Page 209 - Foundations of Learning, 4th Edition (Revised)

Adam’s plan includes the following activities:

• Find references in the library on larger cities in the southeastern part of the United States.
• Make a table of the average age, average educational level, average family income, number of

attractions, and the time to drive to Washington, D.C. for each of the city areas.
• Eliminate those metropolitan areas which have low educational levels. Eliminate any cities

which are more than 10 hours driving time to Washington, D.C.
• Find information on three high schools for each remaining city; one inside the city limits, one

in the suburbs, and one in a rural area near the suburbs. Make a table for each school containing
the size of school, the number of teachers in biology, the percentage of graduates who attend
college, and the average first year salaries.
• Apply to schools near or in the three cities which have the best averages for number of college
bound students and starting salary, weighted equally.

Step 6: Perform to the plan as set
Adam goes to the library and finds that there are an amazing number of cities in the southeastern part
United States. His mentor, Professor Wilcox, suggests he focuses only on cities which have a population
of more than 100,000 and are within 30 miles of a large research university. Professor Wilcox has
noticed that many people who value education live near universities.

Adam collects the information for eight cities, including Atlanta, Tallahassee, and Raleigh.

Step 7: Assess performance
Adam can see that in using his plan, he is successfully narrowing down the list of potential places to
live and work. Professor Wilcox agrees, noting that Adam is a strong researcher and a very organized
thinker. He suggests that Adam should like the city he decides to live near, so he should consider reading
further about the cities on his list before looking up high schools in those areas.

Step 8: Adjust the plan
Adam agrees with the assessment and finds that, of those on his list, only Atlanta, Tallahassee, and Raleigh
appear to be cities he would enjoy. In addition, he has two college friends who live outside of Raleigh
and Atlanta respectively. He decides to narrow his choice down to these two cities. If after applying in
these two areas he gets no job offers, he will later add Tallahassee to his list of possible cities.

Step 9: Appreciate gains
Adam is pleased he took the time to examine his values and understand what is important to
him before deciding where to apply. He feels he learned a great deal about the southeastern part
of the United States. He feels he will not question his decision as much because of the effort
he has put in to the process.

Step 10: Reward achievement
Adam’s parents are pleased he will not be too far away from home if his plan is successful. They
give him a going-away party as well as several pieces of used furniture to help furnish his new
apartment when he gets a job.

Chapter 7 — Addressing Personal Obstacles 203