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Level 1 Training
(Online)
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Contents:
Training Schedule:........................................3
Program Summary:.......................................5
Flexible Lesson Plan: ...................................9
Visual Analogies: (note pages)....................11
Learning Activities:.....................................30
Reality Ride: 31
Labels: 33
Defense Mechanisms: 35
Motivation Formula: 34
Climbing Out: 36
Jumping Hurdles: 38
Desire, Time, and Effort: 39
Lift the Weight: 40
Plugging In: 41
The Wall: 43
Surrendering the One-up in Groups:.............44
Implementation Ideas and Examples:..........48
The First Day of Class:.................................55
Warm-Up Activities:......................................58
Using Music, Video, and Media Resources:.62
Articles:
“Just Think”........................................66
“Obstacles”.........................................68
WhyTry Research:.........................................70
Product Catalog:...........................................76
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WhyTry Level 1 Training Agenda
————————————————————————————————————
Day 1:
The Wall:
Overview of visual approach
Introduction to the program:
Christian’s story (with optional elements)
What is WhyTry? (including the 3 Rs) (p. 5)
What about me?
Reality Ride:
Walkthrough of analogy
Song: Intro to music
Activity: “Birthday Cards” (p. 31)
Labels:
Activity: “Stereotypes” (p. 33)
Walkthrough of analogy
Activity: “The Can”
Break (Watch video: “Gals in Parking Lot”)
Activity: “Name Writing Activity” (p. 35)
Defense Mechanisms:
Walkthrough of analogy
Flexible lesson plan:
Introduce steps
Student journal
Break - (Watch video: “Jason McElwain”)
Motivation Formula:
Walkthrough of analogy
Story: “Obstacles are the stepping stones of success” (p. 68)
Homework:
Read “Surrendering the one-up in groups” (p. 44)
Watch “Freedom Writers Clip” (Observe how this teacher surrenders the one-up with her students.)
End of day 1
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Day 2:
Discussion of Homework - Surrendering the one-up and “Freedom Writers”
Climbing Out:
Walkthrough of analogy
Activity: “Sucked In” (p. 36)
Story: Elementary Book List “The Empty Pot”
Jumping Hurdles:
Activity: “Math Problem” (p. 38)
Walkthrough of analogy
Story: Michael Jordan
Activity: “15 Pencils”
Break (Video: Cosby CEO)
Desire, Time, and Effort:
Activity: “Stretch Higher” (p. 39)
Process “The Maze”
Lift the Weight:
Walkthrough of analogy
Activity: “Law of the Land” (p. 40)
Using music, video, and media resources
Final implementation and discussion
Action plan/support
Flexible lesson plan review
Research
Plugging In:
Walkthrough of analogy
Activity: “Connections Quiz” (p. 41)
The Wall:
Walkthrough of analogy
Activity: “Count the F’s” (p. 43)
Activity: “Mousetraps”
Closing Comments: Review the 3 Rs
End of training
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What is WhyTry?
Our Mission:
The WhyTry program was created to provide simple, hands-on
solutions for dropout prevention,
violence prevention, truancy reduction, and increased academic
success.
The idea is straightforward: Teach social and emotional
principles to youth in a way they can understand and remember.
WhyTry is based on sound empirical principles, including
solution-focused brief therapy, social and emotional intelligence,
and multi-sensory learning.
The WhyTry curriculum utilizes a series of ten visual
analogies that teach important life skills (e.g., decisions have
consequences; dealing with with peer pressure; obeying laws
and rules; plugging in to support systems).
The visual analogies are reinforced through creative use
of music, hands-on activities, and multimedia. WhyTry
curriculum engages all major learning styles (visual,
auditory, and body-kinesthetic).
WhyTry programs are generally grant-funded through local
community grants and federal funds like Title 1,Title 4, and Safe
Schools/Healthy Students Initiative. WhyTry is often used for RTI
and PBiS.
To help people achieve opportunity,
freedom, and self-respect using
education and interventions that
motivate and create positive
change. We offer hope and an
answer to the question “Why Try in
life?”
To achieve its mission, WhyTry
counts on the support of
professionals who share our
commitment to helping youth
reach their potential. The key to
the WhyTry program’s success in
changing lives is the power in the
relationship between someone who
cares and a youth who needs help.
Who uses WhyTry?
WhyTry is currently at work in
over 12,000 organizations in all
50 of the United States, as well
as Canada, the UK, and Australia.
WhyTry is used one-on-one and in
groups at K–12 schools, alternative
education programs, mental health
organizations, and correctional
facilities.
WhyTry programs are led by
thousands of professionals around
the world:
-Teachers and special ed instructors
-School counselors and
psychologists
-Social workers
-Mental health professionals
-Probation officers
-Corrections staff
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GOAL:
At Home:
-F
sy
S
Ea
P
“
Peers:
Peers
S
School
Home
H ere ?
Who Can Support Me?
In The L
’re
o
ou
Know
Y
You
id e
What Problems Do
I Keep Having
Over And Over?
“Reality”
Consequences of Crash
If You Feel:
op
Start Ride Over
ns
ptio
re O
Mo
In Future:
at Would Motiva
te
Wh
Me
To
R
ut Worth
er B
It”
rd
Ha
School:
H
What choices will
give me . . .
With Peers:
P
Home:
H
ast
At School:
My Challenges...
Opp
o
Fre rtunit
Self edom y
-res
pec
t
What will my “Reality”
be when I ride here?
Things That Get Me
In Trouble . . .
-Frustrated
-Confused
-Angry
-Scared
-You keep getting
the same results
-
Will These Things Give Me Lasting
“Hit The Wall”
Opportunity?
Freedom?
Self Respect?
“The Reality Ride” uses a picture of a
roller coaster to demonstrate that each
decision we make has a consequence. The
decisions we make today directly affect the
future.
“Tearing Off Your Label” teaches that
negative labels can hurt your future, and
positive labels can help you achieve your
goals and attain better opportunities.
Ultimately, the label you wear depends on
you: you can change your negative labels
by changing your actions and showing
others your positive traits.
Defense Mechanisms
Climbing Out
Choice
What is a Defense Mechanism?
Situation
-Disrespected
-Yelled at
-Put down
-Laughed at
-Mad at parent
-Embarassed
-Make a mistake
-Feel pressure
-You’re hit
-You lose
-Confronted
-Frustrated
-Blamed
-Get caught
-Hurt
-Angry
Four steps to control your D.M.
1. Recognize the situation.
When you are in a pressure situation, these are the signs:
You feel angry, frustrated, nervous.
What outward behaviors can you use to help control the pressure?
-______________ -______________ -______________
What is the “POT” that you are in?
Who chooses
the defense?
How do you
protect your
feelings?
How do you respond (act) when:
ve
egati v
Feeling N
When you get in trouble (or in the pot)
are you keeping others in, or yourself?
How?
Who wants to see you
climb out? Why?
Positiv
e
What are the reasons
for staying “IN” the
pot?
2. Identify the situations where you can practice Step 1.
What are the situations you need to practice this?
-______________ -______________ -______________
3. Don’t let other people choose (or control) how you
will respond.
The signs are: someone is yelling at you, you are physically
attacked, or you are put down.
What could happen when you stay in control?
4. Select a positive solution.
What would motivate you to do the “tougher” (harder) thing?
How do friends (others) affect you in both
positive ways and negative ways?
What will your future
be like if you don’t get out?
“Easy” “Hard”
This gives you
self-respect.
Why?
Explain the overall
concept
What will your future be like
when you climb out?
Why is it
difficult
for the crabs to
climb out of
the pot?
What are the tools you can
use to get out?
Defense
How do you know when you’ve selected a positive
defense mechanism?
Warning: If you try to get out you will be Attacked! Why?
“When you are helping, not hurting, yourself and others.”
© WhyTry LLC
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© WhyTry LLC
“Defense Mechanisms” teaches that
pressure situations are best handled by
maintaining control of our emotions and
selecting positive defense mechanisms
(those that don’t hurt yourself or others).
“Climbing Out” teaches that when you
put the tools from the visual metaphors
into action, and when you develop an
awareness of the positive and negative
ways that others can influence you,
you will be prepared to avoid negative
behaviors and their consequences.
6
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“Jumping Your Hurdles” teaches that while
everyone experiences setbacks, successful people “jump back up” and keep trying.
They know that there are certain steps they
can use to help them overcome their challenges and achieve success.
“Desire, Time, and Effort” teaches that
anything worthwhile in life requires desire,
time, and effort. There are no shortcuts
to achieving success. You will get much
further in life by working hard than by simply
relying on your talents or abilities.
“Lift the Weight” teaches that living by laws
and rules and developing self-discipline will
make you stronger, opening the doors of
opportunity for the future.
“Get Plugged In” teaches that getting help is
not a weakness, it is a strength! Challenges
become easier when you have a positive
support system to help you overcome them.
YOU have the power to create a support
system if you don’t have one. YOU have the
power to strengthen that support system if
yours is weak.
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“The Wall” teaches that when you have
a clear vision of your future, you have
hope for something better, and life’s
challenges become nothing but temporary
obstacles. On the other hand, when you
have a limited perspective, it is hard to
see beyond the day-to-day challenges.
Each step to the top of the wall represents
one of the principles taught in the WhyTry
Program.
“The Motivation Formula” is the foundation
of the entire WhyTry Program. It uses a
picture of a river running through dams to
show how you can take your challengs and
channel them into positive motivation: first
to better yourself, then to turn outward and
help others.
Hands-On Group Activities
For each visual metaphor in the WhyTry
Program, we have included two different
hands-on group experiential activities. These
activities can be used as attention grabbers
to introduce the visual metaphors or as
object lessons to follow up and reinforce
the principles taught in the visuals. The
experiential activities are particularly helpful in
group environments for increasing participation
and learning among those involved.
The Learning Pyramid
Studies have shown that understanding
and retention of a new concept is increased
dramatically with the addition of experiential
teaching elements including demonstration,
discussion (processing), practice by doing,
and teaching.
Average Learning
Retention Rates
Teaching Methods
Lecture 5%
Reading
Audio Visu
al
Demonstrat
ion
Discussio
n Group
Practice
Teachin
By Doing
g Othe
rs
%
10
%
20
%
30
%
50
%
75
%
90
(National Training Laboratories in Bethel, Maine.)
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The Flexible Lesson Plan:
The Key:
FLEXIBILITY
“It is important to be able to change your lesson
plan on the fly based on the way that your group is
responding.”
- Dr. Cristal Mcgill, P.h.D.
Flexible lesson Elements:
Attention Getter – Music, object lesson, surrendering the one-up activity, brief movie clip, etc.
Visual Analogy – The core of the lesson
Music – Listen to WhyTry Music - discussion
Group (Hands-on) Experiential Activities – Gets students involved in
the lesson, maintains attention and energy in the lesson.
Journal Activities – Students apply WhyTry to themselves (homework).
9
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GOAL:
At Home:
Ea
sy
P
Peers
H
School
Home
id e
H ere ?
What Problems Do
I Keep Having
Over And Over?
Who Can Support Me?
In The L
’re
o
ou
“Reality”
Consequences of Crash
If You Feel:
op
Know
Y
You
S
Start Ride Over
at Would Motiva
te
Wh
Me
To
R
ut Worth
er B
It”
rd
Ha
“
Peers:
S
School:
ns
ptio
re O
Mo
In Future:
P
Home:
What choices will
give me . . .
With Peers:
H
Fa
st
At School:
My Challenges...
