Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life On Course Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life Chapter 6 Gaining Self-Awareness

CHOICES OF SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS GAINING SELF-AWARENESS

REVIEW: WAYS OF RELATING Read each of the following statements one at a time. Identify the way of relating that is indicated. Be ready to explain your answer. Some statements may have more than one correct answer...

REVIEW: WAYS OF RELATING Nate, who has a 1.9 GPA, always studies alone, saying, "I don't have time for study groups." Ben seldom attends math class, counting on his roommate to tell him what to study and when the tests are. Morgan often does her boyfriend's homework instead of her own. Independence Dependence Codependence Mary, Ja'Mar and Timothy formed a study group for their History class. Interdependence

REVIEW: ACTIVE LISTENING What are the four steps of active listening? Listen to understand Clear your mind and remain silent Ask the person to expand or clarify Reflect the other person's thoughts and feelings

CASE STUDY IN CRITICAL THINKING: STRANGE CHOICES Choose the student you think made the strangest choice and speculate why she or he made this choice. Dive deep. In particular, what are the kinds of past experiences that may have made the student behave this way? DIVING DEEPER Recall a course you once took in which you made a choice that your instructor might describe as “strange.” Explain why you made that choice. Dive deep, exploring what really caused your choice.

RECOGNIZING WHEN YOU ARE OFF COURSE FOCUS QUESTIONS In which of your life roles are you off course? Do you know how you got there? More important, do you know how to get back on course to your desired outcomes and experiences? Consider asking students to spend two minutes jotting down their initial answers to these questions.

THREE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS What habits do I have that sabotage my success? What beliefs do I have that get me off course? How can I consistently make wise choices that will create a rich, personally fulfilling life? Your answers to these questions can be life-changing. Becoming aware of the unconscious and habitual choices that get you off course from your goals and dreams gives you greater control over the most important factor in your success: Yourself!

ONE STUDENT'S STORY: Sarah Richmond How did Sarah’s actions, thoughts and feelings change when she got to college? In what ways have your own actions, thoughts and feelings changed since you began college? Are these new actions, thoughts and feelings supporting or sabotaging your success? If sabotaging, what different choices could you make?

IDENTIFYING YOUR SCRIPTS FOCUS QUESTIONS What habit patterns in your life get you off course? How did these habit patterns develop? Consider asking students to spend two minutes jotting down their initial answers to these questions.

SCRIPTS

I’m not smart enough to succeed in college. ANATOMY OF A SCRIPT Habit Patterns Habitual Thoughts: If I don’t understand a subject right away, I never will. Habitual Emotions: When I don’t understand a subject immediately, I get frustrated. Habitual Behaviors: When I get frustrated, I quit. Core Beliefs I’m not smart enough to succeed in college.

Thought Emotion Behavior… APPLYING THE CONCEPT Identify each of the following as a possible pattern of Thought Emotion Behavior…

APPLYING THE CONCEPT I’m so dumb! Being irritated. Thought I’m so dumb! Being irritated. Becoming very angry. Driving around instead of stopping to ask directions. Often arriving late to class. Frustration I’m no good in math. Emotion Emotion Behavior Behavior Emotion Thought

What Core Belief on the left might lead to the Behavior on the right? APPLYING THE CONCEPT What Core Belief on the left might lead to the Behavior on the right? Core Beliefs Cheating isn’t really a big deal Not trying is better than failing Asking for help is a sign of weakness Effort is rewarded Behaviors Studying math for 4 hours Skipping a final exam Copying answers during a test Avoiding the tutoring center

QUOTATIONS 1. From the margins of the "Identifying Your Scripts" section, choose a quotation you find interesting. 2. Pair up with a student who chose a different quotation. 3. Partner A, read your quotation aloud and explain to Partner B what you find interesting about it. If possible, relate the idea in the quotation to a personal experience. 4. Reverse roles, and repeat Step 3.

