Resource Centre
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Friendology 101: Introduction

Building Self Worth
Video Glossary

Glossary of Terms

At URSTRONG, we believe it’s important to use kids’ language for kids’ problems. That’s why we have our very own, unique language of friendship. Here are some important terms that children, parents, and teachers learn in our program.

Friendship Fire®: Any situation between you and a friend that results in negative feelings.

Mean-on-Purpose: When someone is intentionally unkind to someone else.

Quick Comeback: A very short word or phrase that is used when someone is Mean-on-Purpose. Quick Comebacks are designed to let the other person know that you heard/saw what they did and you’re not okay with it.

Friend-o-meter: A visual tool that assesses the health of friendships, ranging from the healthy zone to the unhealthy zone.

Friend-o-cycle: The normal cycle in a friendship that brings the friendship back to the healthy zone after experiencing a Friendship Fire. The phases of the Friend-o-cycle are: Healthy Friendship – Fire – Confront the issue – Talk-it-Out – Forgive & Forget – Closer & Stronger – Healthy Friendship…

4 Friendship Facts: A set of four facts that help us have realistic expectations in our friendships so we understand what is normal.

  1. No friendship (relationship) is perfect.
  2. Every friendship is different.
  3. Trust & Respect are the two most important qualities of a friendship.
  4. Friendships change…and that’s okay.

Red Shirt Girl and Striped Shirt Boy: Two characters that remind us about the importance of body language.

Friendship Ninja: A Friendship Ninja is someone who surrounds themselves with friends in the healthy zone of the Friend-o-meter. A Friendship Ninja is kind and friendly to everyone. A Friendship Ninja understands the 4 Friendship Facts and puts out their Friendship Fires when they ignite. A Friendship Ninja stands up for themselves and their friends. A Friendship Ninja makes new friends and understands that friendships change…and that’s okay. Above all else, a Friendship Ninja is someone you want to be friends with because they’re true to who they are!

Want a sneak peek into our Friendology curriculum? Watch Dana teach Session 1, designed with kids in grades 3 to 6 in mind.

To access this resource, you must purchase Educator Membership.

Objective

Explicitly teaching children how to develop healthy friendships and manage conflict in a positive way is at the heart of helping them flourish. These important social skills are the key to bullying prevention, creating safe, caring learning environments, and inspiring kinder, happier children.

In this video, Dana Kerford (Friendship Expert & Founder of URSTRONG) will give you a sense of the Friendology 101 curriculum and how we teach it to students. Our URSTRONG Schools have access to a series of 8 sessions (designed for students in grades 3 to 6), plus 4 sessions (for students in grades 1 & 2).

The Friendology curriculum can be taught either through videos (taught by Dana) or through slideshows (taught by YOU!) and includes:

  • A detailed Facilitator’s Guide
  • Lesson Plans
  • Handouts
  • Pre & Post Assessments
  • Certificates of Completion for Students

The Resource Centre also provides numerous extension activities to bring our school-wide friendship strategy to life and enrich the Friendology 101 curriculum.

Our award-winning curriculum has been specifically designed for educators to be super easy to teach, effective, fun, and current and provide your school with a simple framework for guiding children towards healthy friendships.

Sit back and relax while Dana invites you into her classroom where students learn URSTRONG’s unique, kid-friendly language to learn friendship skills and conflict resolution!