7th Meeting
Part A. Respect for Physical/Mental Health
What's the big deal about 'under age' drinking?
Facts about alcohol. Alcohol is A drug that works directly on the central nervous system. Alcohol kills more male teenagers and young men than any other drug taken to affect mood and behavior. Most deaths and injury due to alcohol are caused by the way people behave when under its influence. Men fight more, drive more recklessly, and engage in more risky behaviors. Alcohol use is a leading risk factor for the three leading causes of death among youth: unintentional injuries (including motor vehicle crashes and drowning), suicides; and homicides. Alcohol also puts you at a greater risk to engage in sexual behavior which sometimes results to- a sexually transmitted disease or an unwanted pregnancy!
Alcohol intake and teen health
Because the body changes so much as we grow, the ability both to judge and cope with alcohol changes all the time. Everyone seems to know of someone who can drink booze by the bucket-load but this shouldn't be seen as something to aspire towards. Teens are the most likely group to have their stomachs pumped after excessive alcohol intake. At the end of the day, it has to be remembered that alcohol is a toxin.
Effects of excessive Alcohol on young bodies
- Youthful 'immature' organs can literally be poisoned by alcohol.
- The liver can be damaged. It takes a few days for it to recover and to get back to normal functioning after a 'session'.
- The heart can beat so irregularly that it can stop.
- The body can lose temperature causing hypothermia. Every year some teens die when they get drunk and pass out in the freezing cold.
- Too little sugar in the body can cause coma and seizures.
- Breathing can become so shallow or slow that it can stop.
- One of the most common ways in which teens (and adults) die from alcohol is by choking on their own vomit. If you vomit when you are unconscious you can easily breathe it in. If your body cannot get the oxygen it needs, brain damage or death results.
Knowing when to stop drinking alcohol
One of the dangers of drinking is not recognizing when you have had too much. Different drinks have varying alcohol content and the body reacts differently to alcohol according to whether or not you have eaten, how thirsty you are, or even what the time of day it is. Even if you stop drinking, the level of alcohol can continue increasing. No amount of coffee, cold baths, showers, or trying to walk it off will stop it. Taking a meal before drinking only slows the process. Once alcohol gets to the small intestine the effects kick in. The only thing that reverses the effect of alcohol is time.
Source: "Alcohol and Public Health." National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. 31 Jan 2005. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 29 Nov 2006
Research: Alcohol Damages the Teen-age Brain
June 2, 2000 -- Researchers have just come up with another reason to warn teen-agers not to drink alcohol: Specialized brain imaging studies have shown that teens and young adults, who drank heavily over long periods of time, showed shrinkage of an area of the brain that is responsible for memory and learning. This shrinkage was not seen in teens who did not drink.
The risk of this type of damage is greatest in those who begin drinking at a younger age and those who drink for longer periods of time, according to the study.
"Only in recent years have we have known the extent of brain development during adolescence," says co-author of the study, Duncan B. Clark, MD, PhD. "The hippocampus is one of the areas that's rapidly changing at this time and may be particularly affected by alcohol."
But Clark also suggests that the toxic effects of alcohol on the brain might be reversible, especially if the alcohol use is discontinued early.
Susan F. Tapert, PhD, a research scientist with the Veterans Medical Research Foundation and the University of California at San Diego, reviewed the study for WebMD. "We still need more studies, but it looks like there's a good possibility that drinking heavily during the teen-age years could affect your ability to remember things and learn new things," she says. "If you want to do well in school and be able to remember all kinds of things that you learn, it's best to avoid any kind of heavy drinking."
Many people may be surprised to learn that the brain is still developing during the teen years. "Adolescence is a period during which we now know the brain continues to rapidly develop," Clark says. "We know that alcohol can damage the brain. Adolescent alcohol abuse and dependence may have a damaging effect on adolescent brain development, and it is possible that these effects have lifelong adverse consequences.
In this report in the June issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, a special brain scan, called an MRI, was used to measure differences in the sizes of various brain regions in 12 adolescents and young adults who used alcohol excessively, and 24 healthy youngsters who had no drinking problems.
The researchers focused on measuring the size of an area of the brain, the hippocampus, which is known to be sensitive to the effects of alcohol in adults. The hippocampus is associated with learning and memory functions, Clark says. Two hippocampi are found in the brain, one on the right side and the other on the left side.
Both the right and left hippocampi were smaller in teens with drinking problems in comparison with the normal controls. "The difference was fairly substantial, about a 10% difference, which for this area of the brain is a major difference," Clark says. The shrinkage was limited to the hippocampus; no differences were found in other brain areas.
The shrinkage of the hippocampus was greatest in those who began drinking at an early age and in those individuals who were long-time abusers. The authors say the findings suggest that, during adolescence, the hippocampus may be particularly susceptible to the effects of alcohol.
Clark says that studies conducted in animals, as well as on adults with longstanding alcohol use disorders, suggest that alcohol consumption causes the brain damage. Other explanations, however, may be possible. For instance, the brain changes may have preceded the alcohol consumption and contributed to the onset of the alcohol abuse. Or another risk factor may have caused both the drinking behavior and brain changes.
Clark says that at this early stage, it is difficult to say whether brain changes or alcohol abuse come first. He says that longitudinal studies are needed to confirm and expand the findings.