JOURNAL ENTRY 21: WARM-UP Make three slips of paper. On each slip of paper, write a self-defeating behavior. It can be one that has affected you or one that you've observed affecting others. Fold each slip of paper in half. Form groups of four and collect everyone’s slips of paper into a pile. Mix them up. Taking turns, select one slip of paper, read the behavior listed and express the likely negative results of that behavior. If you get your own slip, treat it like all the others.

ONE STUDENT'S STORY: James Floriolli What self-defeating pattern(s) did James discover in his life? Do you think James will major in computer science or choose a major that will prepare him for his dream job? Why do you think so? What can you learn from James’ story that can help you create a great life? Explain.

REWRITING YOUR OUTDATED SCRIPTS FOCUS QUESTION How can you revise the self-defeating patterns that keep you from achieving your full potential? Consider asking students to spend two minutes jotting down their initial answer to this question.

SELF-DEFEATING THOUGHTS I’m wasting my time going to college; I’m not smart enough. None of my high school friends are going to this college; I’ll never make good friends here. There’s way more work in college than in high school. I’ll never keep up.

SELF-DEFEATING THOUGHTS REWRITING SELF-DEFEATING THOUGHTS When I tried hard in high school, I got good grades. I just have to keep making wise choices, work hard, and learn from my mistakes. There are good people everywhere. I’ll just have to make an extra effort to meet them. I’ll master the use of self-management tools; then I’ll be able to complete all of my assignments.

SELF-DEFEATING EMOTIONS Nervous about asking questions in class Frustrated by difficult tests & assignments Shameful about prior poor performance Fearful of instructors’ judgments Pessimistic about outcomes

SELF-DEFEATING EMOTIONS REWRITING SELF-DEFEATING EMOTIONS Confident about asking questions in class Motivated by challenges Excited to learn valuable lessons from mistakes and accomplishments alike Accepting of instructors’ comments without self-judgment Optimistic about outcomes

SELF-DEFEATING BEHAVIORS Miss classes regularly Do homework carelessly Never speak in class Forget to do important assignments Always study alone Study without a plan

SELF-DEFEATING BEHAVIORS REWRITING SELF-DEFEATING BEHAVIORS Attend class regularly Complete all assignments with excellence Ask and answer questions in class Use next actions list and calendar to plan Join or create a study group Study using the CORE Learning System

ANATOMY OF AN EMPOWERING SCRIPT Patterns Thought Patterns I will pass chemistry. Emotional Patterns I am calm and focused during tests. Behavior Patterns I attend classes regularly, do all assignments thoroughly, and participate actively. Core Beliefs I am intelligent. Working hard pays off. People will help me if I ask.

TRUTH IN CARTOONS With a partner, examine the "Calvin and Hobbes" cartoon that follows Journal Entry 22. Discuss: What is funny about this cartoon? What truth is expressed in this cartoon? How could you apply this truth to your own life?

ONE STUDENT'S STORY: Annette Valle Who was your favorite teacher in elementary or middle school? What did you like about that teacher? What messages did that person give you about your value as a person and your ability as a learner? How might Annette’s life have been different if she’d had your favorite teacher for math? You could have students respond in writing or work in pairs to exchange responses with each other.

SELF-AWARENESS AT WORK As each picture appears, decide whether it represents “soft skills” or “hard skills.” Explain your decision. Some of the pictures can be properly interpreted to include both soft skills and hard skills. The reasoning behind student choices is more important than their answer.

SELF-AWARENESS AT WORK Components of Self-Assessment Soft Skills Hard Skills Personal Preferences Why are personal preferences an important part of self-assessment for work and career choices? Answers can include satisfaction, fulfillment, health, emotional well-being, the need to find a good "fit," etc.

BECOMING AN ACTIVE LEARNER Create a memory aid that helps you remember the six personality types of the Holland Code: Realistic, Artistic, Enterprising, Investigative, Social, Conventional. Get with a partner and explain your memory aid to each other. Be prepared to explain your partner’s memory aid to the class.

