Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

25 minutes

Part A. Thinking it through

25 minutes

Part B. Planning a conversation

10 minutes

Reflection

Part A. Thinking it through

Safety first

Some students may find this topic challenging or triggering. Some students may be personally connected to the topic of organ and tissue transplants in some way or the death or illness of someone they know. Allow students to find their own way of supporting themselves, including taking some time out if needed.

Step 1.

Play this video:

75% of parents haven’t discussed organ donation with their kids | Nine News Australia (https://youtu.be/B0aLvd9RWqo)

Step 2.

Invite students to work independently or in pairs to complete the table below that addresses these questions:

What are some possible questions or concerns people might have about organ and tissue donation?
What do I think about these concerns?

Concerns or questions people might have about organ and tissue donation	My thoughts in response

Step 3 (optional).

If students aren’t sure how to respond to some possible concerns, or you think there might be more concerns than they identify, you can read through this website with the class: https://www.donatelife.gov.au/about-donation/myths-and-misconceptions.

Step 4.

If students have made a decision about organ and tissue donation for their own end-of-life, it’s a good idea for them to practise what they might say to others - both to explain their wishes and to discuss their decisions about whether or not they wish to be an organ and tissue donor.

Have students watch this video of a kid starting a conversation with his family about his wishes:

DonateLife - Make Your Decision Known (youtu.be/adkJ9FUnCR8)

Step 5.

Invite students to write down which ideas they liked from the video and to raise any questions they still have. Spend some time addressing their questions or concerns.

Part B. Planning a conversation

Step 1.

Invite students to write a ‘script’ for a possible conversation about their decision to donate or not to donate their organs and tissues. Students can choose from the below scenarios:

Your friend/family member is concerned, but willing to hear more.
Your friend/ family member is supportive, but curious about your reasons.
Your friend/family member is concerned and worried.

Step 2.

Invite students to brainstorm using the table below - what might this person say or feel about the issue and how could they respond?

Audience (parent, peer, other)
Me:
Audience (parent, peer, other)
Me:

Step 3.

Invite students to practise having this conversation with a peer before having a real conversation with their family. They can also register their intention to donate if they have decided this is something they would like to do. You can use Step 4 to help them do so.

Step 4 (optional).

Show students the Australian Government's online organ and tissue donation registration process. You might like to read through the information with students.

Scroll down to ‘Registering to donate’ and click on ‘Australian Organ Donor Register’
Show students the simple form that needs to be filled out with Medicare details and email.

Reflection

If students have decided to speak to their families or friends about their decision to donate or not donate their organs and tissues, you can invite them to volunteer to share their experiences. Ask them what went well and what could have been better about the conversations. Did they get the outcome they wanted? If this conversation needs more time or effort to achieve its desired result, how might they approach future conversations or raise the issue again?

Safety first

When sharing, ensure students are reminded to listen courteously and respect that everyone will have different views and opinions. You might like to refer again to the Handling Sensitive Topics And Issues Factsheet and the rules for respectful conversations.

Differentiated Learning

Extension

Some students might like to complete the following task:

Now that you’ve imagined sharing (or shared) YOUR wishes with a friend and family member, how might you go about starting a conversation about THEIR wishes around organ and tissue donation? Draft or plan a concept for:

A short video
A social media status
A conversation you could have with a friend

Keep in mind that conversations or posts that lead to action tend to:

Engage emotions
Share facts
Help people understand the problem
Help people understand the solution
Give people a clear action to take

Plan:

How will I engage emotions?
What facts should I include?
What do people need to know about the problem?
What do people need to know about the solution?
What action will I direct people to take?

Provisions for Learning Support

Some students may not feel comfortable discussing their thoughts or decisions with their peers or family members. For students who require additional privacy, you could consider providing them with the Student Worksheet to complete at home. For students who would like to discuss this topic with their families but find it difficult for any number of reasons, you could provide individual support and coaching or refer them to the wellbeing team at your school who can provide this support and may even agree to mediate a conversation with their families.

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching

What did you learn about your teaching today?
What worked well?
What didn’t work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

DonateLife - Having The Conversation

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Summary

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