(Source: WebMD Better Information. Better Health)
Cigarette Smoking
Health Effects of Smoking
Each year, a staggering 440,000 people die in the US from tobacco use. Nearly 1 of every 5 deaths is related to smoking. Cigarettes kill more Americans than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide, and illegal drugs combined.
Cigarette smoking accounts for at least 30% of all cancer deaths. It is a major cause of cancers of the lung, larynx (voice box), oral cavity, pharynx (throat), and esophagus, and is a contributing cause in the development of cancers of the bladder, pancreas, liver, uterine cervix, kidney, stomach, colon and rectum, and some leukemia.
About 87% of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women, and is one of the most difficult cancers to treat. It is very hard to detect when it is in the earliest, most treatable stage. Fortunately, lung cancer is largely a preventable disease. Groups that promote nonsmoking as part of their religion, such as Mormons and Seventh-day Adventists, has much lower rates of lung cancer and other smoking-related cancers.
But cancers account for only about half of the deaths related to smoking. Smoking is also a major cause of heart disease, bronchitis, emphysema, and stroke, and contributes to the severity of pneumonia. Tobacco has a damaging affect on women's reproductive health and is associated with increased risk of miscarriage, early delivery (prematurity), stillbirth, infant death, and is a cause of low birth weight in infants. Furthermore, the smoke from cigarettes has a harmful health effect on those around the smoke.
Based on data collected from 1995 to 1999, the CDC estimated that adult male smokers lost an average of 13.2 years of life and female smokers lost 14.5 years of life because of smoking.
But not all of the health problems related to smoking result in deaths. In the year 2000, about 8.6 million people were suffering from at least one chronic disease due to current or former smoking, according to the CDC. Many of these people were suffering from more than one smoking-related condition. The diseases occurring most often were chronic bronchitis, emphysema, heart attacks, strokes, and cancer.
Cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless and pipe tobacco consist of dried tobacco leaves, as well as ingredients added for flavor and other properties. More than 4,000 individual compounds have been identified in tobacco and tobacco smoke. Among these are more than 60 compounds that are known carcinogens (cancer-causing agents).
Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation (Quitting)
In September 1990, the US Surgeon General outlined the benefits of smoking cessation:
Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. Benefits apply to persons with and without smoking-related disease.
Former smokers live longer than continuing smokers. For example, persons who quit smoking before age 50 have one-half the risk of dying in the next 15 years compared with continuing smokers.
Smoking cessation decreases the risk of lung cancer, other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease.
Women who stop smoking before pregnancy or during the first 3 to 4 months of pregnancy reduce their risk of having a low birth weight baby to that of women who never smoked.
The health benefits of smoking cessation far exceed any risks from the average 5-pound (2.3-kg) weight gain or any adverse psychological effects that may follow quitting.
The risk of having lung cancer and other smoking-related cancers is related to total lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke, as measured by the number of cigarettes smoked each day, the age at which smoking began, and the number of years a person has smoked.
The risk of having lung cancer and other cancers can be reduced by quitting. The risk of lung cancer is less in people who quit smoking than in people who continue to smoke the same number of cigarettes per day, and the risk decreases as the number of years since quitting increases.
People who stop smoking at younger ages experience the greatest health benefits from quitting. Those who quit by age 35 avoid 90% of the risk due to tobacco use. However, even smokers who quit after age 50 substantially reduce their risk of dying early. The argument that it is too late to quit smoking because the damage is already done is not true.
(Source: American cancer Society Inc.)
Part 2: Care for Environment
Ten Basic Tips To Help Stop Global Warming
(Earth 911, What can I do to help prevent Global Warming?)
Don't have a lot of times, but want to take action? Here are ten, simple, everyday things each of us can do to help stop Global Warming. Pick one, some, or all. Every little effort helps and adds up to a whole lot of good.
1. Change a light. Replacing a regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent one saves 150 pounds of carbon dioxide each year.* Learn more about these bulbs and how to properly dispose of these bulbs when they do burn out.
2. Drive less. Walk, bike, carpool, take mass transit, and/or trip chain. All of these things can help reduce gas consumption and one pound of carbon dioxide for each mile you do not drive.
3. Recycle more and buy recycled. Save up to 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide each year just by recycling half of your household waste. By recycling and buying products with recycled content you also save energy, resources and landfill space!
4. Check your tires. Properly inflated tires mean good gas mileage. For each gallon of gas saved, 20 pounds of carbon dioxide are also never produced.
5. Use less hot water. It takes a lot of energy to heat water. Reducing the amount used means big savings in not only your energy bills, but also in carbon dioxide emissions. Using cold water for your wash saves 500 pounds of carbon dioxide a year, and using a low flow showerhead reduces 350 pounds of carbon dioxide. Make the most of your hot water by insulating your tank and keeping the temperature at or below 120.
6. Avoid products with a lot of packaging. Preventing waste from being created in the first place means that there is less energy wasted and fewer resources consumed. When you purchase products with the least amount of packaging, not only do you save money, but you also help the environment! Reducing your garbage by 10% reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 1,200 pounds.
7. Adjust your thermostat. Keeping your thermostat at 68 degrees in winter and 78 degrees in summer not only helps with your energy bills, but it can reduce carbon dioxide emissions as well. No matter where you set your dial, two degrees cooler in the winter or warmer in the summer can mean a reduction of 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
8. Plant a tree. A single tree can absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.
9. Turn off electronic devices when not in use. Simply turning off your TV, VCR, computer and other electronic devices can save each household thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide each year.