Opp
o
Fre rtunit
Sel edom y
f-re
spe
ct
What will my “Reality”
be when I ride here?
Things That Get Me
In Trouble . . .
-Frustrated
-Confused
-Angry
-Scared
-You keep getting
the same results
-
Will These Things Give Me Lasting
“Hit The Wall”
Key Concept:
Notes:
Example Stories:
10
Opportunity?
Freedom?
Self Respect?
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Key Concept:
Each decision we make has a consequence.
The decisions we make today directly affect the
future.
Attention Getter/Warm Ups/Brief Movie Clip:
Notes:
Visual Walkthrough:
(Students interact and respond to specific
questions and ideas on the metaphor)
Music Activity:
Example: Freeze lyric on PPT. Write own lyrics.
How would the lyrics describe you?
What style of music would it be?
Hands-on Activity:
“Birthday Cards” (p. 31)
Journal Activity:
Draw/Reflect/Answer Questions
See and use journal as guide and prompts
Example Stories/Resources:
Draw from personal examples; stories you
personally know. These can be stories about
you, a friend or family member, a famous person, a current event in the news, etc.
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Tearing Off Your Label
Four steps to tear off your label:
Real Me”
“The
1. Identify: How is your label working for you?
- What labels do you have that are getting in the way of your opportunities?
2. Do something different:
-What behavior needs to change?
-What do you need to stop doing? (not working for you)
-What do you need to start doing? (something
. new)
-Remember: Same thing = Same results
3. Focus on your strengths:
Discuss labels
-What do you like about
yourself?
-What do others like
about you?
-What are your
accomplishments?
-What are your strengths,
goals, and dreams?
-If you had to label yourself,
what would it be?
(Must be positive)
-Project the label that you want.
4. Repeat what you are doing right.
-Remember: It takes time for others to see the change.
F a il
ure Dru g g i e
L .D .
D u mb Lazy
R e b e ll i o u s
D ropout
G ang
Mem b e r
U ng
overn a bl e
Bad
Exa m ple
Every night ask yourself:
-What did I do today to tear off the label?
-How can I do more of this tomorrow?
J u v e nil e
D e li n q u e n t
T
A tt hief Liar m
itu d e Pro b l e
Trouble Maker
A ng
ay
O t ry Runa w
h e rs:
Why is it
easy to
give up
when you
have a
label?
Are these
ever an
excuse?
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© WhyTry LLC
Key Concept:
Notes:
Example Stories:
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Key Concept:
Negative labels can hurt your future, but positive labels can help you achieve your goals and
attain better opportunities. Ultimately, the label
you wear depends on you: you can change your
labels by changing your actions and showing
others your strengths and positive traits.
Notes:
Attention Getter/Warm Ups/ Brief Movie Clip:
Visual Walkthrough:
(Students interact and respond to specific
questions and ideas on the metaphor)
Music Activity:
Example: Freeze lyric on PPT. Write own lyrics.
How would the lyrics describe you?
What style of music would it be?
Hands-on Activity:
“Stereotypes” (p. 33)
“The Can”
secondary teacher’s manual: p. 56
elementary teacher’s manual: p. 30
Journal Activity:
Draw/Reflect/Answer Questions
See and use journal as guide and prompts
Example Stories/Resources:
Draw from personal examples, stories you
personally know. These can be stories about
you, a friend or family member, a famous
person, a current event in the news, etc.
13
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Defense Mechanisms
Choice
What is a Defense Mechanism?
Situation
-Disrespected
-Yelled at
-Put down
-Laughed at
Who chooses
the defense?
How do you
protect your
feelings?
How do you respond (act) when:
-Mad at parent
-Embarassed
-Make a mistake
-Feel pressure
-You’re hit
-You lose
-Confronted
-Frustrated
-Blamed
-Get caught
-Hurt
-Angry
Four steps to control your D.M.
1. Recognize the situation.
When you are in a pressure situation, these are the signs:
You feel angry, frustrated, nervous.
What outward behaviors can you use to help control the pressure?
-______________ -______________ -______________
ve
egati v
Feeling N
Positi
ve
2. Identify the situations where you can practice Step 1.
What are the situations you need to practice this?
-______________ -______________ -______________
3. Don’t let other people choose (or control) how you
will respond.
The signs are: someone is yelling at you, you are physically
attacked, or you are put down.
What could happen when you stay in control?
4. Select a positive solution.
What would motivate you to do the “tougher” (harder) thing?
“Easy” “Hard”
This gives you
self-respect.
Why?
Defense
How do you know when you’ve selected a positive
defense mechanism?
“When you are helping, not hurting, yourself and others.”
www.Whytry.org
© WhyTry LLC
Key Concept:
Notes:
Example Stories:
14
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Defense Mechanisms
Choice
What is a Defense Mechanism?
Key Concept:
Pressure situations are best handled by maintaining control of your emotions and selecting
positive defense mechanisms (those that don’t
hurt yourself or others).
Situation
-Disrespected
-Yelled at
-Put down
-Laughed at
Who chooses
the defense?
How do you
protect your
feelings?
How do you respond (act) when:
-Mad at parent
-Embarassed
-Make a mistake
-Feel pressure
-You’re hit
-Blamed
-You lose
-Get caught
-Confronted -Hurt
-Frustrated -Angry
Four steps to control your D.M.
1. Recognize the situation.
When you are in a pressure situation, these are the signs:
You feel angry, frustrated, nervous.
What outward behaviors can you use to help control the pressure?
-______________ -______________ -______________
e
egativ
Feeling N
Positiv
e
2. Identify the situations where you can practice Step 1.
What are the situations you need to practice this?
-______________ -______________ -______________
3. Don’t let other people choose (or control) how you
will respond.
The signs are: someone is yelling at you, you are physically
attacked, or you are put down.
What could happen when you stay in control?
4. Select a positive solution.
What would motivate you to do the “tougher” (harder) thing?
“Easy” “Hard”
This gives you
self-respect.
Why?
Defense
How do you know when you’ve selected a positive
defense mechanism?
“When you are helping, not hurting, yourself and others.”
© WhyTry LLC
Notes:
Attention Getter/Warm Ups/Brief Movie Clip:
Visual Walkthrough:
(Students interact and respond to specific
questions and ideas on the metaphor)
Music Activity:
Example: Freeze lyric on PPT. Write own lyrics.
How would the lyrics describe you?
What style of music would it be?
Hands-on Activity:
“Name Writing Activity” (p. 35)
p. 66 secondary teacher’s manual
Journal Activity:
Draw/Reflect/Answer Questions
See and use journal as guide and prompts
Example Stories/Resources:
Draw from personal examples, stories you
personally know. These can be stories about
you, a friend or family member, a famous
person, a current event in the news, etc.
15
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Key Concept:
Notes:
Example Stories:
16
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Key Concept:
You can take your challenges and channel them
into positive motivation: first to better yourself,
and then to turn outward and help others.
Attention Getter/Warm Ups/Brief Movie Clip:
Notes:
Visual Walkthrough:
(Students interact and respond to specific
questions and ideas on the metaphor)
Music Activity:
Example: Freeze lyric on PPT. Write own lyrics.
How would the lyrics describe you?
What style of music would it be?
Hands-on Activity:
“Mind Over Matter” (p. 34)
p. 84 secondary teacher’s manual
p. 78 elementary teacher’s manual
Journal Activity:
Draw/Reflect/Answer Questions
See and use journal as guide and prompts
Example Stories/Resources:
Draw from personal examples, stories you
personally know. These can be stories about
you, a friend or family member, a famous
person, a current event in the news, etc.
17
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Climbing Out
What is the “POT” that you are in?
When you get in trouble (or in the pot)
are you keeping others in, or yourself?
How?
What are the reasons
for staying “IN” the
pot?
What will your future
be like if you don’t get out?
How do friends (others) affect you in both
positive ways and negative ways?
Who wants to see you
climb out? Why?
Explain the overall
concept
What will your future be like
when you climb out?
Why is it
difficult
for the crabs to
climb out of
the pot?
What are the tools you can
use to get out?
Warning: If you try to get out you will be Attacked! Why?
www.Whytry.org
© WhyTry LLC
Key Concept:
Notes:
Example Stories:
18
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Climbing Out
Key Concept:
When you put the tools from the visual metaphors into action, and when you develop an
awareness of the positive and negative ways
that others can influence you, you will be prepared to avoid negative behaviors and their
consequences.
What is the “POT” that you are in?
When you get in trouble (or in the pot)
are you keeping others in, or yourself?
How?
What are the reasons
for staying “IN” the
pot?
What will your future
be like if you don’t get out?
How do friends (others) affect you in both
positive ways and negative ways?
Who wants to see you
climb out? Why?
Explain the overall
concept
What will your future be like
when you climb out?
Why is it
difficult
for the crabs to
climb out of
the pot?
What are the tools you can
use to get out?
Warning: If you try to get out you will be Attacked! Why?
Notes:
Attention Getter/Warm Ups/Brief Movie Clip:
Visual Walkthrough:
(Students interact and respond to specific
questions and ideas on the metaphor)
Music Activity:
Example: Freeze lyric on PPT. Write own lyrics.
How would the lyrics describe you?
What style of music would it be?
Hands-on Activity:
“Sucked In” (p. 36)
Journal Activity:
Draw/Reflect/Answer Questions
See and use journal as guide and prompts
Example Stories/Resources:
Draw from personal examples, stories you
personally know. These can be stories about
you, a friend or family member, a famous
person, a current event in the news, etc.
19
© WhyTry LLC
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www.whytry.org
Tel: 866-949-8791
Key Concept:
Notes:
Example Stories:
20
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Key Concept:
Everyone experiences setbacks, but successful people “jump back up” and keep trying. They
know that there are certain steps they can use
to help them overcome their challenges and
achieve success.
Notes:
Attention getter/Warm Ups/Brief Movie Clip:
Visual Walkthrough:
(Students interact and respond to specific
questions and ideas on the metaphor)
Music Activity:
Example: Freeze lyric on PPT. Write own lyrics.
How would the lyrics describe you?
What style of music would it be?
Hands-on Activity:
“Math Problem” (p. 38)
“15 Pencils”
Journal Activity:
Draw/Reflect/Answer Questions
See and use journal as guide and prompts
Example Stories/Resources:
Draw from personal examples, stories you
personally know. These can be stories about
you, a friend or family member, a famous
person, a current event in the news, etc.
21
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Key Concept:
Notes:
Example Stories:
22
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Key Concept:
Anything worthwhile in life requires desire, time,
and effort. There are no shortcuts to achieving success. You will get much further in life
by working hard than by simply relying on your
talents or abilities.
Notes:
Attention Getter/Warm Ups/Brief Movie Clip:
Visual Walkthrough:
(Students interact and respond to specific
questions and ideas on the metaphor)
Music Activity:
Example: Freeze lyric on PPT. Write own lyrics.
How would the lyrics describe you?
What style of music would it be?
Hands-on Activity:
“Stretch Higher” (p. 37)
p. 140 secondary teacher’s manual
p. 148 elementary teacher’s manual
Journal Activity:
Draw/Reflect/Answer Questions
See and use journal as guide and prompts
Example Stories/Resources:
Draw from personal examples, stories you
personally know. These can be stories about
you, a friend or family member, a famous
person, a current event in the news, etc.
23
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Key Concept:
Notes:
Example Stories:
24
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Key Concept:
Living by laws and rules and developing self-discipline will make you stronger, opening the doors of
opportunity for the future.
