Personal Responsibility

Personal Responsibility Personal Responsibility The way you perceive Personal Responsibility can be viewed many ways depending on your ethical perspective in life. We all live by a set of ethics that are instilled in us from birth through adulthood. These ethics contribute to our decision making and how we live our lives. In order to practice personal responsibility in higher education, you must first define what it means to you, the relationship between personal responsibility and college success and have a plan to follow.

Even though uncontrolled situations can happen, you must take personal responsibility for your actions because it demonstrates work ethic and shows your character. Definition of Personal Responsibility My definition of personal responsibility is being accountable for my actions and the way I say or do things. By accepting accountability for my actions, I must make decisions that are ethically responsible. Every day we are faced with dilemmas and our peers expect us to react according to what is normal in society. These decisions must be based on integrity, honesty and our overall values.

Once we reach adulthood, the expectation is we aspire into responsible adults without being coerced. This requires accepting that I chose the direction for my life and realize who I am. Recognizing how my choices affect me and others who depend on my support is a key factor of my decision making process. Understanding there are consequences for my behavior prepares me for accepting responsibility in everything I do. Personal responsibility has been defined as being accountable to oneself and the needs and well-being of others (Ruyter,2000).

Doherty (1998) has argued that there is an increasing trend in society to refuse accountability and to blame others for one’s situation. Relationship between Personal Responsibility and College Success The relationship between personal responsibility and college success is the ethical choices I make while pursing higher education. In order to be successful in college, I must take personal responsibility for my actions. Students entering college are expected to demonstrate skills that will lead to success.

It takes motivation and sincerity to endeavor the challenges and responsibility associated with continuing your education. According to Colby and Sullivan (2009) there are five key dimensions of personal and social responsibility. “In Striving for excellence: developing a strong work ethic and consciously doing one’s very best in all aspects of college, cultivating personal and academic integrity: recognizing and acting on a sense of honor, ranging from honesty in relationships to principled engagement with a formal academic honor code.

Contributing to a larger community: recognizing and acting on one’s responsibility to the educational community and to the wider society— local, national, and global. Taking seriously the perspectives of others: recognizing and acting on the obligation to inform one’s own judgment; engaging diverse and competing perspectives as a resource for learning, citizenship, and work. Developing competence in ethical and moral reasoning: developing ethical and moral reasoning in ways that incorporate the previous four dimensions, and using such reasoning in learning and in life. (p. 24). As a college student, I must take personal responsibility in making sure I succeed. Since I have set the goal of continuing my education, the duty to myself is success. Preliminary Plan The choices I make on a daily basis can impact my success, therefore I must have a plan. My plan is to stay well engaged in my education by working with my academic counselor, attending class regularly, staying involved in class discussions, learning better time management skills and completing assignments on time.

According to American Federation of Teachers (2011), “to further their own success, students must be responsible, among other things, for attending classes and keeping up with their coursework. Students must understand that the minimum time commitment required for success in their courses is generally two hours on top of every classroom hour. Engaging professionals in discussions about students’ coursework and their educational and career goals. It is imperative that students regularly seek out faculty, academic and career counselors outside of class.

Periodically taking a hard look at their academic and career goals, the time commitments they undertake and the state of their finances to ensure that they develop a program of study that has a good prospect for success. ” (Students). My weakest area is time management. Being a single mother of three children, working full time and managing a household is more than a lot of people could handle. In order to take control of these factors in my life, I have started planning ahead and created a biweekly schedule for the entire family.

This schedule helps me keep track of upcoming class projects, my work schedule and my children’s activities. I have found this plan to be effective and proficient in keeping my schedule under control. (Ellis, p. 14, 2011). By planning a week or month at a time, you get a bigger picture of your multiple roles as a student, employee, and family member. With that awareness, you can make conscious adjustments in the number of hours you devote to each domain of activity in your life. For a plan to be effective, you must measure the results for success.

To help keep me engaged with my academic goals, I have developed a strategy of keeping in constant contact with my academic advisor. I speak with my advisor about the required courses I need to fulfill and a time based goal for achieving this accomplishment. My classes currently require that I participate four days per week, however I devote more time to the classroom. I have also found that doing more than the required work for a class can give you a better understanding of the material. The schedule that has been created for me and my family is updated and evaluated weekly to ensure we are meeting our objectives.

