JCE Social and Life Skills cheat sheet

Self-awareness splits into internal awareness (your values, goals, emotions) and external awareness (how others perceive you); growth requires both.

A values hierarchy ranks what matters most; when two values conflict, the higher-ranked value should drive the decision, and unresolved conflict signals an unclear ranking.

SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound; a goal missing any element is a wish, not a plan.

The Johari Window has four quadrants: open (known to self and others), blind (known to others only), hidden (known to self only), unknown (neither).

Growth mindset holds ability as developable through effort and strategy; fixed mindset treats ability as static, so failure becomes identity rather than information.

Reflective practice follows a cycle: experience, describe, analyse, draw conclusions, plan a change, then test it in a new situation.

Maslow's hierarchy orders needs from physiological through safety, belonging, esteem, to self-actualisation; lower needs dominate attention when unmet.

Stress response has three stages (alarm, resistance, exhaustion); chronic stress reaches exhaustion where coping resources deplete and health risk rises.

Communication is a loop: sender encodes, channel carries, receiver decodes, feedback confirms; noise at any stage distorts the message.

Nonverbal channels include body posture, facial expression, eye contact, tone, and proxemics (use of personal space); they often outweigh spoken content.

Active listening means paraphrasing content, reflecting feeling, asking open questions, and withholding judgement until the speaker signals completion.

Open questions begin with what/how/why and invite elaboration; closed questions yield yes/no or single facts and suit confirmation.

Assertive communication uses 'I' statements: state the behaviour, its impact, and the request, without blaming or apologising excessively.

Passive communication avoids stating needs; aggressive communication overrides others' needs; assertive communication protects both parties' needs.

Conflict styles (competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, accommodating) each fit different stakes and relationship goals; collaboration needs time and trust.

Feedback works best when specific, timely, behaviour-focused, and paired with a next step; generalised or delayed feedback rarely changes behaviour.

Healthy relationships rest on mutual respect, trust, honesty, and consent; consent must be freely given, informed, and reversible at any point.

Personal boundaries define what behaviour you accept; stating a boundary is not controlling another person, and enforcing it protects the relationship.

Signs of unhealthy relationship include isolation from friends, monitoring, coercion, guilt-tripping, and escalating control; these predict harm.

Social responsibility means acting for the benefit of the group; examples include volunteering, following shared rules, and speaking up against harm.

Empathy has cognitive (perspective-taking) and affective (feeling with) components; both support prosocial behaviour but can be exhausted without self-care.

Family and peer systems shape norms; peer influence peaks in adolescence, and resistance to negative influence strengthens with clear personal values.

Repair after conflict uses apology (acknowledge harm), restitution (make amends), and change (alter behaviour); apology alone without change is incomplete.

Bystander intervention options include direct action, distracting, delegating to an authority, and documenting; doing nothing is the default risk.

Wellbeing has physical, mental, social, and emotional dimensions; neglecting one dimension eventually erodes the others.

Sleep need for most adults is 7-9 hours; chronic short sleep impairs memory, mood regulation, and immune function.

Balanced nutrition balances macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein, fat), micronutrients (vitamins, minerals), and hydration; no single food supplies all needs.

Physical activity guidelines for adults: at least 150 minutes moderate or 75 minutes vigorous activity weekly, plus muscle-strengthening twice weekly.

Mental health first aid: recognise signs, ask directly about risk, listen without judgement, and refer to professional or emergency help.

Emergency response sequence: check danger, call for help (know local emergency numbers), then provide first aid within your training; do not move an injured person unless in danger.

Substance risk depends on dose, frequency, tolerance, and context; mixing depressants (e.g., alcohol with sedatives) multiplies respiratory risk.

Digital safety basics: strong unique passwords, two-factor authentication, and never sharing personal identifiers with unverified contacts.

Citizenship carries rights (vote, free speech, protection under law) balanced by duties (obey law, pay taxes, jury service where applicable).

Voting eligibility and registration rules vary by jurisdiction; registration deadlines and ID requirements are common barriers to check in advance.

Local government typically handles schools, local roads, waste, and zoning; national government handles defence, currency, and foreign policy.