Attention Getter/Warm Ups/Brief Movie Clip:
Notes:
Visual Walkthrough:
(Students interact and respond to specific
questions and ideas on the metaphor)
Music Activity:
Example: Freeze lyric on PPT. Write own lyrics.
How would the lyrics describe you?
What style of music would it be?
Hands-on Activity:
“Law of the Land” (p. 40)
Journal Activity:
Draw/Reflect/Answer Questions
See and use journal as guide and prompts
Example Stories/Resources:
Draw from personal examples, stories you
personally know. These can be stories about
you, a friend or family member, a famous
person, a current event in the news, etc.
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Get Plugged In
Parent/Guardian
-How much time are you spending with a parent or guardian? (if you’re not spending at least 30
minutes a day then create and demand more time!)
-What is one “conflict,” “argument,” or “power struggle” that you can give up today that won’t
hurt you but will help lower your parents’ anxiety about you?
Positive Friend
-Remember - You know you have a “real” friend when you are hanging out and they are doing
things that help (not hurt) themselves or you.
-What could you do to help a friend overcome peer pressure and deal with challenges at home
and at school?
Teacher/Counselor/School Official
-Make sure that someone at school knows the real you and what you can become
with their help. Ask how they will help you reach your dreams and potential.
-Let them know what you are willing to do and work together with them. (Identify
three things you’re willing to do.)
Positive Mentor
-Who can you identify that has accomplished goals and dreams similar to those that you
want to accomplish?
-What are three things (qualities) about them that you respect and admire, that you would
like to develop also?
-Take a risk - If possible, ask them how they can help you achieve the same thing.
Something that inspires or motivates you to do good
-What motivates you to not hurt yourself and others?
-What do you do with your time that’s “fun,” gives you self-respect, and doesn’t get you
into trouble? (How can you do more of this?)
Key Concept:
Notes:
Example Stories:
26
These 5
connections
will help turn on the
“light”
to see your future
more clearly
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Key Concept:
Getting help is not a weakness, it is a strength!
Challenges become easier when you have a positive support system to help you overcome them.
YOU have the power to create a support system
if you don’t have one. YOU have the power to
strengthen a support system if yours is weak.
Get Plugged In
Parent/Guardian
-How much time are you spending with a parent or guardian? (if you’re not spending at least 30
minutes a day then create and demand more time!)
-What is one “conflict,” “argument,” or “power struggle” that you can give up today that won’t
hurt you but will help lower your parents’ anxiety about you?
Positive Friend
-Remember - You know you have a “real” friend when you are hanging out and they are doing
things that help (not hurt) themselves or you.
-What could you do to help a friend overcome peer pressure and deal with challenges at home
and at school?
Teacher/Counselor/School Official
-Make sure that someone at school knows the real you and what you can become
with their help. Ask how they will help you reach your dreams and potential.
-Let them know what you are willing to do and work together with them. (Identify
three things you’re willing to do.)
Positive Mentor
-Who can you identify that has accomplished goals and dreams similar to those that you
want to accomplish?
-What are three things (qualities) about them that you respect and admire, that you would
like to develop also?
-Take a risk - If possible, ask them how they can help you achieve the same thing.
Something that inspires or motivates you to do good
-What motivates you to not hurt yourself and others?
-What do you do with your time that’s “fun,” gives you self-respect, and doesn’t get you
into trouble? (How can you do more of this?)
Notes:
Attention Getter/Warm Ups/Brief Movie Clip:
Visual Walkthrough:
(Students interact and respond to specific
questions and ideas on the metaphor)
Music Activity:
Example: Freeze lyric on PPT. Write own lyrics.
How would the lyrics describe you?
What style of music would it be?
Hands-on Activity:
“Connections Quiz” (p. 41)
Journal Activity:
Draw/Reflect/Answer Questions
See and use journal as guide and prompts
Example Stories/Resources:
Draw from personal examples, stories you
personally know. These can be stories about
you, a friend or family member, a famous
person, a current event in the news, etc.
27
These 5
connections
will help turn on the
“light”
to see your future
more clearly
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Key Concept:
Notes:
Example Stories:
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Key Concept:
When you have a clear vision of your future, you
have hope for something better, and life’s challenges become nothing but temporary obstacles.
When you have a limited perspective, it is hard
to see beyond the day-to-day challenges, and
impossible to dream of a brighter future.
Notes:
Attention Getter/Warm Ups/Brief Movie Clip:
Visual Walkthrough:
(Students interact and respond to specific
questions and ideas on the metaphor)
Music Activity:
Example: Freeze lyric on PPT. Write own lyrics.
How would the lyrics describe you?
What style of music would it be?
Hands-on Activity:
“Count the Fs” (p. 40)
p. 190 secondary teacher’s manual
p. 212 elementary teacher’s manual
“Mousetraps”
Journal Activity:
Draw/Reflect/Answer Questions
See and use journal as guide and prompts
Example Stories/Resources:
Draw from personal examples, stories you
personally know. These can be stories about
you, a friend or family member, a famous
person, a current event in the news, etc.
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Activities
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Reality Ride
Activity: “Birthday Cards”
Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup: little or no space required
Activity Type: Object lesson
Grades: 4-12
Group size: 5 or more
Time: 5-10 minutes
Introduction: This activity will help youth recognize the difference between the easy-fast track and the
harder but worth it track. They will see that the easy-fast track is only out to deceive them, while the
harder track will lead to opportunities, freedom, and self-respect.
Materials:
• 5 birthday cards (These can be found at www.whytry.org/activities.)
Activity:
Print out the five birthday cards provided online with the following specific numbers in this sequential
order:
Card “A”
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
19
21
23
25
27
29
31
Card “B”
2
3
6
7
10
11
14
15
18
19
22
23
26
27
30
31
Card “C”
Card “D”
Card “E”
4
5
6
7
12
13
14
15
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
20
21
22
23
28
29
30
31
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Tell the group or class that you have a special gift or ability to predict birthdays. Randomly select someone to predict their birthday. You can do this by asking if anyone has a birthday in a given month. If more
than one person has a birthday in that month, have them pick a number between 1 and 10. The student
closest to the number is the winner and you will guess their birthday. Either turn your back to the group
or step out of the room, then have that person tell their birthday or write it on the board. Now announce
that you will come up with the actual birthday. Start by showing the numbers on card “A” and ask if their
date is on that card. If it isn’t, go on to the next card. If it is, remember the number in the upper left hand
corner of that card and go onto the next card. Every time they say their birthday is on the card shown,
add the number in the upper left hand corner to all the other numbers in the same location on the cards
they’ve said “yes” to. If they answer “no” to any card, you do nothing. For example, if the person’s birthday was November 19th, you would add 1 because 19 is on card A. 19 is also on card B, with two being
the first number, so you would add 2 to 1 for a running total of 3 so far. 19 is not on card C or D, so you
would add nothing and still have a total of three. Card E does have a 19 on it, so you would add the first
number, which is 16, to 3. The students will be amazed with your special gift to predict birthdays. If you
have time, you can predict one or two other birthdays.
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Processing the Experience:
• Ask the group or class, ‘Do you really think I have the ability to predict birthdays?’
• After their response, tell them that you really don’t have the power to predict birthdays; that
you were in a sense trying to deceive or trick them into believing that you did.
• In what ways can we be deceived on the fast-easy track?
• What does life look like for a person that never makes it off the fast-easy track?
• Why is the other track called the “Harder But Worth It“ track?
• Where does the “Harder But Worth It“ track lead to?
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Tearing off Labels
Activity: “Stereotypes”
Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup: Little or no space required
Activity Type: Movement/group
Grades: 6-12
Group size: 4 or more
Time: 5 minutes
Introduction: This simple warm-up activity will demonstrate to students the ways in which we use
labels.
Materials:
• 1 pen or pencil per team
• 1 piece of paper per team
• Whiteboard
• Markers
• 1 clock or timer
• Prize or treat for the winning team (optional)
Activity:
Divide the group into teams of four to eight people. Tell the teams that the object of the activity
is to write down as many of the school’s stereotypes (or labels) as the teams can think of in three
minutes. Have each team pick a scribe to write the team’s list. To start the group off, you may give
them hints like, “What do we usually call groups of people who dress in black?” or “What do we
usually call groups of people who play sports?”
After three minutes is up, find out which team has the longest list and write this list on the board.
See if the other teams thought of stereotypes that the winning team didn’t, and add these to the list
as well.
You may give a prize to the team that had the longest list.
Processing the Experience:
• Would you define any of these labels as negative? Why?
• Do you feel any of these labels are unfair or inaccurate? Why or why not?
• Why do we label people?
• In what ways are labels important?
• Have you ever given somebody a label based on a first impression and later changed it?
• How can labeling be hurtful to others?
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Motivation Formula
Activity: “Mind Over Matter”
Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup: little or no space required
Activity Type: Group
Grades: K-12
Group size: 2 or more
Time: 5 minutes
Introduction: A lot of our success in achieving goals depends on our ability to put “mind over
matter.” We have more power in our minds than we ever use. There is a term called self-fulfilling
prophecy, which means that what we think is what will take place. This is similar to the benefits of
“positive self-talk” and “believing in change.” This activity is designed to help students realize the
power of the mind in accomplishing goals, and the effect the mind can have on our actions and
abilities.
Materials:
• 1 Lifesaver candy per student
• 1 15-inch piece of string per student
Activity:
Give each student a 15-inch piece of string with a Lifesaver tied to one end. Have each student
hold their string up in front of their face so that the Lifesaver hangs about six inches from their
eyes. Their arms, elbows, and hands must not be touching anything, such as a desk or a chair.
Now have them stop the Lifesaver from swinging by using their other hand to stop its motion.
Tell them that they are going to make the Lifesaver start to swing by just using their mind power.
Have them focus carefully on the Lifesaver and think, “left, right,” while imagining it moving from
left to right. While they are doing this, you will be saying slowly, “Left, right, left, right.” Repeat this
phrase over and over until the Lifesavers start to swing back and forth. Most of the students will
have their Lifesavers moving left and right. This is because the mind sends signals to the hand to
move the Lifesaver in the same direction as the command you are giving. The success depends
on the fine motor development of the students as well as how hard they are concentrating.
If you really want to amaze them, change the commands from “left to right” to “front, back” or
“around and around” and have them focus on the same movement. For advanced students, you
can start the Lifesavers moving in a circle and then change the direction and make the Lifesaver
move in a circle in the opposite way.
Processing the Experience:
• How many of you were able to make the Lifesaver follow my commands?
• How powerful is our mind (positive self-talk)?
• How do our actions influence what we think and say to ourselves?
• In what kinds of activities do your thoughts or self-talk impact your behavior?
• How can our thoughts and self-talk impact our goals?
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Defense Mechanisms
Activity: “Name Writing Activity”
Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup: little or no space required
Activity Type: Group
Grades: 2-12
Group size: 2 or more
Time: 5 minutes
Introduction: In order to improve and make positive changes, we need to get out of our comfort
zone. This attention-grabbing activity shows students that this is possible with time and
practice.
Materials:
• 1-2 pieces of paper per participant
• 1 pen or pencil per participant
• Background music
Activity:
Play the background music. Ask the group members to write their full name on the paper as
many times as they can in 30 seconds. After the time is up, have the participants count the total
number of times they were able to write their name. Repeat this activity two more times. Ask if
they improved after the third time. Now, have the group members change hands and repeat
the activity for 30 more seconds. Ask the first two processing questions. Ask, “Do you think you
can write your name with your eyes closed?” Have them try. This will come easy for them with
their dominant hand. Ask them to do the same thing with their non-dominant hand. Ask the
remaining processing questions.
