Welcome to the SPHS 1 Book, 1 School, 1 Star
School wide book club featuring
I Beat the Odds by Michael Oher.

STAR Weekly Quotes and Discussion Questions:

Week 1: Feb 10- Theme: Goal Oriented/ Resiliency
" I discovered that's really what it comes down to: you've got to want something.  The problem was that it seemed like there was no one else around me who wanted to be something" pg. 81

Has there ever been a moment when the people you were hanging with had a lack of direction and goals or did not strive to be the best person they could be?"

Week 2: Feb 13- Theme Joy/Passion
" If you're one of those at-risk students and you want out, you have to work for it. Success isn't just handed to you;it's something you have to earn.  no one can do it alone...but the way out starts with you and your determination to become something better than your circumstances." pg. 13

Can you think of a time when you had to work hard for something? Who were your supports?


Week 3: Feb 21- Joy/Passion

“..it’s still up to you what you do with your life.  You can blame circumstances or whatever you want to, but it’s your life.  You’ve got to be the one who is determined to make it succeed.  No one else can do that for you.” (p 232)
 
What was Michael’s secret for being able to move beyond his past and not allow it to impact his future? How does his determination and motivation impact you? How do you overcome the obstacles in your life to reach your goals?

Week 3: Feb 24- Joy/Passion

“You also have to have a sense of what you are naturally good at.  For example, if you have trouble with numbers, you should work on that, but you probably shouldn’t look for a career as an accountant.” (p. 88)

 Can you think of something you’re good at? 
 What are your talents? 
 What makes you stand out?

“…you should make sure you know what your talents are; what makes you stand out, so that you can work on developing those things that make you different; because just by recognizing what it is that you’re already pretty good at can give you a head start on working to make your dream something real.” (p. 88)

 What are you DOING to foster your talents? 
 What are you DOING to make your dreams a reality?

Week 4- Feb. 27  Theme: Creativity/Risk

In the book, “I Beat the Odds”, Michael talks about finding good people to surround him.  This includes his tutor Miss Sue. 

Michael says, “…”because she was the one who really gave me the confidence to know that I could learn, which is the first step in beating the odds.” (p 159)
Michael also felt strongly about good role models. 
“You have to be on the lookout for mentors. You should always be keeping your eyes open for positive influences.  Try to find those mentors wherever you can…” (p 230)
Consider this-
What does it mean to you when someone says they have your back? Do you have people in your life who have your back?

Week 5-March 12

Friends are very important to Michael Oher.  In his book, he talks this-
“You have to be careful about the friends you choose.”
“It’s impossible to stress how important it is that you chose the right friends, no matter who you are.”
“The friends you chose can make all the difference as to where you end up.”
“If you want to get out of the ghetto, you can’t keep living like the ghetto.”
 “…but a true friend wants you to succeed for who you are and not for what you can give them.” (pages 225-229)

Why do you think people may have different expectations for you than you do for yourself? Are these presumptions in line with what you expect or do not expect from yourself?

Week 6- March 19

“So I just started to rely on my common sense and my own ideas of what I wanted for my life.   I would stop and ask myself: Is this a smart decision?  What are the consequences of hanging out with these guys?  What kind of trouble could I get into if I did this or went there?  Do I want the thrill as much as I want to get out of this neighborhood someday?  But following through on those smart choices wasn’t easy.” Michael Oher (p 82)
Can you think of a time when the smart choice wasn’t the easy choice?  Discuss examples…
• Was the choice a smart choice?
• Was it the easy choice?
• Did the choice he made prove to be empowering in his life?
• Would you have made the same choice?  If not, what would you have done differently?