Bloom's Taxonomy Discussion Link Page for Jesse Needs to Learn to Set Firm Boundaries

A.Ask the Knowledge Question.

Teacher Says or Asks: RECALL and SELECT the most ideal ways for those three boys to Self-Mentor themselves.

Students Respond: (Accept reasonable answers such as the following:

Jesse could try any of the following ideas:

* "Hey, it is NOT okay for you to say that stuff about me and my family. It is NOT okay for you to make any comments about my life. You don't even know me. Besides, you both live in a trailer park too."

* "It's not true. I'm better than that! I'm just as good as them."

* A third and possibly the best choice would have been to respond with humor. When Wade said all that stuff about him, Jesse could have said in a humorous kind of drawn-out way, "Yeah! What's it to ya!" If his humorous style and confident facial expressions were convincing enough, Wade and Jimmy might have backed down.

* "I hear you, but I don't agree. I'm a lot better than that."

* "Wade, it sounds like you and Jimmy are having a bad day since you're putting me down. Has somebody been putting you down too? Is that why you're trying to put me down? You must be feeling powerless at home or with some of the kids here at our school since you're trying to make me feel bad. That's pretty sad that the only way you can feel good is to try to make me feel bad. Well, it didn't work. But nice try." Then Jesse could have walked away with his head held high.

* Indeed, just because someone puts you down, does not make their words true. When that happens, you have a fork-in-the-road decision to make. You can choose to feel bad and powerless and buy into that whole victim-victimizer cycle. Or you can choose to be happy by Self Mentoring. To Self Mentor effectively, you need to know in your heart that you are better than that. You are just as good as anyone.

Jimmy could try any of the following ideas:

* Jimmy could have used Stairstep Thinking to get himself to feel better.

* He could have signed up for Peer Mediation to straighten out what happened between the three of them.

* He could have gone to talk to a counselor and seek help for himself and also Responsibly Report Wade as a bully.

* Jimmy could have allowed Jesse some cooling off time and then tried again to talk things through with him.

Wade could try any of the following ideas:

* Wade could have asked for help with his at-home problem.

* Wade could try to talk it out with his two brothers.

* Wade could tell his Mom.

* Wade could tell the Guidance Counselor about it or a Teacher.

* Wade could call the Department of Children's Services.

* Wade could be put in a foster home for a while to get away from his two older brothers.

* Wade could go stay with a relative or friend.

* Wade could call for advice on his local Contact Help Line, 1- 800- 4- A- Child, or Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline.

* Wade's brothers could go through counseling or be turned in to the police for abuse and tried in Juvenile Court.

B. Ask the Comprehension Question.

Teacher Says or Asks: EXPLAIN and ILLUSTRATE how the Victim-Victimizer Cycle worked throughout this story.

Students Respond:

Victim: Wade's two older brothers

Victimizer: Wade's father abused his two older brothers when Wade was a baby.

Victim: Wade

Victimizer: Wade's two older brothers brutalized Wade

Victim: Jimmy & Jesse

Victimizer: Wade goes to school and verbally attacks various kids at school including Jesse. He also attacks Jimmy by blaming his verbal attack on him.

Victim: Jimmy

Victimizer: Jesse, believing that Jimmy was the victimizer, turns into a victimizer himself when he verbally attacks Jimmy when he tries to talk things out a bit.

C. Ask the Application Question.

Teacher Says or Asks: CONSTRUCT and PLAN some ways that Wade could protect himself since he is being brutalized at home by his two older brothers.

Please note: These answers overlap with several answers from the Knowledge questions.

Students Respond:

* Wade could have asked for help with his at-home problem.

* Wade could try to talk it out with his two brothers.

* Wade could tell his Mom.

* Wade could tell the Guidance Counselor about it or a Teacher.

* Wade could call the Department of Children's Services.

* Wade could be put in a foster home for a while to get away from his two older brothers.

* Wade could go stay with a relative or friend.

* Wade could call for advice on his local Contact Help Line, 1- 800- 4- A- Child, or Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline.

* Wade's brothers could go through counseling or be turned in to the police for abuse and tried in Juvenile Court.

D. Ask the Analysis Questions.

1. Teacher says or asks: Just like hyena in the story called "Hyena's dilemma at the fork in the road," Jesse, Jimmy, and Wade had all kinds of decisions to make. ANALYZE the various fork-in-the-road decisions they had to make and CATEGORIZE whether or not the boys were demonstrating Good Character Traits as they took a particular path.

