Imagine a class where you participate in a movie, in which you play the part of a very cool person, who knows what to do in any situation. Somebody that everybody admires.

Then you switch roles with your classmates and become the aggravating or problem producing person. The teacher facilitates the lessons. In later lessons you are tested in "real life situations".

Lastly, you get to watch how others perceive you when you behave calmly, when you are grasping the situation and when you are leading it.

Everybody wants to know how to be relaxed, even in the worst situations. How to cope with aggression. How to motivate. How not to procrastinate (when you really don't want to procrastinate). How to get out of an argument that your aggravating neighbor started, without getting angry. How to haggle and how to negotiate and bargain.

But we never learned how to do it. Some break up frequently. Others are always late, and when observed, are always finding what to do in the last minute, and never prepare themselves on time. Some are control freaks, never letting go. Others never listen, and break into peoples words with their own. Some people misinterpret their partners frequently.

Couldn't it be a good experience at school (or perhaps at high-school) to actually learn behavior rather than just getting graded for it?

If not, maybe a website (name suggestions?) could facilitate video sessions where you can practice staying calm, acting cool and being a leader.
-- pashute, Sep 12 2013

To Sir, With Love https://en.wikipedi...i/To_Sir,_with_Love
This movie portrays teaching courtesy instead of discipline. If not JUST a movie, the effect is remarkably similar to the goal desired by this Idea. [Vernon, Sep 12 2013]

I like it as a practical sociology course where students can learn about social self, interpersonal relationships, surveillance society and myriad other topics while also self-improving and building a social self concept by watching themselves. However some drawbacks I see are time constrainst in classroom environments, so maybe the recordings could be time limited, and involve larger group dynamics. It's an interesting idea. Some people professionally design courses and learning materials and sell them to institutions, so that's what I imagine this to be.
-- rcarty, Sep 12 2013


Nothing worthwhile was ever accomplished by a well-adjusted person.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 12 2013


We must be all quite well-adjusted then, for the amount of time we waste here...
-- RayfordSteele, Sep 12 2013


Thanks Vernon, I now watched both, the sequel and then the original which surprisingly is the same movie star 25 years later!!

But he wasn't "playing situations" with the kids, he was listening to their questions and showing them his example of how he responds. I'm talking about a planned "playback" like arena, where you work it out "correctly" with a coach and the class's intervention.
-- pashute, Oct 30 2013


This is actually done at the primary school level. They're taught to recognize physical manifestations of emotions and to respond appropriately.
-- nomocrow, Nov 01 2013


//taught to recognize physical manifestations of emotions and to respond appropriately. //

Very useful for Aspergers ...
-- 8th of 7, Nov 01 2013


It really is. And for kids who don't get a lot of early socialization at home.
-- nomocrow, Nov 01 2013


Lately I've seen many cases of young men yelling at their partners or to-be partners on the phone in public. One, dragging his dog while screaming at his "girlfriend" that she better meet him. Another yelling on the bus at his wife or maybe gf, about doing something in the wrong way. And so on. I started noticing it in the past weeks.

Then a few days ago I heard a group of 9 year old kids yelling at each other, with one boy crying, at the bus station near my house. It was obvious that they were repeating a pattern they watched on TV/I8t or perhaps even saw at home, and thought it works best.

An adult at the station finally intervened before I had a chance to get there, but he only forced them to keep away from each other, rather than judging the whole group's conduct and discussing it with them. - He was in a position where it could have been done.
-- pashute, Nov 11 2013


OK I will do discipline studies on this situation. You, having been in contemplation of discipline studies, should have instructed the older gentleman on his intervention, and suggested to him that he advise the youngsters on their unruly behaviour. In this way you too erred in the situation by not adding disciplines. So for everyone there is room for improvement.

This turns out to be a funny idea. You're walking around noticing throughout the day that many people require discipline. This is true. I see an absurd situation in a classroom where the first student comments on the discipline required in a scenario. Then the second student observes that the first student requires some disciplines also. Then the third student says he too will do dsicipline studies and points out that the second student requires discipline. Then the professor says that it is out of hand and that each requires disciplines. Then a fourth student does discipline studies on the professors errors, ad nauseum.
-- rcarty, Nov 12 2013



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