Learning Challenge: I Wish My Teacher Knew

I read the "I Wish My Teacher Knew" article.  This article was truly eye opening. I was a bit shocked that such depth was coming from children in such a young age group. This proved that we really do not know what people are going through, and we should take every opportunity to be kind to others. I now believe that asking for feedback such as this, even anonymously, can help a teacher tailor her teaching style to the needs of the classroom. I have friends that are education majors, and I am excited to show this article to them. I think that more teachers, and more people in general, should seek feedback such as this in order to gain some perspective and empathy for others.

Empathy 

Learning Challenge: Reading

I read the article Can Reading Make You Happier?  While reading this article, I was intrigued how the author was talking about using reading as a source of personal therapy. I found this idea intriguing. I have noticed that when I go on vacation to the beach, for example, I always have a few light reads with me. Reading does improve my happiness, although I never really thought about it like therapy. I guess it truly is a form of therapy. After reading this article, I was encouraged to find more time for reading to relax rather than reading to learn dense science texts for my classes.

Reading  

Learning Challenge: Staying Focused

I read through the article 40 Entrepreneurs Share Their Tips for Staying Focused. One thing that I already do is create time blocks. Breaking things up into fragments that seem more manageable is a great way to get things done without becoming overwhelmed. One thing I will try to do in the future is go outside more to take real breaks from working. Another thing that helps with my focus is staying active and exercising.

Focus 

Learning Challenge: Time Management

I read the article titled Students Are More Creative At Lunch Time.  This article instantly popped out to me because I have noticed that I am much more productive around midday. I noticed that this article discusses an afternoon lull, and I also experience that. I always try to schedule my strenuous activities, such as workouts and difficult studying or homework, for midday as I get so much more done. I think that knowing the time sin which you are most productive is very valuable for planning your time commitments and perfecting your time management skills.

Noon hour 

Learning Challenge: Empathy

The article I read is 10 Reasons to Stop Judging People. I found it helpful to consider where a person is coming from before forming a harsh or critical thought. Another thing I struggle with is taking disagreements personally. In the future, I need to work on depersonalizing critical situations. Overall, this article helped me to remember that there is basic good in most situations, and I need to be better at putting myself in other people's shoes.

Empathy 

Learning Challenge: Deskercise

I read the article about 6 stretches. I liked reading about new stretches and mini exercises that you can do while sitting for long periods of time. I always do chair twists as my back gets tight all the time. I am looking forward to trying the twisting arms this week, as I have never tried this before. I also need to try shoulder rolls and neck stretches more often when sitting in long classes. These small tips are helpful for college students that are constantly sitting in long lectures.

desk stretch

Learning Challenge Extra Credit

I read the article Turning Negative Thinkers into Positive Ones. I found it to have some extremely helpful advice. All the tips have positive health impacts. Doing good things for people does help you feel better. It is also important to appreciate the world around you. I try to take time every day to appreciate campus when I am walking to class. I also enjoy setting attainable daily goals to gain a sense of accomplishment. One thing I need to work on in the future is not worrying about things that are out of my control. I tend to fret about things that I have no control over and this negatively impacts my mood. To conquer this would be a huge boost for me.

Positive Thoughts

Learning Challenge: Sleep

I read the article titled An Underappreciated Key to College Success: Sleep. One thing I learned is that there is a correlation between sleep quantity/quality and success in schools. I have known that sleep is important, but I was unaware of this fact. For a student, I have fairly decent sleeping habits. I am usually in bed at a respectable time, and I wake up fairly early as I am a morning person. I have noticed that being well rested helps me perform better in my academics and workouts. One thing that I do is go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time every day, as discussed in this article. One thing that I need to work on is not using electronics directly before bedtime.

Effects of Sleep Deprivation