Community participation includes volunteering, joining local groups, attending public meetings, and reporting local issues through official channels.

Advocacy differs from lobbying: advocacy raises awareness of an issue; lobbying seeks to influence specific legislation or officials.

Civil society organisations (charities, unions, community groups) fill gaps between market and state and depend on transparent governance.

Rule of law means laws apply equally to all, are publicly known, and are applied through fair process rather than personal discretion.

Sustainable community decisions weigh economic, social, and environmental impact; ignoring one pillar shifts costs to future residents.

A CV should be tailored per role: mirror the job description's keywords, lead with relevant achievements, and keep it to one or two pages.

STAR method answers behavioural questions: Situation, Task, Action, Result; the Result should be quantified where possible.

Employment rights commonly include minimum wage, rest breaks, safe conditions, protection from discrimination, and notice periods; details vary by jurisdiction.

A contract of employment should specify role, pay, hours, location, notice, and probation; unclear terms should be clarified in writing before signing.

Workplace discrimination law typically protects characteristics such as age, sex, race, disability, and religion; retaliation for reporting is also unlawful.

Career planning maps skills to roles: identify target role requirements, audit current skills, close gaps through training or experience, then review progress.

Professional communication at work is clear, timely, and documented; confirm verbal agreements by email so expectations are recorded.

Teamwork roles (leader, facilitator, challenger, implementer) each contribute; conflict arises when roles are unclear or unspoken.

A budget balances income against fixed costs (rent, utilities), variable costs (food, transport), and savings; a negative balance requires cutting costs or raising income.

Compound interest formula: A = P(1 + r/n)^(nt), where P is principal, r annual rate, n compounding periods per year, t years.

Annual percentage rate (APR) includes fees plus interest and is the correct figure to compare loans; nominal rates understate true cost.

Emergency fund target is commonly three to six months of essential expenses, held in accessible low-risk savings.

Debt priority rule: pay minimums on all debts, then direct surplus to the highest interest rate first (avalanche) or smallest balance first (snowball) for motivation.

Credit scores reward on-time payments, low utilisation (under about 30% of limit), long account history, and few new applications.

Insurance transfers risk for a premium; insure large, rare losses (health, home, liability) rather than small, frequent ones.

Phishing and scam red flags: urgency, unusual payment methods (gift cards, crypto), requests for passwords, and unsolicited contact; verify through an independent channel.

A tenancy agreement sets rent, deposit, notice period, and repair responsibilities; the deposit should be protected under a recognised scheme where required.

Renting checklist: inventory condition on move-in with dated photos, written repair requests, and knowledge of notice terms for ending the tenancy.

Meal planning reduces food waste: plan meals, check what is in stock, write a list, and store food by label dates (first in, first out).

Home safety basics: working smoke alarms on each level, a carbon monoxide alarm near fuel-burning appliances, and a fire escape plan.

Basic first aid for a burn: cool under running water for at least 20 minutes, remove jewellery, cover loosely, and do not apply ice or butter.

Time management uses prioritisation: urgent/important matrix separates deadlines from importance; schedule important-not-urgent work to prevent crises.

Travel and appointment planning: confirm times, route, and backup options; allow buffer time for delays on unfamiliar journeys.

Consumer rights typically allow returns for faulty goods within a set period; keep receipts and report faults promptly in writing.

Values hierarchy: when two values conflict, the higher-ranked value should drive the decision.

SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound; missing any element makes it a wish.

Johari Window quadrants: open, blind, hidden, unknown; blind spots are known to others but not to self.

Growth mindset treats ability as developable through effort and strategy; fixed mindset treats it as static.

Reflective cycle: experience, describe, analyse, conclude, plan, then test the change.

Maslow order: physiological, safety, belonging, esteem, self-actualisation; unmet lower needs dominate attention.

Stress stages: alarm, resistance, exhaustion; chronic stress reaches exhaustion where coping resources deplete.

Communication loop: sender encodes, channel carries, receiver decodes, feedback confirms; noise distorts at any stage.

Active listening: paraphrase content, reflect feeling, ask open questions, withhold judgement until the speaker finishes.

