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Homeroom Guidance
Quarter 1 – Module 3:
Thinking Aloud My Decisions
Introductory Message
For the learner:
Decision-making is a key concept in your development. You can be reflective or impulsive in doing
it. Thus, you tend to make well-thought out or rush decisions without considering first its implications. In the
process of decision-making, it is important that your values are intact and that it should not be
compromised.
As we enter the new normal, most of you are filling empty periods on a daily basis using mobile
communication, text messaging and chat sites in expanded personal and virtual networks. The pandemic
you are in may affect your character to cope with the situations. In these trying times you have to follow the
given protocols and ethical standards that make us dignified humans capable of adapting to change and
morally upright in thinking and doing. This module will help you realize that as a human being, you may be
capable to commit right and wrong actions or decisions. It will introduce to you some learning tasks that will
help you depict some tendencies in making right and wrong decisions or becoming indecisive, and on how
you can resolve these by carefully considering some factors that may affect your decision.
This self-learning module has six interactive tasks, which are as follows:
Let’s try this, let’s explore this, keep in mind, you can do it, what I have learned, share your thoughts and
feelings.
Make sure to read, think, follow, and enjoy every task that you are asked to do.
Have fun! Stay safe and healthy!

MODULE 3 THINKING ALOUD MY DECISIONS

Learning Objectives
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
1. identify the factors that affect the right and wrong actions or decisions;
2. recognize the tendencies of every individual to make right and wrong decisions or actions; and
3. analyze situations that depict tendencies of making right and wrong decisions or actions.
Period: Weeks 3 and 4 of 1st Quarter
Suggested Total Time Allotment: 120
Minutes Materials Needed:
• clean sheet of paper
• pen
Introduction
In the previous module, you learned how to accept others’ individuality. You even
formulated your personal policies or guidelines to uphold acceptance and respect of people’s differences at
all times.
In this module, you are up to another insightful learning episode. You will delve into the decision-
making process. Remember that you are free to choose a course of action from among various
alternatives. However, your choice has consequences; and you are responsible for your own actions. You
will encounter some factors that may affect your sound decision-making like past experiences; biases;
current situation or setup, and individual differences .
 Let’s Try This
Suggested Time Allotment: 20 minutes
Read the story of Anton, a Senior High School graduate, then answer the processing questions on
a separate sheet of paper.
Anton’s Indecisiveness
Anton who took up the General Academic Strand in Senior High School has a hard time deciding
what course to enroll in college. He graduated with honors and has received special citations. He is great
in Science and Math but he is also into arts and graphic designing. He was told by his parents to decide for
his course since colleges are already closing admission and the school opening is approaching fast.
He is spending night analyzing his options. Sometimes he barely sleeps, over-analyzing all
considerations. There are also pressures from his friends for him to join them in the university where
there are wide variety of Science course he can choose from. He also considers the suggestions of his
teachers who see his potential in graphic designing and multimedia arts.
Anton really wants to enroll in the most prestigious school to study the course that perfectly fits him.
After thorough self-deliberation, he comes down to two schools and four courses. But this does not end his
considerations; he still has more factors to visit. His family and friends are starting to worry if he could ever
make a final decision.
It has finally come one day when everything was in place. Anton finally decides to enroll! He hurries
to the school of his choice, but he’s an hour late! The enrolment has just closed for his first choice. To add
in more to his regrets, his second chosen program has also reached the maximum number of students and
it was closed days ago.
Sad and full of regrets, Anton goes home thinking of the lost time over thinking his options. And that
is because he can just not make up his mind.
Processing Questions: Write your answers on a sheet of paper.
1. Did you experience spending more time to make a decision that greatly affects you or your future
just like Anton? Share your experience.
2. If you are in his situation, what would be your next move?
3. What should you do so you won’t face the same problem as that of Anton ?
Let’s Explore This
Suggested Time Allotment: 15 minutes
Agree or Disagree?
On a separate sheet of paper, write AGREE or DISAGREE on the given situations. Read each statement
carefully to make sure that it best matches your opinion.
1. I cannot tell my best friend’s parents about his smoking and drinking tendencies because I will
betray his trust.
2. I should consider the advice of my parents when it comes to choosing my course in college.
3. It is OK to take credit for other people’s work as long as it serves a good purpose.
4. Choosing a career that will employ easily is more practical than pursuing a passion that will take
years before getting a good earning.
5. The curriculum exit that you should choose after senior high school should best match the track and
strand you are taking.
Processing Questions:
1. What are the factors that you considered in answering?
2. Do your experiences at this time of pandemic change the way you decide on things? In what way?

