Corbin & Associates, Inc., is committed to providing training and service to school based law enforcement personnel. We know that we can make a positive difference through the relationships we build with students, administration and faculty in the school setting. One way to build these relationships is through education.
Whether you teach daily or occasionally, we know it is important that you be professional, prepared and knowledgeable. As a result of the training we do nationally, one of the needs we hear expressed time and time again is the desire to share lesson plans. While we do this with the students in our Basic SRO Training, others may not have had the opportunity to attend our training or any formalized training, to teach them how to prepare a formal presentation. Many of you have expressed a desire to have lesson plans that have been prepared by other officers.
To help meet your needs, we are providing you with a monthly lesson plan, on our web site, which has been prepared by officers currently teaching. All credit is given to the officer who's lesson plan is offered along with the officer's location, should you wish to contact him/her directly. The only thing we ask is that you be certain to verify any information before presenting it to your schools and consult local ordinances and state statutes to make it appropriate for your location.
We offer this benefit to you in the hopes that it will help you to "build relationships that last a lifetime". This is the foundation and mission of our company to help not only you, but most importantly the young people who so desperately need your help and guidance. If you have information you'd like to share with other school based professionals please contact us by phone (407)851-5058, fax (407)855-8962 or e-mail: sroinfo @ aol.com.
Corbin & Associates, Inc.
Lesson Plan of the Month
December 1999
Topic: Red Hot Relationships Target Group: Junior High
(How to Control Anger)
Prepared By: Chuck Rinehart Agency: Aurora R-8 Schools
Aurora, MO
Address: crinehart77@yahoo.com Phone: (417) 678-2441
________________________________________________________________________
Objectives:
The student will;
1. Learn to recognize anger
2. Identify the symptoms
3. Summarize the basic approaches to anger
4. Illustrate problem-solving techniques for dealing with anger
Introduction:
Hello, most of you already know me, I’m Chuck Rinehart. For the last four years I have been the person you have had to put up with as in I.S.S. What you may not have known is that I have been involved in Law Enforcement for over twenty years. I served with a department in Findlay, OH, as a reserve patrolman in my early career. In Aurora, MO, I began as a patrolman and graduated through the ranks to Lt. Then I transferred to the Juvenile Office and spent six years working juvenile criminal violations and abuse cases. I currently serve as a deputy with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department.
If I wouldn’t have told you that, you probably would have know very little about me. I didn’t walk into class today with any signs on me that I have been a cop for over twenty years. I’m not wearing a uniform, a badge, or have my weapon visible. There really are no signs that I’m a cop.
Signs are fairly important in our lives. In a few years you will be learning to drive a car and you will learn to depend on signs (stop, RR, pedestrian crossing, etc.) They are very useful. Signs provide you information so you can make a safe decision. Pedestrian crossing signs, for instance, warn us that people may be walking across the street. Since our society frowns on running over little old ladies in a crosswalk, you should respond to this kind of sign by exercising a little caution.
Our body gives us a lot of "signs" when we are getting angry. At the beginning stages, for instance, you might feel hot and begin to sweat. Of course, you get the same reaction when playing basketball...however, this is a different kind of "hot & sweaty!"
Today, I would like us to take some time and consider: Anger.
Body:
I. Recognizing Anger
A. What is anger?
1. May have been a fleeting annoyance or full-fledged rage
B. How Do We Express Our Anger?
1. Non-verbal: clenched teeth, muscle tension, rapid heartbeat, red-faced, toe tapping, hold breath, fists
clenched, stomach tightens, etc.
2. Verbal: raised voice, sarcastic remarks, put-downs, cursing, blaming, etc.
C. Four Basic Approaches To Anger
1. REPRESS it - holding it back, withdraw, ignore it. This may have short-term benefits because it
prevents anger outbursts, however, ignorning it doesn’t stop inward turmoil.
2. SUPPRESS it - (i.e. stuffing) turning anger inward is also an unhealthy practice because pressure will
build. Calm outside, rage inside. Leads to headaches, depression, ulcers, etc.
3. EXPRESS it - involves acting out. Usually includes yelling, cursing, even hitting objects (i.e. walls) or
even people. Originally thought to be a good solution (at least for the one "expressing" not for those
around him!). Research has now determined that "letting it rip" usually escalates anger & aggression
and does nothing to help you resolve the situation.
4. CONFESS it - involves admitting our anger, and facing the source of it, or at least looking for the
causes. This is the hardest but most healthy approach.
II. Response To "Triggers"
A. What is it that infuriates people?
A number of things called "triggers." There may be a variety of things that "trigger" our behavior. They
can be different for each person but may include: mistreatment, insults, personal hurt, danger, frustration,
disappointments, etc.
B. Difference in people
What makes some people become cynical and hostile while others are not even mildly irritated?
1. Generic: Some kids are born touchy, irritable, & easily angered.
2. Social/Cultural: We’ve been taught that other emotions are acceptable (i.e. anxiety, depression, etc.) but
not anger. Consequently, we don’t learn to handle it.
3. Family Background: Typically people who get angry quickly come from families that are disruptive,
chaotic, and not skilled at proper communcation.
III. Remedies: Problem-Solving Skills
What strategies can be used to keep anger at bay?
A. Relaxation - Deep breathing, count to 10, relax muscles, etc.
B. Cognitive Behavior - When we are angry we tend to curse, ("colorful language") exaggerate, or yell.
Replacing these thoughts and behaviors with positive ones may help. Remind yourself that anger will not
fix anything.
C. Problem-solving - Sometimes our anger is caused by real, inescapable problems (i.e. special education
programs!) and we have to realize that not all anger is misplaced. There is also a cultural belief that every
problem has a solution. It adds to our frustration to discover that this is not true.
D. Better Communication - "Heated" discussion needs to be slowed down. Think through the process and
LISTEN to what others are saying. Quietly answering an angry person will help displace anger.
E. Humor - Can help un-knot a tense situation by giving us a more balanced perspective. (i.e. domestic
violence training: "At least he’s out with a woman!")
F. Avoidance - Sometimes just a change in our immediate surroundings can help. Walk away, get away from
the person/situation.
Review:
1. Today, we have identified what anger is, not something foreign to us, but a common, human emotion. We also
discussed what to look for in an angry person (you or others). And we compared our different approaches in
dealing with anger.
2. During our time together we categorized responses to the things that trigger our behavior, such as:
mistreatment, bad memories, frustrations, etc.
3. We determined numerous possible remedies for taming our anger situation.
Practice:
1. Someone cuts you off in traffic or steps in front of you in line at a supermarket. How do you respond?
2. While walking to your seat at a football game, someone bumps into you. Probably an accident, but they don’t
apologize.