Psychological Corollary

It is important to seek further information and advice on a new strategy when failure comes despite efforts.

Lesson Objectives

Students will identify three reasons why it is important to seek further information and advice when failure comes despite efforts. For example, an alcoholic should continue to seek help even after "falling off the wagon.

Social Behaviors

This lesson shows students that successful people:

Social Vocabulary

• control 
• decided

Other Vocabulary

Suggested Lesson Plans

Introduction

• Ask students to name problems that people may not be able to solve alone (e.g., smoking, being overweight, drug abuse, and acne).
• Have students brainstorm what a person might do to solve each of these problems alone.
• Introduce vocabulary.

Group Use of Student Workbook

• Have students read "Bottled Blues" and complete and discuss exercises at the end of Parts I and II.
• Ask students why they think Phil was unsuccessful in his attempt to stop drinking.
• Ask students why they think Phil first tried to solve his problem by himself.
• Discuss reasons people might give for not seeking advice (e.g., pride, stubbornness, and denying that they have a problem
• What might have happened if Phil hadn't gone to Alcoholics Anonymous?
• Discuss whether or not a person can control the decision to seek advice or assistance. (Yes, people can control all decisions that they make.)

Follow - Up

• Discuss advantages of getting advice (e.g., one can obtain a better view of a problem, possible solutions to a problem, or encouragement to continue working on a problem).
• Ask students if there are any possible disadvantages in using advice. If so, what are they? (For example, you may receive bad advice; you may rely too much on others to solve your problems; you may blame others for your failure.)
• Discuss the consequences when Phil does not use the advice he needs.
• Discuss how consequences differ when Phil does get and use advice.

Behavior Development Activity

To encourage students to seek advice and solve problems:

• Have students brainstorm a list of people and agencies whose purpose is helping people cope with various problems (e.g., physicians, counselors, and hotlines).
• Divide the class into groups. Give groups the following list of problems:
• Being overweight
• Smoking cigarettes
• Child rearing (e.g., parent with a hot temper)
• Have groups use the Internet and other resources to locate at least two sources of help for each of the problems. Students should save the names, addresses, websites, and phone numbers of the sources they would use if they had one of these problems.

Review

Ask students to list three reasons why a person would want additional advice if his efforts were not bringing success (e.g., to learn additional strategies, to prevent further failure, and to get support to continue trying).

• Ask students to identify two sources of advice and information for the following specific problems:
• Alcohol abuse (e.g., AA, mental health clinic)
• Being overweight (e.g., doctor, health spa)

Homework (Optional)

Have students identify problems they have (or one that a friend has) and two local sources of assistance for solving each problem.