Processing the Experience:
• Why was it easier to do this activity with the hand that you normally write with?
• Why was it harder when you changed hands?
• Why is change hard? (Discuss muscle memory. We are used to doing what comes naturally.)
• What do we usually do in pressure situations when someone yells, hits, or blames us?
• Why is it hard to do something different?
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Climbing Out
Activity: “Sucked In”
Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup; little or no space required
Activity Type: Object lesson
Grades: K-12
Group Size: 1 or more
Time: 5-10 minutes
Introduction: This activity demonstrates how peer pressure can lead us to get “sucked in” to choices
we wouldn’t make otherwise.
Materials:
• 1 clean, medium to large bottle – labels removed – with an opening slightly larger than a hardboiled egg (sports drink bottles like Vitamin Water with a larger opening or a glass fruit juice bottle
like J.R. Knudsen work best)
• 1-2 peeled, moist, smooth-surfaced hard-boiled eggs (For instructions on making a hard-boiled
egg that peels well, see the instructional video for this activity.)
• Matches or a lighter
• 1 teaspoon of isopropyl alcohol, dropped into the bottle prior to the activity OR 1 piece of notebook paper
Activity:
After putting the alcohol into the bottle, place the hard-boiled egg and the bottle or jar on a table in
front of the class. You might have a few volunteers come up and try to force the egg into the bottle.
(Have an extra egg handy if you do this.) Demonstrate that the egg can’t be forced into the bottle, just
like we can’t be forced to make bad choices.
Option 1: Alcohol (works best with a glass bottle)
Light the match and drop it into the bottle. Immediately place the egg on the lip of the bottle and watch
the egg drop in. Be sure that the narrow end of the egg is pointed into the jar.
Option 2: Notebook paper (works best with a plastic bottle)
Roll up the notebook paper and light it with the match or lighter, then insert it into the mouth of the
bottle. Immediately place the egg on the lip of the bottle and watch the egg drop in. Be sure that the
narrow end of the egg is pointed into the jar.
The eggs should be sucked into the bottle without suffering damage.
Don’t be alarmed if there is very little flame. Not much is needed to complete the demonstration.
Explain the science behind the activity. The flame consumed the air inside the bottle, creating a vacuum. The air pressure pushes down on the outside of the egg then forces it into the bottle.
Processing the Experience:
• Why do you think the egg went into the bottle when the flame was used?
• How is this activity like peer pressure? What is an example of a situation where it is difficult to say
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no? (Explain that the flame was like peer pressure and sucked the egg into the bottle, just like we
sometimes get sucked in to making bad choices we would otherwise resist.
• The egg was in the wrong place at the wrong time – i.e. at the neck of the bottle when a flame
was burning.)
• Are we more susceptible to peer pressure by being in the wrong place at the wrong time? How?
• Is it harder to say no the longer you are in a situation? Why?
• What can you do to help yourself resist the pressure to do something that might be harmful to
you?
• How do you get out of negative peer pressure?
Note: As a bonus, you can ask students how they think they could get the egg out of the bottle in one
piece. The solution: tip the bottle upside down with the egg in the neck of the bottle and blow into the
mouth. The egg will then drop out into your hand.
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Jumping Hurdles
Activity - “Math Problem”
Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup: little or no space required
Activity Type: Group
Grades: 4-12
Group size: 2 or more
Time: 5 minutes
Introduction: Overcoming our hurdles becomes easier when we take them one step at a time.
This activity will help students see that when we follow the necessary steps, we can find
solutions to our problems.
Materials:
• None
Activity:
Ask the group members to complete the following problem:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Pick a number between 1 and 10. Do not share the number with anyone.
Double the number.
Add 10.
Divide by 2.
Subtract the number you started with.
Add 11.
Tell the group that the result is the age you get your driver’s license. If the license age in your
area is below or above 16, do the following: On the last step (“Add 11”) change the number (11)
so that whatever number added to 5 will give them the age they get their driver’s license. If
their license age is 14, add 9. If the age is 18, add 13, etc.
Processing the Experience:
• For those of you that did the math right, why did you get the answer of 16?
• What happened to the rest of you?
• Who was in control of that activity, you or me? (I may have set up the parameters, but if you
followed the instructions, you will always get the same results.)
• Who is in control of your own life?
• What are the steps that successful people follow to overcome challenges or hurdles in their
lives? (At this point, you may share an experience wherein you or another well-known figure
overcame a difficult challenge/hurdle in life.)
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Desire, Time, & Effort
Activity: “Stretch Higher”
Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup: little or no space required
Activity Type: Movement/group
Grades: K-12
Group Size: 2 or more
Time: 5 minutes
Introduction: This activity teaches students that our worthwhile goals in life often require desire, time, and effort.
Materials:
• None
Activity:
Have the members of the group stand up. Ask them to stretch their arms into the air as high as
they can. When they have done this, tell them that they can put their hands back down to their
sides. Once again, ask them to put their hands into the air and try to stretch higher than they
did the time before. Generally, the students will stretch higher the second time.
Processing the Experience:
• How many of you stretched higher the second time?
• Why did you stretch higher the second time when I asked you to stretch as high as you as
you could the first time?
• Do you have goals, responsibilities, or dreams in life that you feel are difficult to accomplish? Do you think they are possible if you “stretch higher” through desire, time, and
effort? Why or why not?
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Lift the Weight
Activity: “Law of the Land”
Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup: little or no space required
Activity Type: Movement/group
Grades: 2-12
Group size: 6 or more
Time: 10-15 minutes
Introduction: This activity is designed to help students learn about some of the laws and rules in our
society, and think about some of the reasons behind the laws.
Materials:
• “Law of the Land” PowerPoint game (This can be found online at www.whytry.org.)
• Blackboard or chart paper for scoring
• Writing utensil
Activity:
Download the PowerPoint for this game from the website, which includes several road signs and several laws (both applicable and quirky). Divide the group into teams and allow them to take turns. On
their turn, one person from the team will choose either a “sign” clue or a “law” clue. They will then try
to determine which multiple choice response matches the law or sign. (Note that in the PowerPoint,
clicking on an incorrect response will automatically bring you back to the main menu, while a correct
response will bring you to a new window.) If the response is correct, the team receives a point. For an
extra point, they can explain why they think that law or sign would be important (or for the quirky laws,
why someone may have thought that law was necessary). If you prefer, you can come up with your
own slides or write laws and place pictures on cardstock paper instead. Give each team several turns
and keep track of scores at the front. Play until you are out of time or out of slides.
Processing the Experience:
• Which laws or signs were most familiar?
• Which laws and signs were least familiar?
• Do you think some laws are more important than others?
• Which laws do you think are most important? Why?
• Which laws do you think are least important?
• What might happen if we got rid of some of the laws?
• How do laws change?
• What laws benefit you most?
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Get Plugged In
Activity: “Connections Quiz”
Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup: little or no space required
Activity Type: Group
Grades: 5-12
Group size: 2 or more
Time: 15 minutes
Introduction: This activity will show students that celebrities and other famous figures are forgettable: they will come and go from the spotlight. The people who have the greatest impact in our lives
are those who stick by us, care about us, and help us believe in ourselves.
Materials:
• 1 piece of paper per person
• 1 pen/pencil per person
Activity:
Tell the students you are going to give them a quiz, and ask them to number their papers from one
to six. Ask them the following questions:
1. Name the three wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last three Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last three winners of the Miss America contest.
4. Name three people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last three Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last five World Series winners.
Ask the participants how they did on the quiz. Ask them to number their papers from one to six
again. Now ask them the following questions:
1. List three teachers, counselors, or school officials who have helped you in school.
2. Name three true friends who you can count on.
3. Name three people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Name three people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Who are three people you enjoy spending time with?
6. List three people who really care about you.
You will notice that the people in the first set of questions have fame and fortune and are generally
well-known, yet they eventually fade from the limelight. The people we remember are those from
the second set of questions. These people have a lasting impact on our lives.
Processing the Experience:
• Was it easier to answer the first set of questions or the last set of questions? Why?
• Who has a more lasting impact on our lives: the people who would be in the first set of questions or the last set of questions? Why?
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• Which of the people from the second set of questions has had the biggest impact on your life?
Why?
• How can we find more people like those in the last three questions to help us in life?
• How can we be this type of person for others?
• How can plugging in help us achieve our goals?
*Taken from “People Who Make A Difference,” by Charles Schultz, the creator of the Peanuts comic strip.
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Seeing over the Wall
Activity: “Count the Fs”
Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup: little or no space required
Activity Type: Group
Grades: 2-12
Group size: 2 or more
Time: 5 minutes
Introduction: When facing life’s challenges, sometimes we need to take a second look to see things
in perspective. This activity shows that by closely examining our situation, we can often reframe our
view of the world.
Materials:
• Copies of a paper with a paragraph of text in which the letter “F” appears multiple times – one
per person (Example can be found at www.whytry.org/activities.)
• Whiteboard and markers
Activity:
Hand each student a copy of the paragraph and instruct the group to keep the papers face down until
you say “Go.” When you say “Go,” they have 15 seconds to turn their papers over and count the
number of times the letter “F” appears in the paragraph. When 15 seconds are up, the students must
turn their papers face down once again. Have the students close their eyes. Tell the students, “Raise
your hand if you counted one ‘F.’” When these students have raised their hands, have them put their
hand down, then ask, “How many of you counted two?” Continue until you reach the largest number.
Write these results on the board. Note: There are eight “Fs” in the paragraph found online.
Processing the Experience:
• Everybody was given the same paragraph. Why were there so many different responses when
you were asked how many “Fs” you counted?
• Why did some of you not see all of the “Fs”?
• Not seeing all the “Fs” is like having a limited view. Does seeing the “big picture” help? Why?
• How does our perspective affect our ability to solve problems?
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Ideas For
Surrendering The “One-up” In Groups
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I know your name – Greet each student as they enter or leave your class by name. Shake their hand or give them a
“high-five.”
We feel that this is a great way to make each student feel important when they are called and recognized by
name. It really sends a message that they are important to you and that you care about them.
They are all A and B students – Make a comment like, “All I see in this class are A and B students,” and then treat
them accordingly until they prove otherwise.
This is kind of like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Often when we give them expectations and treat them accordingly
they rise to the occasion. Sometimes students are labeled negatively so often that they feel like they are
already failing before the semester begins. It can be refreshing to a student to be labeled in a positive way.
Show and tell – Share personal stories and information about yourself so that students can get to know and feel that
you are approachable.
When you share information about yourself you are inviting them into your world. This often makes it easier for
them to let you into their world.
Have I got something for you – Give them a personal token or gift. It can be positive quote or object that serves as a
reminder of some idea that you have been teaching them.
This can be a very simple way to give them a symbolic reminder that you value and care about them. It can also
be a great way to reinforce something that you have taught them or would like to emphasize.
Random act of service – perform a random act of service or appreciation for a student with an encouraging note to pay
it forward.
This can be an excellent way to change a student’s negative attitude towards the class and can help create a
more caring and nurturing environment. One of the greatest ways to increase self-esteem is to serve or express
appreciation to another person. This is true whether they are the recipient or the giver of the service.
You are the teacher and I am the student – Give assignments or projects where the student can be the expert or
teacher. Give them the opportunity to instruct you and the other students in the class.
This is a great way to help students leave their comfort zone, improve social skills, build leadership skills, and
self-confidence. Teaching something can be one of the best ways to learn and retain difficult concepts and
information.
You give the grade – Allow students the opportunity on an assignment to grade themselves. You may want to tell them
what criteria you would use for grading them, but ultimately let them decide.
