1. Working Together
Back to school: Making a fresh start
Working Together

2. Discuss the following questions:
What do you think makes a good team?
What is challenging about working with others in a team?
What qualities do you need to be a good team player?
What are the advantages of working in a team over going it alone?
1.What do you think makes a good team?
People listening to each other
Using each others strengths to help everyone
Sticking together when things go wrong
Supporting each other and encouraging each member to do their best
2. What is challenging about working with others in a team?
Members might have different, conflicting ideas and you may have to go with others even when you believe you have a better idea
You may not personally like everyone in the team but you still need to find a way to work together
You have to share the attention and praise
3. What qualities do you need to be a good team player?
Good listener – ability to listen to other.
Patience
Enthusiasm
Clear communication – explaining your ideas to others without confusing them or being rude
Supportive – encouraging others and helping them overcome problems.
4. What are the advantages of working in a team over going it alone?
Support
Lots of different ways to approach a problem
Learning new things from each other
Sharing the bad times – people who will understand what you are going through
Back to school: Making a fresh start
Working Together

3. Watch the following clip and think about:
How we can tell that the two groups have bonded as teams?
What do people on the losing team say to make each other feel better?
What you would say to each team to help them move forward and work well together in the future?
Property of Paramount (2005) All rights reserved
Introduce the film Mad Hot Ballroom (2005) a documentary about everyday New York kids who enter a dancing competition. At this point in the film one of the school teams has made it through to the next round whilst another narrowly missed out.
Ask students to think about the questions as they watch
Back to school: Making a fresh start
Working Together

4. ‘Post- competition chat’
Play the clip.
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Working Together

5. How can we tell that the two groups have bonded as teams?
What did people on the losing team say to make each other feel better?
What you would say to each team to help them move forward and work well together in the future?
1. How can we tell that the two groups have bonded as teams?
- A girl in the second team says she enjoyed the encouragement from her team cheering her on as she knew that someone wanted her to do well.
- A boy in the second team mentions the value of ‘just having fun’ twice helping the others not to worry about not getting gold
2. What did people on the losing team say to make each other feel better?
One child says that he didn’t think that anyone could do better than they did this shows that he appreciates the teams hard work and doesn’t blame anyone for their failure.
A few children reassure each other that they did everything they learnt and it was more a matter of opinion.
One child suggests that they would have won if they had each done one thing a tiny bit better. This could be seen as negative but also could be a helpful suggestion on how to improve as a team (he doesn’t single anyone out).
3. What you would say to each team to help them move forward and work well together in the future?
- Suggest they focus on what went well, what they learnt about each other and the fun they had working in a team.
Property of Paramount (2005) All rights reserved
Back to school: Making a fresh start
Working Together

6. Imagine that a friend asks for your advice
What three things would you tell them to do to make sure they make a fresh start this term?
What tips might they give you?
You may wish to get students to share their tips with the class or the person next to them. They could make a note of the things that they think would be useful to them.
Tip may include:
Get involved:
Sign up for school activities - clubs, sports teams - if you’re not sporty try the film club and library. This can help you feel connected to the school and meet new people.
Talk to people who you haven’t met before.
Take an interest in lessons – making the effort can help you to reveal new interest even in subjects that you may not enjoy.
Help others
Look out for your friends and people in your form group – encourage them to speak to an adult if they are having problems.
Be friendly – smile, be polite to your classmates and teachers.
Look out for yourself
Try to be mindful about when things aren’t going well and ask other people for help (eg. form tutors, mentors, learning support assistants).
Ask others for help when you need it or don’t feel confident.
Back to school: Making a fresh start
Working Together

7. Reflection
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not severe the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do”.
Marianne Williamson
You can ask your students to reflect and discuss this quote.
How does it relate to the characters in the film clips that they have just watched? Did the characters behave as if they believed in themselves? How might their actions and outcomes changed if they had?
Are there any problems with this attitude? What other positive qualities might a person wish to have?
3. How would you explain it to someone else using your own words?
Ask students to think about how they would phrase this in their own words. They can do this by feeding back to the group or talking to the person next to them.
4. Can students think of any other characters or real people that personify this attitude?
Extension activities
Film interviews with other students and teachers on cameras or tablets about their thoughts on this quote and how it can be applied to life in Year 7.
2. Create a short film based on this reflection for the next year’s Year 7 intake.
Marianne Wiliamson is an American author and lecturer who was born in 1952 and co-founded the Peace Alliance in the USA and a meals on wheels programme that provided food to people living with AIDS in Los Angeles
Back to school: Making a fresh start
Working Together

8. More films about making new friends and fitting in
Kes (1969, PG)
Inside Out (2015, U)
Walt Disney Studios © (2015) All rights reserved
(1969) All rights reserved
Tomboy (2011, PG)
Spellbound (2002, U)
The characters in this selection of films deal with the problems of fitting in with their peer group but find they have to accept their unique talents and individuality.
Kes (1969, PG) 110 mins
Spellbound (2002, U) 93 mins
Tomboy (2001,PG) 95 mins
Inside Out (2015, U) 102 mins
Skateboards and Spandex (2010) 15mins (available on the Into Film British Council Shorts Secondary collection DVD)
All these films can be found to order via the Into Film clubs’ website
(2002) All rights reserved
Pyramide Distribution(2011) All rights reserved
Back to school: Making a fresh start
Working Together

9. More films about believing in yourself
Harry Potter and the
Philosopher’s Stone (2001,PG)
Whale Rider (2002, PG)
Warner Bros (2011) All rights reserved
Sounds Like Teen Spirit (2009, PG)
Columbia Tristar (2011)
All rights reserved
The Year Dolly Parton was My Mom (2011, PG)
In these films the characters have to overcome a difficulty by gaining confidence in order to believe in themselves.
Whale Rider (2002, PG) 101 mins
Sounds Like Teen Spirit (2009, PG) 100 mins
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001,PG) 153 mins
The Year Dolly Parton was My Mom (2011, PG) 95 mins
Akeelah and the Bee (2006, PG) 109 mins
All these films can be found to order via the Into Film clubs’ website
Warner Music(2011) All rights reserved
Peccadillo Pictures (2011) All rights reserved
Back to school: Making a fresh start
Working Together

10. More films about working together
Africa United (2010,12)
School of Rock (2003, PG)
United International Pictures © (2004) All rights reserved
Pathe (2005) All rights reserved
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010, PG)
Felix (2013, E)
Teamwork is a key part of school life and these five films show what can happen if young people work together to achieve shared goals – or the consequences if they don’t.
Africa United (2010,12) 87 mins
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010, PG) 93 mins
Felix (2013, E) 120 mins
School of Rock (2003, PG) 105 mins
Mad Hot Ballroom (2005, U) 105 mins
All these films can be found to order via the Into Film clubs’ website
20th Century (2005) All rights reserved
Robert (2005) All rights reserved
Back to school: Making a fresh start
Working Together