Keep in Mind
Suggested Time Allotment: 25 minutes
We make countless choices every day, from the very moment we opened our eyes in the morning
up to the time we fall back to our beds, and our choices are neither right nor wrong.
According to Steven J. Heine, author of the book Cultural Psychology, choice is something that is
surely valued everywhere; however, the extent to which people value choices and exercise it is influenced
by the context we are in. More choices are available to individuals acting alone than to those who are part
of interdependent group of people; however, the limits on their choices are likely not experienced as
aversive when individuals share the same goals as their group.
For example, you choose not to attend classes because your peers invited you to join them outside
the school during class hour although you are aware of your responsibility in the school. This phenomenon
is be explained by Rollo May, an American Psychologist, who articulated that human beings are
inseparable from their environment, a simultaneous relationship exists, and involving three models such as
the following: (1) the physical and physiological; (2) the social environment of the people; and (3)
human being’s relationship to their inner nature.
Ludwig Binswanger, an existential psychologist, explained that humans have complete freedom of
choice or free will and are completely responsible for their own existence. There was always the possibility
of becoming something new or better because existence changes.
How can you correct mistakes from the past? Change your mind set. Change is always a choice.
You need to realize that you can control your own behavior and need to make better choices. Things don’t
just happen. You can take much more effective control of your life through planning.
What are the strategies to promote change and foresee the possible wrong decisions and future
actions? According to American psychologist Gerald Corey, first thing is to explore what your wants,
needs and perceptions are. Try to recognize, define, and refine how you wish to meet your needs.
Second, focus on what you are doing at present and think of your future direction. Take action by
changing what you are doing and thinking. Third, make a self-evaluation. It is your responsibility to
evaluate your own behavior. Lastly, formulate your action plan. Creating and carrying out your plans
enable you to gain more effective control over your life. If your plan does not work, devise a different plan.
Your commitment is essential to carry out your plans.
Factors that affect our decisions
We act or decide based on different considerations and factors. Most especially if the situations demand a
very important decision, we need to carefully assess our choices and calculate the risk that we might face.
1. Environment. The people around us including the current setup affect the way we see things. They
can influence our beliefs and perception on the consequences of our actions. There are times that we
intend to compare how they face a certain problem with the way we face it ourselves; this is
something that we need to get away from as we are all different including the situations we are in.
2. Experiences. Our past encounter with people and the results of our decisions before mold how we
act and decide today. For instance, if you have proven that a certain person should not be trusted with
your secrets, then you won’t entrust him/her the confidential matters that you have. The same thing if
you have a tested action to be effective like your study habits which led you to get high grades, then,
there is a great possibility to replicate such practice. Our experiences whether good or bad shape the
way we behave nowadays.
3. Personal characteristics. We should also take into account the function of our culture, attitude,
personality, beliefs, abilities, gender, health condition and others in terms of our way of making a
decision. You have to recognize that there are enabling and limiting aspects of your personal
characteristics. For instance, in your culture, there may be a stigma on the role of man or woman. It is
now up to you whether you want to live up to that expectation or not. You may want to look into what
science tells about healthy and unhealthy practices.
4. Facts or data. It is a good practice to decide based on the merit of actual facts or data. It will
definitely inform you on the exact scenario you are dealing with and you can calculate how your
decisions would impact the situation. For example, you need to decide your curriculum exit. You may
 check the number of schools where you can pursue whatever course you have plan to have. At the
same time, you may look into the data on SHS graduates who were employed after basic education
and those that ventured into business.
5. Motivation. Our drive to achieve certain things influences our decisions. Sometimes we need to let
go of small things in order to attain greater things. For example, you slipped away your opportunity to
be with your friends on a Saturday because it’s your schedule for college application interview. Your
goal to be a college graduate is bigger than your desire to enjoy the company of your friends, so you
opted to be at the interview.
Your decisions will define the kind of choices you are taking. At the end of the day, you will be the one
to face whatever consequences these decisions bring. Hence, your decision-making process is very
important. If you are in doubt or confused about your choices, you may want to go to someone who is
well trained to guide and facilitate your decision-making process like a Registered Guidance Counselor
(RGC). If an RGC is not available in your school, you may consider getting the insights of your trusted
teacher, parents or adults.
You Can Do It
Suggested Time Allotment: 25 minutes
Copy the following template on a short bond paper and list your alternative course of action on the
following situations.
Looking Into my Decisions
Situation What is your What are the factors
decision? that led you to this
decision?
1. A group of learners invited you to join a virtual organization and encouraged you to meet new
friends. To become a member, you need to follow certain rules.
2. Your parents told you that they may not be able to support your schooling this year because of
financial matters. They asked if you can stop attending school.
3. Your cousin asks you to tell a lie to her parents that they will have a school event to sneak going
with her boyfriend for a date.
4. Your family is experiencing financial crisis and lost a sustainable livelihood; and there’s an
invitation from a friend to try online selling.
5. It’s your birthday and your friends would like you to throw a party despite the strict quarantine
protocol in your community.

What I have Learned

Suggested Time Allotment: 15 minutes
Dear Anton
Go back to the story of Anton in Let’s Try This. If you have the power to travel back in time and help him
out in choosing for the best school and course to take in college, what advise will you give him? Write your
answer in a letter format on a piece of paper.
Share your Thoughts & Feelings
Suggested Time Allotment: 20 minutes
1. On your answer sheet, write your personal experiences depicting right or wrong
decisions you made during this pandemic.
2. Cite the reasons why you did such acts, and how you resolved the issues.