GORDON HIGH
GRADE 8 CLASSNOTES
TERM 1
DEVELOPMENT OF SELF IN SOCIETY
1. SELF-CONCEPT AND SELF-MOTIVATION
❖ Self-concept is how we see and feel about ourselves. We know our self-worth
and we value ourselves for who we are.
❖ Self-Motivation is the focus that keeps pushing you to go on. It is an internal
drive to keep moving forward and achieve something in particular. It is the basic
tool for achieving your dreams and being successful. There are two types of self-
motivation:
❖
A. Positive self-motivation has to do with a good reason or reward for doing or
achieving something.
B. Negative self-motivation has to do with avoiding punishment when we do
not do, or has achieve something.
2. FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE SELF-CONCEPT AND SELF-MOTIVATION
2.1 MEDIA
Magazine, movies, television billboards and social media form part of our daily
lives.
,The messages in the media show real things and can shape the way we think
about important things.
They give useful information and help us to form healthy opinions.
However, other messages in the media show unrealistic things, such as rich,
beautiful or very thin people and can make some people think that they are
worthless if they cannot be like that as well.
We can also be self-motivated when we see images of successful athletes or
people and this helps us to work harder and achieve more ourselves.
2.2 ENVIRONMENT
Our environment is everything around us. The places where we live, work and
play have an influence on our self-concept and self-motivation.
If we live in a clean and well-cared for environment, we are motivated to keep it
that way and thus we are more positive about ourselves.
If the environment is polluted and the houses broken down and not pleasant, we
are likely to have a poor self-concept and lack self-motivation.
2.3 FRIENDS AND PEERS
Our friends (peers) can be the most important people in our lives during our
teenage years, as we shape our identity and self-concept based on our peer
group (friends or the group where we fit in at school).
They can form our self-concept in good or bad ways.
Friends who have a positive attitude and are supportive help you to believe in
yourself.
We tend to make friends with others who have similar values to us.
If you have a good self-concept, you will be able to stand up to negative pressure
and avoid its harmful influences.
2.4 FAMILY
Teenagers from loving caring families feel secure, understood and who is
allowed to be independent are more likely to feel good about themselves, will be
self-motivated to achieve and please their families.
Teenagers from a home where there is fighting, abuse or substance abuse are
likely to have a low self-concept and may lack self-motivation as they cannot see
a future beyond their situation.
2
, ❖ However, the teenager of above situation could be motivated to get out of the
situation by trying to achieve well at school and so create a change of a better life
for themselves.
2.5 CULTURE
Different cultures treat the role of teenagers differently. Western cultures place
an emphasis on the individual and their self-concept and self-motivation. African
and Eastern cultures tend to emphasise family and community relationships and
the role of the individual within that family and community.
Cultures that place a strong emphasis on the role of the adolescent foster a
strong self-concept in their young people. They prepare teenagers to become
good, valuable members of their culture.
2.6 RELIGION
Most people follow a form of religion. Religion teaches us about values and
guidelines by which to live our lives. This sense of belonging to a group and have
positive guidelines build our self-concept and we are more likely to live up to
what is expected of us. Many religions teach us not to judge others and this
makes us feel more accepted for who we are and not the way we behave.
2.7 COMMUNITY
Community life can really teach us about Ubuntu, which means “a person is a
person because of other people.” We all need each other to strive to be the best
we can be.
Being part of a strong community can build a strong sense of worth. We feel
positive about ourselves and self-motivated to achieve well. We have a need to
live up to the expectations of our community and will strive to keep the
community spirit positive and healthy.
However, we are less likely to feel positive about ourselves and our future if we
live in a community where there is a strong culture of violence, poverty, crime
and a general lack of care about others. We will have a poor self-concept and
lack self-motivation because there are no positive role-models to follow.
POSITIVE SELF-TALK
3
, Self-talk refers to the conversations you have with yourself or the words you say to
yourself. It is a voice you hear inside yourself. You can feel confident or scared,
motivated or unmotivated depending on what you say to yourself.
Self-talk can influence your self-esteem, your outlook on life, your energy levels or even
your relationships with others. It can affect your health and how easily you can change
bad habits like smoking and drinking.
Negative self-talk can be described as an “internal bully”. You criticise and destroy
yourself.
INDIVIDUALITY AND UNIQUENESS
Your uniqueness is what makes you different from others because there is no one else
like you.
Your individuality is your character, your abilities, interests, potential and the qualities
you have that make you different from others.
Your positive self-talk will only work for you and no one else. With positive self-talk you
will be more likely to do something positive and achieve more. What you say and think
to yourself is where your life will go. You are in charge of where you are going in life.
You are unique and an individual and no one else can do this for you.
Hint: Paste positive self-talk images wherever you can see them every day: on the
fridge, in your diary etc.
PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Our self-talk can play a big role in our personal achievements. People who focus on
positive self-talk tend to achieve more, because they believe in themselves. They don’t
mind making mistakes, because they know that it does not make them a lesser person.
People who engage in negative self-talk often do not try things because they are scared
of failure or of making a fool of themselves.
STRATEGIES AND SKILLS TO EXTEND PERSONAL POTENTIAL
Our personal potential is our ability to do certain things. Potential is therefore like a
possibility of something. You might have potential for many things that you don’t even
know of e.g. playing the piano or acting or sport. Potential goes hand in hand with talent
and skills. You can only reach your full potential if you commit to the hard work needed
to develop your talents and skills.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO EXTEND YOUR POTENTIAL:
4
GRADE 8 CLASSNOTES
TERM 1
DEVELOPMENT OF SELF IN SOCIETY
1. SELF-CONCEPT AND SELF-MOTIVATION
❖ Self-concept is how we see and feel about ourselves. We know our self-worth
and we value ourselves for who we are.
