CECmisc.81


TITLE:  From BAD to GOOD

AUTHOR:  Michael K. Wales., Lookout Mountain Youth
         Services Center, Golden, CO

GRADE LEVEL:  Appropriate for ages 13 to 18.

OVERVIEW:  This is an easily adaptable activity that fits
into the SDMPS curriculum in the area of "TRAITS  and
ROLES".  Its intent is to show students they can use the
qualities they possess to be positive, productive,
successful citizens.

PURPOSE:  Students tend to see the characteristics of
themselves as "BAD".  They are proud of these qualities, but
tend to see little alternative to the choices they have made
to become "outlaws" to society.  My purpose  is to show that
these same qualities are what make others  successful within
society.

OBJECTIVES:  Students will list terms that describe
themselves and discuss how these qualities can be used in
more positive ways.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS NEEDED:  Large area or medium on which
to document student responses/ideas such as:  chalkboard,
overhead projector, or newsprint, etc.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:   Instructor writes the central
roles on the board or overhead  of either gang member, or
criminal.  Students will brainstorm traits that criminals
possess that make them  successful criminals, or gang
members.  (These will likely include:  desire for money,
able to deal with responsibility, desire for power,
willingness to be personally involved, able to make
decisions,  able to learn quickly from mistakes, able to be
an excellent judge of character, a willingness to take
risks, ability to focus on one's goals, unwilling to settle
for less than optimum, or other qualities..)  Instructor may
have to prompt students to initiate activity, but this has
not been a problem for me.  As students describe these
characteristics  instructor should write them on the board
to show them in a "positive" light.  As identified traits
are exhausted from students, the activity is nearly ended.
Instructor then erases the role name: CRIMINAL (or gang
member, etc.) from the board and asks students to suggest
other career opportunities in which people might succeed  if
they possessed these same characteristics.  Instructor can
prompt discussion with this idea and other question stems
such as: Are these positive or negative traits?  Why do some
people with theses qualities turn to crime and others to
doctors, lawyers, teachers, plumbers, carpenters, etc.?

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:  I felt like my students accepted
this comparison of traits and roles.  The point I was after
seemed to be understood and well taken.  This is not an easy
task with my students.  It reinforces to them that though
they may have chosen to be a criminal in the past, these are
the same qualities that can allow them to be successful in
socially acceptable ways.