Open questions (what/how/why) invite elaboration; closed questions yield yes/no and suit confirmation.

'I' statement structure: behaviour, impact, request; avoids blame and excessive apology.

Passive avoids needs, aggressive overrides others, assertive protects both parties' needs.

Conflict styles: competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, accommodating; collaboration needs time and trust.

Effective feedback is specific, timely, behaviour-focused, and paired with a next step.

Consent must be freely given, informed, and reversible at any point.

Boundary setting defines accepted behaviour; enforcing a boundary is not controlling another person.

Unhealthy relationship signs: isolation, monitoring, coercion, guilt-tripping, escalating control.

Empathy has cognitive (perspective-taking) and affective (feeling with) components.

Conflict repair needs apology, restitution, and changed behaviour; apology alone is incomplete.

Bystander options: direct action, distraction, delegation to authority, documentation.

Peer influence peaks in adolescence; clear personal values strengthen resistance to negative influence.

Adult sleep need is 7-9 hours; chronic short sleep impairs memory, mood, and immunity.

Adult activity guideline: 150 minutes moderate or 75 minutes vigorous weekly, plus strengthening twice weekly.

Emergency sequence: check danger, call for help, then first aid within training; do not move an injured person unless in danger.

Mixing depressants such as alcohol and sedatives multiplies respiratory risk.

Mental health first aid: recognise signs, ask directly about risk, listen, refer to professional help.

Wellbeing dimensions: physical, mental, social, emotional; neglecting one erodes the others.

Digital safety: unique strong passwords, two-factor authentication, no personal identifiers to unverified contacts.

Citizenship pairs rights (vote, speech, legal protection) with duties (obey law, pay taxes, jury service where applicable).

Local government typically handles schools, local roads, waste, zoning; national handles defence, currency, foreign policy.

Advocacy raises awareness of an issue; lobbying seeks to influence specific legislation or officials.

Rule of law: laws apply equally, are publicly known, and are applied through fair process.

Voting barriers to check in advance: registration deadlines and ID requirements.

Civil society organisations (charities, unions, community groups) fill gaps between market and state.

Sustainable decisions weigh economic, social, and environmental impact; ignoring one shifts costs to the future.

STAR answers: Situation, Task, Action, Result; quantify the Result where possible.

A CV should mirror job description keywords, lead with relevant achievements, and run one to two pages.

Employment contract should state role, pay, hours, location, notice, and probation; clarify unclear terms in writing before signing.

Common employment rights: minimum wage, rest breaks, safe conditions, discrimination protection, notice periods (varies by jurisdiction).

Discrimination law typically protects age, sex, race, disability, religion; retaliation for reporting is unlawful.

Career plan: identify target role requirements, audit current skills, close gaps, review progress.

Confirm verbal work agreements by email so expectations are documented.

Compound interest: A = P(1 + r/n)^(nt); P principal, r annual rate, n periods per year, t years.

APR includes fees plus interest and is the correct figure for comparing loans.

Emergency fund target: three to six months of essential expenses in accessible low-risk savings.

Debt priority: pay minimums on all, then surplus to highest interest rate (avalanche) or smallest balance (snowball).

Credit scores reward on-time payments, utilisation under about 30%, long history, few new applications.

Insure large rare losses (health, home, liability), not small frequent ones.

Scam red flags: urgency, unusual payment methods, password requests, unsolicited contact; verify independently.

Tenancy agreement sets rent, deposit, notice period, and repair responsibilities; deposits may need protection under a recognised scheme.

Move-in inventory: dated photos of condition, written repair requests, and knowledge of notice terms.

Meal planning: plan meals, check stock, write a list, store by label date (first in, first out).

Home safety: working smoke alarms on each level, carbon monoxide alarm near fuel-burning appliances, fire escape plan.

Burn first aid: cool under running water at least 20 minutes, remove jewellery, cover loosely, no ice or butter.

Urgent/important matrix separates deadlines from importance; schedule important-not-urgent work to prevent crises.

Consumer rights: faulty goods typically returnable within a set period; keep receipts and report faults in writing.