Counseling 12: Personal Growth and Development
Course Syllabus (Fall ‘10)
Assistant Professor: Sara Miranda
Office: L104C
Phone: (626) 585-7683
Email: simiranda@pasadena.edu
Days: Tuesday and Thursday
Dates: August 31-December 16
Time: 10:30am-11:55pm
Location: CC233
Course description:
A comprehensive course that integrates personal and professional growth through the
development of effective communication skills, positive self-image and self-esteem, and
strategies for problem solving and decision-making. Analysis of life course events, such as the
development of career and educational objectives. Emphasis is on personal health assessment
and strategies for coping with stress.
Outcomes: At the end of the course the student should be able to:
*Distinguish between positive and negative individual characteristics that impact personal, academic
and professional success. (Institutional SLO-Cognition, Communication & Personal
Development)
*Apply successful strategies for decision making to thrive in personal, academic and professional
situations. (Institutional SLO-Cognition)
*Apply successful goal setting and action planning strategies to excel in personal, academic and
professional situations. (Institutional SLO-Cognition)
*Identify behaviors that undermine personal health and develop an action plan for improvement and
maximize well-being. (Institutional SLO-Cognition & Personal Development)
Methods of instruction:
 Lecture/Guest speakers
 Group activities
 Field trips
Course Rules for Success:
 Show up! To support my success, I choose to attend every scheduled class period in its
entirety. Any student with more than 3 absences will be dropped if before the drop
deadline.. (3 tardies equal one absence per the college catalog)
 Do the Work! To support my success, I choose to do my very best work in preparing all of
my assignments and hand them in on time.
 Participate actively! To support my success, I choose to stay mentally alert in every class,
offering my best comments, questions, and answers when appropriate.
Note: any student with more then three absences after the drop deadline will receive a 25 point
reduction to their total points.
Required materials:
 On Course, Sixth edition, by Skip Downing
 Loose leaf paper for journal entries and a 3-ring binder
Grading:
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Quizzes (3 at 15 points each)
Group project
Success Journals (32 at 5 points each)
Final Paper
45 pts.
50 pts.
160 pts.
50 pts.
305 total possible points
A=275-305
B=245-274
C=215-244
D=185-214
F=184 or below
Important Note: All 32 success journals should be completed to be successful in the course.
1. 3 Quizzes (45 possible points)
This is a course for students who want to be successful in college and in life. One of the most
important factors of success in any endeavor is consistent and active participation. To encourage
and reward your preparation for active participation in every class, 3 quizzes on the readings will
be given. If you have read each assignment and completed your journal entries, you should have
no trouble earning the maximum points (15) for each quiz. No quiz may be made up.
Great success is created one small step at a time. Each time you earn your quiz points you take an
important step toward your success in this course…and in life!
2. Group presentations (50 points possible)
You will be divided into groups to complete a project.
in the semester.
More information will be distributed later
3. Success journals (5 pts. Each=160 possible total points)
The journal entries allow you to experiment and explore your thoughts and feelings concerning the
success strategies in the textbook. Although I will be collecting your journals and looking through
them, write your journal for yourself, not for me. Your journal entries will occasionally be read by
your classmates.
In addition to the journal entries from the textbook, you will complete some entries in class.
THEREFORE, BRING YOUR TEXTBOOK AND BINDER TO EVERY CLASS MEETING.
The criteria for awarding points for journal entries are as follows:
1) The entry is complete (all steps in the directions have been responded to), and
2) The entry is written with high standards (an obvious attempt has been made to dive deep).
Grammar, spelling and punctuation will NOT be factors in awarding points in this journal. You are
free to express yourself without concern for Standard English conventions.
Note:
1) Late journals will be accepted but will lose one point if they are late, same day and an
additional point for each day they are late and zero points after 5 days. All journals
should be completed.
2) Not completing journal 1 & 32 will result in a 20 point reduction in total points.
4. Final paper (50 Points possible)-Further information will be distributed later in the semester.
Internet Self-assessment assignment instructions:
1) Go to the following website:
www.pasadena.edu/on-course/
2) Click on Students
3) On the right side, click the following under student helpful links:
On Course self-assessment
4) Follow the instructions to complete the assessment for Journal #1, including the completion of the
two written questions in the textbook. Be sure to include your scores in this journal also.