‘The Kid and I’
An interactive story and learning tool to help young people address mental health stigma
and discrimination
ACT 1
The Kid and I
The Kid and I
Act 1: John Wood’s Story Activities:
1. What is mental health? Pupils learn to be able to define the meaning of the term
mental health.
2. Who is John Wood? Pupils create a fact file about John Wood’s character.
3. Who are the other characters in John’s Story? Pupils create a fact file about the
characters John meets in The Kid and I.
4. John’s Language and behaviour: Pupils analyse the language and behaviour John
uses.
5. Looking at language and behaviour: Pupils investigate the language and
behaviour of John’s peers.
6. Questions and role play: Pupils engage in role play to discover more about John
peers.
7. Relationship Display: Pupils discuss the relationships between John and his peers
and create a wall display.
The Kid and I – Act 1 john Wood’s Story
What is mental health?
Time 15 Minutes
He said I’ve got a ‘mental health problem’, all very clinical ... what
does that mean anyway?
You have explored the story ‘The Kid and I’ and have met John Wood who is experiencing some
difficulties. His mum took him to the doctors who diagnosed John as having mental health problems.
But first, what is mental health?
Read the paragraph from Time To Change below:
Just as we all have physical health, we have mental health too. And just as our bodies can
become unwell, so can our minds. Like physical illness, mental illness affects people of any age,
race, religion or income. It is not the result of personal weakness, lack of character, or poor
upbringing.
So what are mental health problems?
Mental health problems can affect a person's thinking and feelings, their mood, and their ability
to relate to others as they usually might. When someone has a mental health issue it can
become extremely difficult to function in day-to-day life.
In groups discuss what mental health and mental health problems are and fill in the mind map.
You might want to consider:
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the types of emotions that a young person may feel
behaviours that young people might show
Mind Map
Activity
Time 15 minutes
Mind Map: What is mental health?
Mental health and Mental health problems
The Kid and I
The Kid and I – Act 1 john Wood’s Story
Who is John Wood?
minutes
Time 10
Who is John Wood? How old is he? What are his interests?
How does John feel and why do you think John has not been at school?
What do you know about John? Create a fact file about him.
John Wood’s Fact File
Name:
Age:
How would you describe John’s
personality?
Interests:
What emotions do you think John is
feeling?
Why do you think John has not been
going to school?
Extension activity: Find a partner or form into groups of three to share and discuss your fact files on
John.
The Kid & I
The Kid and I – Act 1 John Wood’s Story
Who are the other characters in John’s Story?
Time 15 minutes
Working in groups of six, identify the other characters that feature in John Wood’s story. Once identified
create a fact file about what you know about the character.
In five minutes, each group member should create a fact file on one of the characters from the story.
Take ten minutes to share and discuss your character fact files with each other.
Fact File 1:
Name:
Age:
Interests:
How would you describe the character’s personality?
What emotions do you think the character is feeling?
Fact File 2:
Name:
Age:
Interests:
How would you describe the character’s personality?
What emotions do you think the character is feeling?
Who are the other characters in John’s Story?
Fact File 3:
Name:
Age:
Interests:
How would you describe the character’s personality?
What emotions do you think the character is feeling?
Fact File 4:
Name:
Age:
Interests:
How would you describe the character’s personality?
What emotions do you think the character is feeling?
Who are the other characters in John’s Story?
Fact File 5:
Name:
Age:
Interests:
How would you describe the character’s personality?
What emotions do you think the character is feeling?
Fact File 6:
Name:
Age:
Interests:
How would you describe the character’s personality?
What emotions do you think the character is feeling?
Time 15 minutes
The Kid and I
The Kid and I – Act 1 john Wood’s Story
John’s Language and behaviour
Time 15 minutes
____________________________________________________________________________
What language, words and phrases does John use to talk about his feelings and his mental
health problem?
List the words that John uses to describe how he is feeling.
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What do the words suggest about John’s character? Is he confident? Confused? Upset?
How does John’s behaviour reveal his emotions, moods and feelings?
List the behaviour that John is displaying.
Behaviour
Emotion/mood/feeling
Do you think John is feeling alone or supported? Perhaps somewhere between the two? Mark
how you think he feels on the line.
Very alone----------Alone most of the time--------Alone sometimes----------Ok----------Has some support--------Has enough support
Explain why you think this.
In groups discuss the following three questions:
What types of language, words or phrases can indicate that a peer might be experiencing
mental health problems?
What types of behaviour can indicate that a peer might be experiencing mental health
problems?
What language, words or phrases would you use to talk about mental health problems?
Would you feel confident taking about mental health problems with your peers, parents or
teachers?
What stops other young people talking about experiencing mental health problems?
The Kid and I
The Kid and I
John Wood’s Story
Activity 4
Time 15 minutes
Looking at language and behaviour
By looking at the language and behaviour of John’s peers in John’s story we can start to understand their
feelings towards him and their opinions on mental health problems.
Identify the words, phrases and behaviour that Tom, Becky, Suzi, and Kaija use to describe and react to
John’s mental health problem.
Tom
Becky
Suzi
Kaija
Words and
Phrases
Behaviour
Using two different coloured pens, highlight the words and behaviour in the table that you think are a)
positive and supportive b)are negative and challenging and may contribute to stigma and discrimination.
Answer the questions below:
Who is the most positive and supportive towards John?
How do you know that?
Who is the most negative and challenging towards John?
How do you know that?
Share your answers with a partner and discuss your reasons.
The Kid and I – Act 1 john Wood’s Story
Questions and role-play
Time 20 minutes
Questions
Why are characters displaying certain types of attitudes and behaviour towards John?
Find a partner.
In your pairs identify two characters, one who is positive and supportive towards John and the
other who is negative and challenging towards John.
Devise three questions that you would ask each character to find out why they behave as they
do towards John.
Positive and supportive character:
1.
2.
3.
Negative and challenging character:
1.
2.
3.
Role-play
In your pairs perform a small role- play.
One of you chooses to be the personality of the positive character identified earlier. Call your
self ‘A’. The other takes on the personality of the negative character. Call yourself ‘B’. Using the
questions you have devised, interview each other and answer as if you were the character.
Step 1: Character ‘A’ is interviewed using the questions you devised earlier. You might like to
write down the responses.
Step 2: Swap over; character ‘B’ is interviewed using the questions you devised earlier. Again
write down the responses.
Share your role-plays with the whole class and discuss if you agree or disagree with the
character choices people have made and their reasons for their attitude and behaviour.