This sends a message to students that you trust and value their judgment. We have found that when we do this,
often students will be more fair in their judgment than if you were grading them yourself.
You make the call – Give students several options on a project or assignment and allow them to choose which one
they would like to do.
Students are so used to being told what to do. When you give them the freedom to choose their assignment,
this often empowers and motivates them to put forth a greater effort.
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Come together – Create a class competition against another class. Instead of competing against each other, this allows
the students to work together with a common goal. Create a reward for the winning class.
This can be a great way to get students to work together, support each other, and create class unity. There seems
to be more energy and focus when there is a shared purpose among the group of students. Even a very simple
reward in this case can serve as a great motivator.
Share your passion – Share one of your hobbies, interests or passions and invite the students to do the same.
Students become enthusiastic about class when they have the opportunity to share what they love and spend
their time doing. It helps them to associate the passion that they feel for those things with the feelings of being
in class. It can also be a very great way for class members and the instructor to get to know one another better.
When you know what is really important to a student then you are on your way to establishing a good relationship.
This is a hallmark moment – Give a positive personal note at some time during the semester to each student. It could be
mailed home or given to them personally.
This is one of the best ways to send a sincere message outside of class that you care for a student and believe in
them. Remember, “A student doesn’t really care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
Getting to know you – For about three or four minutes at the start of class, spotlight a member of the class.
You may want to have them fill out a questionnaire to gather information. Have a class member read about that
individual and then have the class try and guess who it is. This is just another great way for students to feel
comfortable in the classroom environment and like they are a part of the group.
My class is your class – Create a student-friendly environment. Make your class environment convey the feeling that you
are interested in them and care about them.
Research suggests that if you create a warm and caring environment that attendance and student performance
will increase. Ideas for this could be:
•
•
•
•
Create a photo board with pictures taken of the class throughout the term.
Have games and puzzles for kids to experiment with while waiting for class to start.
Add some color or pictures to your room.
Create a suggestion box for ways to make the classroom better.
Ask them – Ask students questions that allow them to express their opinions and ideas. Ask them what they like best
about school. Ask them about their favorite teachers in the past and why they liked them.
This gives you an opportunity to see ways that you can improve as their teacher. When people are given the
chance to express their opinions it shows that you value their ideas and what they have to say.
Our class against the world – Let’s prove them wrong. Discuss what others think are limits to what the class can achieve
and set a goal to prove them wrong.
(i.e. The principal says that we’ve never had this class get all “Bs” or higher, or that we’ve never had a class get
100% attendance, etc.) Encourage the class to work together to prove them wrong and then have a celebration
when they do.
You’re my leader – Allow students the opportunity to lead in different situations during the class.
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When you give someone a responsibility they will usually rise to the occasion. Often at risk youth are used to being
put down. This can be an effective way to build up an individual and put them in a positive light in front of other
students. It also gives you an opportunity to show confidence and trust in them as their teacher.
Celebrate success – Take opportunities to draw special attention to successes that students have, whether it be in school
or out of school. Bring treats, a cake, have a party, let them listen to music, or have some other reward from you that shows
recognition of their success.
This can be a key to keeping students and groups motivated and focused on a common goal. We have seen youth
put forth an incredible effort for even a simple reward (such as a piece of candy). It can also add to the fun and
enjoyment that students feel about class, which enhances learning and improves attendance.
Dress it up – As the instructor or teacher, at some point or for a special lesson, dress up for the class.
Wear a tuxedo, a costume, a suit, a dress, or some formal or different attire that shows that this class is important
and worth the extra effort on your part. This can also be a great way to add variety to a lesson and help to keep the
students’ attention.
You’ve got the blues – Tell the class that you realize that life can be challenging at home, school, or with peers. Because
of that, you will give them three (or less) blue cards that they can cash in at any time for dropping an assignment or a quiz,
getting extended time on a test or larger assignment, etc.
This is a great way to show that you have empathy for the challenges that they have. It lets them know that you
understand them and care about their personal lives. It allows you to put their interests first.
Service project/Give something back - Have the class come together for a service project of some kind. The project
should be focused on supporting and building-up the community. (i.e. gather clothes for the homeless, gather food for a
food drive, participate in a blood drive, plant trees, pick up litter, etc.) As the instructor or teacher, take this opportunity to
work closely alongside the students.
When students learn to turn outward in service, we often see several positive benefits, including less depression,
increased gratitude, self-esteem, and motivation. In working with them in a service activity, you are in a sense
teaching them to surrender the one-up relationship with others.
True or false – Share two true stories about yourself and one false one and have the class try and guess which one is
false. Allow the class to get to know you a little better.
This is a very simple way to allow the class to know that you are human and approachable. It can be a fun way to
make a game of your own story and background.
You’re the boss . . . I work for you – Tell the students that this school was built for them. That makes them the boss.
It’s ironic that you are always grading them when they are the real boss here. Give students the criteria for getting
an “A” grade in your class. Later ask students to give you the criteria for an “A” grade as their teacher. Ask them to
grade your work so far and at different times during the semester.
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Implementation Ideas
and Examples
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Implementation Ideas:
The WhyTry program allows for great flexibility in implementation. The size, duration, and organization of
WhyTry groups can all be adjusted to accommodate varying institutional and individual needs. The following are examples of common implementation strategies used by professionals in their schools or other
institutional settings.
1. Add WhyTry to an existing course for one period per week for one semester.
This is probably the most common WyTry implementation idea. WhyTry is added to an existing course, such as health, study skills or English, for one class per week. The regular course teacher handles non-WhyTry classes. This usually allows for 12-18 contact hours of WhyTry instruction.
2. Create a new semester-long WhyTry course.
Create a full course dedicated to WhyTry provides plenty of time for discussion and activities. It could meet 2-5 periods per week. The “WhyTry Student Game Plan Journal” or a book like, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens,” could be used as textbooks. This allows plenty of time for activities.
3. Advisory periods
These are regular sessions where selected students are pulled out of classes to meet with a
counselor, social worker or teacher. WhyTry provides consistent curriculum for these mandatory
sessions.
4. Elementary classrooms or secondary homeroom
Every student gets 15-20 minutes of social and emotional skills every day using WhyTry. One day
is a simple activity, another day is listening to a song, another day is a discussion. Each metaphor
can be used as the theme for a month.
5. Self-contained classrooms
These special behavioral classrooms offer maximum flexibility for integrating into WhyTry social and emotional skills into academics. WhyTry also provides a foundation for classroom manage-
ment.
6. After-school programs
Many schools and community centers have built after-school programs around WhyTry. It
provides a structure with activities, media and valuable skills that engage youth and give them an
alternative to destructive behaviors.
7. Transition programs
The transitions from school to work, foster-care to independence, and incarceration to freedom
are the most difficult and dangerous points in a young person’s life. WhyTry is used to provide
crucial skills to help youth make the transition successfully.
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An Implementation Example
Introduction
Over the past year and a half, we have seen several great examples of how the WhyTry Program is being
used in schools, running groups, and in individual counseling, with teenagers, children and adults. We
recognize that the program can be applied in many ways, and we would like share some examples with you.
We have worked closely with the Alpine School District and specifically two of the counselors at Pleasant
Grove High School, Bruce Bushnell and Kevin Card, as they have helped to create and run pilot programs
using WhyTry as the curriculum for a class. They have also been running groups outside of their work at
Pleasant Grove HS (In partnership with Alpine School District and Utah County Division of Human Services)
using WhyTry to help individuals struggling with drug and alcohol abuse. The following is information on
how they have set up and run their classes. We feel that they have incorporated some great ideas and their
results are evidence of that.
Who takes the class?
At-Risk Students
The initial approach was to identify students in their freshman year that were most at risk of dropping
out of school (students who show a pattern of failing all or most of their classes and are almost
entirely disengaged with school). They were contacted over the summer or at the beginning of the
year and invited to come and attend the WhyTry Class (over 95% of the students contacted agreed to
attend the class).
The parents of each student that accepted theinvitation were contacted and made aware of the class.
Parent response was extremely positive, and they all expressed gratitude to see that the school was
taking such an active interest in helping their son or daughter.
Student/Peer Mentors
After teaching the class for a semester with only students that were at risk of failure, they decided
to invite other students to attend the class. Students that had shown interest in counseling (SEOP –
goals in becoming counselors, psychologists, social workers, etc.) were invited to attend the class.
The ratio was about two to three student mentors to about 12 to 14 at-risk students. The student
“helpers” were interviewed and invited to take the class. Once the class began, they were never
referred to as helpers, but simply became regular members of the class.
When the class was comprised of all at-risk youth they would feed off each other’s negativity.
Introducing the student mentors made a huge difference in the attitude and the group behavior. The
at-risk students fed off the positive examples of the “helpers.”
What is the curriculum for the class?
The curriculum they have used for the class is a combination of an approved study skills curriculum
that they were already teaching in their school district and The WhyTry Program. They also
incorporated other outside materials such as the book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective
Teenagers” by Sean Covey, which they used as a textbook for the class.
This was seen as a very powerful combination to teach the youth how to improve their learning and
study skills with the study skills curriculum, as well as to motivate them to put real effort into life with
the WhyTry program curriculum.
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Who Teaches the Class?
The study skills portion of the class is taught by an English teacher that previously taught the class before
they introduced the WhyTry materials. The WhyTry material is primarily taught by one or two school
counselors.
How is the Class Structured?
The class is structured so that they alternate the curriculums every other class period, teaching study skills
one class period then teaching WhyTry materials the next (see sample schedule).
Study Skills Curriculum
The study skills curriculum can be taught in any way that you might already have as an approved
curriculum. We do recommend that you try and have the study skills teacher coordinate with the
counselor and try to incorporate and reinforce the WhyTry principle that is currently being taught into
their lessons. We also suggest that you teach the text (“7 habits” – see below) during the study skills
portion of the class, and that the student presentations on the text be done during the study skills
periods.
Class Text - “7 habits of highly effective teens” (Sean Covey)
All students are required to read the book – One or two kids are assigned to present on each
chapter. (They are to become experts on the subject covered in that chapter.)
WhyTry Materials
We suggest that you teach the “Reality Ride” chapter first as an introduction to the program and then
the “Motivation Formula.” After that, you can follow the order of the program, teaching each analogy.
On days where they teach the WhyTry materials, they would usually start by introducing the visual
analogy. Then they would play music and present one of the experiential activities. (Note - This was
originally taught in a school that follows an “A/B” block schedule with four periods a day – rotated
every other day – in 90-minute periods. If you are teaching one-hour class periods, we suggest that
you split the lesson into two periods, with the visual analogy and music in the first and then repeat
the music and complete the experiential activity in the next “WhyTry” class period.)
They would also mix other activities into their WhyTry teaching periods, such as “Passion, Purpose,
or Interest” presentations done by students (see Motivation Theory below) as well as conducting
one-on-one interviews, setting goals, and planning for a service project with the youth.
Creating relationships with students that motivate and build trust –
(Note: We cannot place enough emphasis on this point. The relationship that you develop with your class is
the key to your success in motivating your students.)
- Teachers gave students updates on their progress at least once a week or every other week.
- Teachers interviewed each student at the beginning and end of the term to set goals, and gave
them the opportunity to commit to the no “F” game plan. (see no “F” Game plan for more info)
- At one time during the term, they will try and reach the youth at home with a phone call, or a
postcard letter with some positive feedback about their progress.
