This page continues our exploration of the Grade 11 Life Orientation Term 1 Notes. After looking at how personal values and choices shape your life, we now look at the collective values that shape our country and how these impact your personal well-being.
1. Well-being and Relationships
Well-being means you are happy, healthy, and have a good quality of life. A major factor that determines your well-being is the quality of your relationships—your links, connections, or associations with other people.
- Positive Relationships: Good connections make you feel better about yourself and provide support.
- Negative Relationships: Destructive relationships can cause you to see yourself in a poor light and damage your mental health.
It is important to remember that relationships are dynamic; they change over time and do not stay the same.
2. Relationship Types and Their Changing Nature
You relate to different people in different ways depending on the context. For example, your relationship with a school principal is formal, whereas your relationship with a best friend is informal.
- Formal Relationships: Guided by respect and specific rules (e.g., not interrupting a teacher).
- Informal Relationships: Guided by shared interests and casual communication (e.g., joking with a friend).
As you grow and move toward your prioritised life goals, the way you interact with family, peers, and authority figures will naturally evolve.
3. Constitutional Values for Nation Building
Nation building is the process of uniting people from diverse backgrounds to create a single national identity. This is held together by the values found in the South African Constitution.
Key Constitutional Values:
- Democracy: Power belongs to the people.
- Social Justice and Equity: Correcting the wrongs of the past.
- Equality: Everyone is equal before the law.
- Non-racism and Non-sexism: No discrimination based on race or gender.
- Ubuntu: “I am because we are”—humanity toward others.
- Accountability: Leaders must answer for their actions.
- Rule of Law: The law applies to everyone equally.
- Respect: Valuing the dignity of every person.
Exam Guide: How to Answer Key Questions
In Life Orientation exams, you are often asked to explain these concepts. Use these guidelines to ensure you get full marks:
Question: Name constitutional values that are important for nation building.
How to answer: Do not just list one or two. Name at least four to five and provide a brief definition for each.
- Example: “Human dignity (treating everyone with worth), Equality (no discrimination), and Ubuntu (community spirit).”
Question: Explain four reasons for the importance of the Constitution in nation building.
How to answer: Focus on how the Constitution acts as a “glue” for society.
- Protects Rights: It ensures that every citizen’s basic human rights are guarded against abuse.
- Promotes Unity: It provides a common set of values (like non-racism) that all South Africans can commit to, regardless of their background.
- Ensures Justice: It provides a legal framework to correct past inequalities through social justice and equity.
- Creates Stability: By upholding the Rule of Law, it ensures that the country is governed by rules rather than the whims of individuals, preventing chaos.
Activity 10: Reflection
- Imagine you are alone: If you woke up and were the only person left on Earth, how would your well-being change?
- Strengthening Well-being: Explain how healthy relationships with your family and peers help you reach your career goals.
Next Lesson: We will dive deeper into Well-being: Definition and Examples to see how these values look in daily life.