 |
| Meme created from ImgFlip
It's a hard, hard world out there creating. You've got to get the time and space carved out to really focus.
That can be really hard for me to do: if I'm at home, there's a laundry list (or, literally, laundry) of chores that need to be accomplished. Even worse, if my son is home, there's no schoolwork happening, no way, no how... unless he's blissfully passed out in his crib. Which, happens to be the magical hours between 9PM and 6AM, coincidentally when I usually turn in all my assignments for this class. But really, really creating? Getting down to the nitty gritty, and working some creative magic? That's been a challenge for me this Fall. I've enjoyed the process so far, but, man, it has been a challenge.
When we first started exploring the Growth Mindset for this class, I really latched on to this idea, specifically that it's all about the process. Praise the process, not the result. If it's not challenging enough for you (or your child), then apologize for wasting time, and find something more challenging. Grow yourself. Challenge yourself.
|
~
ABRACADABRA!
Not quite son, not quite.
Personal Gif of my son, June 2016.
Created using Giphy.com
It doesn't all happen in an instant. Abracadabra! Done, move on to the next thing. That's not really applicable when we're talking about learning. I feel that I have done a decent job with this particular class in challenging myself to go further and to explore new materials. I've definitely explored down deeper rabbit holes, digested supplemental information, and tried new types of reading. However, there are some areas glaring me in the face to improve upon:
- Re-schedule my allotted time for working on this class. So far, most of it is working. What is not working is waiting to work on the StoryBook Project until the end of the week. If there is a deadline, I feel pressure. When I feel too much pressure, the writing juices cease. That's simply what happens. If I have time, space, and enough time for editing and revising, I typically do just fine.
- Encouraging any and all feedback. Hey, that's part of the writing process, right? Getting accurate feedback on what your stuff really gets across to people, not just what you think it's getting across. Some peers in this class have been beneficial in challenging me to explore more difficult concepts in my writing.
- Ask more questions! This is never a bad idea to keep wrapped around yourself like a shroud. Keep it with you, keep it close, snuggle the idea of questioning. It's so, so, so good for us!
~
I'm just going to go ahead and copy and paste this below to remind myself that growth, challenge, and the curiosity to explore and create are the goals here. Remember this, Danielle. Remember.
| doing the minimum | — | pushing yourself to go farther |
| looking for praise and other rewards | — | finding motivation inside yourself |
| staying in the comfort zone | — | being willing to try new things |
| focusing on grades | — | focusing on learning |
| expecting things to stay the same | — | being ready for things to change |
| taking a short-term view | — | taking a long-term view |
| letting others make choices for you | — | setting your own goals |
| playing it safe | — | taking risks |
| thinking you are "not good" at something | — | being confident you can improve |
| choosing what's easy | — | choosing what's hard |
| wanting to get things right the first time | — | being ready to spend time practicing |
| doing things at the last minute | — | setting your own schedule and priorities |
| generally feeling bored and/or frustrated | — | generally feeling curious and/or excited |
| wanting only positive feedback | — | being open to any and all feedback |
| being a perfectionist | — | always ready to learn more |
| feeling defensive about mistakes | — | being willing to learn from mistakes |
| comparing yourself to others | — | focusing on your own progress |
| sticking to what you know | — | asking lots of questions |