- At least once a term, teachers will talk with the parent to tell how much their son or daughter
is improving and how much they appreciate them being in their class. (Only focus on positive
behaviors.)
- Look for opportunities to acknowledge the students outside of the class (in the hall, at games,
dances, etc.). Also take the opportunity to recognize the success of students in front of the other
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students in the class (anything positive or praiseworthy - extracurricular activities, sports, drama,
music, grades etc.).
Additional Activities
Keys to Motivation
At some time during the semester, each student is asked to do a presentation to the class about
something that they are passionate about. This activity is tied to the part of the Motivation Formula that
highlights the need for a “Passion, Purpose, or Interest” to keep yourself motivated (i.e. skateboarding,
dancing, artwork, music). Students are to share their passion with the other members of the class.
They have had a great response with this, and it has been a powerful tool to help the kids feel that
everyone was interested in who they are. (This is a great way to surrender the one-up relationship!)
Service Project –
Teaching an element of “turning outward,” which is part of the dams, proved to be very helpful in
allowing the student mentors and counselors to get closer to the kids as they worked together in an
environment outside of school. It helps kids feel better about themselves and increases their selfesteem.
* Note: They did a service project working with the Forest Service. The Forest Service was so
impressed with their efforts that they submitted their group for a national recognition award for service.
Former Student Presentation
Once you have taught the class for a couple of semesters, it can be very effective to have a
former student come in and share their experiences with the class. (They might talk about where
they were before and after taking the WhyTry class, and discuss their success and growth.)
Incentives - Reward for all of those who improved
They lined up a restaurant that sponsored a banquet to recognize the accomplishments of the youth
at the end of the semester. (They told the restaurant about what they were doing, and the restaurant,
Macaroni Grill, generously offered to sponsor the banquet.)
Class Schedule:
The teacher and the counselor should work together to create a calendar for the class, determining when they
would be teaching each analogy and when community service or any other extracurricular activities would take
place. This is very important to make sure that both teachers are working together to teach and reinforce each
analogy as they are progressing throughout the semester.
Typical schedule:
Taught in a school that follows an “A/B” block schedule (4 periods a day – rotated every other day – in
90-minute periods).
Mon: Wed: Fri: (next week)
Tues: Thurs: Study Skills
WhyTry – Introduce the visual (i.e. Reality Ride), play music
Study Skills – Youth presentation of their “passion”
WhyTry – Experiential activity (Reality Ride), review the visual, process activity
Study Skills
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The No “F” Game Plan
The no “F” game plan is a simple written contract that you make with a student. This contract requires them to
do three things that will assure that they will pass all of their classes.
The Student commits to:
1. Attend every class:
Sit up front (if possible), listen, be respectful and ask questions. Most importantly, never skip class!
(This is the key for the student to reach out and connect with the teacher. If the teacher is aware
of them putting forth an effort and showing them respect, that teacher will be more likely to give
them the help that they need to pass the class.)
2. Do all the homework:
Make sure that you turn in your homework on time and receive full credit for it.
3. Ask about extra credit:
If you are still failing, then ask your teacher if you can do some extra credit to make sure you pass their
class. It’s good to be prepared with a couple of suggestions of things that you would be willing to do for
extra credit.
(Remember, connecting with your teacher is your best resource when you are struggling to
pass a class!)
The no “F” game plan is meant for students that are failing all or most of their classes. One of the important
keys to motivating a student to accept this challenge and enter into this contract is the way that you present the
concept. It is important that you sell them on the concept that they get the same amount of credit with a “D-” as
they get with an “A”. All they need to do to pass their class is to get a “D-”! Emphasize that by doing the three
things in the no “F” game plan, that they will at least be assured of a “D-” and will pass the class. (* Note: this
is very important because it gives them HOPE that they really can pass their classes. It is a goal that will truly
seem attainable to them.)
The reality of the situation will be that they will almost certainly get better than a “D” grade and will most of the
time get a “C,” “B,” or an “A.” (Note: It is important that you follow their progress to see how they are doing in
their classes. In rare situations, you may need to advocate for them with their teachers if after putting forth their
best effort, they are still not able to meet the requirements for passing the classes.)
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No “F” Game Plan Contract:
I __________________________ starting today commit to do the following for this semester:
1. Attend every class:
Sit up front (if possible), listen, be respectful, and ask questions. Most important of all, never skip class!
(This is the key for you to reach out and connect with your teacher(s). If your teacher is aware of
you putting forth more effort and showing them respect, then that teacher will be more likely to
give you the help that you need to pass their class.)
2. Do all the homework:
Make sure that you turn in your homework on time and receive full credit for it.
3. Ask about extra credit:
If you are still failing after doing steps 1 and 2 above, then ask your teacher if you can do some extra
credit to make sure you pass their class. It’s good to be prepared with a couple of suggestions of things
that you would be willing to do for extra credit.
(Remember, connecting with your teacher is your best resource when you are struggling to
pass a class! )
Signed: ______________________ Date:____________
Teacher’s Signature: ______________________________
No “F” Game Plan Contract:
I __________________________ starting today commit to do the following for this semester:
1. Attend every class:
Sit up front (if possible), listen, be respectful, and ask questions. Most important of all, never skip class!
(This is the key for you to reach out and connect with your teacher(s). If your teacher is aware of
you putting forth more effort and showing them respect, then that teacher will be more likely to
give you the help that you need to pass their class.)
2. Do all the homework:
Make sure that you turn in your homework on time and receive full credit for it.
3. Ask about extra credit:
If you are still failing after doing steps 1 and 2 above, then ask your teacher if you can do some extra
credit to make sure you pass their class. It’s good to be prepared with a couple of suggestions of things
that you would be willing to do for extra credit.
(Remember, connecting with your teacher is your best resource when you are struggling to
pass a class! )
Signed: ______________________ Date:____________
Teacher’s Signature: ______________________________
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The First Day Of Your Class Or Group
First impressions are important. They set expectations and create a context for the experiences
that follow. When beginning a new WhyTry class or group, the first day is always critical, and usually challenging.
To help with that first day, WhyTry has prepared a sample Day One Lesson Plan. Of course, the
length of classes vary, as do group sizes and many other variables, so this plan is just a suggestion; but it is a suggestion based on the cumulative experience of many WhyTry teachers over the
last five years.
Setting: How is the room set up? Is it as comfortable and inviting as the setting allows? Is the group small
enough to arrange the chairs in a circle? Don’t strain yourself. Just give it some thought and do the
best you can.
Part of the setting is music. Music should be playing when the students enter the room. You can
play pretty much anything, but preferably something they like. When they walk into a room and music is playing, it tells them something different will be happening in that room.
Greeting: Stand in the door and greet the students. Greet the ones you know by name. After the students are
seated, you may want to briefly introduce yourself, or it may be more powerful to have everyone
stand up and get right into an activity. Pick one of the following activities:
Activity: Name Warp Speed (5 min.) p. 41
Activity: Name Circle (10 min.) p. 42
Activity: Rope Escape (10 min.) p.43
Introduction:
This is the time to introduce the WhyTry Program. Below are some of the important things to cover.
(15 min.)
Introduce yourself - Let the students know a little about you. Share appropriate information to let
them see you as a person.
Class expectations-Explain what the class is about. Try to remove any stigma associated with the
class. You might tell them that this class is intended to help them enjoy school a little more and they
will learn some ways to “work the system” better. You might also frame the class as a leadership
development course, since some schools use it that way.
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You may want to tell them that this class will be different from any other class. They may do things they
don’t get to do in other classes. Many students say that the WhyTry class is their favorite class. The
WhyTry class is usually a lot of fun, but it is not always easy. Everyone’s participation is needed to
make it work.
Confidentiality: Emphasize that confidentiality is required for this class. Sometimes things will come up
that should not be discussed outside of class.
Rules: You may want to set up some class rules. Have the students suggest some rules. No need to
get elaborate. Here are some typical rules:
1.
Eye Contact – Class members (including the teacher) must make eye contact with the teacher and each other when they speak.
2.
Gratitude – Class members must express gratitude for everything they receive and every courtesy shown.
3.
Respect – Class members will treat one another with respect, by listening when anyone in the class speaks, making eye contact, and expressing gratitude.
Student Survey: (10 min.) p. 40
You may want to have students fill out the student info sheet on page 40. This will provide you with
more information.
Activity: Values Continuum (10 min.) p. 44
Activity: True or False (5-10 min.) p. 45
(This is a nice end-of-class activity because it can end at any time without impacting the activity.)
Send-off: Stand by the door and thank each student for coming as they leave the class. Play some positive upbeat music as they leave.
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Student Info Sheet
Student Name: _____________________________________________________________
Grade:__________________________Phone:___________________________________
Favorite Music:________________________________________________________
Favorite Food:_______________________________________________________________
Favorite Dessert: ____________________________________________________________
Favorite TV Show: ___________________________________________________________
#1 Vacation Choice:____________________________________________________
Passion/ Hobbies/ Career interests: ____________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Snapshot: (Circle where you see yourself 1= Things are bad, vs. 10= Things are great. Explain why.)
School: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. ____________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Peers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. _____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Home: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. _____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Is there anything we can do to help you?_________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
What are your goals for the school year?_________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Do you have any career goals?_________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
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Activity: Name Warp Speed
Spatial Requirements: Classroom with moderate space required
Activity Type: Movement/group
Grades: K-12
Group size: 10 or more
Time: 5 minutes
Introduction: The objective of this activity is to get to know members of the group and do it in a fun
way.
Materials:
• 1 stopwatch
Activity:
Have the group form a circle. Challenge the group to go around the circle and say their name, in order, as fast as they can. Select a starting person and an ending person. Start the timer on the starting
person and let the group know the ending time. Challenge the group to beat their time on round two.
On the third round, ask the group if there is anything else that they can do to shorten the time. After
the group has come up with several options (like holding hands and squeezing your partner’s hands
as soon as you say your name, standing closer together, more focus/concentration, etc.), have them
try to beat their old record. Hopefully they will improve each time. On the final round, say, “I’ll bet we
can do it under two seconds.” Have one of the facilitators stand in the middle of the group and say, “I
will spin around as fast as I can. When I point to you, say your name.” Time the final round and share
the results.
Processing the Experience:
• When I said that we could do it less than two seconds, how many of you thought it was impossible?
• Did we improve each time?
• What do we mean when we say to think outside the box?
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Activity: Name Circle
Spatial Requirements: Classroom with moderate space required
Activity Type: Group
Grades: 1-12
Group size: 2-15
Time: 10-15 minutes
Introduction: This activity is a fun way to get to know the names of everyone in your group.
Materials:
• None
Activity:
Have the group form a circle. Ask the group if anyone knows the names of each member of the
group/class. Give someone a chance to share each person’s name. If no one can do it, share the
name game activity with the group. Tell them that it is an easy way for them to learn the names of
group members. You, the facilitator, will set the stage by telling the group that, “I have a hard time remembering names, and an easy way for me remember is by using a rhyming word.” Start the activity
by sharing your first name and a rhyming word with your name. The rhyming word can be a real word
or a nonsense/made up word. Example: If the facilitator’s name is Devin, his rhyming name could be:
seven, eleven, heaven, or a made-up word like “revin.” The next person in line shares their first name
and a rhyming word. If the next person in line cannot think of a rhyming word, ask for help from the
group. The rules for the names are simple. The rhyming name must be positive and appropriate. If an
inappropriate name comes up, have the person select a new one. The second person in line needs
to repeat the rhyme and the name of the first person. The third person needs to repeat the rhyme and
the name of the second person as well as the first. The process continues to the last person. When
the last person finishes, ask for a volunteer to repeat all the names and nicknames in the group. If
you do not get any volunteers, offer an incentive, such as a candy bar or other food. Another variation
is to have everyone change seats and ask for a volunteer to name each person in the group.