10. Stay informed. Use the Earth 911 Web site to help stay informed about environmental issues, and share your knowledge with others. Together, we can and do Make Every Day Earth Day!
Self -evaluation
Review the results of your personal health assessment and write your realizations and plans about your health in your journal.
Reminders: Please bring 1 ½ x 1 ½ colored ID picture next meeting.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
6TH MEETING JOURNAL ENTRY FOR VE011
Class, just to remind you, here is a list of the journal entries that you're supposed to have already written. Also, here is my e-mail address jdtoledo_5113@yahoo.com.ph. I normally access this address, so please e-mail your blog addresses to this one. Thank you. God Bless.
JOURNAL ENTRIES
1. How does Values Education work to your advantage? Describe your first few experiences at MCL.
2. How did you adjust to college life? What were the adjustments that you had to make?
3. What are the two values tht you practiced for two days? How did it go? Describe your experience during the Freshman Night or describe a significant classroom experience.
4. "Do unto others what you want others to do unto you." How would you like to be treated by others when you commit mistakes, voice out opinions or suggestions, and when you don't like to do what they re asking you to do?
5. Write an essay about the most challenging thing you've ever done.
Values Education 1 / Sixth Meeting
Basic Focus Values: Excellence
Thoughts
Excellence is a process, a commitment and a challenge.
“Excellence is the gradual results of always striving to do
better.” Coach Pat Riley
Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams and an assistant coach to another. He recently won the 2006 NBA Championship with the Miami Heat. Prior to his tenure in Miami, he served as head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks. He also played for the Los Angeles Lakers' championship team in 1972, which brings his personal total to seven NBA titles. He is also known for leading LA Lakers into back to back championship (1987-1988), the first team in 20 years to repeat as champions. Pat is widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time. (Wikipedia.org)
“I do the very best I know – the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end.” US President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States of America. As a child, he has to struggle for living and for learning. His family moved to Indiana when he was eight. He described their place as a wild region, with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods. But even so, he still managed to read, write and decipher. He made extraordinary effort to attain knowledge while working on a farm, splitting rails for fences, and keeping store at New Salem, Illinois. Later he found work as village postmaster and as a surveyor. In 1834 he won election to the state legislature, and after coming across the Commentaries on the Laws of England, he taught himself law. Lincoln became one of the most respected and successful lawyers in Illinois and grew steadily more prosperous. Lincoln served four successive terms in the Illinois House of Representatives, as a representative from Sangamon County, and became a leader of the Whig party in Illinois. In 1858, he ran against Stephen A. Douglas for Senator, however he lost the election, but in debating with Douglas he gained a national reputation that won him the Republican nomination for President in 1860. He was re-elected President in 1864. (Wikipedia.org)
“Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.” John W. Gardner
John William Gardner was the former President of Carnegie Corporation, and US Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare under President Lyndon Johnson. He founded two influential national U.S. organizations, the Common Cause and Independent Sector. He also authored numerous books on improving leadership in American society and other subjects. Gardner received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964, (it is one of the two highest civilian awards in the United States and is bestowed by the US President). Gardner’s term as secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, was the height of Johnson’s Great Society domestic agenda. During this tenure, the Department undertook both the huge task of Launching Medicare, which brought quality health care for senior citizens, and oversaw a massive investment in education with the passage of federal role in education and targeted funding to poor students. Gardner also presided the creation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. (source: Wikipedia.org)
Excellence is a process, a commitment and a challenge.
Pat Riley, Abraham Lincoln and John Gardner have proven us that achieving excellence is not impossible. To be one of NBA greatest coaches of all time is a process. He sees every game like the “Game Seven of the NBA Finals”, and he takes every lost as a learning experience to improve his team’s weaknesses. Abraham Lincoln commits himself to deliver the best he knows and the best he can. This makes him one of the excellent US Presidents. For John Gardner, excellence can be achieved by doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. It’s not impossible but it’s not easy either. Gardner is able to win this challenge by finding new meaning and reasons in doing every task at hand.
To do good is innate among us. To do better, let’s explore our possibilities. Achieving excellence is a life time commitment to do the best we can.
V. Challenge yourself
1. For one week, challenge yourself to:
a. Get high score in a quiz or seatwork,
b. To recite in class at least once in any courses;
c. To submit a quality assignment or requirement
On your journal, process your experience with the aid of the following guide questions:
a. What challenge did you take?
b. Were you able to beat the challenge? How do you feel about it?
c. What have you realized/learned from your experience?
2. Assignment for next meeting
a. Read about the effects of smoking.
b. Watch the film “An Inconvenient Truth”, staring Al Gore and directed by Davis
Guggenheim.
On the journal, write your reaction to the movie:
- The most striking scene in the movie
- Your feelings and emotions while watching the movie
- Your realization after watching the movie
- The specific actions you can commit to take care of the environment
Center for Student Development
JOURNAL ENTRIES
1. How does Values Education work to your advantage? Describe your first few experiences at MCL.
2. How did you adjust to college life? What were the adjustments that you had to make?
3. What are the two values tht you practiced for two days? How did it go? Describe your experience during the Freshman Night or describe a significant classroom experience.
4. "Do unto others what you want others to do unto you." How would you like to be treated by others when you commit mistakes, voice out opinions or suggestions, and when you don't like to do what they re asking you to do?
