Aim - written on a Poster - Collect 5 Values Cards with the values that you can stand for
Subtitle, 'Some Values are given to you, the others you will have to fight for'

Start
All the Players get 5 values on arrival at the 'Auction', preferably with a little 'ritual'.

The Auctioneer presents the remaining Values Cards to the Players, one at the time.

As each Value Card is presented the Players bid for the card they want by describing the importance of the value in their lives.

The Auctioneer chooses the Player with the most compelling reason and swaps the presented Value Card with one of the winning Player's offered Value Cards.

The Auctioneer continues to present the remaining Values Cards until they have all been presented, or until time runs short.

Follow up
In small groups the Players discuss how well their collected Values Cards match their true values.

Aim - written on a Poster - Collect 5 Values Cards with the values that you can stand for
Subtitle, 'Some Values are given to you, the others you will have to fight for'


Start
All the Players get 5 values on arrival at the 'Auction', preferably with a little 'ritual'.

The Game Leader announces that there will be three turns of three minutes each when the Players mingle in twos and threes to swap Values Cards, the aim being to gather 5 cards with the values that they can stand for.

The first turn
Players stand up and find one or two partners to swap values with. The aim is to persuade the other players to swap Values Cards so that you have a 'better' set of 5 cards.

The second and third turns
are with DIFFERENT partners

Follow up
In small groups the Players discuss how well their collected Values Cards match their true values.

Aim - putting Values into order
Subtitle, 'Some Values are given to you, the others you will have to fight for'

Each of the Players are given 5 Values Cards, in a small ritual.

Introduction
The Game Leader explains that, even though the given values may not be so special to the Player, they are more or less valuable, indeed they can be put into order from "Most Valuable" to "Least Valuable".

The steps in this Game will allow you to explore your Values, what's important to you, and how they affect your relationships with other people.

First step
Put your given values into order from "Most Valuable" to "Least Valuable".

Second step
Together with one or two other Players, put your collected given values into the group's order from "Most Valuable" to "Least Valuable".

Players discuss then vote on the priority of the Value Cards.

Rule: you must work towards agreeing on the order. The aim is to feel what the Values mean to you.

Possible third step
If the discussions have been 'too light', continue with one more step to provoke more demanding discussions.

Put groups together so that there are new groups with four - six Players. Instructions "Put your collected given values into the group's order from 'Most Valuable' to 'Least Valuable'".

Players discuss then vote on the priority of the Value Card.

Rule: you must work towards agreeing on the order. The aim is to feel what the Values mean to you and how they affect your relationships with others.

Follow up
In pairs, preferably with new partners, discuss the process of choosing and prioritising.

"How did it feel to have one of your favourite Values put at a low level by the group?"
"How did it feel when you realised that other Players had the same values as you?"
"How did it feel when you realised that other Players had very different values / priorities as you?"

Reflection
"What have you learned about Values in general?
"What have you learned about your Values in particular?"
"What role do Values play in your relationships with other people?"

Aim - written on a Poster - Collect 5 Values Cards with the values that you can stand for
Subtitle, 'Some Values are given to you, the others you will have to fight for'

Aim: to increase the presence / frequency / strength of desirable values


Step One
The Game Leader chooses 40 Values Cards and reads them aloud one by one, slowly so that the Players have time to write down the Values that they like the most.

Step Two
Each player selects the three Values they want to focus on today.

Step Three
In pairs, Player A asks Player B, then Player B asks Player A these questions for each of the top three values (use the values in any order)

"How does this value appear in your life right now?"
"If this value showed up MORE in your life, what would be different? (What are the signs?)"
"If this value showed up MORE in your life, how would that feel? (Describe how it feels)"

Repeat for all three values.


Step Four
The Game Leader asks the whole group in silence, or invites one Player to be interviewed in front of the group.

"If your most important value showed up MORE in your life, what would be different? (What are the signs?)"
"If this most important value showed up MORE in your life, how would that feel? (Describe how it feels)"
"What can you do in order to include this value in your life more, and more?"
"What else can you do... ?"

Follow up
Each Player writes down one or two actions they will take in order to increase the presence / frequency / strength of their most desirable values.

Students want their lessons to be 'fun'.

So why not tell a few jokes?
Jokes get old, and can easily backfire with the 'wrong' class, in the 'wrong' mood on the 'wrong' day.

So let's use humour
What's humour? Amongst other things:

• it is created in the moment
• it is an essential ingredient in keeping the students minds' awake
• it can be designed into a lesson

Here are some ways of creating humerous moments, based on 'making mistakes'

• Pause (appear to have lost your place in what you were saying). Wink at the students to let them know that you are doing this deliberately.
• Say "Left" and point "right", Say "Up" and point "Down". Remember to wink.
• Write something wholly incorrect on the whiteboard, and continue as if it were correct. Pretend to be taken aback when the students catch the mistake, then tell them it was not the first or the last one today. Encourage them to keep an eye / ear out for more 'mistakes'.
  
• Include 5 mistakes in the first half of the lesson, and when you get to halfway through the lesson, mention that you are doing it deliberately, and ask how many mistakes students have noticed.
• Write a sentence that is too long for the whiteboard and mime writing on the wall. Then mime wiping the wall clean. Wink!
• 'Accidentally' switch all the lights off.
• Drop your whiteboard pens, or why not chuck them all up in the air as if you were going to juggle them; and fail to catch them.
• Look for your glasses, whilst wearing them on your head. (OK, you may have done that for real, but I mean that you choose to do it, at a time that suits the mood of the class.)

Exploring what's important for the student in their life and community.

Why this is important
When we know what's important, it makes choices easier. It's easier for example to choose which films to see, what clothes to wear, which mobile phone to buy when we know what we want them for. When we are choosing which school to go to, which subjects to study, or which friends to be with the choice is easier when we have some idea of what we want them for too.

What Values are
Values drive our choices and behaviours. Some values come from our families, others from our community culture, others from our firends or even the media. Some we own, some we borrow, some we will never let go of.
Examples
Several tools for discovering and exploring values.

Films and Books
Values can be explored by looking at behaviours and guessing at the reasons for them. This might be done when studying a film or a book. "What made them do it?", "What was important to them at the time?"

Values List
Here is a list that I use with young adults.
It's important that you select words that are appropriate for your students.

responsibility
growth
reliance
authenticity
loyalty
integrity
endurance
reward
participation
humility
courage
diversity
performance
impact
openness
community
joy
humour
accuracy
honesty
friendship
justice
confidence
success
freedom
commitment
simplicity
flexibility
personal
cooperation
respect
challenge
spirituality
balance
generosity
results
curiosity
accountability
thoughtfulness
power
inspiration
equality
creativity
love