7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens & the Orthodox Mindset for Life | Fall

Being a teenager today is really challenging! This engaging and interactive course is designed to empower teenagers with the tools and mindset to navigate life’s challenges and build meaningful relationships. Using Sean Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens as a guide, teens will explore actionable strategies to cultivate self-awareness, accountability, and motivation. The discussion of these habits will be anchored in the Orthodox Christian faith, incorporating its traditions and teachings to align with the liturgical rhythm of our lives within the Church. Throughout the course, teenagers will build essential life skills for an ever-changing world, while keeping Christ at the center of their lives.

They will be enabled to:

• set and achieve meaningful goals
• manage time effectively and prioritize tasks
• build strong interpersonal relationships through listening, quality communication, and empathy
• handle challenges and setbacks with resilience
• practice leadership and teamwork
• create balance by focusing on both personal and interpersonal growth.

Through discussions and activities, teenagers will learn to apply the 7 habits in their daily lives, fostering a growth-oriented mindset and building skills to thrive academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually in order to pursue "the chief end of our life which is to live in communion with God" (St. Theophan the Recluse). This course encourages creativity, reflection, and practical application, ensuring teens leave with a clear sense of purpose and a toolkit for lifelong growth.

Nota Bene: This course will also include an optional parent night for Q&A, with the timing yet to be decided.

• Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be much better solutions, as they enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.
• High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed Internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your Internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.
• Webcam: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer. Webcam Recommendations: Good (PC only) | Best (Mac and PC)
• Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class. Headset Recommendations: USB | 3.5mm
• Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use. To download Zoom:
  1. Visit zoom.us/download.
  2. Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
  3. Open and run the installer on your computer.
  4. In August, students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.
• Scanner: In this class, students frequently submit homework assignments by scanning pages from their workbooks. Students and/or their parents should have easy access to a scanner and the ability to use it.