Demographic: Student Leaders and Member from MACA (40

participants)
Assertive Communication
Rationale:
This module aims to teach the importance of assertive communication
and how the assertion of ones ideas and thought can lead to better
outcomes.
Primary Learning Objectives:
1. To realize the value of your thoughts, ideas and opinions
2. To exercise the need to get your ideas across
3. To realize the dualistic role of communicationspeaking and
listening
Instructions:
1. Divide the participants into groups of 5.
2. Each group will be competing against the rest of the groups.
Context: MACA Pal has lost his Pal. He needs you to help him find the
clues and figure out (1) what happened to the pal, (2) who MACA Pals
pal is and (3) Where he is now.
3. For every member of the group, you will be given a task in order to
attain clues into figuring out something about the pal of MACA Pal.
4. Ask the members in the group to count from 1-5. Per number, there
will be corresponding tasks in order to attain them. Each member is
given a maximum of 10 minutes to accomplish his task and get the
clue. Members must not help each other and must not disclose their
clues until everyone finishes their tasks.
TASKS (Incorporate Science stuff)
Number 1- Count the number of paperinvisible ink (MACA Pals pal
joined the LTS. He rode the taxi to get to Batangas. No one saw him
enter the house)
Number 2- 20 suicidesa strip of paper will be coiled in the barquillos
(The taxi driver brought the pal to Batangas. The pal left his phone in
the taxi)
Number 3- Get 20 specific colors of a certain bead(The pal looked for
his phone.)
Number 4- Look for 2 items under the sand(The taxi driver found the
phone and drove back to Batangas to give back the phone to pal)
Number 5- 2 feet sand castle(Water was poured on him right when
he got to the venue)
Note: Make sure that while giving out the instructions, the PAL will be
at the back and a group of people will pour water on him.
Note: The clue strips cannot be kept by the members. It is surrendered
back to the facilitator once the group starts to discuss.

Clues combined (Only for FACILITATORS- do not disclose to

participants)
(1) What happened to the pal?
He drove to the LTS by taxi and left his phone. He looked for his phone.
(2) Who is MACA Pals pal?
CHANCHAN
(3) Where is MACA Pal now?
5. Once everyone finishes, the members group themselves again and
discuss the clues they gathered.
6. Once they have solved
Processing:
1. How did you feel about the activity?
2. What did you feel while doing the individual task?
3. How did you feel about the information that was given to you?
4. What did you guys do (individually and as a group) once you all got
together as a group again?
5. (If successful) How did you come up with the answers?
6. (If unsuccessful) What did you do wrong? What could you have
done?
Synthesis:
Assertive Communication is defined as the core communication skill
that entails an effective expression of oneself and standing up for
ones point of view yet at the same time respecting others.
It begins with an understanding of who you are and a belief in the
value that you bring.
This is considered as the basis for self-confidence. The fact that you
believe in what you are saying means that you will be confident to
assert your point. You have your own understanding of your feelings,
thoughts, etc. When you communicate assertively, you are expressing
positive and negative feelings - honestly and directly. You acknowledge
that you have the right to be listened to and taken seriously, to say no
without feeling guilty, to ask for what you want, to make mistakes.
In the activity, each of you accomplished tasks in order to receive clues
to solve the mystery. These pieces of information are the things you
know about the case and it technically your call if you choose to share
your knowledge of the case or not. Asserting what you know and giving
your opinion on the case was necessary for the team to progress.
Assertive communication is always paired with active listening.
You have to develop awareness for other peoples opinions and such.
When you communicate assertively, one part is expressing your ideas

and another is acknowledgement of the other persons identical rights.

When you communicate assertively, you do so honestly but also
appropriately. When you are trying to force your ideas on other people,
you do not consider the rights or feelings of other people. Others are
just being passive in a sense that they hold back their opinion and both
these methods are not effective means for communication. Assertive
communication results in more genuine relationships because you are
both communicating honestly and with respect for each other.
In the activity, especially during the session where the members
grouped themselves once more to discuss the information each
member was able to get hold of, each member had to assert
themselves yet at the same time, each member had to listen to what
the other had to say. Assertive communication is not effective when
only one person talks and everyone listens. Assertive communication is
best optimized when everyone in the group is able to assert
themselves and listen to each other as well.
Adaptability
Rationale: This module aims to teach participants the value of
assessing the environment and adjusting their working styles
accordingly.
Primary Learning Objectives:
1. To be able to assess the immediate environment.
2. To be able to adapt working styles depending on what is needed by
the environment.
Instructions:
1. Group the participants into groups of 5.
2. The goal of the game is to put as much projectiles into the cup.
3. There are two roles in the game, the thrower and the catcher. There
can be more throwers than catchers and vise versa. Allow the groups
to choose their roles on their own. However, the group cannot change
their roles afterwards.
4. Each round would be for 15 minutes. 5 minutes for the crafting of
the projectile, the next 10 minutes would comprise of the catching and
throwing.
5. The team with the most number of projectiles at the end of the 3
rounds wins.
6. Note that the projectiles will differ every round.
Processing:
1. How did you feel about the activity?
2. Did you have a hard time with

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

What was your strategy?

How did you divide the roles amongst the group?
What did you did you do during the game proper?
What did you do during the succeeding rounds?
What could you have done better?

Synthesis:
Know your environment
When faced with a specific situation, one must learn to assess
the environment before doing any action. Although most people would
think it a waste of time to actually do this step, it actually very helpful
to understand what is happening within your immediate environment
before taking action.
In the activity, you guys were given the context of the activity
and you had to choose which roles to choose. Given that, you were
able to assess the environment and actually take action based on what
was needed and expected from you.
Know how you can fit into the environment
You must learn to use your skills and strengths in order to
address the environment or the situation you are faced with. This will
help you perform better regardless of whether in a team or individually.
In the activity, most of you chose the roles that seemed easier
something that you are more capable of doing. You would choose to
throw the balls if you know you are not good with catching them the
same goes the other way around.
Adjust accordingly
Adjusting is a dynamic process. Adjusting does not come only at
the end or at the last of an activity. Due to external and uncontrollable
factors, you will have to adjust from time to time. For those that would
catch, they would have various strategies in catching depending on the
kind of projectile (paper airplane or ball). The same goes with the
thrower, they will be throwing the projectile depending on its size,
weight and etc. Also, the crafting of the projectile is adjusted according
to the mechanics of the game. You will have to craft the projectile
according to how you will get most projectiles into the cup.
Adjusting is not normally something members do. It is believed
that leaders usually have to do the adjusting. However, it is important
to note that all members regardless of they are leaders or not, must
learn to adjust. Adjust to situations. When given a specific deadline for
a specific project, and things dont happen as planned, it was not
signed on time, hell week during that week, you would need to adjust
accordingly. When you are in a group that has to work on a project but
the group dynamics is terrible, you must learn to step back and assess

the environment and adjust to improve the dynamics of the team.

Learn to use your strengths to help you adjust. If problems spring up
during a certain working plan, use what you know and ask help from
people to adjust to the new situation immediately and effectively.
Adjusting is not only the leaders job but everyone elses in the team.