LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Read about and describe the health benefits of embarrassment; describe how to deal with common embarrassing situations

HEALTH ED STANDARDS

NHES 4: Use skills for communicating effectively with family and peers.

CASEL COMPETENCY: Self-awareness; responsible decision-making

KEY VOCAB

remorse, nonchalant, mortification, antidote, gaffe

Lesson Plan: Is Everyone Staring at Me?!

Did you know that even your silliest slip-ups aren’t as awful as you imagine? Read on to find out what embarrassment can teach you about relationships and your own resilience!

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

In what ways are embarrassing situations actually helpful, and how can I handle them in a healthy way?

 CLOSE-READING QUESTIONS

  1. What is the “spotlight effect,” and what emotion causes it? The “spotlight effect” is when you feel like you’re standing under a huge, glaring light. It is caused by embarrassment.
  2. According to studies, does the “spotlight effect” accurately reflect how much others are paying attention to you when you’re embarrassed? Explain why or why not. Possible answers : No, you tend to way overestimate how much others are paying attention; no, people are usually too busy thinking of themselves to notice what you’re doing.
  3. What is usually the antidote (cure) for embarrassment, according to the article? The antidote to embarrassment is confidence that others aren’t thinking the worst.
  4. In what way was Lauren publicly humiliated at school, and how did she handle it? A guy asked her to the homecoming dance in front of the entire school at an assembly. She told him yes in the moment, but later told him she liked him only as a friend and didn’t want to go.

 CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS

  1. Think about the “spotlight effect.” Why do you think people are usually so busy worrying about themselves? Possible answer: When you’re embarrassed, you don’t want the attention you’re getting. The same goes for other people, though—they might be too distracted trying to avoid unwanted attention themselves to notice your slip-up.
  2. Reflect on a time you felt embarrassed. How did you handle it? Could you have done anything differently? Answers will vary.
  3. Have you ever unintentionally embarrassed someone? How did you handle it? Could you have done anything differently? Answers will vary.
  4. Consider the popularity of “fail” videos that show celebs tripping or embarrassing themselves in other ways. Do you think watching these is good or bad for us? Explain your thinking. Possible answers: It’s good for us to watch these videos because it shows us that everyone is human and makes mistakes—even celebrities; it’s bad for us to watch these videos because they encourage us to laugh at others’ misfortunes.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

WATCH AND DISCUSS

NHES 4

CASEL Competency: Self-awareness; self-management

Your students know what embarrassment feels like, but do they know why it can be so tough to bounce back from? Have them watch this video (https://bit.ly/2M2iYbk) from Wellcast and then discuss EMBARRASSMENT VS. SHAME. At the end, have them vote on whether the provided scenarios represent shame or embarrassment—and tell whether they’d handle any of the situations differently! (Click here to find this Skill Builder.)

EXTENSION ACTIVITY

NHES 3

CASEL Competency: Self-awareness; relationship skills

This month, your students are taking RESILIENCE 101! Have them extend their understanding of resilience by researching a few key phrases related to the topic. Then, in small groups, have them share their favorite tips as well as personal reflections on their chosen keyphrase. (Click here to find this Skill Builder.)

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