Week 16 (2017) – Molecule Building, Accountability, and Ethics

It’s hard to believe we are halfway through our 4th session already!! The new rhythm of goal-setting (with the “Focus Table” and regular check-ins) has helped our heroes hold each other to even higher standards of excellence within the studio. Today, I overheard a pair of our heroes checking in with each other, and one asked the other, “Don’t you want to meet your goal?” This was so encouraging to me! Not only are the heroes learning the importance of goal-setting, but they are also learning to support each other!!

In addition to learning how to support one another, we talked a lot about being resourceful this week. I have always encouraged the heroes to try doing things on their own, but this week, I encouraged them to ask each other more questions! Part of learning is often knowing how to use written resources, asking a friend to help, or getting support from a Guide (when you don’t know what to do or where to look). There is a difference between wanting someone to give you answers and seeking support!

Learning to support one another is a skill that our heroes will use for life! During project time this week, our heroes got to support each other while working both independently and in groups. While learning about DNA in forensics, our heroes designed their own models, showing how each person is unique. This was a challenging task, but by working together, everyone was able able learn the information needed, and then independently build a molecule. By the end of the day today, each hero agreed that this process was the highlight of the week! 🙂

Interesting Discussion Topics this week included:

• What can you do to spread goodness? How can you “Pay it Forward”?
• How can we pray for our country this week? How can we pray for our studio? How can we support each other’s needs?
• If you set a goal to read 100 pages of a GREAT book and you read 99 pages, should you still reward yourself for your hard work?
• When setting a goal, is it most helpful for you to have a running buddy to keep you accountable, meet with a guide to plan out your steps, or sit at the “Focus Table” where you won’t be distracted?
• What can you do to help the other heroes in our studio meet their goals? If someone is struggling to meet a goal, is it most helpful to check-in with that person, work to keep the studio calm and focused, or encourage the hero with words?
• As a detective, would you rather collect DNA evidence or have an eyewitness testimony?
• Should a person spend the rest of his/her life in jail for committing a crime? What if the crime was something really serious, like murder? Does forgiving a person mean giving them a second chance?