5. Write an essay about the most challenging thing you've ever done.
Values Education 1 / Sixth Meeting
Basic Focus Values: Excellence
Thoughts
Excellence is a process, a commitment and a challenge.
“Excellence is the gradual results of always striving to do
better.” Coach Pat Riley
Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams and an assistant coach to another. He recently won the 2006 NBA Championship with the Miami Heat. Prior to his tenure in Miami, he served as head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks. He also played for the Los Angeles Lakers' championship team in 1972, which brings his personal total to seven NBA titles. He is also known for leading LA Lakers into back to back championship (1987-1988), the first team in 20 years to repeat as champions. Pat is widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time. (Wikipedia.org)
“I do the very best I know – the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end.” US President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States of America. As a child, he has to struggle for living and for learning. His family moved to Indiana when he was eight. He described their place as a wild region, with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods. But even so, he still managed to read, write and decipher. He made extraordinary effort to attain knowledge while working on a farm, splitting rails for fences, and keeping store at New Salem, Illinois. Later he found work as village postmaster and as a surveyor. In 1834 he won election to the state legislature, and after coming across the Commentaries on the Laws of England, he taught himself law. Lincoln became one of the most respected and successful lawyers in Illinois and grew steadily more prosperous. Lincoln served four successive terms in the Illinois House of Representatives, as a representative from Sangamon County, and became a leader of the Whig party in Illinois. In 1858, he ran against Stephen A. Douglas for Senator, however he lost the election, but in debating with Douglas he gained a national reputation that won him the Republican nomination for President in 1860. He was re-elected President in 1864. (Wikipedia.org)
“Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.” John W. Gardner
John William Gardner was the former President of Carnegie Corporation, and US Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare under President Lyndon Johnson. He founded two influential national U.S. organizations, the Common Cause and Independent Sector. He also authored numerous books on improving leadership in American society and other subjects. Gardner received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964, (it is one of the two highest civilian awards in the United States and is bestowed by the US President). Gardner’s term as secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, was the height of Johnson’s Great Society domestic agenda. During this tenure, the Department undertook both the huge task of Launching Medicare, which brought quality health care for senior citizens, and oversaw a massive investment in education with the passage of federal role in education and targeted funding to poor students. Gardner also presided the creation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. (source: Wikipedia.org)
Excellence is a process, a commitment and a challenge.
Pat Riley, Abraham Lincoln and John Gardner have proven us that achieving excellence is not impossible. To be one of NBA greatest coaches of all time is a process. He sees every game like the “Game Seven of the NBA Finals”, and he takes every lost as a learning experience to improve his team’s weaknesses. Abraham Lincoln commits himself to deliver the best he knows and the best he can. This makes him one of the excellent US Presidents. For John Gardner, excellence can be achieved by doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. It’s not impossible but it’s not easy either. Gardner is able to win this challenge by finding new meaning and reasons in doing every task at hand.
To do good is innate among us. To do better, let’s explore our possibilities. Achieving excellence is a life time commitment to do the best we can.
V. Challenge yourself
1. For one week, challenge yourself to:
a. Get high score in a quiz or seatwork,
b. To recite in class at least once in any courses;
c. To submit a quality assignment or requirement
On your journal, process your experience with the aid of the following guide questions:
a. What challenge did you take?
b. Were you able to beat the challenge? How do you feel about it?
c. What have you realized/learned from your experience?
2. Assignment for next meeting
a. Read about the effects of smoking.
b. Watch the film “An Inconvenient Truth”, staring Al Gore and directed by Davis
Guggenheim.
On the journal, write your reaction to the movie:
- The most striking scene in the movie
- Your feelings and emotions while watching the movie
- Your realization after watching the movie
- The specific actions you can commit to take care of the environment
Center for Student Development
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Musings
When you start to doubt
And it seems foolish to ask
When only you are in the dark
And everybody else seems to know
what they are doing
When it is only you
And no one else seems to be around
There always is
Someone else
********************************
Itchy eyes
Stinging light
Hoarse voice
Free spirits
Stiff limbs
Intense faces
Aching feet
Steep stairs
This is me
Now
Outside
And it seems foolish to ask
When only you are in the dark
And everybody else seems to know
what they are doing
When it is only you
And no one else seems to be around
There always is
Someone else
********************************
Itchy eyes
Stinging light
Hoarse voice
Free spirits
Stiff limbs
Intense faces
Aching feet
Steep stairs
This is me
Now
Outside
5TH MEETING JOURNAL ENTRY FOR VE011
Fifth Meeting
Focus Values: Punctuality/Task Completion
Thoughts
Punctuality is being at an appointed location at the appointed time. Several nationalities are known to be punctual like the Americans and Japanese. To add among the list are the Germans. An invitation for 4 pm means EXACTLY 4 pm. Not 15 minutes earlier and not 10 minutes later. Fashionably late is not a German custom (autrata.com. Behavioral norms in Germany.htm).
In our country, perhaps you have heard the term “Filipino Time”. In the vernacular, Filipino time connotes tardiness. It is coming late for an appointment, class, or work. It is failure to submit requirements and projects on the given time. It is very common in schools, wherein students come to class late, unprepared, and with insufficient or totally no projects or requirements to present to their professors. It is also apparent in some service offices where loads file up, and transactions delay. We seem to have the attitude to procrastinate/delay things which we could already do. Just like at home, sometimes Meralco has to remind us to settle our bills through disconnection notice. Many are accustomed to last minute attitude: paying taxes and other obligations during the last day.
