CATEGORY 1: KNOW YOUR STAGES
What stage of change comes immediately after Contemplation?
Preparation
Your teacher gives you an assignment you don't understand. What is one positive choice you could make?
Ask for help or clarification instead of giving up.
True or False: Having an angry feeling means you must act aggressively.
False. Feelings do not determine how we must behave.
True or False: Making a mistake means you can no longer reach your goal.
False
A student wants to become more responsible. Name one way they could demonstrate responsibility at school.
Complete assignments, arrive on time, follow directions, or take accountability for their actions.
What is the difference between Contemplation and Preparation?
Contemplation involves thinking about changing, while Preparation involves deciding to change and developing a plan.
You are upset because someone made a rude comment. What could you do before responding?
Pause, take a breath, think about the consequences, or use a coping skill.
What is the difference between a thought and a behavior?
A thought is something happening in your mind, while a behavior is an action you take.
What is one reason someone might struggle to maintain a new behavior?
Stress, old habits, peer pressure, lack of support, or difficult situations.
What is the difference between something you want to change and a specific goal?
Wanting change identifies a general desire, while a goal identifies something specific to work toward.
A student has been thinking about improving their grades. They decide to create a homework schedule and gather their missing assignments. What stage are they entering?
Preparation
A student wants to improve their attendance but struggles to wake up on time. Identify one realistic change they could make.
Establish a bedtime routine, prepare for school the night before, or set an alarm
A student thinks, “Everyone is against me,” after receiving a correction. How might that thought influence their reaction?
It may increase feelings of anger, embarrassment, or frustration and make an argumentative response more likely.
A student has been completing homework regularly but misses two assignments. What could they do to get back on track?
Review what happened, adjust their schedule, ask for help, and resume completing assignments.
Change this general goal into a specific action: “I want to stop getting in trouble at school.”
Example: “When I feel frustrated in class, I will ask for a break instead of arguing.”
Can someone move backward through the stages of change? Explain.
Yes. A person may experience setbacks or return to earlier stages while working toward change.
A friend encourages you to fight someone who has been bothering you. How could you respond while still standing up for yourself?
Set a boundary, refuse to fight, walk away, or seek help from a trusted adult.
A student feels embarrassed after making a mistake in front of classmates. Name two different ways they could respond.
They could react by yelling or blaming others, or respond more effectively by taking a breath, accepting the mistake, and trying again.
Why might identifying triggers help someone avoid repeating an unwanted behavior?
It helps them recognize situations that increase the likelihood of the behavior so they can prepare a different response.
A student wants to improve their friendships but frequently interrupts others. How could practicing active listening support their goal?
Listening without interrupting helps others feel respected, improves communication, and may reduce conflict.
A student has been using respectful communication for several months but still has moments of frustration. Are they necessarily back in Precontemplation? Explain.
No. They may still be in Maintenance. Experiencing frustration does not erase progress, and a setback does not automatically mean returning to the first stage.
A student wants to stop arguing with their parent but continues reacting angrily when corrected. Identify two actions that could help them make progress.
Recognize their triggers, practice pausing before responding, communicate respectfully, or create a plan for managing frustration.
Explain how changing the thought “I always fail” to “I can improve with practice” could influence someone's behavior.
The new thought may increase motivation and confidence, making the person more willing to keep trying instead of giving up.
A student stops fighting for several weeks but gets into another argument that becomes physical. Explain why reflecting on what happened may be more useful than deciding they cannot change.
Reflection helps identify triggers, choices, and skills to practice. It supports continued progress instead of giving up after a setback.
A student wants to improve their behavior at home but says, “I'll change when everyone else changes first.” What could they focus on instead?
Their own words, choices, effort, and reactions, because those are things they can work on regardless of others' behavior.