Assignment: Part 1

1. Assignment: Part 1 On one side of your notecard, write a word or phrase to describe Lloyd. Lloyd: Then Write a word or phrase to describe cyrus. Cyrus: On the other side of the card, write down what you think the moral or lesson of the story is.

2. How to Spot a “Lloyd” They’re in this school, in this classroom, and maybe even in your seat!

3. What “Lloyds” Do—Types 1. Loud, obnoxious, and constantly wanting to be the center of attention. This is done in the classroom, hallways, and cafeteria. They’re starved for attention and that’s mainly why they come to school. They totally don’t know the real purpose for being here. 2. Sit in the classroom and do . . . nothing! They have no motivation, no pencil, no completed assignments, and no clue how the world really works. They sleep through school, yet think they will be successful someday! (huh?!?!) These “Lloyds” are not living in reality.

4. What “Lloyds” Do--Types Cont. 3. Some Lloyds have it all figured out (not really). They have a “plan.” Their plan is right out of fantasyland. They’re going to be the next NBA, NFL, MLB, MLS, American Idol, etc. superstar. They don’t need an education because they’re going to be successful millionaires! Reality check: 0.6% of h.s. baseball players, 0.1% of h.s. hockey players, 0.03% of h.s. basketball players, 0.04% of h.s. soccer players, and 0.08% of h.s. football players end up playing professionally. Source: NCAA. 72.1% of actors make less than $5000 a year. Source: L.A. Times. Don’t believe me? Look it up! Is it possible? Yes. Is it likely? Not even close. (Here’s an idea, maybe have a realistic backup plan just in case).

5. What “Lloyds” Do Cont. 4. Other Lloyds have it all backwards. They hate the teachers, the school, administrators, parents, etc., because they think they’re stupid and lame! “They can’t tell me what to do and they can’t make me!” (How many little kids say the same thing?) Adults are the enemy and don’t know anything! These Lloyds don’t want to be alone, so they try to recruit others to think and act like they do: disrupt class, act out, break any and all rules, etc. They learned this from home, friends, other Lloyds, TV, movies, etc. These Lloyds are probably the most clueless of alland are the ones that are least likely to ever change.

6. What is it the “Non-Lloyds” get that “Lloyds” Don’t? 1. They get why they’re at school. They understand that school is a training ground that will prepare them for what comes later in life. 2. They get that schools, teachers, administrators, etc. are not here to torture them and make their lives miserable. They know they are here to help them succeed in life. They understand that schools, teachers, etc. want them to succeed. 3. They understand that it takes work to be successful and it’s not always fun.

7. What is it the “Non-Lloyds” get that “Lloyds” Don’t? cont. 4. They get it that what they do here in school can be a true indicator of how successful they will be later in life. 5. They get it that if they can’t handle high school, they will probably never handle college or a job. 6. They get it that success is probably not going to fall into their lap, but they have to be prepared to make success happen. 7. They get it that they have goals and “Lloyds” or others are not going to keep them from their goals.

8. What happens to “Lloyds?” For most, fortunately they change. Somewhere along the line, they start “getting it.” It may be today, next month, next year, or even as an adult, but it eventually kicks in. Others, unfortunately never change. They may drop out of high school, or barely squeeze by, and then become adult “Lloyds.” Adult “Lloyds” often become angry adults usually because they hate their jobs, their bosses, their salaries, and even their lives. They blames others for their misfortunes, instead of realizing that it was all their own doing. They’re usually sad, unhappy people.

9. How do you know, Mr. Reynolds? What makes you so “smart?” Good question! First of all, I’ve been teaching for 21 years now and have seen thousands of kids, several that were Lloyds. The Lloyds of today are no different than the Lloyds of 20 years ago. I have former students that are very successful today (doctors, lawyers, business owners, etc.) and others are not (life in prison, failures, etc. ). It’s been easy to predict who would succeed. I was in high school once and I was a “Lloyd” myself for a while. Thank goodness I eventually changed!

10. Assignment Part 2: Who are you? If you are a “Lloyd,” then most everybody knows it, including you whether you openly admit it or not. If you’re not a “Lloyd,” then you probably know that too. It’s time to look in the mirror and a do some self-reflecting. On a sheet of paper, write this sentence at the top: My name is __________ and I _______ a “Lloyd.” Continue this paragraph by explaining why you are or are not a “Lloyd,” in other words explain how you know (what do you do). In a second paragraph, explain what your plans are and why. If you’re not a “Lloyd” explain what you will continue to do and why. If you are one, explain what you will do and why.