The culture can influence tardiness. According to Robert Levine, a social psychologist, (as cited by Surowiecki, 2004), cultures can be divided into those which live on “event time”, where events are allowed to dictate people’s schedule, and those which live on “clock time”, where people’s schedules dictate events. In a society where everyone is always late, it becomes rational to be late. And the biggest problem is, according to Franklin Jones, that there’s nobody to appreciate punctuality. Therefore, our individual practices and upbringing, shaped by our culture, influence our concept and value of time. Tardiness will always be a practice unless we change our mindset. And for us to instill the virtue of punctuality, we need to individually adapt a “clock time” culture, we have to set our priorities and schedules.
Addressing tardiness is not only a school or company issue. In fact, it became a national issue in Ecuador, wherein the country embarked on a national campaign against tardiness to combat against Ecuadorians’ notoriously cavalier attitude toward time. At high noon of October 1, 2004, the citizens of Ecuador did something they never dreamed possible: they synchronized their watches. But by taking on tardiness, Ecuador’s citizens are telling us something else: culture is what you do, not who you are.
There are several reasons we can give to excuse ourselves from coming late or not meeting deadlines: heavy traffic jam, too many work requirements to do, problems, etc. Sometimes, we even blame others for our own fault like the drivers, professors, peers and family members. Tardiness simply feeds on itself. We don’t need a national campaign to address tardiness. We just need to need to have a sheer determination to stick to our schedule and look for ways to get ahead of it.
Abstraction
The greatest single factor determining academic success is time management (Archer, 1991). In order to manage time effectively, a student must have his or her life well organized, have some clearly defined goals and priorities, and have a realistic sense of personal needs and priorities. The college environment contains many elements that make good time management difficult. The primary challenge is in effectively organizing and allocating time to a great number of academic and other activities
Two types of time scheduling are crucial for college students: semester long planning and weekly planning (Archer, 1991). For semester long planning, every student needs a calendar of each term that show when major papers, tests, and other assignments are due. Weekly planning requires a system that allows a student to accomplish specific tasks within deadlines. Two general systems seem to work best: a weekly schedule by the hour or a list system with things to do generate at the beginning of everyday.
Challenge yourself
Do in your journal.
1. Develop a doable daily and weekly schedule.
a. Daily schedule includes time for rising in the morning, self preparations including meals/merienda, school hours, time for travel going to school, length of time staying at school, doing assignments, reviewing lessons or advance academic preparations, sports/ leisure and rest/sleeping.
b. Weekly schedule includes your class schedules, appointments/meetings, academic preparation.
2. On your journal, write an essay on the theme “The Most Challenging Thing I have ever Accomplished”. It describes your own experience of completing a task, given your full effort, dedication and determination. This could be about:
a) masterpiece (a painting, a poem, a short story, a song composition, etc.)
b) learned skills (driving, cooking, sports, playing musical instruments, and acting)
c) accomplishments (reaching peak of a mountain, an invention, fixing an appliances/electronic device, finishing trainings for high school cadet officer, etc.
Values Education 1 / Center for Student Development
Focus Values: Punctuality/Task Completion
Thoughts
Punctuality is being at an appointed location at the appointed time. Several nationalities are known to be punctual like the Americans and Japanese. To add among the list are the Germans. An invitation for 4 pm means EXACTLY 4 pm. Not 15 minutes earlier and not 10 minutes later. Fashionably late is not a German custom (autrata.com. Behavioral norms in Germany.htm).
In our country, perhaps you have heard the term “Filipino Time”. In the vernacular, Filipino time connotes tardiness. It is coming late for an appointment, class, or work. It is failure to submit requirements and projects on the given time. It is very common in schools, wherein students come to class late, unprepared, and with insufficient or totally no projects or requirements to present to their professors. It is also apparent in some service offices where loads file up, and transactions delay. We seem to have the attitude to procrastinate/delay things which we could already do. Just like at home, sometimes Meralco has to remind us to settle our bills through disconnection notice. Many are accustomed to last minute attitude: paying taxes and other obligations during the last day.
The culture can influence tardiness. According to Robert Levine, a social psychologist, (as cited by Surowiecki, 2004), cultures can be divided into those which live on “event time”, where events are allowed to dictate people’s schedule, and those which live on “clock time”, where people’s schedules dictate events. In a society where everyone is always late, it becomes rational to be late. And the biggest problem is, according to Franklin Jones, that there’s nobody to appreciate punctuality. Therefore, our individual practices and upbringing, shaped by our culture, influence our concept and value of time. Tardiness will always be a practice unless we change our mindset. And for us to instill the virtue of punctuality, we need to individually adapt a “clock time” culture, we have to set our priorities and schedules.
Addressing tardiness is not only a school or company issue. In fact, it became a national issue in Ecuador, wherein the country embarked on a national campaign against tardiness to combat against Ecuadorians’ notoriously cavalier attitude toward time. At high noon of October 1, 2004, the citizens of Ecuador did something they never dreamed possible: they synchronized their watches. But by taking on tardiness, Ecuador’s citizens are telling us something else: culture is what you do, not who you are.