Processing the Experience:
• How many of you struggle with remembering people’s names?
• Did this activity help?
• Tell the group, “We will review the names the next time we meet.”
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Activity: Values Continuum
Spatial Requirements: Classroom with moderate space required
Activity Type: Movement/group
Grades: 2-12
Group size: 10 or more
Time: 5-50 minutes (can be scaled to any time)
Introduction: The objective is for the group to get to know what each member values or is interested
in.
Materials:
• A wall to line up against (optional)
Activity:
Ask the group to line up against the wall. Then ask all the people who like trucks to move to the right
end of the line, with sports cars to the left end of the line, and sedans and mini-vans in the middle.
Now, wherever someone is standing in the line, they are standing beside someone with similar interests. Now ask them to line up according to the kind of music they like, with music types that might
include: classical, jazz, pop, top 40, country, alternative rock, classic rock, metal, hip hop.
You can keep going as long as you want, and each time, people will move around and learn something about the people around them. Here are some possible ideas to line up by:
Chocolate v. vanilla
Dogs v. cats
Number of siblings
Number of schools attended
Democrat v. Republican
Lil Wayne v. 50 cent
Macaroni & cheese v. Ramen noodles
Pie v. cake
Processing the Experience:
• What surprised you about the people at your end of the line?
• Did you have a hard time deciding?
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Activity: True or False
Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup; little or no space required
Activity Type: Group
Grades: 2-12
Group size: 3 or more
Time: 5-10 minutes
Introduction: This simple icebreaker game gives students an opportunity to learn a little about you
and about each other.
Materials:
• None
Activity:
Tell students that you are going to share three things about yourself. Two of them are true and one of
them is not true. Their job is to guess which of the stories are true and which one is false. Once you
have shared three things, take a vote. Tell students that they can only vote one time and they are voting for the story they think is false. Tell students that if the majority of the class guesses correctly, then
they will get a reward (usually a piece of candy or a treat). Tally up the votes and give them the results.
Once you have done this, you may want to have students play the game as well. Have them share
three things about them and have the class guess which one is false. This is a great game for the first
day of class or any day where you need an attention-getter.
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Using Music, Video Media
and Web Resources
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Using Media and Web Resources:
Video resources:
We have put together a list of thematic video clips in the public domain (Youtube and Google
Video) that can be used as attention-getters or as a way to discuss and reinforce the WhyTry
lessons. We also have a tutorial showing how to download video clips for free from the Internet so
that you can play them from your computer hardrive.
www.whytry.org/resources
Downloading and converting web videos for use in the classroom:
If you are looking to download a video clip from Youtube.com or another online video source,
go to:
www.youconvertit.com
Video-sharing service for educators:
If you would like to access some great educational video resources or share some of your own
video materials, there is a great site for this:
www.teachertube.com
Software for creating and editing your own videos:
Many educators are now creating their own video lesson supplements. There are many excellent
inexpensive software programs for editing and creating your own video projects for class use. To
see some of the best options, go here:
http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,2806,4835,00.asp
Music resources:
To see a list of themeatic songs and links to iTunes iMixes of those songs, please visit this page
on our website:
www.whytry.org/resources
Downloading and creating music playlists for use in the classroom.:
To purchase and download music and to create your own playlists, go to:
www.itunes.com
Fair use of media resources:
For guidelines and resources on “fair use” policy and what is legal to use in educational and
classroom settings, visit:
http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/resources/
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Music Resources:
Using Music in the Classroom:
Four effective ways to use music with students:
Before Class:
Playing music before class can help set the tone for the class and help create a learning atmosphere. If you are planning on doing some activities at the beginning
of class, then some “upbeat” music will add energy to the group. If the lesson
calls for a more quiet, contemplative or emotionally challenging session, then you
might use some softer classical or instrumental music to set that tone.
During Movement:
Whenever your lesson calls for movement, such as an activity or rearranging the
chairs and desks to do an activity, then you should take the opportunity to play
some faster-paced music. If you have never done this before, then you will be
amazed to observe the difference in the energy level of your students while the
music is playing.
Background Music:
Background music acts as a musical filter during discussions or group activities, blocking out sounds from one group that might interfere with another group. Background music also can help students remain focused and on task when working on an assignment or sitting quietly at their desk.
At the end of class:
Positive music at the end of class can leave students with a positive impression
of the time that was just spent with you. Music has a powerful ability to impact the
emotions that we feel. Remember, the last thing that you feel at the end of a class
is often what stays with you. The next time a student thinks about your class, they
will remember that positive feeling they had.
Notes:
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Music resources continued:
Thematic Songs for WhyTry
Reality Ride:
“Spinning Wheel” – Blood Sweat and Tears
“Keeping it Real” – Shaggy
“Here it Goes Again” – OK Go
“Don’t Give Up” – Eagle Eye Cherry
“Survivor” – Destiny’s Child
Desire, Time, and Effort:
“Fly Like and Eagle” – Seal (or Steve Miller Band)
“I Will Survive” – Stephanie Bently (from “Holes”
soundtrack)
Labels:
“Who are You?” – The Who
“You’re an Original” – Sheryl Crow
Lift the Weight:
“What I Like About You” – The Romantics
“Stronger” – Britney Spears
“Changes” – David Bowie (from Shrek soundtrack)
“Gonna Fly Now” – Rocky Theme
“Heavy” – Collective Soul
Defense Mechanisms:
“Let it Be” – The Beatles
“Why Can’t We Be Friends”– War
“We Can Work It Out” – The Beatles
Climbing Out:
“It’s never too late” – Michael Frante
“Anything but Down” – Sheryl Crow
“What I Want” – Daughtry
Jumping Hurdles:
“Whip It” – Devo
Other Songs:
Plugging In:
“Help” – The Beatles
“With A Little Help From My Friends” – Joe Cocker
“What I Want” – Daughtry
The Wall:
“Drive” – Incubus
“Don’t Stop” – Fleetwood Mac
Motivation Formula:
“Lost” - Coldplay
“I Can” – Nas
“I Just Want to Celebrate” – Rare Earth
Notes:
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“Just Think”
Christian Moore, L.C.S.W., M.S.W.
There are two words that most people with learning differences hate to hear and would probably never
say to another person. The two simple words are, “Just think.” The first time that I remember hearing
those two dreaded words, “Just think,” was in the first grade while learning addition. Even now, twenty
years later, I vividly remember the teacher leaning over my shoulder and saying, “Just pay attention…
Two plus two equals what? It’s right in front of you. If one plus one equals two then what would two
plus two equal?” Then she would repeat the dreaded words, “Just think… if two plus one equals three,
then what would two plus two equal? Think about it!”
As I sat there looking at the paper I was thinking to myself, “What in the heck do two twos have to do
with a four, and when is this teacher going to walk away from my desk and when is she going to stop
tapping her long red fingernails on the number four? I’m starting to wonder if the answer is in her
fingernails, because “Just thinking” is not helping me get the answer, and as soon as she walks away
everyone will stop smiling at me and looking at me like I am an alien because I don’t see how a two and
another two magically create a four.
Later I find myself in a special spelling class and instead of having the teacher standing over my shoulder for a few minutes with thirty other kids in the class, I’m in a room with just me and another teacher
who can stand over my shoulder for one hour and help me spell my name, because I’ve just been informed I’m special because I am the only kid in the third grade that can’t spell his name. The next thing
I know, the two dreaded words jump up and bite me: “Just think,” “Sound it out,” “Write a ‘C’ ten times,
then an ‘H’ ten times, then an ‘R’ ten times, then an ‘I’ ten times…” “Just think, you can do it.” I’m asking myself, what do ten “Cs” have to do with my name being Christian, and what in the world does the
“C” sound \“kä”\ have to do with my name being Christian?
Third grade is my first memory of being around several other kids like myself who, “Just needed to
think.” There were about five of us, and we sat at the back of the room at a table. All the other kids in
the class had individual desks, because I guess they knew how to “just think.” I also noticed that we
had different math and reading books than everyone else, because ours were soft bound and we could
write in them and the students who could “just think” had hard-bound books.
Looking back, I think the other non-thinking friends and I sat at the back of the class five or six feet
away from everyone else with our so-called dumb bell books because we talked a lot, and shouted out
the wrong answers that were funny and made all the kids (who could think) laugh. When we did this,
I started noticing that the kids (who could think) thought we were cool and funny because we weren’t
afraid to talk, laugh, or hit each other while the teacher was explaining something in what seemed to be
a language that the “just think” kids could only understand.
My next recollection of the magic words “Just think” is in the 7th grade. One of my biggest fears during
this time of my life was someone asking me the simple question, “What time is it?” The teacher would
tell me to “Just think” as she tried to explain to me that a quarter to five means “fifteen” minutes to five,
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when to me and my “non-thinking” self, a quarter to me equaled “twenty-five”. Although the embarrassment of being in the 7th grade and not being able to tell time was frustrating, my motivation to
“Just think” and learn how to read a clock was very little, because I had many techniques on getting
out of the pressure of telling time. The following were my top ten excuses when asked what time it
was:
- “I don’t have a watch.”
- “I can’t see that small hand on the clock.”
- “Sorry, I’m in a rush.”
- “Can you ask him? I’m busy.”
- I would act like I didn’t hear the question.
- “What time do you think it is?”
- “It’s time for you to get a watch.”
- “You can see the clock just as good as I can.”
- The time is almost anything at the top of the hour or 30 after.
When you are in your teenage years and you are struggling with telling time, you soon start to have
a lot of self-doubt about your future and how can you be successful and make a living, when doing something as simple as running a cash register at McDonald’s seems impossible and terrifying.
Chances are the McDonalds manager won’t tell you to “Just think,” but to come back when you have
some basic math skills.
The feelings of fear and frustration in school make school as fun as going to the dentist every day,
only there is nothing to numb the pain except acting out enough to divert the attention away from
the real issue: not being able to process information in a way that will bring you positive feedback,
respect, and a passing grade. The best way I can explain the feeling that is in your gut during eight
hours of classes is to imagine being with a group of people when a joke is told, and everyone is
laughing, but you don’t get it. The person who is telling the joke realizes you don’t get it and says to
you, “Just think,” and quickly tells it to you again and says, “Just think! Don’t you get it?” That experience of feeling left out is often with me now still! Now that I am older, I can keep it hidden from you
better, but inside I am often repeating to myself the words I heard all the way through school, “Just
think . . .”
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Obstacles are the stepping stones of success
By Harvey Mackay ( www.mackay.com)
A man was walking in the park one day when he came upon a cocoon with a small opening. He sat
and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through the little hole.
Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It looked like it had gotten as far as it could, so the man
decided to help the butterfly. He used his pocketknife and snipped the remaining bit of the cocoon.
The butterfly then emerged easily, but something was strange. The butterfly had a swollen body
and shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected at any moment
the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened. In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body
and deformed wings. It was never able to fly.
What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the
struggle required for the butterfly to emerge was natural. It was nature’s way of forcing fluid from
its body into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom. Sometimes
struggles are exactly what we need in our lives.
If we were allowed to go though life without any obstacles, we would be crippled. We would not be as
strong as what we could have been. And we could never fly.
History has shown us that the most celebrated winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles
before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats.
My good friend, Lou Holtz, football coach of the University of South Carolina, once told me, “Show
me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I’ll show you someone who has overcome
adversity.”
