Beacon Project

Personal Safety in Interaction with

Others

Learning Journal
Learning Journal 1: What’s the Difference?
Success Criteria:
• Students can explain the meaning of the difference between abuse, discrimination and harassment.

Task:
Read each situation, categorise the situation in column two as either discrimination, harassment or
abuse. In column three give reasons for your choice.

SITUATION CATEGORY REASONS

Three guys wolf whistle Mary as she

walks passed.

Henry’s mother climbs into bed with

him.

Suzie’s boss pats her on the bottom.

Casey’s ballet teacher keeps telling

her she’s fat and needs to diet more.
She does not enjoy ballet classes now.

Jo’s classmates imitate her accent.

Tom is given a hiding with the

electric jug cord.

The advertisement reads; ‘Pakeha

flatmate wanted’.

Ken’s mother climbs into bed with

him and caresses fondles his genitals.

A diabetic was denied employment

because of his medical condition.

Tane is given a hiding by his dad.

Laurie’s boss pats her on the

shoulder.

Learning Journal 2: Attitudes, values and beliefs.

Success Criteria
• Students can identify attitudes, values and beliefs that people hold from different perspectives.
• Students can think critically about some of the influences on their attitudes, values and beliefs.

Choose 3 of the following statements and answer the questions

- Only women suffer from psychological abuse

- All Asians are poor drivers

- Homosexuals should not work with children

- Refugees are a drain on the economy

- Most people who create unsafe situations are men

- Civil Union Bill removes discrimination

CHOSEN
STATEMENT (1)

Why might people

agree with this
statement?

Who benefits how

& why?

Who is
disadvantaged
how & why?

Why might people

disagree with this
statement?

Who benefits how

& why?

Who is
disadvantaged,
how & why?

What I think
about this
statement?

What has
influenced my
attitudes values
and beliefs about
this?
CHOSEN
STATEMENT (2)

Why might people

agree with this
statement?

Who benefits how

& why?

Who is
disadvantaged
how & why?

Why might people

disagree with this
statement?

Who benefits how

& why?

Who is
disadvantaged,
how & why?

What I think
about this
statement?

What has
influenced my
attitudes values
and beliefs about
this?
CHOSEN
STATEMENT (3)

Why might people

agree with this
statement?

Who benefits how

& why?

Who is
disadvantaged
how & why?

Why might people

disagree with this
statement?

Who benefits how

& why?

Who is
disadvantaged,
how & why?

What I think
about this
statement?

What has
influenced my
attitudes values
and beliefs about
this?
Learning Journal 3:  Factors influencing discrimination and consequences 

Scenario Factors that can  What assumptions are  What is the risk for the  What is the risk for the 

cause  being made individual being  individual being 
discrimination discriminated against i.e. discriminated against i.e 
Short term consequences Long term consequences

A young boy is 
refused enrolment 
to a primary school 
because he is in a 
wheelchair

A pregnant woman 
is demoted from her 
position at work 

A woman is 
breastfeeding in a 
restaurant and the 
restaurant manger 
asks her to leave

A 50yr old  man 
applies for a job as 
a security officer, he 
is turned down even 
though the 
interview went well 
and he has years of 
experience

A shop keeper is 
tired of shop lifting 
in his store.  He puts 
up a sign “teenagers 
not welcome unless 
accompanied by a 
parent”
In the box above write your example of a discriminatory situation
Learning Journal 4: Consequences of discrimination on self, others
& others
Success Criteria
• Students can identify a range of short and long term consequences of discrimination
on self , others and society.

Task:
Chose one of the scenarios from learning journal 3.

Scenario:
_____________________________________________________________________
____

Using resource sheet 1, in the outline below, specifically identify as many of these 
consequences as possible from the categories of self, others and society that link to 
your scenario.

Self

Others
 Society

SHORT TERM
LONG TERM

Learning Journal 5: Discrimination in New Zealand

Success Criteria

• Students use resource (2), material researched from the Human Rights Commission,
to identify the determinants / factors in New Zealand society that contribute to
discrimination.

Task:
Use resource (2) material to answer the following questions:

1. Do you think this material is a part of a wider picture of

discrimination in New Zealand?

2. Is it possible that social determinants have been an influence with

regard to this data? Identify and justify.

3. Why do you think there is so much discrimination in New Zealand?

4. What allows it to continue?

5. What could be done in New Zealand society to reduce or stop discrimination?

Learning Journal 6: Self reflection

1. Describe a discrimination situation in school which you have witnessed or

heard about, that made you feel uncomfortable. Explain what happened
below.

2. Describe a discrimination situation within the school environment where you

or someone you know felt unsafe. Explain below why. Identify what it was
that made you feel unsafe (was it something someone said, the tone in which it
was said, something someone did physically either to you or to someone else,
were you put in a difficult position?

3. What factors were influencing why the person was being discriminated
against?

4. Did you report this incident to anyone? If so who?

5. If you did not report this incident explain why you didn’t?

6. Identify other people and/or groups within the school who could have
supported you or the person discriminated against in this situation.

7. Explain the role of the person / group from whom you sought support from?

8. Write down ideas which would help students at this school to become more
aware of
Discrimination issues: