Full Value Contract

“The only way to abolish war is to make peace seem heroic.” - John Dewey

Full Value Contract

An agreement that our class will operate under: our group agrees to find positive value within the efforts of all its members. The positive value is expressed by encouragement, goal setting, group discussions, a spirit of forgiveness, confrontation and by the group taking ownership of their outcomes and behaviors. Introduced in the first few weeks these behaviors are expected by the group at all-time so the whole class/group can be successful. The group members should know these so they can engage in the behaviors and serve as reminders to others who might be affecting the group success.

Click on the following to see more information for each part...

Challenge by Choice

Challenge by Choice: in which each person chooses their own challenge or "stretch" zone and everyone else respects that choice.

Comfort, Challenge (Stretch), Panic (Stress) Zones: in which we each identify what activities are with our comfort zone, stretch zone and our panic zone – we undertake to self-manage our participation and only take part in activities that fall within our comfort or our stretch zones, while recognizing that our behaviors can help or hinder others form being in their challenge zone…the zone where we learn the most.

The Comfort Zone

Your Comfort Zone is just that – comfortable – and includes everyday activities such as doing the same things and mixing with the same people. When most of your activities are in this zone life is, of course, ‘comfortable’ but you do not learn very much nor develop yourself – it’s simply more of the same and it can lead to the zone shrinking.

The Stretch (Challenge) Zone

Your Stretch Zone is the area of novelty, exploration and adventure. Here are the things that are a little or a lot out of the ordinary – the things you haven’t done for a long time or have never done before. This zone is not really

a comfortable place – but it is a stimulating one. It is where we stretch and challenge ourselves mentally, emotionally or physically. In social life it could be going to a different restaurant or pub. At work it could be handing a project in a new way or seeking a better position.

The Panic Zone

The Panic Zone is the area of things-to-be-avoided either because they are unacceptable to you or because they are currently a ‘stretch’ too far. For example, being dishonest or abusive towards others could be in this zone because such activities are not in accord with your personal values. Participating in extreme sports might be here because you consider them too daunting but ‘also’ because you find the concept of deliberately flirting with danger unacceptable. However you can also have activities in the Panic Zone which you wish were not there. Someone who experiences a phobic response when near a spider might prefer to have more choices in such situations. Again, to a teenager asking someone for a date could be a Panic Zone issue in which they would like to feel differently. And for many people public speaking falls into the Panic Zone with limiting effects on their career.

At EMS in PE we have extended the application of this model into a tool for fostering respect for individuality and respect for oneself. Each person makes their own choice of what is in each zone – and we each recognize and respect the choices made by others.

What is a stretch for one person can be a Comfort or Panic Zone issue for someone else. My Panic Zone issue in sports might be merely a mild stretch for you. My Comfort Zone issue in another area might be a stretch or panic issue for you. There are no absolutes – just individual choices or assessments at this moment which may or may not hold true in the future.