Turning Challenges to

Opportunities
Objectives:

• Draw generalizations and conclusions from the materials

viewed
• Use denotation and connotation to clarify meanings of words
• Appraise literature as a way of expressing and resolving
one’s personal conflicts
• Use appropriate modals to express futurity and willingness
• Write a short persuasive text using persuasive techniques
Task 1 – I always Connect Game
• Think about ways to win over challenges
• In 5 minutes, list all the possible ways that
you know in order to win over challenges
• The group to respond first will be given 5
points
• Write your answers in the bond paper.
Ways to Win Over Challenges

Admit mistakes
Face the conflict
Emphasize one’s positive traits
Use struggles as opportunities
Use temporary solutions
Make personal adjustments
Task 2 – View and Make Generalization ( to be posted is a
video/picture

• Does it remind you of something or someone you’ve made or

met in real life?
• What does this drawing suggest about challenges and
opportunities?
• Which details in the picture show the importance of turning
challenges to opportunities?
• What questions about turning challenges to opportunities do you
still have in mind?
• How do you turn challenges to opportunities?
 From the Analects
by Confucius
Translated by Arthur Waley

The Master said, “ To learn and at due times to repeat

what one has learnt, is that not after all delightful?
Those friend should come to one from afar, is this not
after all a delightful? To remain unsoured even though
one’s merits are unrecognized by others is that not after
all what is expected of a gentleman?”
 The Master said, “A young man’s duty is to behave
well to his parents at home and to his elders abroad, to be
cautious in giving promises and punctual in giving them,
to have kindly feelings towards everyone, but seek the
intimacy of good. If, when all that is done, he has energy
to spare, and then let him study the polite arts.”

The Master said, “The good man does not grieve that
other people do not recognize his merits. His only
anxiety is lest he should fail to recognize theirs.”
 The Master said, “He who rules by moral force is like the
Pole star, which remains in its place where all the lesser stars
do homage to it.”
The Master said, “If out of three hundred songs I had to take
one phrase to cover all my teaching, I would say, let there be no
evil in your thoughts.”
The Master said, “Govern the people by regulations, keep
order among them by chastisements, and they will flee from
you, and lose all self-respect. Govern them by moral force,
keep order among them by ritual, they will keep their self-
respect and come to you of their own accord.”
 Meng Wu Po asked about the treatment of parents. The Master
said, “Behave in such a way that your father and mother have no
anxiety about you, except concerning your health.”

The Master said, “A gentleman can see a question from all sides
without bias. The small man is biased and can see a question only
from one side.”

The Master said, “You, shall I teach you what knowledge is?
When you know a thing, to recognize that you know it, and when
you do not know a thing, to recognize that you do not know it. That
is knowledge.”
 The Master said, “High office filled by men of narrow
views, ritual perform without reverence, the forms of
mourning observed without grief-these are things I cannot bear
to see!”

The Master said, “In the presence of good man, think all the
time how you may learn to equal him. In the presence of a bad
man, turn your gaze within!”

The Master said, “In old days, a man kept hold on his
words, fearing the disgrace that would ensue should he himself
fail to keep pace with them.”
 The Master said, “A gentleman covets the reputation of being slow
in word but prompt in deed.”

The Master said, “In old days, men studied for the sake of self-
improvement; nowadays men study to impress other people.”

The Master said, “A gentleman is ashamed to let his words outrun

his deeds.”

The Master said, “He who will not worry about what is far off will
soon find something worse than worry close at hand.”

The Master said, “To demand much from oneself and little from
others is the way (for a ruler) to banish discontent.”
* SMALL GROUP DIFFERENTIATED ACTIVITIES FOR THE STAKES

• Go to your usual group, and work on your assigned task.

• Remember to share your ideas, thoughts and experiences
with your group.
Group 1 Meaningful Search

1. Look for difficult words from the selection.

2. List all of them, and give their denotative (specific, dictionary)
meaning for each word.
3. Give also the connotative (suggested idea and feelings or overtone)
meaning for each word.
4. Remember that connotative meaning is very important in
persuasive writing. Connotation can be positive or negative. Choose
at least five words in the selection which have strong connotation.
5. On your paper, copy the table as shown below and fill out with
appropriate entries.
 Difficult Words Denotative Connotative
Meaning Meaning
e.g. 1. disgrace dishonor Loss of self-respect
2.
3.
4.
5.
Group 2 Theme Connection

1. Try this: Are there key phrases/sentences from “The Analects” of

Confucius that say something about people’s challenges and
opportunities?
2. On your paper, copy the figures as shown below and list these
words/group of words that suggest challenges and opportunities.

OPPORTUNITIES
CHALLENGES

3. Assign one member to pose as a speaker

Group 3 Taking a Stand- For or Against

• Consider the argument presented in the selection “From the

Analects” by Confucius.
• Use the following questions as your guide:
1. What is the selection trying to persuade you to think or do?
2. What evidence does Confucius use to support his position?
3. Which passages argue for or against the use of challenges as
opportunities?

Write the passages in the following table:

For Against
Group 4 Thinking It Through
Use the following questions as your guide:
1. What kind of conflict/challenge is reflected in this statement, “In the
presence of a good man, think all the time how you may learn to
equal him. In the presence of a bad man, turn your gaze within!”
2. Does a good man only think of himself or other people?
3. What other values are highlighted in the selection?
4. Why is it important to learn how to practice them?
5. Consider the stand of the Master regarding practicing moral values.
Do they serve as opportunities for us to prove we can really face
and overcome challenges?
6. Do you think humility would help in solving today’s problem?
Explain how it can be an effective solution to each problem.
Group 5 Taking Challenges as Opportunities

1. Which passages reveal something about turning challenges to

opportunities?
2. Which of the passages provide the most valuable insight?
3. How do you feel about these passages?

Group 6 Enduring Experiences

4. What have you learned from Confucius’ “The Analects” that made
you see yourself in another light?
5. How would you react to the situation described by the Master if you
were one of these persons (gentleman, good man, worrier, ruler)?
Your Final Task!

With the same group, you will create a short but powerful persuasive
essay.

STEPS IN WRITING A PERSUASIVE ESSAY

1. Choosing a subject
recall the passages, essays, poems that gives life’s meaning, etc.
2. Addressing the audience you are trying to persuade
3. Clarifying your purpose
 Take note:
In drafting, watch out for special expressions or opinion signals;
Think believe should for against
reason feel must all exactly
For example furthermore always best
undoubtedly remember definitely Worst none
everybody in addition fortunately

Add an interesting question, quotation, or anecdote for the introduction,

… use reasons and examples as supports, use factual and opinion
statements, summarize your main reasons and then, use the last sentence
to further persuade you reader or to agree with you, or invite your
readers to action.
Criteria 5 4 3 2 1 total
Focus/Content (states clear position at the beginning until the end of the
work; topic captures the readers’ attention)
Persuasive Techniques Used (uses strong and effective persuasive
techniques and details support the thesis and the stand of the writer
Development/Organization (Has strong organizational plan; logically
arranged statements from the most important to the least important or
vice versa; develops the topic thoroughly with examples and support

Clarity of Ideas (presents clear and sound arguments and evidences are
authentic)
Emphasis (has interesting and attention-grabbing introduction; has a
strong conclusion that includes a call to action)
Language Mechanics and Convention (displays minor error in spelling,
punctuation, grammar, and they varied in structure)
Legend: Rating- Description

5 - Excellent
4 - Very Impressive
3 - Impressive
2 - Convincing
1 - Beginning

Formula = F + T + PT + C + R + L = Total / 6 =
6