BUILDING GRIT- LESSON 5-

HABIT FORMATION

o ONCE THEY GET THIS, WE REPLACE THE ’ONE’ WITH A ’SNAP’ (CLICK YOUR FINGERS).o ONCE EVERYONE IS INTO THAT, WE REPLACE THE ’TWO’ AS WELL, WITH A HAND-CLAP.o FINALLY, WE REPLACE THE ’THREE’ AS WELL, WITH A STAMP OF THE RIGHT FOOT. PLAY AT HIGH SPEED!…

o ONCE THEY GET THIS, WE REPLACE THE ’ONE’ WITH A ’SNAP’ (CLICK YOUR FINGERS).

o ONCE EVERYONE IS INTO THAT, WE REPLACE THE ’TWO’ AS WELL, WITH A HAND-CLAP.

o FINALLY, WE REPLACE THE ’THREE’ AS WELL, WITH A STAMP OF THE RIGHT FOOT. PLAY AT HIGH SPEED!

PURPOSE: STRETCHING THE BRAIN, ENCOURAGING A HIGH LEVEL OF FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION.

DEBRIEF: “IF YOU DON’T MAKE MISTAKES, YOU’RE NOT WORKING ON HARD ENOUGH PROBLEMS. AND THAT’S A BIG MISTAKE.” FRANK WILCZEK. STUDENTS CAN THINK OF ONE MISTAKE THEY HAVE MADE THIS WEEK (AND WHAT IT TAUGHT THEM) AND SHARE IT WITH THEIR PARTNER. USE THIS SENTENCE STRUCTURE (MY FAVOURITE MISTAKE THIS WEEK IS………..BECAUSE I LEARNED……………)

PART 1- 5 MINUTES

Rationale

  • approximately 45% of our everyday actions are habits, in the sense that they are performed almost daily and usually in the same location (Wood, Quinn & Kashy, 2002)

  • when a habit emerges, our brain stops fully participating in the decision making (Duhigg, 2013). However, our brain can't tell the difference between good ones and bad ones- which means our habits can work for us, or against us. For this reason, if we want to create positive results in our lives, "we should make our nervous system our ally, instead of our enemy" (James, 1984).

Learning objectives

By the end of this lesson, learners should:

  • understand the habit loop

  • list the three parts of the habit loop

  • create a habit loop for a habit they would like to eliminate, reduce, or do more often

PART 2- WATCH AND DISCUSS- 10-15 MINUTES

As a class, DISCUSS: Habits- what are they?

The Power of Habit author, Charles Duhigg, reveals groundbreaking new research which shows that all habits form in our brains. And by grabbing hold of the three-step "loop" -- cue, routine, reward -- we can change them, giving us the power to take control over our lives, lose weight, and form healthier relationships.

For class discussion:
How many things do we do each day without really thinking about them? Brainstorm as a class.

PART 3- WATCH CLIP- 5 MINUTES

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PART 4- HABIT LOOP WORKSHEET- 20 minutes

Complete "THE HABIT LOOP" worksheet.

  • In doing so, it would be wise to keep in mind the four big areas identified in our previous lesson on setting targets- learning, health, relationships, extracurricular. Find a habit that would enhance your performance in this area and apply it.

  • Be sure to begin to implement your newly created habit loop as soon as possible.

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