Conclusion In conclusion, although uncontrollable situations can happen, you must take personal responsibility for your actions. There may be classes or assignments I don’t enjoy but I must focus and find my strengths in that area. Sometimes life requires you to accept challenges that were not anticipated but good work ethic will discipline you to accept those responsibilities. The projects may not always be interesting but completing them is a true demonstration of your character. Accepting personal responsibility demonstrates strong work ethic and commitment to college success.

Creating a plan to help you strategize practicing personal responsibility shows your commitment to success in college. References Colby, A. , & Sullivan, W. M. (2009, Winter). Strengthening the Foundations of Students’ Excellence, Integrity and Social Contributions. Liberal Education, 95(1), 22-39 American Federation of Teachers. (2011). ERIC. Retrieved from http://www. eric. ed. gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet? accno=ED518097 Ellis, D. (2011). Becoming a Master Student (13th ed. ). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection

There are different aspects involved in personal responsibility. These aspects need to work in harmony in order to have a successful outcome in achieving your goals. They include being accountable, setting priorities and being in control of your domestic obligations. Applying personal responsibility is a vital component of educational success and with that success, a chance for personal growth and increased economic stability occurs. Personal responsibility correlates with college success as it connects to every aspect of life, academic or otherwise.

When a student is personally responsible, they demonstrate the ability to manage their time, and to e accountable to their professors, their peers, and most importantly, to themselves. Accountability As humans, we are accountable for all our actions. In terms of college success, being an honest student and having integrity support this. It is a student’s moral obligation to uphold to your professors and your peers. The college campus and classroom, as well as all other academic areas, are communities where students not only learn independently and from an instructor, but from each other.

In this way, as members of this community, we share with one another. The idea of accountability does not stop at our peers and professors. As students, we make ourselves accountable and responsible for being the best possible version of ourselves. In his commencement speech at Morehouse College, President Obama stated that, “the spirit of excellence, hard work, and dedication and no excuses,” (Obama, 2013) are requirements for success. This quote perfectly summarizes one of the major tenets of my definition of personal responsibility: living up to the best version of yourself.

Proportioning As a student, you have a personal responsibility to complete your assignments, papers and exams. In order to be successful with this, you need to be able to strike a throng balance with how you manage your study time. Everyone has different learning styles, and it would be beneficial to explore your strengths and weaknesses and seek help when needed, e. G. , by Joining study groups or academic workshops to prepare for upcoming exams. Being disciplined, diligent and honest with your approach to your education is your formula for academic success.

Being accountable means that you will have to prioritize certain activities over others. Proportioning means deciding which tasks deserve and require most of your energy and attention at a given moment. To master this skill would be a great advantage to anyone, as it aids in time management and helps you achieve your long-term goals. Even the most organized people sometimes risk running out of time before their most important tasks has been completed. In his guide to becoming a successful student, physics Professor Richard Silverman at Western Kennedy University states, “[successful students] are good time managers.

They know that time control is life control and have consciously chosen to be in control of their life. ” (Silverman, n. D. Peg. L) According to Proportioning Techniques Save Your Time and Energy (2007), who gives helpful advice on proportioning with the 80/20- rule. It states, “One key reason proportioning works and works well is the 80/20 rule. The States 80 percent of our typical activities contribute less than 20 percent to the value of our work. Therefore, if you do only the most important 20 percent of your tasks you still get most of the value.

Then, if you focus most of your efforts on those top value activities, you achieve much more than before, or you will have more time to spend with your family. ” This quote illustrates how proportioning and accountability go hand and hand. Because of organizing time according to the order of importance, your family and friends will now that you prioritize your schoolwork above everything else; they will trust you and know that you are a responsible individual. Control and Management of domestic obligations: Paying bills on time and managing your finances is equally as important as managing time.

Running a home is a lot like running a business, as the same principles apply. With everything in life, you still need personal gratification and enjoyment in doing it. Many college students of today go to school while taking care of a family. Both of these things might seem like it is impossible to do, but proper management might ease stress, and allow you more time to yourself. This in turn will make you feel accomplished and motivate you to continue to balance out the two areas of your life.

In the article Paying for College: A Lifetime Proposition they wrote, “College is, in fact, a long-term investment returning financial and personal benefits that extend over a lifetime, but our society is ill-prepared, either psychologically or institutionally, to think of paying for college in lifetime terms ” (McPherson & Skinner, 1986,Para. 29-36). It suggests that the realization and understanding that applying arsenal responsibility to protect the investment you make with your education is vital.

