Career Goals 8th Grade Lesson 9B Scott & White Worth the Wait® 7th Edition, September 2011

What would be the job of your Think about it? What would be the job of your dreams at age 25? DREAM BIG TEACHER SCRIPT: Everyone write down the answer to this question. Give students time to write the answer. I need a volunteer to come to the front of the class and share their answer. (Note: Try to pick someone whom you think might benefit from suggestions from the class). Bring a sheet of paper and a pencil or pen with you. Thank you for sharing. As a class, we are going to help you develop a success plan. Tell the volunteer: As the class gives you advice, I want you to write down what they say. If they are going to reach this goal, what are some things they can start doing now? What can be done this summer to help ______ reach their goal? What kind of people should ____ hang around? What education will you need to get to accomplish your goal? What kind of extra curricular activities should ____ be involved in? Would anyone else like to share? Scott & White Worth the Wait® 8th Grade, Lesson 9 7th Edition, September 2011

TEACHER SCRIPT: Before you share your goals, I want to talk to you about a few people who accomplished great things, but came from less than desirable backgrounds. These individuals prove that it doesn’t matter from where you came. What matters is if you are willing to work hard and if you are willing to make good choices. Scott & White Worth the Wait® 8th Grade, Lesson 9 7th Edition, September 2011

Elvis Presley Who am I? TEACHER SCRIPT: Elvis Presley was born in a poverty stricken community in Tupelo, Mississippi. According to records, his father moved the family to Memphis, Tennessee, to provide a better life. Even there they couldn’t escape poverty. He lived in government or low rent housing much of his childhood. He didn’t allow his meager upbringing to stop him. He practiced playing a guitar that his parents bought him for Christmas and eventually became a music icon. Scott & White Worth the Wait® 8th Grade, Lesson 9 7th Edition, September 2011

Alan Page Who am I? TEACHER SCRIPT: Alan Page is a Hall of Fame football player and member of the famed Purple People Eaters of the Minnesota Vikings (the defensive line he was a part of was so good, that they earned that nickname). Many athletes don’t plan for life after football, but Alan did. While playing football, he enrolled in the University of Minnesota Law School. He eventually became the first African American to serve on the Minnesota Supreme Court. Scott & White Worth the Wait® 8th Grade, Lesson 9 7th Edition, September 2011

Abraham Lincoln Who am I? TEACHER SCRIPT: Abraham Lincoln is best known for being the 16th president and for writing the Emancipation Proclamation. However, before he became president, he experienced many setbacks. 1832- He ran for state legislature and lost. 1833- He went bankrupt. 1835- His fiancé died. 1843- He ran for Congress and lost. 1860- He became President. From Abraham Lincoln we learn that if you try something and don’t succeed, you should never look at yourself as a failure. Never allow a setback to cause you to doubt yourself. Keep working hard and getting better and you can one day become the president of the United States of America. Scott & White Worth the Wait® 8th Grade, Lesson 9 7th Edition, September 2011

Oprah Winfrey Who am I? TEACHER SCRIPT: Oprah Winfrey was known as the queen of daytime television. It was hard to get there. Oprah was born to a teen mother, and was so poor that she often wore dresses made out of potato sacks, for which she was teased by classmates. She has stated that she was sexually abused by her cousin, her uncle, and a family friend. She did not let any of these challenges stop her. She pursed her dream of being on television. Could she have gone from extreme poverty to a successful life without meeting her essential human needs? She had to find security and connection. She couldn’t do it alone. She had to get support. She had to utilize her talents and skills to define her purpose. And, importantly, to have a fulfilling, rewarding life, she knew the importance of contribution. Oprah has given millions of dollars to charities around the world. Scott & White Worth the Wait® 8th Grade, Lesson 9 7th Edition, September 2011

Ben Carson Who am I? TEACHER SCRIPT: As a child Ben Carson thought he wasn’t smart because his grades were some of the poorest in his class and people called him “dummy.” His mom knew her son wasn’t dumb and made him start reading books at home. He began to realize that he wasn’t dumb and eventually became one of the top students in his class. After becoming a neurosurgeon, he became the first physician to lead in the separation of Siamese twins, joined head to head. How could he possibly go from being a “dummy” to be being a famous neurosurgeon? How do you think he may have met his essential human needs? Scott & White Worth the Wait® 8th Grade, Lesson 9 7th Edition, September 2011

Sonya Sotomayor Who am I? TEACHER SCRIPT: Her father died when she was 9, leaving her mother to raise her and her brother in a public housing project in the Bronx, New York. As a young girl, she decided she wanted to become a lawyer and would not let anything get in her way. She is the first Hispanic American to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. Scott & White Worth the Wait® 8th Grade, Lesson 9 7th Edition, September 2011

QUESTION What did these individuals have in common? What are some things they had to overcome? Why do you think they succeeded, when so many from their situations didn’t? So, what does this mean to you? TEACHER SCRIPT: These individuals all had to overcome stereotypes and tragedies. They succeeded because they took responsibility for their futures, decided to work hard, and made good choices. Scott & White Worth the Wait® 8th Grade, Lesson 9 7th Edition, September 2011

Who inspires you? Do you share any similarities with this person? What roadblocks did this person overcome? How does this person meet their five essential human needs? What do you think this person’s goal roadmap looked like? TEACHER SCRIPT: Now it’s your turn to provide examples of people who overcame barriers. Do you know someone such as a family member, friend, or even a celebrity that overcame roadblocks to achieve great things? Consider each question. What roadblocks did this person overcome? Do you share any similarities with this person? How does this person meet their five essential human needs? What do you think this person’s goal roadmap looked like? Ask students to volunteer to tell the class about the person who inspires them and the answers to these questions. Scott & White Worth the Wait® 8th Grade, Lesson 9 7th Edition, September 2011

What do you think? If you think you can, you CAN! If you think you can’t, you CAN’T! TEACHER SCRIPT: The success of your future is entirely up to you. The people we just talked about prove that you can come from a harsh background with little money and poor family structure and still accomplish great things. Don’t allow any excuse you may think of to keep you from being great. It’s not about where you come from, it’s about your attitude and how you approach life. If you think you can do great things, you can. If you think you can’t, you won’t. The real question is what do you think about you? I think you can accomplish great things, and that is one reason I decided to become a teacher. Scott & White Worth the Wait® 8th Grade, Lesson 9 7th Edition, September 2011

CAREER GOALS The choices you make in the next few years will have a tremendous impact on your future career. It is important to make good choices and avoid risky behaviors. TEACHER SCRIPT: You deserve to achieve your career goals, and your future success is worth the sacrifices you will have to make along the way. Later we will discuss ways to deal with the negative peer pressure that may come from family and friends. For now, I want you to see yourself as a successful person in the career of your choice. Scott & White Worth the Wait® 8th Grade, Lesson 9 7th Edition, September 2011

You are . . . Worth the Wait! TEACHER SCRIPT: Puberty is a time of growth. Focus on growing and becoming the best person you can be. You all have much to offer the world. Set yourself up for success. Make healthy choices, because you are worth the wait! Worth the Wait! Scott & White Worth the Wait® 8th Grade, Lesson 9 7th Edition, September 2011