TOPIC: CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT – "Bawnso" Case Study for Youth (OPE CWS Accra)

Activity: Case Study for Youth

Objective

Students will contemplate the various normal stages of adjustment and discuss possible reactions and coping mechanisms.  They are also expected to learn a new form of brainstorming and a typically “Western” activity, the storyboard.

Materials

Sheets of paper, pens
Case study
Board and markers

Time

30-60 minutes

Procedure

1. Put students in groups of four or five. Give each group a piece of paper and pens.
   
2. Tell the groups to divide their papers into six sections (model), labeling each square with a 1-6. You will tell a story. They have to listen and draw the six parts.
   
3. You will probably need to model drawing a story in six parts; you can tell a quick story about yourself to do this. You also need to emphasize that they should not WRITE the story in six squares.
   
4. Tell the six-part story included below.
   
5. Give them ten minutes (NO MORE) to draw the pictures. More than one person can draw. 
   
6. Have each group share with another group to check for understanding.
   
7. Ask the class what Bawnso’s options are. Among these can be:
• Stay in school and quit his part-time job.
• Stay in school and keep his part-time job.
• Quit school and go to work full time.
• Stay in school and join the gang.
• Quit school and join the gang.
  
8. Write all of the options provided by the class on the board (DO NOT NUMBER THEM—it will confuse the kids).
   
9. Have students in small groups put the options in order, from most desirable to least desirable. Walk around the room and make sure that groups with different ideas are discussing together.
   
10. Draw the final piece of Bawnso’s story on the paper and explain or have the students act out two older members of the community giving Bawnso opposing advice as to what he should do
11. WRAP UP: Discuss Bawnso’s feelings by having the students brainstorm how he would feel and then discussing how they would MANAGE these feelings. Emphasize that each of them will feel these feelings and that they are normal, but they have to manage, and the feelings will get better and easier! 
    
    

Bawnso’s Story (for students to draw)

• Bawnso is 15 years old and has been in the U.S. for five months.  He’s doing his homework, but doesn’t know enough English, is confused, and feels lost and ready to give up.  He’s starting to skip school.
• His teacher can’t speak his language and has thirty kids in class.  His teacher expects him to fail.  There is a nice counselor at school who wants to help and asks how he is doing.

• The American kids in class laugh at him, and he has no American friends. He hangs out with other newcomer Africans.

• All his African friends feel frustrated.  Some have dropped out of school, joined a gang, shoplift, and use and sell drugs, making lots of money.

• Mother and Father are in culture shock and can’t help.  They have lots of worries and no money.  His grandfather is sick, so his family has no time for Bawnso.

• Bawnso delivers packages on the weekend and has a great boss.  His boss wants him to work full time.
  
  

The Final Situation

• His friend Saye, who is in the gang, is at the door.  He wants Bawnso to come out with the guys.

 

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