One way to prepare is to research all resources available whether it is scholarships, federal and state grants or student loans. However, if you intend to apply for a student loan, let it be the last option you choose because after completing your education, you will still have that financial burden and debt to repay. Despite how expensive it can be to pay for school, the results can be very rewarding. The knowledge and experience you receive will be priceless. Coming up with ways to implement these tactics is easier said than done, but here are many resources open to all kinds of students today.

If you are having trouble with a class, it will be advisable to ask your instructor for additional help during office hours, or ask fellow classmates to arrange a study group. If it is available to you, tutoring assistance could also be a huge help. Avoiding procrastination is a goal for most students, but many fail to fall into its traps. One solution would be to, disable all electronic devices that can potentially distract you from your work, or you can download an extension that can temporarily limit your access to non-academic websites.

In conclusion, although the balance between personal responsibility and educational success is established, taking personal responsibility can have a positive impact on college success for two main reasons. Demonstrating personal responsibility will have positive outcomes on how you manage your time as a student. Because you know that as a student you are accountable to your school community, you will take your work more seriously. By learning how to balance your schoolwork crosses over to the other areas of your life, and teaches you how to be expansible in terms of those areas as well.

For some personal responsibility is not the culprit of obtained success. “Nevertheless” personal responsibility is the key factor to achievement. Personal responsibility provides structure as well as builds character. It enables a student to be confident and secure in all things whether personal or professional. Personal Responsibility can help achieve successful aspirations. A student plans become priority and goals are met with diligence. By having this personal responsibility structure is provided, consistent short goals are placed.

Thus” making long term goals obtainable, this creates a self-sufficient student. The column Success is made by failures (Harvey Mackay Columnist) points out to the reader a fatalistic attitude prevents people from accepting responsibility for their position in life. By embracing the personal responsibility the student is more aware of their actions and often taps into her own self-motivation. A self-motivated responsible student has a higher chance of completion because they accept that it is only her that can be the hindrance to their academic growth.

To give an example professional basketball player Terrence Rencher abandoned school to pursue a career in professional basketball. However his sense of personal responsibility enabled him to return. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education “In 2008 Mr. Rencher, who describes himself as a “finish-what-I-start type of person,” graduated from Texas with a B. A. in community studies. Now an assistant men’s basketball coach at the University of Tulsa, he says he never viewed his decision to turn pro as the end of his academic career. always knew I would come back,” he says. “It was a personal thing for me. ” A student with personal responsibilities will have the correct mentality to complete their academic career. Personal responsibility creates a credible student. A student’s character is formulated, positive work habits become a must. With this prioritization assignments are completed, time is scheduled adequately. Discipline is instilled, According to Harvey Mackey Columnist “Anyone who has accomplished anything worthwhile has never done it without discipline.

Discipline takes self-control, sacrifice, and avoiding distractions and temptations. It means staying focused. The quote in itself sums up a great deal of personal responsibility to me. To be a successful college student personal responsibility must become a favorite acquaintance. The student adapts to the challenge and succeeds. A student who knows this is a secure student proud of the work that is done and the ambition does not waiver. A certainty is apparent, their interests are piqued, and they come to class ready to learn. Some even taking on leadership roles in and out of the classroom.

For many students without setting responsibilities they, feel a drift failure occurs more frequently. Whether it is a decreased grade or the dropping of the class and for the extremely unorganized the leaving of school all together. Supporting what was said earlier Personal responsibility plays a major role in any endeavor that a student embarks on. A responsible student knows the best way to embrace a sense of responsibility is to plan. Writing suggestions may help with seeing the destination head and contrasting the past. Set accurate time aside to work, study, and collaborate witn tellow classmates.

By doing this you ensure you stay on task the end is always clear and obtainable. Find a mentor or fellow student who has accomplished what you want to achieve this sets up a study support system. Always be aware of the workshops or program available to sharpen your skills, and never be afraid to ask for help. Asking for help can give you clarity in so many ways. According to Mauricio Ruede “Being responsible is what your career depends on- gong to class, urning in assignments on time, studying for exams in advance, and most importantly, knowing when to go out and when to stay home.

Becoming a master student means setting and accomplishing goals-not to prove anything to anyone but yourself. ” In conclusion although for some personal responsibility is not listed in direct correlation with success, it is and always will be the main reason for achievement. Accepting and embracing the responsibility not only builds character, confidence, and achieved aspirations the student will be apt to pursue anything with an admirable tenacity.

