The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. The phoenix is a mythological bird known for its immortality. No matter how many times it is slain, the phoenix rises time and time again from the ashes. While the phoenix has been associated with multiple cultures’ legends and myths, many scholars believe that its origins are in Ancient Egypt. What do you know about the phoenix and its surrounding mythology? What makes this story so resonant with people that explains its popularity from generation to generation and from culture to culture? 

Teaching Suggestion: Students may have a cursory knowledge about the mythos associated with the phoenix: The bird is associated with the sun; it is most known in the context of Ancient Egyptian and Greek mythology; it is said to be immortal. Discussion of the myth of the phoenix and why it is important may get students thinking about The Importance of Renewal, one of the main themes in the book.

• This 3-minute video from See U in History offers a broad overview of the mythos surrounding the phoenix: “Phoenix: The Bird That Is Reborn from Ashes – Mythological Bestiary #06"
• Students can view a 12th-century depiction of a phoenix  on this site. This is an illustration first published in The Aberdeen Bestiary, a medieval manuscript that aimed to document creatures of the day believed to exist.

2. As mentioned in this Forbes article, "5 Ways to Go from A Scarcity to Abundance Mindset," Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck has studied the importance of mindsets among students. In her research, she has discovered that students with a “growth mindset” are better off than those who have a “fixed mindset.” Why do you think this might be? How does it affect our relationships when we have a growth mindset versus a fixed one?

Teaching Suggestion: It may be beneficial to guide students to an understanding that a fixed mindset is linked to prejudice, misunderstandings, and generally difficult communication; meanwhile, a growth mindset is better for our relationships. A growth mindset, in its flexibility and openness, breeds compassion, trust, and understanding among individuals. Discussing the concept of a scarcity versus abundance mindset will be an entry point into Covey’s larger theme of Redefining Our Relationship Paradigms, in which he encourages students to See Others Not as Threats but as Treasures.

• Stanford Professor Carol Dweck talks about developing a growth mindset in this video from Stanford Alumni, “Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck.”
• “Why Mindset Matters” in Stanford Magazine goes into more depth on Professor Dweck’s research with regard to the importance of mindset.

Differentiation Suggestion: For less abstract thinkers who need support in understanding the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset (as well as an abundance mindset versus a scarcity mindset), it might be useful to work through these questions at the front of the class using a graphic organizer. For example, a T-chart might be useful to help visually illustrate the differences between two mindsets. Teachers can ask students to discuss the characteristics of each mindset, plotting them under one column or another. After characteristics have been assigned to each mindset, the class might utilize small group organization to discuss the question of how these characteristics potentially affect ones’ relationships.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the book.

Reflect on a time in your life when you volunteered to help even though you were under no obligation to do so. Maybe you offered to help a parent bring in groceries, even though they didn’t ask for it; maybe you noticed your friend struggling in a subject area in which you excel, so you tutored that friend; maybe you wanted to make a difference in your community, so you volunteered to help people in need in your neighborhood. Focus on a moment in which you took initiative to help without any prompting. Describe the circumstances of the situation, your role in it, and the way others reacted. How did the experience make you feel?

Teaching Suggestion: Research has shown that volunteering will transform your life and relationships (see articles below), an idea related to two of the core messages of the book; the author emphasizes how Making Personal Responsibility the Driving Force in Our Lives benefits us, and that Strengthening Our Relationships is vital to our success. For students who struggle to come up with an example here, they might instead reflect on an instance in which they could have helped or wished they had helped.  

• The Mayo Clinic explains how volunteering can change your life in “Helping People, Changing Lives: 3 Health Benefits of Volunteering.”
• The National Alliance on Mental Illness focuses specifically on the connection between volunteering and mental health in “How Volunteering Improves Mental Health.”