Beethoven composed his greatest works after becoming deaf. George Washington was snowed in
through a treacherous winter at Valley Forge. Abraham Lincoln was raised in poverty. Albert Einstein
was called a slow learner, retarded and uneducable. If Christopher Columbus had turned back, no
one could have blamed him, considering the constant adversity he endured.
As an elementary student, actor James Earl Jones (a.k.a. Darth Vader) stuttered so badly he
communicated with friends and teachers using written notes.
Itzhak Perlman, the incomparable concert violinist, was born to parents who survived a Nazi
concentration camp and has been paralyzed from the waist down since the age of four.
Chester Carlson, a young inventor, took his idea to 20 big corporations in the 1940s. After seven
years of rejections, he was able to persuade Haloid, a small company in Rochester, N.Y., to purchase
the rights to his electrostatic paper- copying process. Haloid has since become Xerox Corporation.
Thomas Edison tried over 2,000 experiments before he was able to get his light bulb to work. Upon
being asked how he felt about failing so many times, he replied, “I never failed once. I invented the
light bulb. It just happened to be a 2,000-step process.”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, elected President of the United States for four terms, had been stricken
with polio at the age of 39.
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Persistence paid off for General Douglas MacArthur. After applying for admission to West Point twice,
he applied a third time and was accepted. The rest is history.
In 1927, the head instructor of the John Murray Anderson Drama School instructed student Lucille
Ball to, “Try any other profession. Any other.”
Buddy Holly was fired from the Decca record label in 1956 by Paul Cohen, Nashville “Artists and
Repertoire Man.” Cohen called Holly “the biggest no-talent I ever worked with.”
Helen Keller, the famous blind author and speaker, said, “Character cannot be developed in ease
and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared,
ambition inspired and success achieved. Silver is purified in fire and so are we. It is in the most trying
times that our real character is shaped and revealed.”
Mackay’s Moral: There is no education like the university of adversity.
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WhyTry Research Highlighted Summaries
WhyTry has proven to be a successful intervention tool in a variety of settings, populations, and age
groups. It has changed the lives of 6-year-olds and 18-year-olds, rural and inner city youth, males and
females, and youth from a variety of races, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds.
Across multiple third party studies, researchers have seen significant positive changes using WhyTry.
WhyTry has proven to be effective at:
- Improving academic performance (GPA)
- Reducing failure
- Reducing discipline referrals and expulsions
- Reducing violence and bullying
- Improving student motivation and behavior
- Improving student self-esteem and creating a positive outlook toward the future
- Increasing student resilience and willingness to persevere
- Increasing students awareness that their actions today effect their future
The f ollowing are highlights of a few of the studies. Further statistical details are also available.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Example 1: “WhyTry? A Report of an After-School Tutoring Program” a
Group: Rural Middle School, 70% free and reduced lunch
Description: WhyTry was used for 10 weeks and paired with tutoring.
Results:
• Students reduced failing grades by 47%.
• Each intervention group showed a decrease in the average of failing grades for the group of students following the WhyTry intervention.
“The WhyTry Tutoring has proven to be a vehicle for working toward student success. By coupling
Christian Moore’s multi-sensory, strength-based program with tutoring, we have seen more students
take positive steps toward academic success than we have experienced through tutoring alone.”
- Sherie Wymore
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Example 2: “Examining the Effectiveness of WhyTry Program for Children Receiving Residentially Based Services and Attending a Non-Public School” b
Group: Residential setting for foster care youth with mental health diagnoses, Ages 12-18
Results:
• Youth, teachers and caregivers reported improved emotional functioning, and youth perceived themselves as being more capable of learning and accomplishing tasks or actions.
• Teachers and youth reported less emotional problems and saw improvements on many aspects,
including fewer depression symptoms, attention problems, rule-breaking behaviors, and aggressive
behaviors. More details are available on our website.
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Example 3: “Effects of the WhyTry Social Skills Program on Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders at an Alternative Campus” c
Group: Alternative high school campus, N. Texas
Results:
• Students receiving WhyTry had significantly less disciplinary referrals, reduced fighting/aggressive
behavior and harassment/bullying behavior.
• Students emotionally showed more internal control and less social stress and anxiety.
• Students had a greater ability to initiate and sustain action toward goals and an increased capacity
to find a means to carry out goals.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Example 4: “Effectiveness of the WhyTry program in Working with Children with Conduct Disorders” d
Group: WhyTry Facilitators working with conduct-disordered children
Description: Average time spent teaching the WhyTry Program was 42 minutes to one hour per week.
Results:
• The greater time commitment to the WhyTry Program correlated to a reduction in the number of
expulsions among girls and boys.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Example 5: WhyTry Evaluation Report 2006-2010 e
Group: Classroom lessons over four years with over 800 6th graders
Results:
• 73% of the students surveyed reported a stronger belief that their actions today will affect their
future.
• 90% of the students surveyed reported a positive change in the degree of their willingness to keep
trying.
• Students reported that after WhyTry lessons, over 90% students showed a stronger belief in a more
positive future as compared to only 56% prior to the WhyTry intervention.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Example 6: “PRIDE: 28-day Summer Program for At-Risk Students” f
Group: Elementary summer program
Results:
• Teachers reported significantly improved positive social behavior and overall improved emotional
health as reported on the BASC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Example 7: “Outcome Evaluation Methods and Results for the South Los Angeles Resiliency
(SOLAR) Project” g
Group: Elementary Setting, South Los Angeles, CA
Results:
• Resiliency increased; specifically improvements in academic progress in all areas. A significant
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positive change was found in the students’ willingness to “keep trying to succeed;” a significant decrease in the desire to be “mean to others” when provoked; and a slight improvement in the areas of
“asking for help” was noted.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Example 8: “Horizon Middle School Mental Health, Counseling, and PBS Effective Education,
Recipe for Success” h Group: Middle school
Description: Regular education classes, 38 minutes weekly for 10 weeks
Results:
• Students had a 13% decrease in referrals and improved GPA for WhyTry group.
• There was improvement in attitudes and motivation for the intervention group.
• There was a decline in the control group.
• The students especially appreciated responding to prompts in their individual journals. Class participation during lesson delivery was also outstanding.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Example 9: “WhyTry? A Program Evaluation” i
Group: 7th and 8th graders, Minnesota
Results:
• The average student GPA increased by 11 percent.
• Students showed the most improvement in self-control, perseverance, and using support network.
• Students’ behavior problems in the classroom decreased by 13 percent.
• The average number of Behavior Incident Reports decreased by 20 percent, indicating less behavior problems.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Example 10: “WhyTry Group Results” j
Group: African American females, ages 11-14; middle school setting
Results: (based on Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale, 2nd edition):
• Students reported improved self-concept on behavior adjustment, intellectual and school status,
physical appearance and attributes, freedom from anxiety, popularity, and happiness satisfaction.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Two Books published addressing WhyTry as an effective RTI Intervention:
Response to Intervention: A Guide for School Social Worker
James P. Clark and Dr. Michelle Alvarez
Truancy Prevention and Intervention: A Practical Guide Lynn Bye, Michelle Alvarez, Janet Haynes, and Cindy E. Sweigart
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------a
Wymore, Sherrie. “WhyTry? A Report of an After-School Tutoring Program.” The Counseling Interviewer 39.2 (Winter 2007): 9-13.
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Baker. “Examining the Effectiveness of WhyTry Program for Children Receiving Residentially Based
Services and Attending a Non-Public School.” Doctoral Dissertation, University of Southern California
(2008).
b
Wilhite, Shannon, PhD. “Effects of the WhyTry Social Skills Program on Students with Emotional and
Behavioral Disorders at an Alternative Campus.” Doctoral Dissertation, University of North Texas (2010).
c
Minor. “Effectiveness of the WhyTry program in Working with Children with Conduct Disorders.” Doctoral dissertation, Argosy University, Sarasota, FL (2009)
d
Bird, Brandon. “WhyTry Evaluation Report 2006-2010.” Churchill County Probation Report, Field Research (2010).
e
Mortenson, Bruce, Ph.D. and Rush, Karena, Ph.D. “PRIDE: 28-day Summer Program for At-Risk Students.” Research Committee at Towson University (Oct. 2007).
f
Acuña, Vega, Meza, Marquez, & Vera. “Outcome Evaluation Methods and Results for the South Los
Angeles Resiliency (SOLAR) Project” (Apr. 2008).
g
Williams, Leigh. “Horizon Middle School Mental Health, Counseling, and PBS Effective Education,
Recipe for Success.” Field Research (2009).
h
Knick, Tammy. “WhyTry? A Program Evaluation.” Poster Presentation, Minnesota State University
(2010).
i
j
“WhyTry Group Results.” Field Research, Nita Bise, CO (20
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Alpine School District Longitudinal Study, December 2003
The data summarized is based on 114 students who completed the WhyTry Program at
Pleasant Grove High School starting with the first WhyTry class in August 2000. The control
group consists of 88 students selected with the same academic and attendance profile as the
WhyTry students at the start of each class. Both groups have been tracked since the WhyTry
class was completed, for up to 12 terms.
3.50
3.00
2.50
2.00
Study Group
Control Group
1.50
1.00
GPA
Students who completed the WhyTry
Program showed a significant
improvement in GPA, completing their
high school careers with GPAs 0.62
points higher than the control group.
0.50
0.00
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
45.00
40.00
35.00
30.00
25.00
Study Group
Control Group
20.00
15.00
Attendance
Students who completed the WhyTry
Program had fewer absences than the
control group, both cumulatively, and on
average.
10.00
5.00
0.00
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
3.00
2.50
2.00
Study Group
1.50
Control Group
1.00
0.50
0.00
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
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Failure
Students who completed the WhyTry
Program exhibited a significant reduction
in failed courses as compared to the
control group.
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Graduation Rate
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The WhyTry students and the control
group were drawn from the same pool of
at-risk students. At the end of their high
school careers, the WhyTry participants
were 3 times more likely to graduate than
the control group.
60
50
40
30
20
10
20%
62.5% 0
WhyTry
Control
Summary
The WhyTry Program appears to have a positive effect on academic performance, attendance and
graduation. This is consistent with other research projects studying the effects of the WhyTry Program.
The effects of the WhyTry Program also appear to increase over time. More longitudinal data will be
forthcoming as these students continue their high school careers.
————————————————————————————
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WhyTry Products:
Online Curriculum
Subscription
$499
Printed Curriculum Complete
Set
$499
Learning Activity Expansion
Pack
$125
We’ve gone paperless! That
means you can access
the full WhyTry curriculum,
learning activities, video
tutorials, music downloads,
journal printouts, and more:
all in one place for one
price. Your subscription
also includes a membership
in the WhyTry virtual
community, where you can
exchange teaching ideas
and multimedia resources
with other educators
worldwide.
The WhyTry Curriculum Set
provides you with everything
you need to teach WhyTry in
group or classroom settings. The
set includes the elementary or
secondary teacher’s manual, a
copy of all 10 visual analogies, a
visual analogy poster set, a music
CD, a PowerPoint DVD, and a
student journal.
The expansion pack includes
over 150 learning activities for
students grades K-12. These
updated activities require
minimal preparation time and
props, and provide you with
at-a-glance parameters, such
as grade level, time, group
size, and spatial requirements.
There are more diagrams,
picture illustrations, and online
resources to make it as simple
as possible for you to implement
the WhyTry learning activities
with your youth.
For a full list of other WhyTry products and materials, visit www.whytry.org/products .
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