Chapter 2 Accepting Personal Responsibility There is great value in perceiving ourselves as the primary creators of the outcomes and experiences of our lives. At the very least, we are responsible for how we respond to any event, whether the event is of our creation or not. When academic outcomes and experiences are negative, many students blame others, often teachers. When academic outcomes and experiences are positive, many students credit others. Since the cause of their results is seen as existing outside of themselves, these students have no reason to evaluate and possibly change their own behaviors.

Students like this typically wait for the world to change while they complain, blame, make excuses, and repeat ineffective behaviors. They may even blame themselves, all the while thinking there is nothing they can do to change their fate. By offering students the opportunity to see how their own choices contribute to their past, present, and future outcomes, we empower them to approach life with the beliefs and behaviors of a Creator, thus giving up the passivity and bitterness of a Victim.

Empowers Students to . . . 1. Accept a Creator role, taking responsibility for creating the outcome and experiences of their lives (including their education), and reject the Victim role, giving up complaining, blaming, excusing, and paralyzing self-judgment. 2. Master Creator language, understanding that Creators and Victims choose different ways of thinking and speaking about their experiences, consequently changing both their perceptions of reality and the outcomes that they create. . Live more consciously, becoming more aware of their inner aspects—Inner Critic, Inner Defender, and Inner Guide, among others—and the corresponding inner dialogue that dictates students’ subsequent actions. 4. Make wise choices by consciously recognizing important decision points in their lives, identifying all possible options at this point, and making decisions with awareness of their future consequences. 5.

Make mature decisions, choosing to make long-term gain more important than immediate pleasure or immediate escape from discomfort. 6. Replace outer authority with inner authority, and resistance with cooperation. 7. Gain greater control over the outcomes of their lives. Engaging students in the exploration of JOURNAL ENTRIES, CASE STUDIES, ONE STUDENT’S STORY, EMBRACING CHANGE, ON COURSE AT WORK, QUOTATIONS, CARTOONS, FOCUS QUESTIONS, CHAPTER-OPENING CHARTS and STUDY SKILLS.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY: AN ACEDEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL CONSIDERATION Ross McDonald University of Phoenix GEN/200: FOUNDATIONS FOR GENERAL EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS February 25, 2013 Students transitioning from high school to college today face many challenges. They are besieged by a host of external influences that may shape or cloud their ability to take responsibility. These influences include family, friends, religious beliefs, personal biases, and socioeconomic background.

Even though these external influences seemingly dictate the decisions we are able to make, personal responsibility ultimately is an individual’s ability to respond to the ever-changing influences presented in life in a mature and reasonable way, employing the sum of our knowledge and experience and our willingness to accept and be held accountable for the consequences of our actions. Doherty (1998) argues that society’s increasing refusal to hold individuals accountable for their actions and a tendency to blame others for the individual’s circumstances are a concerning trend.

Doherty (1998) cites the tragic Jonesboro, Arkansas shooting in 1998 as a case in point, where two teenagers opened fire on students at a middle school. His article examines the reactions of the political and intellectual classes at the time and their unwillingness to place responsibility on the perpetrators, instead blaming all of us individually and collectively. Personal responsibility, however, must begin with a smaller, individual action. For example, for students to attain any level of success in college, they must accept responsibility for the decisions they make every day.

These decisions will include when to study and for how long, when to go to class, what type of job they need, and how they will socialize. Nontraditional or adult returning students face the same challenges but have more experience in handling these issues in most cases than traditional students. This experience, their recall of it, and the growth that ensued, can help them make better-informed decisions. Both categories of students, however, must exhibit some level of personal responsibility in order to accomplish college uccess. In my experience as a student and as a professional, one aspect of personal responsibility many people struggle with is time management. Time management is an essential skill that must be acquired in order to be able to accomplish assigned tasks efficiently and by a given deadline. This is my Waterloo. I find myself spending most of my time doing things that must be done urgently to meet a deadline and wondering what happened to all the time that I thought had to accomplish the task in.

If I am unable to manage my time well, it adversely affects my work, education, and personal life. Time is a finite resource that cannot be recovered once spent. In spending or managing my time, it is essential to learn and employ strategies that work for me and to be mindful of new ideas or technologies to improve the outcomes. One of the strategies that I have rediscovered is outlined in our current text. I am going to re-implement a daily to-do list. I did this previously but became lazy with it and just attempted to keep track of what I needed to accomplish in my head.

Now that I run a full-time business, am a full-time student, and have a full-time family, I need to evaluate my ability to keep track of the things that I want to accomplish. Amanda Mergler, Ph. D. states in her doctoral dissertation, “Personal responsibility has been defined as being accountable to oneself and the needs and well-being of others. ” Mergler, A. (2007). I need to be able to prioritize tasks so that I am more efficient in accomplishing them. Implementing a to-do list will allow me to have more time because I will not be wasting the time that I do have trying to figure out what needs to be done next.

