Out of Poverty - Creating a New World and a New Me

Lesson Six
Creating a New World and a New Me

Objective:
To help participants create a visual representation of prosperity.

1. Review the homework. Check particularly to see if participants are really being honest about some of their own negative attitudes. Check on the believability of their restated attitudes.

2. Introduce the idea that each of us has locked in our mind a vision of how we really want our lives to be. Often our vision makes the current circumstances of our lives even more painful. The pain arises from the gulf between how we want our lives to be and how they are. Sometimes we lose sight of our vision or lose confidence in our capacity to achieve it. Other people rarely ask us how we would like our lives to be. To avoid repeating and perpetuating the past, we need to create and keep our vision alive. Today we are going to draw a picture of a prosperous future.

3.
Explain the rules.

Rule 1: There are no limits on what you can want.

Rule 2: You really must want what you put in the picture.

Rule 3: If it's not in the picture, it is not likely to happen.

Rule 4: There are no rules about how to draw your picture.

4. For this exercise provide marking pens, crayons, construction paper, sheets of newsprint, magazines, glue, and scissors.

5. Allow approximately forty-five minutes for this activity. During that time, provide some quiet, relaxing music as background. Discourage participants from losing focus and getting off task.

6. Post the completed pictures around the room. Encourage participants to study one another's pictures.

7. After all participants have finished, form as a group. Ask participants to share thoughts and feelings about the process of creating their pictures.

8.
Ask a participant to volunteer to explain his/her picture. As the participant discusses the picture, ask the following questions if appropriate:

a.What are you doing in this picture?

b.How long will it take to realize this picture?

c.How do you see this happening?

d. What values seem to be most important to you?

e. What will it take to make this picture a reality?

f. How will you be better off than you are now?

9. Encourage participants to ask questions.

10. Continue asking for volunteers until all participants have explained their pictures.

11.
Homework

Participants are to take their pictures home and to make a list of "I want" statements from their pictures. Their lists will be in the form of "I want...."

12.
Self-Assessment

Distribute the Self-Worth Checklist. Ask participants to reflect on their behavior during this session and to honestly rate themselves. Ask them to place their evaluations in their portfolios and return them to the file cabinet.

1.	Review the homework. Check particularly to see if participants are really being honest about some of their own negative attitudes. Check on the believability of their restated attitudes.
2.	Introduce the idea that each of us has locked in our mind a vision of how we really want our lives to be. Often our vision makes the current circumstances of our lives even more painful. The pain arises from the gulf between how we want our lives to be and how they are. Sometimes we lose sight of our vision or lose confidence in our capacity to achieve it. Other people rarely ask us how we would like our lives to be. To avoid repeating and perpetuating the past, we need to create and keep our vision alive. Today we are going to draw a picture of a prosperous future.
3.	Explain the rules. Rule 1: There are no limits on what you can want. Rule 2: You really must want what you put in the picture. Rule 3: If it's not in the picture, it is not likely to happen. Rule 4: There are no rules about how to draw your picture.
4.	For this exercise provide marking pens, crayons, construction paper, sheets of newsprint, magazines, glue, and scissors.
5.	Allow approximately forty-five minutes for this activity. During that time, provide some quiet, relaxing music as background. Discourage participants from losing focus and getting off task.
6.	Post the completed pictures around the room. Encourage participants to study one another's pictures.
7.	After all participants have finished, form as a group. Ask participants to share thoughts and feelings about the process of creating their pictures.
8.	Ask a participant to volunteer to explain his/her picture. As the participant discusses the picture, ask the following questions if appropriate: a.What are you doing in this picture? b.How long will it take to realize this picture? c.How do you see this happening? d. What values seem to be most important to you? e. What will it take to make this picture a reality? f. How will you be better off than you are now?
9.	Encourage participants to ask questions.
10.	Continue asking for volunteers until all participants have explained their pictures.
11.	Homework Participants are to take their pictures home and to make a list of "I want" statements from their pictures. Their lists will be in the form of "I want...."
12.	Self-Assessment Distribute the Self-Worth Checklist. Ask participants to reflect on their behavior during this session and to honestly rate themselves. Ask them to place their evaluations in their portfolios and return them to the file cabinet.

Lesson Six Creating a New World and a New Me

Lesson Six
Creating a New World and a New Me