SELF-AWARENESS AT WORK Holland Code: Six Personality Types Realistic Artistic Enterprising Investigative Social Conventional

APPLYING THE CONCEPT: THE HOLLAND CODE As each career appears in the left-hand column, match it to the Holland Code personality type in the right-hand column that would best match that career.

APPLYING THE CONCEPT: THE HOLLAND CODE Realistic Investigative Artistic Social Enterprising Conventional Salesperson, lawyer, manager Mechanic, electrician, civil engineer Accountant, computer operator, credit manager Nurse, teacher, social worker Chemist, detective, astronomer Author, artist, musician

BELIEVING IN YOURSELF: WRITE YOUR OWN RULES FOCUS QUESTIONS What personal rules do you have that guide the choices you make daily? Which of these rules help you create high self-esteem? Consider asking students to spend two minutes jotting down their initial answers to these questions.

THREE SUCCESS RULES Rule 1: I Show Up Rule 2: I Do My Best Work Rule 3: I Participate Actively

QUICK REVIEW: THREE SUCCESS RULES Which rule leads to attending classes? I Show Up Which rule leads to striving for excellence? I Do My Best Work Which rule leads to taking part in class discussions and activities? I Participate Actively

I Participate Actively THREE SUCCESS RULES I Show Up I Do My Best Work I Participate Actively Which of these rules, if you applied it more consistently, would increase your chances for academic success? How important are these same three rules for creating career success?

JOURNAL ENTRY 23: DIVING DEEPER Is there a particular religion, philosophy, code of conduct, spiritual practice, organization or belief system, that is important to you? If so, what are the guiding principles or “rules”? Which of these principles or rules would help you to achieve your greatest potential in college? Explain how.

ONE STUDENT'S STORY: Brandeé Huigens What do you think caused Brandeé Huigens to become a binge drinker? Find evidence in her story to support your answer. What is the one new rule that changed Brandeé’s life for the better? Can you think of another new rule that might have helped her as well? What is one new rule that, if you followed it consistently, would change your life for the better?

EMBRACING CHANGE: DO ONE THING DIFFERENT THIS WEEK Of the 10 options, which one—if you did it consistently for a week (or more)—would make the greatest contribution to your success in college and in life? What positive outcomes and experiences would you expect from this choice? If you are willing to take the challenge, use the “My Commitment” chart to track that choice and share your results with a partner in one week.

WISE CHOICES IN COLLEGE: TAKING TESTS What does each image have to do with things to do before taking a test? Actively use the CORE Learning System Visualize Success Prepare yourself physically and emotionally

WISE CHOICES IN COLLEGE: TAKING TESTS Carefully read the tips “While Taking Tests.” Choose the three that you think will be most helpful to you. Form groups of three. Each member of the group: share the ideas that you selected and explain why you chose them. Last question: getting to know guide words better would be one choice that would improve test-taking skills!

REVIEW & SUMMARY What are the three habit patterns that form the parts of our scripts that are often observable to others? Behaviors Thoughts (when spoken) Emotions (when strong) What is the deeper part of a script that contains our view of ourselves, other people and the world? Core Beliefs

three rules for student success? I Participate Actively REVIEW & SUMMARY What are the three rules for student success? I Show Up I Do My Best Work I Participate Actively

REVIEW & SUMMARY Realistic Artistic Enterprising Investigative Social Name the six personality types in the Holland Code: How can awareness of your personality type help you make better career choices? Answer: People who choose a career that matches their personality type tend to be more satisfied. Realistic Artistic Enterprising Investigative Social Conventional

KEY CHOICES FOR GAINING SELF-AWARENESS Rewriting Your Outdated Scripts Identifying Your Scripts Recognizing When You Are Off Course

TICKET OUT What idea or concept from the chapter on Gaining Self-Awareness do you think is most interesting or useful? Please explain. Provide about two minutes at the end of class for students to write a brief answer. They can write in their journals and show you on the way out or they can write on index cards and turn in as they leave. 48

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