Acting in Alignment

Begin by explaining that this exercise offers students the opportunity to step back from their daily concerns and envision their ideal world—a world shaped by their most important values. Emphasise that this reflective process can uncover values they might not immediately think of, helping them connect more deeply to what truly matters. 

Provide each student with a blank sheet of paper and encourage them to draw or jot down key words or ideas that arise during the exercise. These notes will help capture insights about their values. 

Ask students to settle in a comfortable position. Invite them to close their eyes or lower their gaze, whichever feels best. Encourage them to simply listen and allow their imagination to explore freely.

As you read the Imagination script, have students face outward, towards a wall or window, allowing them to retreat into their world. This setup also gives them space to write or draw as they reflect.

After reading the Imagination script, give the students five minutes for individual reflection. Ask them to write down their thoughts on the following:

• What did you like most about the world you just imagined?
• What do you think this reveals about you? Which values seem most important to you?

Students reflect on the values they envisioned for their ideal world by creating an individual Value Map. 

Explain that they will now organise and distil the values that emerged during the imagination exercise. Provide each student with a list of values and ask them to select 7 to 10 core values that they feel best represent their ideals.  

Encourage them to include values from the imagination exercise, while also allowing space for any other values they find personally meaningful. 

Now, encourage the students to reflect on how their recent actions align with their core values. Ask them to look back over the past 3 to 6 months and identify two challenging situations: one where they acted in line with their core values, and one where they did not. 

Prompt them to think about a range of contexts, such as home, work, school, friends, social groups or personal interactions. Let students know they will be sharing some of these reflections with peers, fostering discussion and mutual learning. 

For each situation, have them write down briefly what happened and how they acted.  

Then, ask them to reflect on these questions: 

• What made it challenging to stay aligned with your values?
• Which internal or external factors influenced your actions? 
• What helped you stay true to your core value?

Students pair up for an activity designed to enhance self-awareness, which will prepare them for drafting their Action Plan.  

Each student shares the examples from their reflection, using their Value Map to help explain their core values to their peer. 

First, one student shares their experiences while the other listens attentively. The listener may take brief notes.

Then, the listener reflects on what they heard, saw and felt, offering an objective summary of the shared experiences.

Students create and share their Action Plan to stay true to their values in challenging situations. 

First, each student individually identifies 1 or 2 specific situations they anticipate encountering in the near future, where staying aligned with their core values might be challenging, and writes down at least one concrete action they can take to remain true to their values in those moments. 

Then, bring the class together in a standing circle. Invite each student to share one planned action in a quick, straightforward “pop-up” style. 

Remind students that this is a sharing exercise, not a discussion, so no feedback or commentary is expected. 

Assessment as learning aims to strengthen the learning process and the development of metacognitive skills. It empowers students to direct their own learning and to become independent, critical self-assessors.

Self-assessment, aided by mirroring actions of other participants  

Self-regulated learning

Reflective questions