chapter one – personal growth mr. marquis child development
TRANSCRIPT
CHAPTER ONE – PERSONAL GROWTHMR. MARQUIS
Child Development
Be Your Best
You have left childhood behind and are well on your way to independent living. Now it is time to think about your adult life and what you hope to accomplish. The choices you make will either positively or negatively affect your life, both now and in the future.
Your journey through life begins with an understanding of who you are right now. You can build on this understanding and make a plan to become the kind of person you want to be.
Your Personality
Your personality is the combination of characteristics that makes you unique.
At this stage in your life you may be or have already experienced the physical and emotional changes that come with adolescence.
As you get older, you may find yourself becoming more introspective, looking closely at your own thoughts, feelings and motives.
Your Personality
There are four main categories of personality characteristics:
Emotional Every person feels the same basic emotions, happiness, fear,
love, anger – yet each responds in their own unique waySocial
In society, people meet, interact and relate to other people. Some people prefer the company of others, while some prefer being alone.
Intellectual As you gain experience and knowledge, you learn to solve
more complex problems. Using your mind rather than your emotions to solve a problem is a sign of intellectual maturity.
Moral
Your Personality
Moral Morality is a sense of right and wrong that
guides decisions and actions. Morality is based on values. A value is an accepted principle or standard
held by a person or a group. Values guide you through life and help you make
decisions Teens who develop a reliable moral compass are
more likely to make positive decisions.
Your Choices
As a young adult you will make more and more decisions that deal with issues of right and wrong behavior
Although you may want to do what is right, sometimes it is not clear how you should act
For example, telling the truth and treating people fairly are commonly accepted standards of moral behavior
Lying and cheating are not
Self-Concept and Self-Esteem
Self-Concept is the way you see yourself and the way you believe others see you
It is based on your perception of your strengths and weaknesses, skills, talents and other qualities that make up your unique personality
When you have a positive self-concept, you like and accept yourself the way you are
Your self-concept is influenced by experiences you have and what you and other people say about.
Negative and positive comments help shape your self-concept
Self-Concept and Self-Esteem
Your self-concept is directly related to your self-esteem
Self-esteem is the value or importance you place on yourself
Self-esteem reflects how you feel about the picture you have of yourself in your mind
People who have a positive self-concept have high self-esteem. People who dislike the picture of themselves struggle with low self-esteem.
Self-esteem matters because it has a strong influence on your behavior and your well-being
Self-Concept and Self-Esteem
High self-esteem generally leads to more responsible behavior
It also gives you a positive outlook and enables you to make the best of your life
“Optimism – A positive attitude can make the difference between giving up and
achieving success. Count your blessings – not your misfortunes. Focus on the
positive for a brighter outlook.”
Thinking Map Time!
Create a bubble map in your notesIn the center circle, write “Boost Your
Self-Esteem”For each of the six steps listed below,
add an example from your own life Learn to accept praise Focus on your strengths Learn from your mistakes Accept yourself as you are Use your strengths to help others Take responsibility for your own life
Realize Your Potential
Potential is the capacity to develop, succeed or become something more than you are right now Suggestions for maximizing your potential:
Set priorities Consider interests and activities Develop supportive friendships Avoid procrastination – the tendency to put off doing
something until later Be health-smart Practice abstinence – the deliberate decision to
avoid high-risk behaviors including sexual activity, tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.
Personal Growth and Maturity
Personal growth is learning and practicing new skills as you progress towards reaching your full potential
Growth is a life-long process. You are never too old or too mature change and learn
The desire to reach adulthood is a normal and important goal.
But the real goal is to reach maturity. Maturity means reaching full-development –
physically, emotionally, socially, intellectually and morally.
Make Positive Changes
Some of life’s changes are quick and easy
However, many changes are gradual, or taken one step at a time
Change can involve difficult or simple things (like organizing your room or moving away from your friends and family for a job)
The ability to make changes and adapt to change is an essential life skill
Barriers to Change
Trying to make a positive change is not always easy.
Barriers to change include Thinking you have to do it all by yourself Forgetting that change takes time Procrastinating
In order to help overcome these barriers Make a plan for change Set goals Be accountable or responsible for your own actions
and attitudesIdentify a change you would like to make and a barrier
that is prohibiting this change
Developing Competence
Competence is having the qualities and skills needed to perform a task or participate fully in an activity.
There are degrees of competenceIf you want to make a change, you need
to develop or improve your competence in a related area
Once you have a committed to change, brainstorm ways to improve your competence – school, books, magazines, websites are all resources that can help you.
Gaining Confidence
Confidence means you believe in yourself and your abilities
Common characteristics of confident people are: Self-assurance Self-control Willingness to take risks Positive Self-Concept and High Self-Esteem
Confidence grows each time you succeed
Your increased confidence makes you more willing to work toward building your competencies.
Learning from Disappointment
“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career.”
“I’ve lost almost 300 games.”Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to
take the game-winning shot and missed.”
“I’ve failed over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.”
- Michael Jordan
Meeting Life’s Challenges
Change is a part of lifeSome changes are expected, like moving outSome changes are unexpected, like the sudden
loss of a jobThese changes create challengesEveryone faces challenges, some more serious
than othersDisabilities, poverty, discrimination are all types
of serious challenges people faceThey may seem impossible to overcome, but
there are examples everyday of people who conquer them
Challenges of Teen Years
Changes that occur during adolescence can make any teen feel insecure
One teen struggles to fit in at school, another is uncomfortable with their changing body, and yet another is sensitive about what people say about them
Every adult you know was a teen once and although it may seem like it at times, you are not alone
There are steps you can take to make things easier and better cope with the ups and downs of adolescence
Coping With Changes
Look aheadThink PositivelyTake advantage of new abilitiesGet help when you need itParticipate in physical activitiesEat the right foodsVolunteer in your communityLook for ways to make new friends
Positive Attitude and Sources of Support
Some people develop qualities that help them prepare to meet life’s challenges head on.
They are able to adapt and make the necessary changes
Resiliency is the ability to recover from or adjust to misfortune
Perseverance is sticking to an action or belief, even when it is difficult
Family, friends, religious leaders, school counselors and teachers are all possible sources of support
Do not be afraid to ask for help
“grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot
change; courage to change the things I
can;and wisdom to know the
difference.”