11. What does it mean to be wise?
INTRODUCTION
Ask children for their ideas about wisdom: what does it mean ‘to be a wise person’? Is it better to be wise than clever? What’s the difference? Is there anything better than being wise? What about being generous, honest, brave, or compassionate?
ACTIVITY
Show the children posters such as these, and encourage them to work in teams to say which one(s) they like best and why.
After a few minutes ask them to share their thinking with the rest of the group.
ACTIVITY
Explain that one modern thinker, Alain de Botton, says that “The wise are, first and foremost, realistic about how challenging many things can be.”
Provide the children with a large copy of this diagram below, based on one provided on Alain de Botton’s website, or pin it up on a wall or board:
Ask the children to say what they think the advantages and disadvantages of going after each of these things might be.
Provide them with some sticky notes and ask them to add to the diagram some other things that the wise person might find contentment in. [Do they suggest more basic things like food, water, shelter? What about ‘Good Judgement’, ‘Creativity’ or ‘Imagination’?]
CONCLUSIONS
After a little discussion time, encourage the children to think about the idea of being CALM. Challenge them to consider whether a ‘commitment to being calm’ might be the wisest thing of all. Are there times when it is better to be passionate about something? They might then design some posters in the style of ‘Keep Calm and ….’ by finishing the slogan with their own ideas.
PRIMARY SESSIONS: LIST OF TOPICS
Sessions for 5 – 7 year olds
1. Friendship
2. Love
3. Respect
4. Care
5. Courage
6. Fairness
7. Empathy
8. Hope
Sessions for 7 – 11 year olds
9. Why ask questions?
10. Making your mind up
11. What does it mean to be wise?
12. The Wisdom of Solomon Part 1
13. The Wisdom of Solomon Part 2
14. What can we learn from a miracle?
15. When the going gets tough
16. What is a ‘bad’ life?
17. Choosing poverty
18. What should be free?
19. What is a good society?
20. Changing the world Part 1
21. Changing the world Part 2
22. Coping with bereavement Part 1
23. Coping with bereavement Part 2
24. Infectious kindness
25. Superheroes
26. What are the rights of the child?
27. Do you believe in human rights?
28. Stereotyping Part 1 – Places
29. Stereotyping Part 2 – People
30. Why are the arts important?
31. What do we see in art?
32. Identity and personality
33. Is it good to be different?
34. We are what we do
35. Human Top Trumps
36. Zavadovski Island
37. Why are some drugs illegal?
38. Health care
39. Good News Newspaper Part 1
40. Good News Newspaper Part 2
41. Greek Gods, Godesses, War & Peace
42. Hindu Deities
A printable (pdf) version of this session can be found here
© Sea of Faith 2018
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