Introduction

As educators, it’s essential to teach our students not only about academic subjects but also about the importance of relationships and how they impact our actions. This blog post will discuss the concept of the Relationship Ruler, an effective tool for helping students understand and navigate their relationships with different people in their lives. By learning about the Relationship Ruler, students will develop valuable social skills, which are an integral part of their overall development.

No-Prep Activity

Here’s a simple, no-prep activity that you can use with your students to help them understand the Relationship Ruler:

1. Ask students to think about the different people they interact with in their lives, such as family members, close friends, regular friends, acquaintances, and strangers.
2. Explain that each of these categories represents a different level on the Relationship Ruler, with family being the closest and strangers being the farthest away.
3. Invite students to create a list of actions they might take or behaviors they might exhibit in each relationship category. For example, they might hug their family members and close friends, but not acquaintances or strangers.
4. Encourage students to discuss their lists in small groups, comparing their actions and behaviors with those of their peers. This will help them understand that different people have different comfort levels with various actions and behaviors, depending on their relationships.

Discussion Questions

Use these questions to facilitate further discussions about the Relationship Ruler and its importance:

• Why is it important to understand the different levels of relationships we have with people?
• How do your actions and behaviors change depending on the level of relationship you have with someone?
• Can you think of a time when someone’s actions or behaviors made you feel uncomfortable because they didn’t understand the Relationship Ruler?
• How can understanding the Relationship Ruler help you make better choices in your interactions with others?
• How might the Relationship Ruler change as you grow older and form new relationships?

Related Skills

Teaching students about the Relationship Ruler also helps them develop other essential social-emotional skills:

• Empathy: Understanding the different levels of relationships allows students to put themselves in others’ shoes and consider their feelings and perspectives.
• Boundary Setting: Recognizing the appropriate actions and behaviors for different relationships helps students establish and maintain healthy boundaries with others.
• Communication: Discussing and reflecting on the Relationship Ruler encourages students to communicate openly and honestly about their feelings, thoughts, and experiences with various relationships.

Next Steps

Now that you have an understanding of the Relationship Ruler and its importance in teaching students about relationships and appropriate actions, it’s time to incorporate these lessons into your classroom. To access free samples of skill-building activities, including the Relationship Ruler and others, sign up for free sample materials at Everyday Speech.