Learning Challenge: Reading Out Loud

When I think of reading out loud, I am instantly taken back to my fifth grade classroom. Reading out loud is often associated with learning to read, but it can be beneficial even as a college student. I was challenged to read out loud and record my personal experience.Reading out loud was different from silent reading because it made me think more about what I was reading. I am not sure why, but there is just something about hearing things versus just saying them in your head. I remember using this technique last semester, but have neglected to use it so far this semester. An advantage to reading out loud when editing is to catch errors that you would not have noticed otherwise. This is a big problem for me. I always have errors that I do not catch myself, so I am going to try and apply reading out loud when I edit. It is just not always possible, as I am not always alone when working on homework. I also want to read out loud more when I do the actual readings. I feel like this would allow for me to process what is happening better. Sometimes I get caught up in the stories and lose track of what is happening, so maybe this will help.

Funny meme about reading out loud in class
Source: Quick Meme

Growth Mindset: Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset Infographic

One thing that the infographic confirmed for me was that while having a growth mindset, you do not give up easily and you embrace challenges, while in a fixed mindset, you have a harder time doing things that challenge due to the fear of failure. One thing I learned is that people with a fixed mindset feel threatened by the success of others. This is not something I did not know necessarily, but it is something that I definitely did not think about, but it makes sense. When you are afraid of failing and see someone else succeed, it makes you feel even more anxious to not fail, so it makes sense to me why people with a fixed mindset feel this way.

One thing that I am curious to look up is the long term effects of a fixed mindset versus a growth mindset. The infographic briefly mentioned that people will a growth mindset will be able to reach higher levels of achievements, so I want to find studies that involve the long term effects and examine them more to learn about how they affect individuals and their success. I want to know if this is information found in a study and it is actually true or is the level of achievement determined by the person? In other words, are the people equally successful but the person with a fear of failing is not living life to the fullest therefore leading to less achievements? Another thing to research could be the psychological effects between the two types of mindsets.

Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset
Souce: Jackie Gerstein

Week 8 Progress

I am fine with my progress right now. I know in the sister class, last semester, I was definitely further ahead in the class. I really do not have a good weekly routine, I just do homework when I have time. I have a very hectic schedule this spring, so I typically work on things in my free time. In the beginning I planned to do this class on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, but that has not stuck. My favorite assignment is the blog comments. It is a great way to get class interaction. So far I have maybe done one extra credit assignment. Unfortunately, I have been very busy and have not had time to do the EC. For the second half of the semester, I definitely want to try and do more EC so I can finish up sooner. Something new I want to try is to do at least two EC assignments each week.

Are you motivated yet?
Source: Nurse Buff

Week 8 Comments and Feedback

The feedback so far has been really helpful, especially when editing. Having a second set of eyes really helps to catch errors and other things that I would not think about or catch when writing/editing. I have found all the comments helpful and I really enjoy getting suggestions on ways to improve my stories.

I feel like I have not really had to give a lot of feedback telling people to fix things. I feel like I mostly ask question and give suggestions on ways to expand on ideas. I am not very good with grammar, so I leave that for the people who are, but if I do happen to catch something I mention it.  

I love blog comments. They are one of my favorite assignments. I am not a very outgoing person, so in a normal class setting, I would not have learned thing about people. In fact, more than likely I would have only talked to one or two people in the class all semester. I love the relaxed environment of getting to know people. I am happy with my blog and my introduction post. I feel like it is an accurate representation of my personality. 

Look forward I want to analyze the writing strategies used by others in the class. I mentioned this in my last review post, but I always find myself migrating toward writing from a different perspective, so I want to challenge myself and try some new styles. What better way the get ideas and see all of the writing styles out there than from your peers?

Cute feedback meme about learning from mistakes
Source: Laura Gibbs:Cheezburger

I chose this image because it is the perfect summation of how feedback should be used. Feedback is there for learning, not judging or criticizing. It is there to help you learn, but in order to learn from the feedback, you have to be comfortable receiving feedback in the first place.

Week 8 Reading and Writing

So far, the reading and writing assignments have been going well. My favorite reading so far has been the Ramayana. I felt a better connection with the characters from this story, which is why it has been my favorite so far. In my reading notes, I always try to focus on one story, that I could write my story about, this way I am not choosing between several stories when I write my story. I always start my reading notes by providing a detailed summary of the story. In this part I also make note if something did not make sense to me. Then, I follow the summary with my ideas about how I would change the story. Sometimes, I include multiple ways, because I am not sure which way I will go yet. When reading the stories, I like listening to the audio as well. I get stuck on a name, and that causes me to lose focus, so when I use the audio tool, I am able to keep on track.

So far, I am really enjoying my project. I chose to do a portfolio, so I could focus on a variety of topics, instead of one main category. I really enjoy the freedom that comes with doing a portfolio. My biggest accomplishment this far is just writing the stories. I am not much of a writer and I do not consider myself to be very creative, so just changing these stories is a big accomplishment to me.

Looking forward, I want to challenge myself to try new writing styles. So far, I have found myself just changing the perspective or changing the main character. While this is my favorite style to use, I am growing too comfortable using it and would like to try and expand my writing skills. As for the readings, I would really like to take more time and enjoy the stories. I read the stories, but I do not really take the time to enjoy them and let the story line sink in. I think that the unfamiliar names and places are what cause this for me. I have a hard time remembering what is going on because I cannot remember the characters names.

Taj Mahal reflection on the Yamuna River
Source: Wikimedia Commons

I used this photo in my latest portfolio banner, Losing Amba. I used this image as a representation of the Yamuna river, which in the story is where Amba enters the funeral pyre. This photo really stuck out to me because it is beautiful and gave a setting for this story.