WILLIAM V.S.

TUBMAN UNIVERSITY

EUTHENICS 1
Revised
Edition
4

This Manual belongs

to:

Name:______________________________

Course & Section:_____________________

Student Number:______________________

Time & Day:_____________________________

Subject Facilitator______________________

Prepared by:

DR. ROSEMARIE T. SANTOS

Director for Institutional Research

1
 MODULAR INSTRUCTION
IN
Euthenics 1
Man as a Person
[Self-Concept and Its Dynamics
with Lessons on POWER Learning
Strategies and Study Skills and
Habits]

COLLEGE : ACCESS COLLEGE

DEPARTMENT : COURSE NUMBER : 1
COURSE TITLE : Man as a Person [Self-Concept and Its
Dynamics with Lessons on POWER Learning Strategies
and Study Skills and Habits]
CREDIT UNIT :
SEMESTER : First
CURRICULUM YEAR : First Year Students
COURSE/CERTIFICATE/
DIPLOMA/DEGREE : General Education Curriculum

2
WILLIAM V.S. TUBMAN UNIVERSITY
Tubman Town, Maryland County
Post Box: 3570, Harper, Maryland County, Republic of Liberia
email: [email protected]

3
 FOREWORD

A C K N O W L E D G M E N T

The researcher and contributor of this modified

and improved modules expresses their deepest
gratitude to those individuals who provided input
every step of development of this module. These
dedicated college professors and administrators
provided thoughtful, enthusiasm of doing one’s work
to share their role in assisting us; providing a
wealth of ideas and strategies. Likewise; for
giving unstintingly of their time, and helped
shaped many aspects of this manuscript.

The contributor and researcher also deeply

appreciative of the concerted efforts of the
subject facilitators in the Euthenics Department,
whom despite of the few numbers were able to
overcome obstacles with grace and good cheer. We
value above-and-beyond-the-call-of duty and the
contributions displayed immensely.
I wish to express my gratitude to our loved
one’s, for the inspiration; to our colleagues, for
the moral support; college deans for their
steadfast help and encouragement.

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 I sincerely thank the WVS Tubman university
family, the review and editing committee for the
untiring support in reviewing the text and the
content of this module; exceptional teachers who
are dedicated to excellence who conscientiously
reviewed this book. Their constructive comments
and suggestions have added substantially to the
quality of the text.

Thank you so much

ROSEMARIE T. SANTOS

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 Module Contents

Power Learning Strategies

 Why go to College
MODULE I
 POWER Learning: The five
(Pre-Mid Coverage) key steps to achieving
success
What is Learning Styles?
 Multiple
MODULE II
Intelligences
(Midterm Coverage)  Developing Study
Skills
 What is Previewing?
 Sizing up your
Instructor
 The SQ3R Method
Self-Concept and Its Dynamics
 The Three Dimensions of
Self-concept
 Self-awareness and
Evaluation
 Helps and Hindrances to
Self-Concept Development
MODULE III
 Parental Behavior
(Pre-final Coverage)
and Self-concept
development
 Cultural Norms and
Expectations
 The Experience of
Achievement
 Re-programming
Belief System and
Self-talks
 Feedback: Getting
the most out of it.
MODULE IV
(Final Coverage) JOHARI WINDOW

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POWER LEARNING
STRATEGIES

MODULE 1

7
 Why
Why Go
Go to
to College?
College?

Congratulations! You’re in college. Why?

Although it seems as if it should be easy to say
why you’re continuing your education, for most
students it’s not simple. The reasons that people
go to college vary from the practical (“ I want to
get a good job”), to the lofty (“I want to learn
about people and the world”), to the unreflective
(“Why not?-I don’t have anything better to do “).
Consider your own reasons for attending college.
Surveys of first year college students show
that almost three quarters say they want to get a
better job and make more money. But most students
also have additional goals in mind: They want to
learn things that interest them and gain a general
education and appreciation of ideas.

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 And, in fact, it’s not wrong to expect that a
college education help people find better jobs.
Consider these reasons why people pursue a college
education:
You’ll learn to think and communicate better.
One student had said, It’s not about what you major
in or which classes you take… It’s really how to
think and to communicate. Wherever you end up,
you’ll need to be able to analyze and solve
problems, to figure out what needs to be done and
how to do it.”
Education improves your ability to understand
the world-understand it as now what it is, and
understand it as it will be. By showing you how to
develop your capacity for critical and creative
thinking, education will increase your abilities to
think clearly and to communicate more effectively
with others.
You’ll be able to better deal with advances
in knowledge and technology that are changing the
world. Genetic engineering… drugs to reduce
forgetfulness…computers that respond to our voices.
Innovations such as these-and the ones that haven’t
even been thought of yet-illustrate how rapidly the
world is changing. No one knows what the future
will hold. But education can provide you with the

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intellectual tools that you can apply regardless of
the specific situation in which you find yourself.
You can’t anticipate what the future holds, but you
can prepare for it through a college education.
You’ll make Learning a lifelong habit. Higher
education isn’t the end of your education. If you
make the most of college, you will develop a thirst
for more knowledge, a lifelong quest that could
never be fully satisfied. Education will build
upon your natural curiosity about the world, and
that it will make you aware that learning is a
rewarding and never-ending journey.
You’ll understand the meaning of your own
contributions to the world. No matter who you are,
you are poised to make your own contributions to
society and the world. Higher education provides
you with a window to the past, present and future,
and it allows you to understand the significance of
your own contributions. Your college education
provides you with a compass to discover who you
are, where you’ve been, and where you’re going.

P.O. W. E. R Learning: The Five Key Steps

to Achieving Success

P.O.W.E.R. Learning itself is merely an

acronym-a word form from the first letters of a

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series of steps that will help individual students
take in, process and make use of the information
you’ll be exposed to in college. It will help you
to achieve your goals, both while you are in
college and later after you graduate. The steps in
P.O.W.E.R learning serve as a strategy for
accomplishing what you wish to –and sometimes have
to-accomplish.
Prepare, Organize, Work, Evaluate and Rethink.
That’s it. It’s a simple framework but an
effective one.

Figure 1.2

PREPARE

ORGANIZE

WORK

EVALUATE

RETHINK

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 Prepare

Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, said that

travelers taking a long journey must begin with a
single step. But even before even the first step,
travelers need to know several things: what their
destination is, how they’re going to get there, how
they’ll know when they reach the destination, and
what they’ll do if they have trouble along the way.
In the same way, you need to know where you’re
headed as you embark on the intellectual journeys
involved in college. Whether it be a major, long-
term task, such as colleges attendance, or a more
limited activity, such as getting ready to complete
a paper due in the near future, you’ll need to
prepare for the journey.

Setting Goals.

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 Before we seek to accomplish any task, all of
us do some form of planning. The trouble is that,
most of the time such planning is done without
conscious thinking. The best way to plan
systematically is to use goal-setting strategies.
What’s the best way to set appropriate goals? Here
are some guidelines:
1.Set both long-term and short -term goals.
Long term goals are aims relating to major
accomplishments that take sometime to
achieve. Short-term goals are limited steps
you would take on the road to accomplish your
long-term goals.
2.Recognize that who you are determines your
goals. Goals setting starts with knowing
yourself. As you’ll see we focus on
understanding yourself. It is self-knowledge
that tells you want is and is not important
to you, and this knowledge will help you keep
your goals in focus and your motivation up
when things get tough.
3.Make goals realistic and attainable. Someone
once said, “ A goal without a plan is but a
dream.” Be honest with yourself. There is
nothing wrong with having big dreams. But it
is important to realistically aware that all
that it takes to achieve them, and big danger

13
 is that, we may wrongly reason that we are
inept and lack of ability and use this as an
excuse for giving up. Instead, we should
have realized that the problem has less to do
with abilities than with poor goal-setting
strategies. If goals are realistic, we can
develop a plan to attain them, spurring us on
to attain more.
4.Goals should involve behavior over which you
have control.
We all want World peace and end to poverty.
Few of us have the resources or capabilities
to bring either about. On the other hand, it
is realistic to want to work in small ways to
help others, such as by becoming a Big
Brother or Big Sister.
5.Take ownership of your goals. Make sure that
the goals you choose are your goals, and not
the goals of your parents, teachers, brothers
and sisters, or friends. Trying to
accomplish goals that “belong” to others is a
recipe for disaster. If you’re attending
college only because others have told you to,
and you have no commitment of your own,
you’ll find it hard to maintain the
enthusiasm-not to mention the hard work-
required to succeed.

14
 Organize

The next stage involves gathering the necessary

tools, buying the wood and other building
materials, sorting the construction supplies, and
preparing the room for the shelving project-all
aspects of organizing for the tasks.
Similarly, your academic success will hinge to
a large degree on thoroughness of your organization
for each academic task that one face. In fact, one
of the biggest mistakes that student make in
college is plunging into an academic project –
studying for a test, writing a paper, completing an
in-class assignment-without being organized.

There Are Several Kinds of Organization.

Organization involves physical aspects of task

completion. For instance, you need to ask yourself
if you have the appropriate tools, such as papers,
pen and a calculator. If you’re using a computer,
do you have the access to a printer? Is the printer

15
working? Do you have disks to back up your files?
Do you have books and other materials you’ll need
to complete the assignment? Will the campus
bookstore be open if you need anything else? Will
the library be open when you need it?

Intellectual organization

is even more critical. It is accomplished by

considering and reviewing the academic skills that
you’ll need to be successfully completes the task
at hand.
Why does creating an intellectual organization
matter? The answer is that it provides a context
for when you actually begin to work. Organizing in
advance paves the way to better subsequent learning
of new material. The better your intellectual (as
well as physical) organization for a task, the more
successful you’ll be.
Too often students are in a hurry to meet a
deadline and figure they better just dive and get
it done. Organizing in advance can actually save
your time, because you’re less likely to end up
losing your way as you work to complete your task.

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 Work
You’re ready. The preliminaries are out of the
way. You’ve prepared and you’ve organized. Now
it’s time to get started actually doing the work.
In some ways work is the easy part, because-if
you conscientiously carried out the preparation and
organization stage-you should know exactly where
you’re headed and what you need to do to get there.
Finding the Motivation to Work. All of us have
said something like this at one time or another.
We use the concept of motivation-or its lack-to
explain why we just don’t work hard at a task. But
when we do that, we’re fooling ourselves. We all
have some motivation, that inner power and
psychological energy that directs and fuels our
behavior and allows us to persist, even when its
going rough. Without any motivation, we’d never
get out of bed in the morning and accomplish
anything.

Evaluate

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 “Great, I’m done with the work. Now I can move
on”.
It’s natural to feel relief when you’ve
finished the work necessary to fulfill the basic
requirements of an assignment. After all, if you’ve
written the five double-spaced pages required for
an assignment, why shouldn’t you have a sigh of
relief and just hand your paper in to the
instructor?
Consequently, the fourth step in the P.O.W.E.R.
process is evaluation, which consists of
determining how well the work we have produced
matches our goals for it. Let’s consider some steps
that it makes sense to follow in evaluating what
you’ve accomplished:
 Take a moment to congratulate yourself and
feel some satisfaction. Whether it’s been
studying for a test, writing a paper,
preparing a review sheet, or reading an
assignment, you’ve done something important.
 Compare what you’ve accomplished with the
goals you’re seeking to achieve. Think back
to the goals, both short- term and long-
term, that you’re seeking to accomplish.
 Have an out-of-body-experience. Evaluate
your accomplishments as if you were a
respected teacher from your past. If you’ve

18
 written a paper, reread it from the
perspective of the teacher. If you’ve
completed a worksheet, think about what
comments you’d write across the top if you
were that teacher. Remember, you’re no
longer you, assessing something you’ve
accomplished, but a demanding (though fair)
teacher evaluating someone else’s work.
 Asked on your evaluation, revise your work.
If you’re honest with yourself. It’s unlikely
that your first work will satisfy you. None
of us can produce our best work initially.
So go back to work and revise what you’ve
done. But don’t think of it as a step back:
Revisions you make as a consequence. Of your
evaluation bring you closer to your final
goal. This is a case where going back moves
you forward.

Rethink

To rethink what you’ve accomplished earlier

means bringing a fresh eye to reanalyzing,
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questioning, and challenging our underlying
assumptions. While evaluation means
considering how well what we have done
matches our initial goals, rethinking means
reconsidering not just the outcome of our
efforts, but the ideas and the process we’ve
used to get there. For the moment, the
following steps provide a general framework
for using critical thinking to rethink what
you’ve accomplished:
 Reanalyze, reviewing you’ve accomplished
the task. Consider the approach and
strategies you’ve used. What seemed to
work best? Do they suggest any
alternatives that might work better the
next time?
 Question the outcome. Take a “big picture”
look at what you have accomplished Are you
pleased and satisfied? Is there something
you’ve somehow missed.
 Identify your underlying assumptions; then
challenge them. Consider the assumptions
you’ve made in initially approaching the
task. Are these underlying assumptions
reasonable? If you had used different
assumptions, would the result have been
similar or different.

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 (Midterm Coverage)

WHAT IS LEARNING STYLES?

What is Learning Styles

Developing Study Skills
What is Previewing
Sizing up your Instructor
The SQ3R Method

21
 Through the experiences we have in life, we
build up a sense of our strengths and weaknesses,
what we like and dislike about ourselves. In the
process, the sense of who we are also affects the
choices we make and the things that we do. So it’s
not surprising that the accuracy of our
understanding of ourselves has an important impact
upon our success.
In this chapter, you will be asked to consider
various aspects of yourself. First you’ll look at
the ways in which you learn and how you can use
your personal learning style to study more
effectively.

WHAT
WHAT IS
IS LEARNING
LEARNING
STLYE?
STLYE?

Learning styles reflect our preferred manner of

acquiring, using, and thinking about knowledge.
These styles are not abilities, but types of
learning . They represent the ways we approach
these tasks.
We don’t have just one learning style, but a
profile of styles. Even though our ability may be

22
identical to someone else’s, our learning styles
might be quite different.
Learning style is biologically and
developmentally impose set of personal
characteristic that make certain teaching methods
effective for some and infective for others. Every
person has learning style- it’s as individual as a
signature. Knowing students learning style, we can
organize classrooms to respond to their individual
needs according to quite or sound, bright or soft
illumination, warm or cool room temperatures,
seating arrangements, mobility or grouping
preferences. We can recognize the patterns in which
people concentrate best such as alone, with others,
with certain types of teachers, or in a combination
thereof. We become aware of the sense through which
people remember difficult information. Learning
style also encompasses motivation on task
persistence, kind and amount of structure required,
conformity versus non-conformity. “Rita Dunn,
Jeffrey Beaudry, and Angela Klaves,” Survey of
research on learning Style,” Education Leadership
Vo. 46, no. 6 March, 1989)

Every normal individual possesses varying

degrees of intelligence but the ways in which

23
 intelligence combine and blend are as the faces and
the personalities of every individual.

Dr.
Dr. Howard
Howard Gardner
Gardner Multiple
Multiple
Intelligence
Intelligence (IM)
(IM)

Linguistic Intelligence. The capacity to use words

effectively, whether orally or in writing. This
intelligence includes the ability to manipulate the
syntax or structure of language, the phonology or
sounds of languages, the semantics or meanings of
languages, and the pragmatic dimension or practical
uses of language. Some of this uses include
rhetoric (using language to convince others to take
specific course of action), mnemonics (using
languages to remember information), explanation
(using language to reform), and meta-language
(using language to talk about oneself

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Logico-mathematical
Intelligence.

The capacity to use numbers effectively and reason

well. This intelligence includes sensitivity to
logical patterns and relationships, statements and
proposition (if-then, cause-effect), function, and
other related abstractions. The kinds of processes
used in the service of logical-mathematical
intelligence.

Spatial Intelligence:

The ability to perceive the visual-spatial world

accurately and to perform transformations upon
those perceptions. This intelligence involves
sensitivity to color, line, shape, form, space and
the relationship that exists between these
materials elements. It includes the capacity to
visualize, to graphically represent visual or
spatial ideas, and to orient oneself appropriately
in a spatial matrix.

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 Bodily-Kinesthetic
Intelligence.

Expertise in using one’s whole body to express

ideas and feeling and facility in using one’s hands
to produce or transform things. This intelligence
includes specific physical skills such as
coordination, dexterity, strength, and speed as
well as proprioceptive, tactile and capacities.

Musical Intelligence:
The capacity to perceive,
discriminate, transform and
express musical forms. This
intelligence includes sensitivity to the rhythm,
pitch or melody, and timbre or tone color of a
musical piece. One can have a figural or “top-down”
understanding of music (global, intuitive), a
formal or “bottom-up” understanding (analytic,
technical) or both.

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Interpersonal Intelligence:
The ability to perceive
and make distinctions
in the moods,
intentions, motivation

and feelings to other people. This can include

sensitivity to facial, expressions, voice and
gestures; the capacity for discriminating among
many different kinds of interpersonal cue; and the
ability to respond effectively to those cues in
some pragmatic way (e.g. to influence a group of
people to follow a certain line of action).

Intrapersonal Intelligence:

Self-knowledge and the ability to act adaptively on

the basis of what knowledge. This intelligence
includes having an accurate picture of oneself
(one’s strengths and limitations); awareness of
inner moods, intentions, motivations, temperaments,
and desires, and the capacity for self-discipline,
self-understanding, and self-esteem.

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Naturalistic Intelligence:
The ability to see connections
and patterns within the
plant and animal kingdom and
is sensitive to the natural world. This
intelligence includes the ability to observe
plants, collect rocks and catch animals, its
ability to listen to sounds created in the natural
world, can notice relationship in nature and its
capacity to categorize and classify flora and
fauna.
Learning Points: Learning styles affect our way of
thinking, how we behave and approach learning, and
the way we process information. It is a
biologically developmentally impose set of personal
characteristic that make the same teaching method
effective for some and ineffective for others.
Teacher need to recognize their own learning styles
and preferences in order to become more aware of
their teaching styles and how they may need to
learn new strategies and techniques, and provide
more choices in order to reach all students.
Students need to develop an understanding that we
all learn differently, that there is no right or
wrong way to learn. Most people tend to develop
strengths and preferences for learning and

28
processing information through different modalities
or channel (hearing, seeing, touching, doing).

Modality preferences and

Instructional Strategies

Most of us tend to have strengths and

preferences for learning and processing information
through different modalities or channels (hearing,
seeing, toughing and doing). The following
description of modality preferences (and those
characteristic that signal strengths in that area)
are accompanied by teaching strategies that address
those areas of strengths and allow student to learn
more effectively.

*Auditory learners
These students learn
through verbal
instruction from others, self or oral reading,
lecture discussion, brainstorming, oral reports,
speeches, TV, radio, music, verbal games,
paraphrasing, repetition, spelling, bee, audio
tapes, book on tape, creative dramatics, phonic,
reader’s theater (dialogue), poetry, and verse.
They remember through language and use of self-
talks or verbalizations to help themselves get

29
through large and small-music motor movements,
organization of task, and steps in problem solving
they are typically very verbal and can memorize
easily. They learn well and do well information is
reinforced through melodies, beats and rhythms. It
is helpful to give directions and questions orally
and have children repeat them, let students answer
questions orally, and practice spelling words
orally. Phonetics approaches are to be utilized in
reading/decoding. Allow and encourages the use of
tape recorders for this type of learner, provide
many opportunities to use listening centers, books
on tape and participation in discussions. These are
the students who should always be involved in small
and large group discussion, partner talk and oral
activities prior to independent work (e.g. silent
reading, projects, writing assignments). During
silent reading, they are input to hold their
attention or get meaning, so it should be permitted
if not loud and distracting to others.

*Visual learners.

These students learn by seeing, watching and

observing and are strong in remembering visual
detail. They often learn to read best through in

30
recognition of visual patterns in words (e.g. word
families such as date, fate, grate, state, equate,
or ink, pink, wink, clink, shrink, blink)
structurally, and through the configuration (shape)
of the salient, most important points, the use of
color highlighting, framing with a heavy
line/boxing in, or using any visual symbols near or
around that information you want them to attend to
is very helpful. For assisting these students with
word recognition and spelling, draw lines around
the configurations or shape or words and then
color-code structural elements such as prefixes,
syllables, suffixes and vowels.
These students remember best through pictures and
images. Information should be written for them to
refer to, and graphics, pictures, keywords, or
phrases in writing should accompany verbal
presentations and directions. Visual learners need
instruction to include many graphic organizers
(chart, cluster, web, outlines, story maps,
diagrams, etc.). They would benefit from writing
things down, circling, information, underlining,
color highlighting their text, note-taking, and
practicing with flashcards. Use maps, films, visual
samples, and models, puzzles, matching activities,
videos clustering, demonstrating, graphics, and
computers. Provide many books with pictures that

31
accompany text-even at the secondary level (e.g.
reference books with pictures). Words searches,
using sentence strips with information to sequence
appropriately, word cards to arrange into
sentences, and letter cards to arrange into word
are all good techniques to use with vial learners.
Tactile-Kinesthetic Learners. These learners learn
by doing, touching, and direct involvement. They
are hands-on learners who need to be involved
physically with project and activities. These
students need to use manipulative and have many
objects to touch and utilized to help lock in
learning through their sense of touch. These
students need many opportunities to participate in
learning games, laboratory experiences,
performance/acting out experiences, crafts,
drawing, various, arts, contraction, and use of
computers and other technology. Teach concepts and
antagonist in literature can be demonstrated
through protagonists and antagonists in literature
can be demonstrated through a wrestling. The
symbols of greater than (>) and less than (<) can
be demonstrated through use of a crocodile puppet
or similar animal with a big mouth that opens up
wide to face the larger number because it only
“eats” The larger number. Tactile-kinesthetic
learner when they can top out or clap out the

32
sounds and/or syllables they hear in words. This
often assists them through decoding and spelling.
Use of numbers lines; a variety of different
writing materials; tracing with their fingers on
sandpaper, carpet, and other textures/surfaces are
all useful with this types of learners to help them
to remember. Kinesthetic learners do best when
information to be learned is tied to a motion. Even
having them listen with headphones to a tape-
recorded lecture, or reciting information to be
remembered while walking is helpful.
Analytic and Global Learners. The terms to left
hemisphere dominant/right brain or right hemisphere
dominant, analytic/global, and inductive/ deductive
have been used in the literature to describe
individuals’ learning styles. Basically, left
hemisphere dominant, analytic, and inductive,
learner are the same types of learner, their
characteristics are summarized below and they learn
step by step, parts to whole.
1. can have several project going at once
2. are not very time conscious
3. grasp large concepts, then tackle details
4. need to see the big picture
5. find it helpful to see an example of the end
product

33
6. need to discuss the relevance and make a
connection
7. find clustering/mind mapping very helpful
In most cases the right hemisphere controls the
following function; simultaneous processing,
imagination, sense of color, musical abilities,
pattern thinking, spatial tasks, intuition,
metaphorical thinking (difference between what is
said and what is meant). This is the creative and
emotional side of the brain. These individuals tend
to have visual tactile kinesthetic learning styles
and process information in chunks. They tend to be
spontaneous, impulsive, intuitive, creative and
random.

DEVELOPING
DEVELOPINGSTUDY
STUDY
SKILLS
SKILLS

1. Previewing Your Textbook

34
Learning to preview your textbook and you will be
on your way to becoming a better student. By
spending no more than five minutes the first day of
class to preview each of new text, you can
determine what material will be covered in the
book, how familiar you are with the material, and
how difficult the material will be for you. In
addition, you will discover the book’s formats and
the aids included to make your job as a student
easier.
You can practice the technique now. Using a
separate sheet of paper and this textbook, answer
the following question. Your answer will become
five-minute preview of this text.
1.List the title of the text.
2.List the author(s)
3.What is the text’s most recent copyright date?
4.Read the preface or introduction. Summarized in a
few sentences what the book is going to be about.
5.Read the table of contents. How many units are in
the text? How many pages are in the text? List
the title of the unit that sounds most
interesting to you.
6.Thumb through the book. Are there pictures?
Graphics? Maps? Charts? Illustrations? Questions
at the end of the chapters? Pages with a lot of
white space?

35
7.Evaluate the difficulty of the text; how hard do
you think this text will be for you to read and
understand?

What Is Previewing?

Now that you have actually preview a textbook, read

the following article, “How to Preview Your
Textbook”. Using a separate sheet of paper, start a
section of notes and title this section, “study
Skills-Previewing Your Textbook”.
Answer the following questions:
1.What is previewing your text.
2. List the seven steps in previewing your text.
3.What is the value of previewing your text?

How to Preview Your Textbook

The difference between being a good student or
being a poor one some-times hinges on whether you
know how to study. There are some very basic study
techniques that require only a short amount of time

36
to learn but that result in tremendous benefits.
Previewing your text is one of these techniques.
Previewing your text involves looking at a book
before a class begins to determine what the text
contains. This process will take no more than five
minutes, but in that amount of time, you will gain
much useful information. Your preview reveal what
material will be covered in the book and in the
class, how familiar you are with the material, and
how difficult that material will be for you to read
and understand. You will be able to determine the
following: the format of the book; the location of
the study aids, pictures, chart, and graphs used
throughout; and your level of interest in the
material. Equipped with this information, you are a
more informed and prepared student already, and you
will save yourself study time later on.
The first step in previewing your text is to
look at the title, author, and date of publication,
or copyright date. The copyright date is important
because it not only tells you how current the
information is but also how popular the book has
been. A book that has been printed and reprinted
several times is usually a very popular one.
Next, read the preface or introduction. It
usually discusses the scope of the book and
explains why the author or authors wrote it.

37
 Third, find the table of contents and read the
chapter or units titles, main headings, and
subheadings included within. Turn these into
questions so that you can read with a purpose to
find the answers.
Next, flip through the book, looking at any
charts, pictures, captions, and graphs, These items
provide additional information about the subject
and also affect your interest in reading the text.
Fifth, evaluate the difficulty of the material.
How much do you already know about the subject? How
much does it interest you? Is the print large or
small? How much white space does a typical page
have? Are there many pictures, charts, graphs, and
illustrations? These factors all determined the
level of difficulty of the text and the amount
material you will have to read.
Next, know your purpose for reading the text.
Are you required to read it for class? Will the
teacher test you on its contents? Or is it just a
supplement to the teacher’s notes? Knowing your
purpose is crucial in determining how and at what
rate you should read the text.
Last, go to the back of the book to see what
aids are included. Does the text include a glossary
of words and their meaning to help you with
vocabulary? Is there an index listing names, event,

38
terms, and the pages on which these items can be
found? Better yet, does the appendix have solutions
to problems you may have been asked to solve?
Obviously, all these materials will help you as you
read the text, if you know they are there. If you
don’t spend time previewing your text, however, you
may not discover them.

Tips on Concentration

Think about your usual study environment. Are

you sprawled on your bed with the stereo blaring,
books and papers scattered around you. Are you
trying not to spill your soda as you retrieve that
elusive pencil? Or is your study environment,
perhaps, flat on your stomach on the floor, in
front of the TV, with the dog licking your ear and
your brothers playing video games nearby? If this
sounds at all familiar, you many find
concentration- or the lack of it- one of your
biggest hindrances to effective studying.
“But,” you ask, ”how can I concentrate better?”
The following tips have been gathered from students
who have learned to do so.

39
 Studying in the same place every day.
Psychologically, this establishes a pattern that
you brain will respond to automatically when you
settle down in that spot day after day. When your
study place is your bed, the desire to study is in
conflict with the desire to sleep, a conflict that
often causes problems for many students.
In spite of what you may think, studying in a
quiet place is more beneficial than being
surrounded by music or other noise. From
experience, you know you can learn to block certain
sounds from your consciousness, such as the
exasperated tone of a parent’s voice calling or the
rumble of passing traffic. But having a quiet area
is critical, because comprehension rates zoom
downward in direct relationship to the amount of
sound in your environment. Some expert asserts that
noises can actually comprehension half!
Since your primary occupation at this time is
that of student, make your “office” a study center.
Gather together all the equipment you need to do
your work. Face a black wall if possible; don’t let
distractions creep to break your concentration.
After all, this is where you do your work.
Good lighting and ventilation are primary that
will eliminate glare and uneven lighting. Open the

40
window crack, even in chilly weather, to fend off
stuffiness and the yawns that quickly follow.
Find a working surface that is large enough for
your needs, and clear it of any clutter. Be sure to
provide room for the supplies you need-perhaps just
a shoebox on the floor beside your working area.
Note, too, that your eyes will see more easily
and become less tired if you prop your book up at a
thirty-degree angle, rather than leave it flat on
the desktop. You can hold your book at another text
as a support, or build a book rest.
You will concentrate better if you have only
time before you study at a time; too many tasks may
overwhelm you. Always complete one task before
beginning another. Avoid the urge to get something
to eat, to call a friend. Instead, use these well-
known stalling techniques as rewards for your self
when you have completed a task. With a definite
plan of attack, you will finish all your
assignments sooner. Learning to concentrate is hard
work, but the payoff is better grades. Good
students have mastered this skill. You can too!

2. Tracking Your Time

To help you point what you really do with your
time, on separate sheet of paper make a chart like
the one that follows and complete it according to

41
your schedule for one typical day in your school
week.
Start with time you generally wake up, and
continue to identify how you spend your time
throughout the day, right up until when you usually
go to bed. Include hours spent dressing, eating,
traveling to and from school, attending classes,
visiting, working, studying, watching TV, talking
on the phone, sleeping, and so on. Make sure your
log represents a twenty-four-hour period.
Time Activity Time Activity

Now answer on your paper the following summary

question:
1.How much time do you use to eat and dress?
2.How much time do you spend traveling to and
from school?
3.How many hours do you attend classes?
4.How much time do you spend exercising?
5.How much time do you spend watching TV,
visiting, or just relaxing?
6.How many hours do you work at a part-time
job?
7.How many hours do you sleep?
42
2.a Tips for Controlling Your Time
Controlling your time is somewhat like learning
to budget your money. At first, the money always
runs out before the month ends, but with practice
and planning, your money-management skills
increase. The same is true for budgeting your time.
Improving your time-management skills involves just
a few simple steps.
If you want to be in control of your time, need
a plan. Your survival depends on having one. Figure
out your priorities; think about the things you
must accomplish and decide approximately how much
time you need to do them. Write these tasks down;
they provide a guide, or budget, for spending your
hours and minutes.
Consider your prime time and downtime. Are you
most alert in the early, mid, or late morning;
early, mid, or late afternoon; or early, mid, or
late evening? You should plan your study time
accordingly, because you will accomplish far more
if you study when concentration abilities are
sharp.
Plan for breaks to rest your mind and eyes.
Some research suggests taking breaks of
approximately ten minutes every hour and/or
scheduling these breaks between tasks if possible.

43
 Professor Claude Olney of Arizona State
University developed a program called Where There’s
a Will there’s an A. He suggests studying in “short
bursts”. To demonstrate this technique in his
video, he slowly reads off a series of unrelated
numbers to students and then ask them to recall the
first numbers, some subsequent numbers, and the
last number. Everyone can remember the first and
last numbers, but very few recall the middle
numbers. Studying, he says, is the same: You
remember well what you go over at the beginning of
your study session and also what you cover at the
end, but you lose a lot in the middle. The answer,
he says, is to shorten those study session so that
you have lots of firsts and lasts. Using Olney’s
“short bursts” techniques, substitute several short
periods of time for the “ten minutes every hour”
mentioned earlier. You will find, he says in the
video, this usually results in spending less time
studying with better results. Ten, fifteen, twenty,
or even twenty, or even thirty minutes study
sessions can even be carried out when you found
yourself on the bus or waiting in line. He calls
this “studying smarter not harder.
Whichever method you use, either hourly breaks
or short bursts, you still need exact time frame.
It will male you feel very organized and self-

44
disciplined. If, on the other hand, you dislike
rigid time limits, plan your sequence without
specific time allotments.
Either approach can be successful, but remember
that a time budget, like a budget of dollars and
cents, must be somewhat flexible. It is sometimes
hard to judge how long a task will take. If you
can’t meet the time requirement that you have
allowed, revise your schedule, Because unexpected
things come up, try to have some time in reserve,
if possible.
If your out-of-school life is always in a state
of chaos, devote a few minutes daily to planning
your tasks. By having some plan, whether it be
closely structured or more closely organized, you
will know the satisfaction that comes from gaining
more control of your time.
Answer the following questions in your notes:
1.In order to plan your time, what do you need
write down?
2.What do you consider to be your prime time?
Why do you think this is your prime time?
3.What do you consider to be your downtime? Why
should you avoid studying then?
4.Which technique would work best for you: for
longer periods of time with short breaks in
between or studying for bursts with longer

45
 breaks in between? Why would this technique
be better for you?
5.Think about your schedule. Will more loosely
arranged one be better? Why?

Budgeting Your Time

Having completed Activities 2.6 and 2.7, can
you see any areas where you might be able to adjust
your present in order to use your time more
efficiently? Kist them on a separate of paper. Then
create another chart like the one in Activity 2.6
for a schedule in which you will plan head. For the
next week you are to create a new budget for your
time. Keep in mind the best ways to use your time;
your goal is to be more efficient.
At the end of one week, evaluate your new
schedule. Did you succeed in using your time to
your advantage? If you found you were prepared and
less rushed, you will probably be eager to make
your trial schedule changes permanent.

Sizing Up Your Instructor

“That instructor doesn’t like me”. “I can’t do
anything right in his class”. “I never know what to

46
expect in her class”. Do you recall making remarks?
If so, maybe you never ask yourself what your
instructor expects.
Instructors are as different from one another
as you are from your friends. Some are very relaxed
in their approach while others rely on lots of
structure. Some are very explicit in what they
expect from students and what kinds of tests they
give. Others may not be so direct.
If you want to learn as much as you can and
have the possible grades, it’s your job as a
student to understand the expectations of each of
your instructors. This process doesn't ’take long,
and it's not difficult either. Use your powers of
observation, and if you still aren’t sure, ask your
instructor.
To Begin, in the first days of class, spend a
few minutes thinking about your instructor taking;
his or her method of grading and testing; and,
finally, the appropriate techniques you can use to
study for that instructor’s class. You will be
amazed at the results! Not only will you know how
to tailor your studying to each class and its
structure’s expectations, you will also learn
better grades and waste less time.
Next, select the instructor or class that you
find most difficult. Remember that the purpose of

47
this exercise is to guide you through an evaluation
of your instructor’s expectations about you as a
student. Once you determine what those expectations
are, you can adjust your efforts accordingly and
thereby minimize your study time and improve your
grade.
Instructor’s Expectations of My Behavior and
Participation:
1.At the beginning of the hour-----
2.During the hour--------
3.At the end of the hour----
4.In general---
Instructor’s Expectations in the Areas of:
1.Note taking---
2.Study techniques---
3.Test---
4.Grades---

3.The SQ3R Method

An important part of improving your study
skills is finding a dependable study technique.
Some of you may have already discovered a method
that gives you good results, but others may have
no system at all…and have grades that show it. If
you haven’t had the opportunity to develop a study
technique yet, the SQ3R method may be for you.

48
SQ3R
As students, most of you know it is not enough
simply to read an assignment. The act of reading
does not ensure that you will remember what you
have read. Perhaps you daydream while you read, or
maybe you are surrounded by background noise,
commotion, or interruptions. In any case, you can’t
recall a thing about what you have just read. Does
this scenario sound familiar?
You need to be an active participant as you
read and study. You can do so by practicing a
technique that involves you in the learning
process------SQ3R. Many of you already use part of
the SQ3R technique if you preview material. You
carry it even further if, as you read, you try to
find answer to techniques are important step in
SQ3R, but there is more to it. See figure 2.1.
S=Survey. The S in SQ3R stands for survey, which
means previewing, a concept. They are as follow:

S Q
3 R
U U
READ
R E

49
 V S
E T
RECITE
Y I
O
N
REVIEW

1.Look at the title.

2.Read the first paragraph or introduction.
3.Read the first sentence of each of the other
paragraphs.
4.Read the last paragraph or conclusion.
The survey step in SQ3R helps you in four ways:
1. You get glimpse of the contents of the
material without having to read every word.
2. You get a feel for your familiarity with the
material.
3. You can estimate the amount of time you
should set aside for covering the material.
4. You may actually double your comprehension
when you do read the entire selection.
Surveying the material accomplishes these steps in
a matter of minutes!
Q=Question. In order to become actively involved in
the actual reading process, you need to read with a
purpose. That is, you need to read to answer

50
questions. Look to the following sources for
questions you can answer as you read:
1.questions listed at the end of the chapter;
2.questions provided by your instructor;
3.headings you turn into questions; and
4.questions on worksheet, quizzes, or tests.
Knowing the questions before you actually read
the selection helps you read with the purpose.
You will be an involved reader, and
comprehension and retention of the material
will be greatly improved. Better yet, after you
finish reading the selection, you will find you
know the answer to the questions you had as you
were reading.
R=Read. Read the material as an active reader with
the goal of answering questions you go along.
You’ll feel good when your reading reveals answer.
R=Recite. The next step is to recite the answer to
your questions. Recite aloud to another person or
quietly to yourself what you have read. Studies
show that students tend to forget as much as 80
percent of what they have learned from reading
within two weeks after studying. But when students
recite immediately after reading, they forget only
20 percent during the same time period.
Recite what you have read and then write it
down, if necessary. This proves actively involved

51
in the reading process. You know you have read
because you can recite the answers to questions.
R=Review. After few hours, or even a couple of
days, review the answer to your questions. This
step will keep the material fresh in your mind and
retain it and recall it accurately for longer
periods of time.
In addition, using the SQ3R method will save
you from test anxiety and late night or to all
night crash study session. SQ3R helps you learn and
certain the materials so that can approach a test
with confidence.

(Pre-Final
Coverage)

SELF-CONCEPT 52
AND ITS
DYNAMICS
 SELF-
SELF-
CONCEPT-
CONCEPT-
WHO
WHOII
AM?
AM?
53
 Of course you know who you are. You know your
first and last name. You know where and when you
were born, and you have no trouble identifying your
ethnic background.
What makes you unique and special are your
thoughts, your beliefs, and your dreams. You have
a unique past history, and this set of experiences
together with your genetic make up- the combination
of genes you inherited from your parents-is unlike
anyone else’s

SELF CONCEPT AND ITS DYNAMIC

* What is Self-Concept?

Self-Concept- refers to the consciousness and

unconsciousness of perceptions or feeling about us
with regards to our worth as a person.
.
* When can you say that a person has low, poor or
negative Self-Concept?
A person is said to have a low, poor or negative
self-concept when he sees little or no worth and
feels unhappy about him/her self.

54
*How can you know that a person has a high, good,
positive self-concept?
A person is said to have, good or positive self-
concept when he sees himself to have worth and
feels good about him/her self.

*Self-Concept is essential to every individual’s

life? Do you know where this our self-concept
originated?

WHERE DID THESE PERCEPTIONS AND FEELINGS OF ONE'’

WORTH COME FROM?

*When does self-concept start?

1.Largely it begins during our early

development; how we were told about who we
are and what worth we have as individuals.
2. In the process, we acquire picture of
ourselves and we begin to qualify our
experiences according to this view that we
have of our self.
3.We become SUBJECTIVE to our experiencing of
reality

*.Can you cite one example of Self-Confidence?

55
 For example, If I have view myself in a
negative way, my experiences will be more of a
reinforcement of this view until I arrive at a set
of negative thoughts and feeling about myself. This
pattern of thoughts and feeling makes up our self-
concept.

THE THREE DIMENSIONS OF SELF-CONCEPT

There are basically three Dimensions of self-

concept, these are the following;

SELF-IMAGE
 What is Self-Image?
 It refers to all our perceptions and feelings
about ourselves with regard to our physical
and social appearance including our genetic
inheritance, such as sex and race; our
physical attributes such as height, built,
weight and others. Our social appearance
includes our name, roles, status and titles.

SELF-CONFIDENCE

56
*What is Self-confidence?
 It refers to perceptions and feelings about
our worth with regards to our capabilities.
This involves our ability to do things, to
achieve and to develop more competencies.

SELF-ESTEEM

 What does self-Esteem mean?

Refers to our perceptions and feelings about
our worth with regards to our lovability. This
refers to our basic ability to love and be
loved.

WHAT STEPS SHOULD YOU TAKE TOWARDS A HEALTHY SELF-

CONCEPT?
You must begin by assessing your present self-
concept level. Is your self-concept basically
positive or negative? Then explore which area in
the different dimensions you are weak.

 How will you know if you have a healthy self-

concept in these three dimensions?
In the area of SELF-IMAGE, a person who feels
he suffers from some form of physical or social
handicap develops a low self-image.
 How? What criteria can you cite to support it?
57
For instance, just by saying the following to
your self;
~ I have too many pimples.
~ I feel ugly.
~ I’m too stout.
~ I’m too thin.
~ I’m cross-eyed.
~ I’m just a janitor.

These serve as hindrances for one to feel good

about his appearance. As a result a woman
develops hang-ups and some forms of neurotic
behavior as security blankets. For example,
extreme redness, putting too many make-up;
insistence on being addressed with titles such as
“doctor” or “attorney”, “sir” / “madam”, and even
collecting Mercedes Benzes.

A person with positive self-image recognizes

some of his physical and social limitation but
does not allow these to deter him from feeling
good about his appearance. He learns how to
acknowledge and accepts his limitations and
therefore, feels at home with himself. Perhaps
the key element to the ability to transcend
physical and social limitations is his ability to

58
 see beyond “external and stress on inner beauty”.
Remember the famous quotation from the Little
Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery: “It is with
the heart that one can see rightly, what is
essential is invisible to the eye “. His motto
is-“I feel happy just being me”.

WHAT ABOUT THE SELF-CONFIDENCE DIMENSION?

People who believe they are able and capable are

those said to have self-confidence. Self-confidence
paves the way to productivity because the person
believes in his potentials. He allows these
potentials to develop by trying. He is not afraid
of making mistakes. He does not fall into traps of
“being perfect”. The development of his abilities
is measured within his own standards and
improvements.

In contrast a person who lacks self-confidence

always says, “I can’t”. “Don’t count on me “. “I

59
will not foul it up”, “I’ll never make perfect”.
Because he doesn’t believe in himself, his
potentials seldom flourish and grow.

Common roots that affect a person’s confidence

level are: too much stress on achievements,
perfection as standards comparing oneself with
others, fear of making mistakes, or grade. These
factors make the person less courageous to try out
potentials and abilities.

WHAT ABOUT SELF-ESTEEM?

A person with high self-esteem believes he is

lovable. He does not reject and put himself down
when other seem to reject him. He does not subject
his ability to conditions, such as believing he is
lovable only if he is good and looking or if he can
achieve. He believes in his lovable nature being a
creature of a loving GOD. If he let the others
happen to love him, he celebrates it. But he does
not let the love of others can be a factor in
determining his lovability. He simply believes in
his love-ability. I am a loving creature and
therefore I can love. A person with a high self-
esteem can love freely and spontaneously.

60
 A person with a low self-esteem does not love
himself. He may doubt the love of others or
may feel he has to work extra hard to earn
people’s love. He is the first to reject
himself. Usually this is the result of the
upbringing that he is very conditional, I am
lovable if only I can get good grades, If I am
hardworking, etc. A person with low self-esteem
finds it harder to love others.

IT IS POSSIBLE FOR ONE TO SUFFER FROM ALL THE THREE

DIMENSIONS?

YES, it is possible. It may point at

one dimension, which directly affects
the person. One usually suffers from one dimension
and the other two are affected as a result. For
instance, a person may feel incapable and unlovable
largely due to a physical handicap, which belongs
to the dimension of self-image. Or a person who
feels unlovable may attribute this to his looks and
abilities. I am not lovable because
I am ugly. I am not lovable because I
am not able But in actuality
the roots is in his feelings of unlovability, not
on his looks or abilities.

61
 SELF-AWARENESS AND EVALUATION

Introduction
William James, a Harvard
psychologist, firmly stated that man uses only
about one-tenth of his greatest potential in life.

1. That is one of the most frightening facts we

will ever face.
2. Think of all the accomplishments, dreams,
victories and gifts that have never been
realized throughout the lifetime of man on
earth.
3. Think of the 90% of you that now lie totally
ignored and untapped.
4. Think of all you could give yourself and
your family if you use only five percent
more of yourself than you are now using.

The major purpose of this is to show you how

you can use more of your potentials by the process
of self-evaluation, which comes from self-
knowledge.
Many people think that we use only about 10%
of our potential because some persons or force
limit us. However;

62
 1. The part of our lives that we fail to
touch does not have to remain so.
2. We can begin to use more of our given
potential if we are willing to learn and use a few
simple truths.

WHY WE ARE THE WAY WE ARE?

A. During waking hour, our actions and statements

reflect what we really feel about ourselves. And
yet, most of us have never really examined what we
feel, why we feel that way, and how we want to feel
about ourselves.
1.Is that so important? YES, if you are not
satisfied with things in your life and feel
the desire to improve.
2.This self-examination is vital if you want to
change your life, your actions, your
accomplishments and your future.
B. As children, we heard the elder saying a
multitude of things about us. Some of these things
told us that we were good, productive, attractive
and loved. Some told us that we were bad, lazy,
and unable to do certain things.

63
 1.Because the people who said these things were
so much older and held so much authority over
us, we accepted the thoughts
without question --- good or bad.
2. As we grow, we incorporated these things we
felt about ourselves into a mental picture of
ourselves called self-image.
3.We took at the good and the bad and the in-
between and accepted them as truth. Very few
of us never stopped logically or objectively
examined those beliefs. We just accepted
them.
C. As maturing individuals, we took these mental
pictures and shapes, whether we knew it or not, our
whole lives revolved around what we thought about
ourselves.
1. If we thought about ourselves as
incompetent, we became incompetent.
2. If we thought about ourselves as beautiful
and productive people, we become just that
way.
3. This happened because our subconscious mind
accepted the “truth” which the conscious
mind fed it and acted exactly that way. If
the subconscious mind was told that we were
stupid, we acted stupid, because the

64
 subconscious mind obeys instructions from
the latter.
D. Many of us believe that we are “stuck” with
these mental pictures of ourselves just because we
have developed from infancy until now with this
belief.
1. This is one of the factors that lead us to
limit ourselves.
2. We never have to be “stuck” with any way of
thinking.
3. As human beings, we will always have the
power to change our thoughts and actions
according to our beliefs.
4. We can always change and upgrade our self-
image.

Helps and Hindrances to Self-Concept Development

In this section of the course, we shall

invite you to explore the different factors,
which influence the development of
your self-concept. One
significant area we will look into is PARENTAL
BEHAVIOR and its positive or negative impact on the

65
development of your self-concept. Another area we
will consider is the influence of CULTURAL NORMS
AND EXPECTATIONS ON SELF-CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT. As
you explore these two areas, it is hoped that you
will begin to identify and understand the roots of
your self-concept and liberate yourself from
unhealthy influences of the past.
A. PARENTAL BEHAVIOR AND SELF-CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
A friend of mine once shared
an experience she had when she was
teaching in the United States.
It was a meeting she had with one of
the mothers in a parent-teacher
conference. Her student was a
young boy
who was very withdrawn.
Out of concern she approached his mother to
initiate some conversion. To my friend’s horror,
the mother openly berated her son for thirty
minutes. What was wrong about him/her. Finally,
my friend decided to interrupt her and said:
“Okey, now that you’ve told me about what was wrong
with your son, why don’t you tell me something you
like about him.”
The mother was taken aback with this statement,
“You mean all the while I wasn’t saying anything
positive about my son?.” She was not even

66
conscious of it. No wonder the son turned out to
be withdrawn.
This incident struck me and once more reaffirms
the significant role a parent plays on his or her
child’s development. Whether conscious or not.
Parental behavior manifested in the way parents
relate and rear their children, do influence the
person’s self-concept.
We shall now lead you to a journey back to your
childhood and review the impact your parents or
significant persons like lolo, lola, relatives have
on your feelings of worth as a person. It’s
important to note here that sometimes what is
significant is not so much what really happened
then, but how you feel on what had happened now at
this point in time. This is what we refer to as
the “impact of the event”.
Another important note, it is not the aim of
this activity to bring out the anger and
bitterness, which you have had towards your
parents. We are not, however, discounting the
possibility that this might happen especially since
the process invites you to assess your parents
influences on you. When you begin to look back at
their faults, weaknesses and limitations, a human
tendency is to blame them especially when negative
consequences have occurred.

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 In this case, we would advise you not to deny
these negative feelings. Instead, confront them.
But learn to judge your parents not in terms of
intentions, instead, judge them in terms of
“behavior” – what they have done and not done –
have hindered you from growing. Several times we
tend to judge a person’s intention; we believe that
they are out to hurt us purposely. We, however,
discover later that this is not so, seldom do
people want to really hurt others. What they have
manifested as negative behaviors oftentimes, are
simply results of their own psychological ills.
With parents, it is not so much that they want to
hurt their children. More often, they hurt their
children because of other factors. Such as their
own deep unresolved resentments with their own
parents, which are coming through. Perhaps they
have a strong feeling of inadequacy in fulfilling
their role as a parent. Only when we see our
parents as human beings too, and that they have
sincere intentions, can we begin the process of
healing the past wounds. We begin to forgive them
because they are victims of their own human
weaknesses. Of course, this is not to say that all
is well. We become responsible to build from what
has been set as what we have envisioned.

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 B. CULTURAL NORMS AND EXPECTATION AND
SELF-CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

Our culture has laid down

for us some standards from which we
feel accepted or rejected. For example, in the
area of sex roles, men are expected to be the
breadwinner while women are to maintain the
household. Even if both the husband and wife are
working, the women are still consciously or
unconsciously responsible for the management of the
house. This expectation determines how society
regards us which influences our sense of personal
worth. A man, therefore who ends up staying at
home taking care of children while his wife works
would be ostracized by his neighbors. Eventually,
he could lose a sense of respect for himself.

What are Cultural Norms?

Cultural norms and expectations

define our self to others.
Therefore, we live up to them just

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as we experience rejection. But sometimes these
norms and expectations become unrealistic and
unhealthy for the individuals. This is why we need
to review these norms and expectations because
consciously or unconsciously they influence the
development of our self-concept. This section
leads you to reflect on culture’s influence and to
emerge your capacity to redefine yourself against
standards that may not be healthy and realistic.
Thus, Cultural Norms are expectations of our
society towards us. So, what is expected of you as
a member of a society?

Go back through your growing up experience and

get in touch with what you have been receiving as
standards for men and women in the areas of;
a.Body image
b.Sex roles
c.Achievements
d.Success

As A Man

How can you answer the following questions?

What have you been told about your body image?

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 What body image would be considered more
acceptable for men?

What sex roles have been considered achievement

standards for you as a man?

What qualities do you have to be successful?

As a Woman
How will you react if the following questions
will be asked to you:

What body image has always been dictated to you

as being more acceptable?

What sex roles have been assigned to you as

woman?

What achievement standards were set for you as

a woman?

What makes woman successful?

HOW CAN YOU ENHANCE YOUR SELF-CONCEPT POSITIVELY?

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 In this chapter,
we shall give you concrete
suggestions on how you
can enhance and improve your self-concept.
Although there are numerous ways of achieving this,
we would like to focus on the four areas, which may
serve as significant starting points.

Working on each of these four areas

conscientiously would bring out a greater
appreciation and celebration of one’s self.

1. THE EXPERIENCE OF ACHIEVEMENT

One of the most important

experiences that can facilitate
the realization of our worth as
a person is the experience of achievement. We all
need to be reassured of the power within us which
makes us able to achieve our respective endeavor.

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Looking at concrete results and abilities that we
have.

Oftentimes, the barriers we have in

achieving a task is our doubt that we have powers
and abilities. It is not so much that we do not
have these powers and abilities to achieve.
Rather, it is more of our inability to acknowledge
and own them. The experience of achievement,
therefore, is possible only if we believe in
ourselves, in what we have and what we possess. To
enhance your self-concept in this area, the
following suggestions would be carefully
considered:

A. Readily acknowledge an achievement you

experienced.

It doesn’t have to be a major achievement.

As long as you feel proud about something you have
done, recognize and celebrate it. For example, you
have been able to finish a term paper despite of so
much pressure in the family that would be an
achievement. Claim it as such.

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B. Consider your achievement not in terms of
external indicators but more of a personal standard
of achievement.
You don’t need a medal or a prize to tell you
that you have achieved something. Your achievement
itself is a reward. If you have done something
which you are proud of and which you feel good
about, then consider it as an achievement. If for
instance, in the past, you have been getting C’s
and this month you are getting B’s, you could say
that it is an achievement. It doesn’t have to be
an A. Your standards of achievement depend on
yourself and what you are able to do within limits.

C. Avoid a very unrealistic and perfectionist

standard of achievement for yourself.
Do not set a goal that is unreal and impossible
to achieve. It will only make you feel bad about
yourself. For example, during the first try you
will be able to do it perfectly.

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D. Avoid becoming over-critical with yourself.
Remember you are a human being and as such, you
are liable to make mistakes. Also, as human being,
you have limitations. When you both meet your
limitations and the mistakes you have done, be kind
to yourself. At the same time, remember that it is
not true that just because you made mistakes or you
have limitations, you cannot achieve anything. If,
for instance, you are poor in Mathematics and you
recognize it as your limitation, your criticism to
your self will further block you from learning.
Whereas, if you recognize it as your limitation and
know it will take you a little more time than usual
to learn, you can still learn.
E. With every achievement experienced,
identify personal strength –
qualities or abilities.

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 When you possess something
that contributes to your
achievement, it is worth
honoring. There is always a tendency that you
might have to attribute the achievement to external
factors, such as luck or a friend’s help. Identify
them and acknowledge them. So, if you pass an
examination with flying colors, look back and
pinpoint the qualities and abilities you have which
contributed to the high grades. For instance, you
might say it was due to your perseverance and self-
discipline. Or you could say it was your ability
to comprehend the subject matters.

F. With every achievement find the possibility of

having a chance to publicly share this achievement.
Although our society tends to teach us to be
quiet about our achievement, psychologically, it
facilitates the process of “owning” these
achievement if we find persons whom we will share
them with, of course, this presupposes that the
person whom you will share your joys with will not
misinterpret your actions and judge you as proud.
Rather, he or she will be happy too with your
achievement. So when you get high grades, the joy
would be more completed when you arrive home and

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share it with your parents. Then the joy is
doubled.

F. Celebrate your achievement by giving

your self a reward or prize for jobs
well done.

If you especially feel

proud of what you’ve done,
don’t hesitate to give yourself a treat, or
finally, buying yourself
something you have wanted for a long time. If you
can afford it, spoil your self. After all, when
you’ve got it, you deserve it. After a hard days
work, despite all your problems, you are able to
finish a task, what’s an ice cream cone for a
treat!
2. RE-PROGRAMMING BELIEF SYSTEM AND SELF-TALKS

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 One thing we need to keep away from is the
“garbage” we feed our mind. Without our being
aware of it, we hold some beliefs which are both
unhealthy and unrealistic. These beliefs influence
our way of perceiving reality and causes consequent
reaction. Therefore, if I keep an irrational
belief such as “I am born a loser”, I will perceive
an experience of failure as a confirmation of that
belief and consequently, feel self-pity and
depression.

We need to guard ourselves with such

“programming” of our beliefs. One of the greatest
things we could suffer from our unhealthy
irrational belief is viewing our self negatively
and feels unworthy. We experience “putting down”
our self, blaming, getting angry, hating and ending
up our self.

Usually, we see these beliefs at work in our

“Self-talks”. These are things we tell our self
about in an event. The event itself does not
directly cause an emotional reaction. Getting in
touch with our self-talks would, therefore, help us
identify some underlying belief system. Working on
this belief system, in turn, facilitates a more

78
rational and healthier view of self, of others and
of life.

Let us begin re-programming our belief system

and self-talk by looking over some of the most
common unhealthy and irrational belief systems,
which could directly or indirectly affect us,
especially our self-concept. As you look over the
list, which we borrowed from John Powell’s book
“Fully human, Fully alive”, check the ones you feel
rooted in your own belief system.
 Here are some of the COMMON UNHEALTHY AND
IRRATIONAL BELIEFS:
1. I must be loved and approved by everyone, in
my community,
especially by those who are most important
to me.
2. I must be perfectly competent, adequate and
successful in achieving my goal before I can
think of self as worthwhile.
3. I have no control over my own happiness. My
happiness is completely in the control of
external circumstances.
4. The past experiences and events of my life
have determined my present life and behavior.
The influence of the past cannot be
eradicated.

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 5. Nobody can really love me.
6. I don’t deserve to be happy.
7. I have to be the center of attention or don’t
enjoy myself.
8. What will the neighbors say? We have to look
good.
9. This is the way I am and always will be.
10. It’s no use of trying.
3. FEEDBACK: GETTING THE MOST OUT OF IT.
Another area that can facilitate
the enhancement of our self-
concept is our ability to
receive feedback, especially
positive feedback. We need
information coming from other people about us,
especially our strength, so that we can validate
and confirm what we know of ourselves already and
include other data that we are not aware of. In
doing so, other people serve as “mirror” to us and
we discover, reaffirm more of our beauty and
uniqueness as person.
Many of us, however, find difficulty in
receiving both positive and negative feedbacks.
For some, this is due to the fact that persons get
hurt when confronting with their weaknesses, when
they themselves are not assured of their strengths.
This is why in Self-concept development the focus

80
must be in the realization of one’s unique
strengths.
Some of us thought we would struggle inside
when people offer very positive feedbacks. We
don’t know how to receive them. Maybe it is our
very culture that has toughened us. We are told
that once we acknowledge out positive qualities, it
is not socially acceptable. We are considered
“proud” and our religious background further
reinforces it by accusing us of the sin of pride.
In this content, we reject the positive things that
people say to us.
This is why we must learn how to get the most
out of feedback especially positive feedbacks.
Unless we own and appreciate our strengths, we can
never improve. We will reject positive feedbacks,
which will help us build our self. We will also
reject negative feedbacks, which can help us
improve ourselves.

Here are some guidelines in helping you get the

most out of positive feedbacks:
1. Treat feedback as feedback. Feedbacks are
not truths; they are information coming from
other persons regarding our behavior and
actions, which have affected others in a

81
 positive way (This is called the positive
feedback) or in a negative way (negative
feedback). As information, we can either
accept or reject it. But we must respect it
since it is another person’s opinion.
2. Listen to feedback given. Do not
immediately react to a feedback without
first knowing where it is coming from.
Learn to listen first. What particular
behavior or behaviors do I have which
affected the other? How was the other
affected? What made the person affected in
a particular way?
a. Check how the feedback was given.
Sometimes, it is given in generalities,
such as “you are very good”, or “you are
a very insincere person.” Find out what
the person means. What have I done to
make you say that I am good or that I am
insincere? It’s very hard to live with
judgment of “good” and “insincere”
because we are not entirely good nor are
we always insincere. We must have done
something to make the person react in
such a way as to label us as such. Go
back to your behavior.

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 b. Feedback does not and should not
pinpoint intentions but only behavior.
Going back to the examples earlier, you
might discover that you are considered
good because you lend the person money,
not because you are doing good, but
because you are afraid that the person
you would get angry or reject you if you
don’t. Therefore, only you would know
your intention.
c. Feedback is in contact of the other
person’s need and expectation. When I
meet the other person’s need and
expectation with my behavior, they will
affect the other positively. If I don’t
meet their expectation, then It affect
them negatively. For example, I don’t
meet a person’s expectation for total
honesty; he could call me “dishonest”.
I just could not meet his needs.
d. Know that feedback refers to behavior
and it affects other’s expectations. I
must listen to feedback as it is. I need
not be too defensive nor apologetic
immediately. I
1. Analyze the feedback. Find out if you agree
or disagree with the feedback. If you agree

83
 with the feedback, accept and acknowledge it.
If necessary, explain your behavior so that
the person would interpret the behavior not
within the context of your intentions.
2. Appreciate the feedback accordingly. If
others appreciate you and you agree to their
assessment, then you own it as your strength
or positive quality. If you disagree with
their assessment, treat it as just a
feedback. That’s how the other person
experienced about me. If I want to explain so
he or she will understand as better, I can
explain.

3. MEANINGFUL
RELATIONSHIP AND
SUPPORT SYSTEM

There is no substitute for what love can do to

a person. No one expresses it better than Roy
Creft in his poem.

“I LOVE YOU”
I love you

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 Not only for what you are
But for what I am
When I am with you.

I love you
Not only have made of yourself
But for what
You are making of me.
For the part of me
That you bring out.

I love you
For putting your hand
Into my heaped-up heart
And the foolish, weak things
That you can’t help dimly seeing there
And for drawing
Out into the light
All the beautiful belongings
That no one else had looked
Guide far enough to find

I love you
Because you are
Helping me to make
Of the lumber of my life

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 Not a tavern
But a temple
Out of the works
Of my everyday
Not a reproach
But a song.

I love you
Because you have done it
By being yourself

Perhaps that is what

Being a friend means
After all.

When we have someone who fits into the

description that Roy Creft gave, we wouldn’t have
many problems with recognizing our worth as a
person. We all need friends. Real friends.
Persons who draw out from us our best self.

Do you have persons in your life whom you

consider as real friends?

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 Begin to identify these persons in your life
who have served as real friends to you. Reflect on
their significant role in your life. What have you
become more of as result?

Over and above human friends, one more

additional relationship and Support System must be
explored in the experience of being in touch with
an affirming God. Our human relationship must
model after the way our GOD. Our relationship with
others relate with us – unconditional in loving,
accepting, forgiving, understanding and caring. It
is a total giving of self, which brings about our
discovery and realization of our own unique self in
what is characterized in God’s love to us.

To experience this loving further in our life,

we must spend more time to communicate to GOD. It
is a two-way process. Not just in speaking
endlessly, but allowing Him also to speak to us.
As we listen to HIM through HIS words.

Make sure that in your lifetime, you do not

miss out on these two important areas of your life;
the experience of real friends and the encounter
with an affirming God. Our worth is further

87
validated by these meaningful relationships and
support system.

88
 (Final Coverage)

JOHARI WIDOW
(SELF-DISCOVERY)

JOHARI WIDOW
(SELF-DISCOVERY)

1.The FREE area in known both to you and to

others-the area of mutual sharing and
interaction.

89
2.The HIDDEN area in known to you but not
shared with others.
3. The BLIND area is known to others but
unknown to you.
4.The DARK area is that part of your self which
is unknown to others and also unknown to you-
The talents and abilities which you do not
know you have and others have never seen and
also the wounds and hurts buried deep in your
memory.
5.FEEDBACK is one way by which others open up
your blind spot, letting you know in a
responsible, supportive way what they see in
you, which you do not see in yourself.
6.DISCLOSURE is the means by which you share
more of your HIDDEN self with others. This
would depend upon your desire to do so.
Others have no right to force you to disclose
the hidden of yourself.
7.REVELATION is when the DARK area of yourself
is opened. It comes spontaneously and cannot
be planned like the way in which a slip of
the tongue reveals something you and others
do not know.

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 KNOW YOUR SELF

The danger of not knowing one self has already

been discussed. Self-knowledge means understanding
one’s values, goals and those things, which gives
meaning to one’s life. Knowing oneself involves
three qualities: knowing what one cannot do, and
knowing what one ought to do. It should be noted
that self-knowledge does not come by merely
pondering on events of the day. Insights from one
who has acquired most fully through the observation
of the in action, particularly in relations with
others, are important. It is then that the self is
called forth actually to be what he can become. The
Johari Window could better illustrate this.

BE YOURSELF;
God reserved some of his harvest words to
hypocrites. Everyone likes a phony, one who wears
a mask or even several masks, and one who is not
sincere. “Sincere” comes from the Latin “sine
sera” meaning “without wax”. Actors during those

91
times used waxen masks during plays and dreams.
Thus, an arrogant, tough, poised air may be a mask
to conceal an insecure personality, an empty shell
with no substance of its own. Like an actor who
plays a character totally different from him, a
person who is not himself strives to fit a self-
image which is not himself and suffers the
consequences of this false existence.
The mass media often present us with the
beguiling image of the perfect man and woman. We
should rather recognize the fictional and
unrealistic charter of such ideal roles shown and
instead on inherent imperfections but always
striving to better ourselves with genuine self-
acceptance. The self-accepting person not need fear
what he discovers about herself. He can be open to
his inner experiences without being overcome by
them.

BE YOUR BEST SELF

To become the self which is expressed in many

popular songs. Such as “I want to be free”, “I want

92
to be me”, “I did it my way”. We hear a great deal
today about the search for identity and the sense
of alienation while many are having the difficulty
knowing who really they are, others are questioning
the meaning of their lives. In both cases, we can
see the frustration of the natural tendencies in
human beings to become their best selves. This
tendency is concretized in the following way;
a) The desire to fulfill one’s personal
capacities and develop one’s potentials.
b) The need to do what one is best suited.
c) The yearning to grow and expand though
discovering the truth, creating beauty,
producing order and promoting justice.
A person whose tendency towards fulfilling his
blocked (refer to better “C”) may become a
neurotic. It might be of some assistance to
consider description of the neurotic and
someone who is in the way to become his best
self.
A) The neurotic frequently avoids or escapes
anything, which involves pain; the mature
person confronts the requirements of his
world and attempts to respond to it.
B) The neurotic habitually expresses his
difficulties, but since repression is in the
end ineffective and even harmful, these

93
 difficulties continue to trouble him. The
mature person can effectively sublimate his
difficulties and channel them towards
creative ends.
C) The neurotic is characterized by many
personality splits. There is a continual
conflict between his goals and values. An
efficient perception of reality integration,
and unity of personality characterize the
normal person.
D) Self-description is another prominent trait
of the neurotic. The normal person has
insight in his motivation and behavior.
E) The neurotic is characterized by fixations
in his personality growth. His motives maybe
childish and his behavior regressive. The
mature person thinks, feels and acts in
accordance with his age.
F) The neurotic suffers from uncontrolled
impulsiveness. He behaves in unnatural ways.
G) The normal person has a high frustration
tolerance. He can postpone gratification and
tolerates ambiguity to a high degree.
H) The neurotic’s involvement is quit narrow
and tied to the immediate situation. The
mature person has a wider range of interest
and has a unifying personality, which is not

94
 centered on him, a wider frame of interests
of which he finds meaning and direction.
Thus, the mature person, the self-actualized
person, the future integrated and fully
functioning person can look to the future
with confidence at the past without regrets.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Andres, T. D. (1992) Self-Concept and Its Dynamics New

Day Publishers of the Christian Literature Society of
the Philippines, Inc. Manila, National Bookstore, Inc.

Archer, A., and Gleanson,M.1989“SkillforSchoolSuccess”,

North, Billerca, MA: Curriculum Associates

Atkinson, R.H. & Longman, D.G. “College Learning and

Study Skills”, West Publishing Company

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Bullies, E.N. (1989) Education for Human
Relations.Gonaryney, N. (1977). Self-Image and Social
Change. New Delhi SR Ghai Sterling Printers.

Carter, Carol et al.. “Keys to Study Skills opening

Doors to Learning”. 1999 by Prentice Hall Inc. Simon &
Schuster/A Viacom Company Upper Saddle River, New
Jersey 07458.

Devine, T.G. (1987) “Teaching Study Skills: A Guide for

Teachers” (2nd ed. ) Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Dainon, Sheila & Bailey,Caroline. Developing Skills

with People: Training for Person to Person Client
Contact. Winchester: Wilez, 1988

Janes, M. and Savary, L. (1977). A New Self, Self-

Theraphy with Transactional Analysis. Addison Wesley
Publishing Company.

Carballo, Leni-Ramos “Keeping In Touch”, A Workbook in

Human Relations Development. Published by Booklore
Publishing corporation. Copyright 2000.

Mandin, Belen, Interpersonal Skills and Values

development, Q.C. Values Education, 1989

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McGinnis, Alan Loy. Bringing Out the best in People:
How to enjoy Helping Others Excel. Minneapolis. MN
Burgess, 1980.

Understanding and Improving Your Personality and Self-

Image, Complied and Edited by Editorial Committee.
Academic Publishing Corporation. Philippine Copyright,
1997.

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR

97
 DR. ROSEMARIE TEREZ-SANTOS

Dr. Rosemarie T. Santos is the Coordinator of the Euthenics

Department of Universidad De Zamboanga. She graduated her BSE-
Major in Values Education at Western Mindanao State University,
Zamboanga City. She finished her Masters Degree in School
Administration and Supervision and Doctoral degree in Educational
Management at Universidad de Zamboanga. She had been a
Facilitator and Project Documentor of the Public Service Ethics,
Excellence and Accountability Program (PSEEAP) under the UZ-
Community Extension Services which is a link project of the USAID
under the Transparent Accountable Governance (TAG) Project
implemented by The Asia Foundation (TAF). Her long years of
experience and dedication of teaching Euthenics subjects and
diligence in doing researcher inspired her to prepare this module.
Presently, she is also teaching in the Graduate School handling
MAEd. Subjects major in Supervision and Administration and an
advisee of thesis and dissertation writing.

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