I can just look at my to-do list. This will give me a greater ability to meet my responsibilities and be able to meet the needs of those who depend on me. We face different challenges every day as students and professionals. Recognizing external influences for what they are and maintaining individual accountability for our actions is important for success in any arena. Going to college is an outstanding opportunity for personal growth if the student takes advantage of it. One of the ways to do this is to become the master of ime and not let time master us. While we may not be able to control all of the outside influences we are bombarded with, if we master our time we can be one step closer to achieving the goals we have set. Annotated Bibliography Ross McDonald University of Phoenix Gen 200 February 25, 2013 Annotated Bibliography. Mergler, A. (2007), PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY: THE CREATION, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION OF A SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAM. 3. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove Campus. (eprints. qut. du. au/16382/1/Amanda_Mergler_Thesis. pdf) Mergler’s work attempts to show how a school-based program of personal-accountability education can benefit students and instructors alike. The author also lays out a plan for implementation of such a program. Doherty, B. (1998). Blame society first. Reason, 30(2), 8. Doherty’s article asserts that there is a continuing trend within society to remove blame from the individual and shift it to the collective. Summary of References The above references support my essay in the following ways.

Mergler provides an excellent definition of personal responsibility that is applicable to students in particular and life in general. Mergler’s work also directly relates to developing programs to teach students personal responsibility in an academic setting. Doherty’s article from Reason supports my assertion that individuals are blaming outside influences for their actions and that society is not holding the individual personally responsible. Mergler’s work is in the form of a scientific paper, presented as a doctoral thesis, and was accepted by the Queensland University of Technology.

It is, therefore, a reasonable choice as a dependable reference for my essay. Doherty’s work was presented in the periodical Reason. Reason claims in their mission statement that they are a monthly print magazine directed at “free minds and free markets. ” While I agree with the material presented here, some may call into question the reliability of this reference based on its political slant. Both Mergler’s and Doherty’s works are relevant to this essay. Mergler’s work is directly related to personal responsibility in an academic setting.

She provides a very well reasoned definition of personal responsibility and lays out a plan for students and faculty to implement and follow. Doherty’s work asserts, as I do, that individuals are not demonstrating personal responsibility in society today. Doherty cites the tragic Jonesboro, Arkansas shooting in 1998 as a case in point, where two teenagers opened fire on students at a middle school. His article examines the reactions of the political and intellectual classes at the time and their unwillingness to place responsibility on the perpetrators, instead blaming all of us individually and collectively.

Mergler holds a Ph. D. in philosophy from the Queensland University of Technology. This is a doctoral dissertation and a scientific study and does not seem to contain any bias. Philosophy is, however, by its very nature a subjective discipline. Doherty is the senior editor for Reason magazine. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and is a libertarian/conservative journalist. Accordingly, his article may contain bias in that direction.

• Define personal responsibility and what it means to you.

•Explain the relationship between personal responsibility and college success.

•Include a preliminary plan to practice personal responsibility in your education.

I. Introduction
a. personal responsibility :

1. Personal responsibility begins inside and moves outward. 2. We have to begin with ourselves and take responsibility for our thoughts, choices, actions and reactions. Then we can be responsible for the circumstances we create in our world. 3. When you believe something or someone else is responsible for your problems and the resulting solutions, that exact thought is the first problem to solve when it comes to taking personal responsibility. b. what it means to me:

1. Taking care of my family
2. Taking care of my job
3. Taking care of my study

Il. Primary purpose for education

The relationship between personal responsibility and college success. a. Personal responsibilities:

1. Having something in your care to take care of. It is your responsibility that your kids get taken care of on a daily basis 2. Taking Responsibility for Your Own Actions.
b. college success:

1. Students have to learn to take responsibility for their education. 2. With college come the skills needed to be successful.
3. Every student who enters into a college level program needs to bring some very useful skills with them.

Ill. Adult learning style

Preliminary plan to practice personal responsibility in your education. 1. Attending college is taking personal responsibility for your education. 2. Time management and proper organization serve not only in planning for education success but also in aspects of life. 3. With and a higher education we have a better salary then without. 4. To be successful in educational endeavors its necessary to act as a personally responsible student. 5. Students are Responsible for Their Own Educational Future.

IV. Conclusion

Accepting personal responsibility can have life changing affects.