing," "Socially Suitable Partners" and "Changes that Come With Time." Commitment is stressed, especially if children are involved. Recent research on a father's influence is included.
Students interview a parent, grandparent or another person 20 or more years older than they are (if our suggestions are followed). They accumulate data on the mate selection practices of a previous generation--dating rules, perhaps--that they can compare with their own. This project motivates students to put their lives in a large, extended family perspective. It encourages them to enter into thoughtful discussions with family members; to participate a dialogue that helps bridge any generation gap that exists.
| Home | The Content | What You Will Receive | What Others Say | The Authors | Contacts and Order Forms |