Twelve Fork- in-the-Road Decisions to discuss about the 3 boys

1 of 12: Fork in the Road Decision for a middle school student

Teacher says or asks: Jesse wakes up. His Mom has already gone to work. He and his older sister get up and make breakfast for themselves. After his sister, Stephanie, catches the bus to the high school, Jesse comes to his first big fork-in-the-road decision. Since some of the kids at school know how to push his buttons, he finds school a less-than-pleasant place to be. So Jesse's fork-in-the-road decision is:

Choice 1: To decide to go to school anyway.

Choice 2: To play hooky from school.

a. Which choice indicates a good character choice? Please explain why.

b. Which choice indicates that the character of that person needs to be improved? Please explain why.

Students Respond:

Good Character Choice:

Choice 1: To decide to go to school anyway.

Bad Character Choice:

Choice 2: To play hooky from school.

2 of 12: Fork in the Road Decision for a middle school student

Teacher says or asks: Wade wakes up, as he often does, in a bad mood. His mother is already off at work. That means that Wade has no one to defend him against his two older brothers. They victimize him in every way they can think of. Wade has a big fork-in-the-road decision to make. He faces this decision almost every day. He thinks desperately, "I could tell on them! I SHOULD tell on them! But what if Mom doesn't believe me? And even if she did, with her off at work 12 hours a day, who will there be to protect me? No one! Plus, they threatened to do even worse stuff to me if I ever tell. No! I just have to tough it out the best I know how. Man! Life sure stinks, and my two big brothers are the biggest stinkers of them all!" So Wade's fork-in-the-road decision is:

Choice 1: To decide to tell someone about what his brothers are doing to him.

Choice 2: To decide to keep what is happening to him private.

a. Which choice indicates a good character choice? Please explain why.

b. Which choice indicates that the character of that person needs to be improved? Please explain why.

Students Respond:

Good Character Choice:

Choice 1: To Responsibly Report the Abuse.

Bad Character Choice:

Choice 2: To decide to keep what is happening to him private.

3 of 12: Fork in the Road Decision for a middle school student

Teacher says or asks: His brothers, Will and Wally, love to bully their younger brother every chance they get. They've walked down that fork in the road so often that it feels like the most natural thing in the world to torture seventh-grader Wade in any way that occurs to them. So their fork-in-the-road decision is:

Choice 1: To continue torturing their youngest brother.

Choice 2: To stop abusing their youngest brother.

a. Which choice indicates a good character choice? Please explain why.

b. Which choice indicates that the character of that person needs to be improved? Please explain why.

Students Respond:

Good Character Choice:

Choice 2: To stop abusing their youngest brother.

Bad Character Choice:

Choice 1: To continue torturing their youngest brother.

4 of 12: Fork in the Road Decision for a middle school student

Teacher says or asks: Wade never once has to decide whether he is going to take the road of playing hooky or going to school. He can't get out the door fast enough to catch that school bus. School is practically the only place he feels safe. So Wade's fork-in-the-road decision is:

Choice 1: To decide to go to school anyway.

Choice 2: To play hooky from school.

a. Which choice indicates a good character choice? Please explain why.

b. Which choice indicates that the character of that person needs to be improved? Please explain why.

Students Respond:

Good Character Choice:

Choice 1: To decide to go to school anyway.

Bad Character Choice:

Choice 2: To play hooky from school.

5 of 12: Fork in the Road Decision for a middle school student

Teacher says or asks: School is practically the only place Wade feels safe. No one ever picks on him when he's at school. He made sure of that a long time ago! Wade may be a victim at home, but he is one of the biggest victimizers there is at school. Each day, Wade's fork-in-the-road decision is, "Which kid will I pick on today?" So Wade's fork-in-the-road decision is:

Choice 1: To continue picking on the kids at school.

Choice 2: To stop picking on the kids at school.

a. Which choice indicates a good character choice? Please explain why.

b. Which choice indicates that the character of that person needs to be improved? Please explain why.

Students Respond:

Good Character Choice:

Choice 2: To stop picking on the kids at school.

Bad Character Choice:

Choice 1: To continue picking on the kids at school.

6 of 12: Fork in the Road Decision for a middle school student

Teacher says or asks: As for seventh-grader Jimmy, he has come to a fork in the road. Jimmy longs to be popular! Each day, he tries to make decisions that will help him accomplish that goal. First, he spent a long time mowing lawns and helping to paint houses over the summer, so that he could afford to buy the kind of clothes the popular kids wear. So Jimmy's fork-in-the-road decision is:

Choice 1: To take a summer job to try to earn enough money to buy the kind of clothes the popular kids wear.