There are several reasons we can give to excuse ourselves from coming late or not meeting deadlines: heavy traffic jam, too many work requirements to do, problems, etc. Sometimes, we even blame others for our own fault like the drivers, professors, peers and family members. Tardiness simply feeds on itself. We don’t need a national campaign to address tardiness. We just need to need to have a sheer determination to stick to our schedule and look for ways to get ahead of it.
Abstraction
The greatest single factor determining academic success is time management (Archer, 1991). In order to manage time effectively, a student must have his or her life well organized, have some clearly defined goals and priorities, and have a realistic sense of personal needs and priorities. The college environment contains many elements that make good time management difficult. The primary challenge is in effectively organizing and allocating time to a great number of academic and other activities
Two types of time scheduling are crucial for college students: semester long planning and weekly planning (Archer, 1991). For semester long planning, every student needs a calendar of each term that show when major papers, tests, and other assignments are due. Weekly planning requires a system that allows a student to accomplish specific tasks within deadlines. Two general systems seem to work best: a weekly schedule by the hour or a list system with things to do generate at the beginning of everyday.
Challenge yourself
Do in your journal.
1. Develop a doable daily and weekly schedule.
a. Daily schedule includes time for rising in the morning, self preparations including meals/merienda, school hours, time for travel going to school, length of time staying at school, doing assignments, reviewing lessons or advance academic preparations, sports/ leisure and rest/sleeping.
b. Weekly schedule includes your class schedules, appointments/meetings, academic preparation.
2. On your journal, write an essay on the theme “The Most Challenging Thing I have ever Accomplished”. It describes your own experience of completing a task, given your full effort, dedication and determination. This could be about:
a) masterpiece (a painting, a poem, a short story, a song composition, etc.)
b) learned skills (driving, cooking, sports, playing musical instruments, and acting)
c) accomplishments (reaching peak of a mountain, an invention, fixing an appliances/electronic device, finishing trainings for high school cadet officer, etc.
Values Education 1 / Center for Student Development
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
FOR MY VE011 STUDENTS
Hello! Here is a copy of the thoughts for reflection and the guide questions for your journal... God bless!
*******************
Fourth Meeting
Self Respect / Respect for Others
Thoughts
Many generations have been taught that self-appreciation is arrogant - that somehow it is not fitting (SelfAppreciation.htm). For many of us, self-appreciation can be challenging. We have been trained to beat ourselves up, to be self-deprecating, and many of us simply haven’t been encouraged to genuinely focus on what we like and admire about ourselves (Robbins, 2006).
Self-Appreciation is about accepting yourself exactly as you are. It is about loving and honoring ourselves for all that we do, and more importantly, for all that we are. It is also about acknowledging your unique gifts. Within everyone is a highly creative, highly skilled being, just waiting to be discovered. Many of us catch glimpses of this in moments of inspiration, but then most immediately begin to compare ourselves to others, telling ourselves that their work or creation is more valuable than our own.
In the midst of our busy lives, our daily activities, our successes, and even our struggles, it is important for us to stop and truly appreciate ourselves. It must be said however, that without self appreciation, all the other things that you are striving for, will either elude you, or simply remain a struggle. Self-appreciation is the key to true success and fulfillment. The great news is that we have access to appreciating ourselves in every moment…it is simply a choice (Robbins, 2006).
To know one’s own worth and to honor the worth of others is the true way to earn respect. Respect is an acknowledgement of the inherent worth and innate rights of the individual and the collective. These must be recognized as the central focus to draw from people a commitment to a higher purpose in life.
Respect for others is based on self-respect and is summed up in the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. It is the value that makes the world a more decent and civilized place. (www.pearsall.k12.tx.us/Character Education/virtue_RESPECT.htm)
Self-respect means taking satisfaction in appropriate behavior and hard—won accomplishments. People with self-respect also respect others.
HOW TO APPRECIATE YOURSELF (Source: www.goodcharacter.com)
• Be careful about comparing yourself to other people. Sometimes that can make you feel good or even inspire you to improve in some way. But sometimes it can make you overlook what's truly good about yourself and cause you to feel bad.
• Think about times when you've done something good. Include those times when you've made a difference to somebody else by being helpful, kind, or thoughtful.
• Take part in activities that make you feel good such as hobbies, reading, sports, or spending time with good friends.
• Don’t be so afraid of failing that you're not willing to try something new. New experiences can help you grow and discover wonderful new things about yourself.
• When you do fail at something, don't put yourself down Think about what you can learn from the experience and how you can do better next time.
• Think about things you do well. Take pride in your successes.
• Remember, the most important thing about people is what we're like inside, not what we own or what we've accomplished.
HOW TO TREAT OTHERS WITH RESPECT (www.goodcharacter.com)
Treating people with respect makes your world a nicer place to live in, whether it's at home, at school, or out in your community. And it's easy - all you have to do is treat people the way you like to have them treat you. Here are a few ideas.
• Don't insult people or make fun of them.• Listen to others when they speak.• Value other people's opinions.• Be considerate of people's likes and dislikes.• Don't mock or tease people.• Don't talk about people behind their backs.• Be sensitive to other people's feelings.• Don't pressure someone to do something he or she doesn't want to do.
We live in a diverse nation made up of many different cultures, languages, races, and backgrounds. That kind of variety can make all our lives a lot more fun and interesting, but only if we get along with each other. And to do that we have to respect each other. In addition to the list above, here are some ways we can respect people who are different from us.
• Try to learn something from the other person.• Never stereotype people.• Show interest and appreciation for other people's cultures and backgrounds.• Don't go along with prejudices and racist attitudes.
