Attendance Agreement

They say every time we sign our name – our name goes up in value or down in value.  We equate this to attendance!  

When we show up, our value goes up!

Please note – This is a program policy, and it makes sense. The more you attend and engage the more we all learn.  Nowhere is it more palpable than in the Addiction Counseling Program.  According to Dr. Gabor Maté the antidote to addiction is connection!  Someone may have a gold nugget to share and that someone may be you!  

Pls note students who miss any of the four classes will not be eligible to earn a passing grade.  

Portland Community College also understands that life difficulties occur so they allow some space for emergency situations. Students at risk of not earning a passing grade will have the option to withdraw from the class before the deadline to withdraw or receive that non passing grade.  Please email your instructor in advance regarding potential absences. 

Please see the following links for PCC Grading Guidelines and Drop/Withdraw deadlines: Grading Guidelines   Drop/Withdrawal Deadlines

Learning Experience

Graded Assignments & Feedback

This is an interactive/lecture course; it can also be used to assist stopping or reducing use of smoke/chew/vape.  To pass this class successfully everyone in the class will need to:

• • Attend and actively participate.

  • Invite a person preferably in contemplation stage of change and willing to explore their relationship with nicotine/tobacco products. It is advised you not coach someone you live with or are related to.  You may use a classmate.

  • The person you invite, understands and agrees to spend a minimum of 1.5 hours to 2 hours per week for 4 weeks. 

  • Student scores and current course grades can be viewed by going to Grades in D2L Brightspace. The grading criteria for this course is based on a weighted grading scheme - table below.

  • You will be asked to create a final presentation and present it in week 4. Creativity is encouraged!  It could be a video, a song, a poem, PowerPoint or a groovy collage!  The idea is to capture experiences from each weeks topics! 

  • Pls note your grade is not dependent on your chosen person reducing or eliminating their use rather the greatest focus in the moment is - has our confidence to your ability to invite most people to explore their relationship with these products increased?

• • The following are some options for you to pick from when creating your vision board.

Option A

The final presentation will be of your person's experience as they explored their relationship with tobacco/nicotine products.  For example, visuals of your person's Past, Current and/or Future relationship with these products. What they found was most helpful and how their view of these products has shifted. 

Option B

The final presentation will represent you, the student going through the process of empowering the person you invited to explore their relationship with tobacco/nicotine.  What was that like for you? Has your confidence in inviting most people to explore their relationship with these lethal products increased? 

Students who are not presenting will be asked to provide feedback in writing to those presenting thus it is vital that every student be present throughout the course and especially in weeks 9, 10 & 11. You bring value!

Gentle Suggestion 

Create the vision board by adding an image each assignment relative to the assignment so all that is left to do is present your final presentation in week 4!

Optional Bonus Points (10 points)

You will have the option to write a letter or two to the legislature asking them to address the vape waste by making the makers of these products be held accountable.  This assignment is worth up to 10 bonus points per letter.

Creating and Maintaining A Safe Space

• The classroom is to be used to focus on learning new skills and may activate difficult emotions within us. 

• If you need to meet with your instructor to discuss feeling related matters, please schedule time to do so. Text your first name plus BPLs (Baby Pink Lungs) to 360.334.2626. Texts received during the week will be answered within 24 hours.  Text received on weekends or holidays will be answered the next weekday.

• In the classroom, please do your best to manage your emotions. 

• It is perfectly acceptable to leave the class for brief periods if you need to center yourself and regroup. 

• Self-management is an essential skill in the addiction-counseling world and this course is a safe space to begin practicing it. 

• Please note - it is the instructor’s responsibility to facilitate student’s interactions and to guide the length and appropriateness of any given interaction.   

Please see the following links for PCC Grading Guidelines and Drop/Withdraw deadlines: Grading Guidelines   Drop/Withdrawal deadlines