Choice 2: To give up that idea without even trying to earn the money to buy the clothes.

a. Which choice indicates a good character choice? Please explain why.

b. Which choice indicates that the character of that person needs to be improved? Please explain why.

Students Respond:

Good Character Choice:

Choice 1: To take a summer job to try to earn enough money to buy the kind of clothes the popular kids wear.

Bad Character Choice:

Choice 2: To give up that idea without even trying to earn the money to buy the clothes.

7 of 12: Fork in the Road Decision for a middle school student

Teacher says or asks: Since wearing the kind of clothes the popular kids wear didn't seem to work for Jimmy, he decided, "I know! Maybe if I can get in good with some of the more popular kids, they could help me fit in. I could be popular too, if I had some popular friends. Yeah! That just might work!" So Jimmy's fork-in-the-road decision is:

Choice 1: To try to get popular by getting some more popular friends with the intention of using them for the purpose of getting more popular himself.

Choice 2: To try to get popular by getting some more popular friends; however, he is not simply using them for that purpose only. He also really cares about them as people.

a. Which choice indicates a good character choice? Please explain why.

b. Which choice indicates that the character of that person needs to be improved? Please explain why.

Students Respond:

Good Character Choice:

Choice 2: To try to get popular by getting some more popular friends; however, he is not simply using them for that purpose only. He also really cares about them as people.

Bad Character Choice:

Choice 1: To try to get popular by getting some more popular friends with the intention of using them for the purpose of getting more popular himself.

8 of 12: Fork in the Road Decision for a middle school student

Teacher says or asks: Jimmy was optimistic and hopeful about this plan working. So when cool and popular Wade walked over in his direction, Jimmy got really excited. He thought, "At last! A popular kid is coming over to talk to me! Great! Maybe I'm gonna get my chance to be popular after all." Wade strides over and chats with Jimmy a bit. Finally, Wade bragged, "You want to see me get a rise out of Jesse?!" Jimmy thought Jesse was an okay guy; however, Jesse was not popular and Wade was. Jimmy so longed to be accepted by Wade and the crowd he ran around with. So Jimmy quickly made his decision and said, "Sure, go ahead." So Jimmy's fork-in-the-road decision is:

Choice 1: To encourage Wade to make fun of Jesse.

Choice 2: To tell Wade not to make fun of Jesse.

a. Which choice indicates a good character choice? Please explain why.

b. Which choice indicates that the character of that person needs to be improved? Please explain why.

Students Respond:

Good Character Choice:

Choice 2: To tell Wade not to make fun of Jesse.

Bad Character Choice:

Choice 1: To encourage Wade to make fun of Jesse.

9 of 12: Fork in the Road Decision for a middle school student

Teacher says or asks: Wade swaggered over to Jesse and lied, "Jimmy said that you are trailer trash." Wade added several other put-downs to that first lie, blaming every one on Jimmy. Jimmy's mouth had fallen open with shock. He wanted to quickly rush over to Jesse and explain that he had never said that. But he also didn't want to lose the positive attention he was getting from Wade. So Jimmy closed his mouth and stood by helplessly. Wade had then swaggered back to Jimmy and said, "Pretty funny, huh?" Jimmy smiled weakly and said nothing. He was thinking, "Man, I never knew how cruel Wade could be! And dangerous! What if Wade decided to try the same thing on me? Then I would never have a chance to be popular!" Jimmy forced himself to laugh a bit. Just then, he happened to glance up and saw Jesse looking at him. Feeling guilty for laughing, Jimmy turned away.So Jimmy's fork-in-the-road decision is:

Choice 1: To tell Jesse, in Wade's presence, that he never said such bad things about him.

Choice 2: To keep his mouth shut and pretend to agree with the put-downs of Jesse.

a. Which choice indicates a good character choice? Please explain why.

b. Which choice indicates that the character of that person needs to be improved? Please explain why.

Students Respond:

Good Character Choice:

Choice 1: To tell Jesse, in Wade's presence, that he never said such bad things about him. Jimmy should have the courage to stand up to Wade and let Jesse know that those words were not initiated or endorsed by him.

Bad Character Choice:

Choice 2: To keep his mouth shut and pretend to agree with the put-downs of Jesse. He should say nothing and pretend he thought Wade's actions were funny.