Self Evaluation Do this in your journal.
1. Looking back at the list of your positive characteristics and qualities, what do you feel and realize about it?
2. The Golden Rule says “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”
a. Given the following situations, how would you like to be treated by your teachers and schoolmates:
- when you have given wrong answers to the questions during recitation,
- when you are expressing your opinion during class or group discussion;
- when you are giving suggestions during group work or presentation;
- when you commit mistake;
- when you don’t like doing what they ask you to do and
- when they want to give you their comments or suggestions?
b. Considering the given ideas on how to treat others with respect, what can you commit to yourself in terms of dealing with the MCL community: teachers, students, employees, security, maintenance/janitors and canteen personnel?
3. For the 6th meeting “Competence & excellence”, prepare a 30- second individual talent, skill or accomplishment presentation. You may show your talent in singing, dancing, playing musical instrument, etc. You may also show and tell something about your masterpiece: painting, poem, essay, drawing, and project. Certificates, medals, trophy, sports jersey and anything recognizing your excellence and accomplishment may be presented also.
Values Education1 / Center for Student Development
*******************
Fourth Meeting
Self Respect / Respect for Others
Thoughts
Many generations have been taught that self-appreciation is arrogant - that somehow it is not fitting (SelfAppreciation.htm). For many of us, self-appreciation can be challenging. We have been trained to beat ourselves up, to be self-deprecating, and many of us simply haven’t been encouraged to genuinely focus on what we like and admire about ourselves (Robbins, 2006).
Self-Appreciation is about accepting yourself exactly as you are. It is about loving and honoring ourselves for all that we do, and more importantly, for all that we are. It is also about acknowledging your unique gifts. Within everyone is a highly creative, highly skilled being, just waiting to be discovered. Many of us catch glimpses of this in moments of inspiration, but then most immediately begin to compare ourselves to others, telling ourselves that their work or creation is more valuable than our own.
In the midst of our busy lives, our daily activities, our successes, and even our struggles, it is important for us to stop and truly appreciate ourselves. It must be said however, that without self appreciation, all the other things that you are striving for, will either elude you, or simply remain a struggle. Self-appreciation is the key to true success and fulfillment. The great news is that we have access to appreciating ourselves in every moment…it is simply a choice (Robbins, 2006).
To know one’s own worth and to honor the worth of others is the true way to earn respect. Respect is an acknowledgement of the inherent worth and innate rights of the individual and the collective. These must be recognized as the central focus to draw from people a commitment to a higher purpose in life.
Respect for others is based on self-respect and is summed up in the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. It is the value that makes the world a more decent and civilized place. (www.pearsall.k12.tx.us/Character Education/virtue_RESPECT.htm)
Self-respect means taking satisfaction in appropriate behavior and hard—won accomplishments. People with self-respect also respect others.
HOW TO APPRECIATE YOURSELF (Source: www.goodcharacter.com)
• Be careful about comparing yourself to other people. Sometimes that can make you feel good or even inspire you to improve in some way. But sometimes it can make you overlook what's truly good about yourself and cause you to feel bad.
• Think about times when you've done something good. Include those times when you've made a difference to somebody else by being helpful, kind, or thoughtful.
• Take part in activities that make you feel good such as hobbies, reading, sports, or spending time with good friends.
• Don’t be so afraid of failing that you're not willing to try something new. New experiences can help you grow and discover wonderful new things about yourself.
• When you do fail at something, don't put yourself down Think about what you can learn from the experience and how you can do better next time.
• Think about things you do well. Take pride in your successes.
• Remember, the most important thing about people is what we're like inside, not what we own or what we've accomplished.
HOW TO TREAT OTHERS WITH RESPECT (www.goodcharacter.com)
Treating people with respect makes your world a nicer place to live in, whether it's at home, at school, or out in your community. And it's easy - all you have to do is treat people the way you like to have them treat you. Here are a few ideas.
• Don't insult people or make fun of them.• Listen to others when they speak.• Value other people's opinions.• Be considerate of people's likes and dislikes.• Don't mock or tease people.• Don't talk about people behind their backs.• Be sensitive to other people's feelings.• Don't pressure someone to do something he or she doesn't want to do.
We live in a diverse nation made up of many different cultures, languages, races, and backgrounds. That kind of variety can make all our lives a lot more fun and interesting, but only if we get along with each other. And to do that we have to respect each other. In addition to the list above, here are some ways we can respect people who are different from us.
• Try to learn something from the other person.• Never stereotype people.• Show interest and appreciation for other people's cultures and backgrounds.• Don't go along with prejudices and racist attitudes.
Self Evaluation Do this in your journal.
1. Looking back at the list of your positive characteristics and qualities, what do you feel and realize about it?
2. The Golden Rule says “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”
a. Given the following situations, how would you like to be treated by your teachers and schoolmates:
- when you have given wrong answers to the questions during recitation,
- when you are expressing your opinion during class or group discussion;
- when you are giving suggestions during group work or presentation;
- when you commit mistake;
- when you don’t like doing what they ask you to do and
- when they want to give you their comments or suggestions?
b. Considering the given ideas on how to treat others with respect, what can you commit to yourself in terms of dealing with the MCL community: teachers, students, employees, security, maintenance/janitors and canteen personnel?