❖ Self-Motivation is the focus that keeps pushing you to go on. It is an internal
drive to keep moving forward and achieve something in particular. It is the basic
tool for achieving your dreams and being successful. There are two types of self-
motivation:
❖
A. Positive self-motivation has to do with a good reason or reward for doing or
achieving something.
B. Negative self-motivation has to do with avoiding punishment when we do
not do, or has achieve something.
2. FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE SELF-CONCEPT AND SELF-MOTIVATION
2.1 MEDIA
Magazine, movies, television billboards and social media form part of our daily
lives.
,The messages in the media show real things and can shape the way we think
about important things.
They give useful information and help us to form healthy opinions.
However, other messages in the media show unrealistic things, such as rich,
beautiful or very thin people and can make some people think that they are
worthless if they cannot be like that as well.
We can also be self-motivated when we see images of successful athletes or
people and this helps us to work harder and achieve more ourselves.
2.2 ENVIRONMENT
Our environment is everything around us. The places where we live, work and
play have an influence on our self-concept and self-motivation.
If we live in a clean and well-cared for environment, we are motivated to keep it
that way and thus we are more positive about ourselves.
If the environment is polluted and the houses broken down and not pleasant, we
are likely to have a poor self-concept and lack self-motivation.
2.3 FRIENDS AND PEERS
Our friends (peers) can be the most important people in our lives during our
teenage years, as we shape our identity and self-concept based on our peer
group (friends or the group where we fit in at school).
They can form our self-concept in good or bad ways.
Friends who have a positive attitude and are supportive help you to believe in
yourself.
We tend to make friends with others who have similar values to us.
If you have a good self-concept, you will be able to stand up to negative pressure
and avoid its harmful influences.
2.4 FAMILY
Teenagers from loving caring families feel secure, understood and who is
allowed to be independent are more likely to feel good about themselves, will be
self-motivated to achieve and please their families.
Teenagers from a home where there is fighting, abuse or substance abuse are
likely to have a low self-concept and may lack self-motivation as they cannot see
a future beyond their situation.
2
, ❖ However, the teenager of above situation could be motivated to get out of the
situation by trying to achieve well at school and so create a change of a better life
for themselves.
2.5 CULTURE
Different cultures treat the role of teenagers differently. Western cultures place
an emphasis on the individual and their self-concept and self-motivation. African
and Eastern cultures tend to emphasise family and community relationships and
the role of the individual within that family and community.
Cultures that place a strong emphasis on the role of the adolescent foster a
strong self-concept in their young people. They prepare teenagers to become
good, valuable members of their culture.
2.6 RELIGION
Most people follow a form of religion. Religion teaches us about values and
guidelines by which to live our lives. This sense of belonging to a group and have
positive guidelines build our self-concept and we are more likely to live up to
what is expected of us. Many religions teach us not to judge others and this
makes us feel more accepted for who we are and not the way we behave.
2.7 COMMUNITY
Community life can really teach us about Ubuntu, which means “a person is a
person because of other people.” We all need each other to strive to be the best
we can be.
Being part of a strong community can build a strong sense of worth. We feel
positive about ourselves and self-motivated to achieve well. We have a need to
live up to the expectations of our community and will strive to keep the
community spirit positive and healthy.
However, we are less likely to feel positive about ourselves and our future if we
live in a community where there is a strong culture of violence, poverty, crime
and a general lack of care about others. We will have a poor self-concept and
lack self-motivation because there are no positive role-models to follow.
POSITIVE SELF-TALK
3
, Self-talk refers to the conversations you have with yourself or the words you say to
yourself. It is a voice you hear inside yourself. You can feel confident or scared,
motivated or unmotivated depending on what you say to yourself.
Self-talk can influence your self-esteem, your outlook on life, your energy levels or even
your relationships with others. It can affect your health and how easily you can change
bad habits like smoking and drinking.
Negative self-talk can be described as an “internal bully”. You criticise and destroy
yourself.
INDIVIDUALITY AND UNIQUENESS
Your uniqueness is what makes you different from others because there is no one else
like you.
Your individuality is your character, your abilities, interests, potential and the qualities
you have that make you different from others.
Your positive self-talk will only work for you and no one else. With positive self-talk you
will be more likely to do something positive and achieve more. What you say and think
to yourself is where your life will go. You are in charge of where you are going in life.
You are unique and an individual and no one else can do this for you.
Hint: Paste positive self-talk images wherever you can see them every day: on the
fridge, in your diary etc.
PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Our self-talk can play a big role in our personal achievements. People who focus on
positive self-talk tend to achieve more, because they believe in themselves. They don’t
mind making mistakes, because they know that it does not make them a lesser person.
People who engage in negative self-talk often do not try things because they are scared
of failure or of making a fool of themselves.
STRATEGIES AND SKILLS TO EXTEND PERSONAL POTENTIAL
Our personal potential is our ability to do certain things. Potential is therefore like a
possibility of something. You might have potential for many things that you don’t even
know of e.g. playing the piano or acting or sport. Potential goes hand in hand with talent
and skills. You can only reach your full potential if you commit to the hard work needed
to develop your talents and skills.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO EXTEND YOUR POTENTIAL:
4