10 of 12: Fork in the Road Decision for a middle school student

Teacher says or asks: After Wade ran off, Jimmy looked around for Jesse. Seeing him walking by himself, Jimmy sidled over and said, "I never said that, Jesse! Wade was just playing around. No hard feelings?" Jesse said nothing. He showed absolutely no expression in his eyes. He simply turned and walked away. Jimmy thought, "I wonder if Jesse even heard my apology?" During 7^th period, Jimmy saw that Jesse looked upset. Guessing there was a connection, but hoping there wasn't, he asked, "Hey, Jesse. What's the matter?" So Jimmy's fork-in-the-road decision is:

Choice 1: To not bother to straighten things out with Jesse.

Choice 2: To try to apologize to Jesse when Wade is not around to watch.

a. Which choice indicates a good character choice? Please explain why.

b. Which choice indicates that the character of that person needs to be improved? Please explain why.

Students Respond:

Good Character Choice:

Choice 2: To try to apologize to Jesse when Wade is not around to watch. Jimmy should apologize and attempt to talk things over with Jesse.

Bad Character Choice:

Choice 1: To not bother to straighten things out with Jesse.

11 of 12: Fork in the Road Decision for a middle school student

Teacher says or asks: Jimmy has kind of apologized to Jesse and during 7th Period and even asked him what is wrong. So Jesse's fork-in-the-road decision is:

Choice 1: To not accept Jimmy's apology. Also he verbally abuses Jimmy to get his revenge since he really believes Jimmy is guilty of saying those horrible things to him.

Choice 2: To accept Jimmy's apology and agree to talk things out with him.

a. Which choice indicates a good character choice? Please explain why.

b. Which choice indicates that the character of that person needs to be improved? Please explain why.

Students Respond:

Good Character Choice:

Choice 1: To not accept Jimmy's apology. Also he verbally abuses Jimmy to get his revenge since he really believes Jimmy is guilty of saying those horrible things to him.

Bad Character Choice:

Choice 1: To take a sip or gulp of the alcohol or to take a few puffs on the cigarette.

12 of 12: Fork in the Road Decision for a middle school student

Teacher says or asks: The words that Wade said had gone so deep inside and hurt so badly that he didn't think he could ever wipe the memory away. Once again, Jesse had a choice. He could choose to Self Mentor, or he could choose to hold on to those hurt feelings. By default, Jesse chose to hold on to those angry and hurt feelings. Almost numb with the pain, he walked to homeroom, feeling like a zombie. Jesse felt ashamed that people were spreading such horrible things about him. Again he thought, "It's guys like Wade and Jimmy who make me feel like trash. Some of what he said is true, but not all of it." Unfortunately, those labels had seared deep into Jesse's heart. It would probably take him years to get those horrible memories out. Or at least, that was what he thought at the time. Over and over, Jesse replayed that scene in his mind. He had the choice to give himself a pep talk or talk to a guidance counselor. But instead, he nursed his feelings of anger and betrayal. So Jesse's fork-in-the-road decision is:

Choice 1: To find a way to Self-Mentor himself or to get help from a trusted adult, friend, or guidance counselor.

Choice 2: To hold on to those horrible feelings and nurse his feelings of anger and betrayal.

a. Which choice indicates a good character choice? Please explain why.

b. Which choice indicates that the character of that person needs to be improved? Please explain why.

Students Respond:

Good Character Choice:

Choice 1: To find a way to Self-Mentor himself or to get help from a trusted adult, friend, or guidance counselor.

Bad Character Choice:

Choice 2: To hold on to those horrible feelings and nurse his feelings of anger and betrayal.

E. Ask the Synthesis Question.

Teacher: Look at the 'I Message' Sentence Starters poster.
'I Message' Sentence Starters Display Poster

Teacher Says or Asks: Look at the 'I Message Sentence' Starters poster on the white board. Pretend you are a character in the story. CHOOSE one of the Sentence Starters and CREATE an 'I Message' to say to another character within the story, making a request of him or her.

I ____________________ because ___________________.

Students Respond: (Accept reasonable answers.)

a. I __________________________ because ___________________________.

b. I __________________________ because ___________________________.

c. I __________________________ because ___________________________.

F. Ask the Evaluation Question.

Note to teacher: Post the Good Character Traits Display poster to help facilitate the next question. For your convenience, click on the following link to print a copy of the Good Character Traits Display Poster.

Teacher Says or Asks: Look at the Good Character Traits poster on the white board. DETERMINE in what ways the characters in this story demonstrate Self Control? What about Valuing and Respecting Self? What about any other Good Character Traits? DETERMINE what any of the characters could have done differently to better demonstrate any of these Good Character Traits qualities?

Students Respond: (Accept reasonable answers.)

Link to Teaching posters needed for these questions
Good Character Traits
'I Message' Sentence Starters Display Poster

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