3. For the 6th meeting “Competence & excellence”, prepare a 30- second individual talent, skill or accomplishment presentation. You may show your talent in singing, dancing, playing musical instrument, etc. You may also show and tell something about your masterpiece: painting, poem, essay, drawing, and project. Certificates, medals, trophy, sports jersey and anything recognizing your excellence and accomplishment may be presented also.
Values Education1 / Center for Student Development
Friday, July 6, 2007
FOR MY VALUES EDUCATION STUDENTS
Sorry class if I just posted this now... Anyway, here is a copy of the questions that you're supposed to answer in your journal. God bless.
Values Education 1 / Third Meeting
“1 + 1= 1” “My Personal Values” + “MCL MVV = Our Values”
Thoughts
Personal values are the desirable qualities, standards or principles which serve as persons’ driving force that influence their actions and reactions. Knowing ones values offers so many advantages. It helps us follow a clear set of rules and guidelines for our actions. It guides us in making good decisions. Through this, we can find compatible people, places, and things that support our way of living. It motivates us to be true to ourselves. Living our values is one of the most powerful tools available to help us become the person we want to be, accomplish our goals, and influence others. (best-of-time –management.com/values.htm)
Just as individuals give importance to values, so do organizations and institutions like MCL. Mission, Vision and Core Values define the organizations’ culture or way of life of its members. At the core of organizational culture are values. These values shape the quality of life and structure of an organization. The organization is successful to the degree to which all the members have shared values expressed through their goals and beliefs. There has to be an alignment between one's personal values and the values of an organization he belongs to. This will help us journey on the same boat towards a common vision. (Adapted from Hall-Tonna Values Framework and Technology)
MCL encourages every Malayans to practice the value of competence, truth/wisdom, knowledge, research, problem solving, excellence, punctuality, teamwork, quality service, integrity, accountability and sense of ownership (all for one, one for all). Make these the cornerstone of your life.
Challenge yourself
After this session, for two days in school, you are going to practice/implement/actualize your top two values. You have the options to practice one or both values in a day. On your journal, write your reflections (for day one and day two) separately using the outline below. Hope you will enjoy and learn meaningfully from this challenge.
Outline
- the date/time of experience
- the values you have practiced
- the story/experience (details: people, location, event, situations, ways the values have been practiced and the reactions of the involved people)
- your feelings during the experience
- the learning from your experience
Assignment for next meeting
Choose one and do it in your journal.
A. Write your thoughts/reflection about the Freshmen Night using the guide questions below.
1. What were the things, scenes and events you have seen during the Freshmen Night?
2. What were your feelings/emotions during the event?
3. What did you like most about the event?
4. What did you dislike during the event?
5. What have you realized/learned from this experience?
6. Any remarks for MCL administrators.
B. Write a reflection about one of your significant classroom experiences during the past few days at MCL. This could be something positive or negative. Use the outline below.
- the date/time of experience
- details of the story/experience (people, location, event/situation, reactions of the people around)
- your feelings and reactions during the experience
- your learning/realization from the experience
Center for Student Development
Values Education 1 / Third Meeting
“1 + 1= 1” “My Personal Values” + “MCL MVV = Our Values”
Thoughts
Personal values are the desirable qualities, standards or principles which serve as persons’ driving force that influence their actions and reactions. Knowing ones values offers so many advantages. It helps us follow a clear set of rules and guidelines for our actions. It guides us in making good decisions. Through this, we can find compatible people, places, and things that support our way of living. It motivates us to be true to ourselves. Living our values is one of the most powerful tools available to help us become the person we want to be, accomplish our goals, and influence others. (best-of-time –management.com/values.htm)
Just as individuals give importance to values, so do organizations and institutions like MCL. Mission, Vision and Core Values define the organizations’ culture or way of life of its members. At the core of organizational culture are values. These values shape the quality of life and structure of an organization. The organization is successful to the degree to which all the members have shared values expressed through their goals and beliefs. There has to be an alignment between one's personal values and the values of an organization he belongs to. This will help us journey on the same boat towards a common vision. (Adapted from Hall-Tonna Values Framework and Technology)
MCL encourages every Malayans to practice the value of competence, truth/wisdom, knowledge, research, problem solving, excellence, punctuality, teamwork, quality service, integrity, accountability and sense of ownership (all for one, one for all). Make these the cornerstone of your life.
Challenge yourself
After this session, for two days in school, you are going to practice/implement/actualize your top two values. You have the options to practice one or both values in a day. On your journal, write your reflections (for day one and day two) separately using the outline below. Hope you will enjoy and learn meaningfully from this challenge.
Outline
- the date/time of experience
- the values you have practiced
- the story/experience (details: people, location, event, situations, ways the values have been practiced and the reactions of the involved people)
- your feelings during the experience
- the learning from your experience
Assignment for next meeting
Choose one and do it in your journal.
A. Write your thoughts/reflection about the Freshmen Night using the guide questions below.
1. What were the things, scenes and events you have seen during the Freshmen Night?
2. What were your feelings/emotions during the event?
3. What did you like most about the event?
4. What did you dislike during the event?
5. What have you realized/learned from this experience?
6. Any remarks for MCL administrators.
B. Write a reflection about one of your significant classroom experiences during the past few days at MCL. This could be something positive or negative. Use the outline below.
- the date/time of experience
- details of the story/experience (people, location, event/situation, reactions of the people around)
- your feelings and reactions during the experience
- your learning/realization from the experience
Center for Student Development
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