What We Keep
This challenge really forced me to step out of my comfort zone. One BIG discovery I made is through being vulnerable, it makes my writing more authentic. I felt like I connected to the material more because I opened up to a stranger. This experience taught me how to make connections with ANYONE. Although Andrew and my objects differed, we were able to connect on deeper ideas like family, love, and happiness. Moving forward, I want to make more connections with more strangers. I think this experience helped me immensely with my writing and connections.
Be Your Own Detective
BIG Discoveries: I decided to talk to my boyfriend about working out. He is obsessed with the gym and everything fitness. I like to workout, but I wanted to get a personal training session and talk to him about the deeper joy behind his passion. I discovered that it brings him joy to have a dedicated time to better himself. It helps him to destress as well as boosts his confidence.
Connections: My second topic was directed at my boyfriend as well, which was camping. I just recently started camping, so I haven't quite found complete joy in this yet. Working out and camping totally go hand in hand. Camping is an activity that can be highly athletic, with hiking, biking, fishing, and hunting are all activities that are done during this.
Action Plan: The next time I go camping, I plan to take a short hike as well as a short bike ride to build up endurance and stamina. To begin, I need to work out on my stationary bike. Then, I will start taking walks around my neighborhood. After that I will be set to hike and bike my heart out! My boyfriend is an awesome resource to help me with my working out goals, so I plan to lean on him a lot.
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Investigation Mixtape
What lessons/thoughts have you learned as a result of this experience? Why are they important or do they stand out to you? ​
The main lesson I learned throughout this experience is that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and perspective. Just because I believe nutrition holds more value in health than exercise does not mean everyone will agree with me. In fact, most people did not. Many people believed that exercise was an aesthetics things so it mattered more. I think that thought shocked me the most. I wish as a society we placed health above aesthetics, but we obviously do not.
How might understanding different perspectives contribute to who we are as learners? Humans?
We are constantly surrounded by different perspectives. No one will ever have the exact same perspective as you because you do not share the exact same lived experiences. As humans, this should teach us to be empathetic to those around us when faced with a disagreement or difference of opinions. As learners, this is HUGE. Each and every student learns differently. Keeping this in mind, we need to also be empathetic to those who learn differently than we do. For instance, I am not much of a hands-on learner, but I understand that for many people this is their preferred method of learning. I try to keep this in mind while the activities are happening.
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How did this challenge impact your thinking moving forward?
Moving forward, I want to keep the idea of learners having different perspectives in mind as I become a teacher. Formulating my lessons to advocate for all styles of learning is a must. If I always do the same style of lesson, I will never reach all of my students. By trying to see the material from many different perspectives, I am becoming a better teacher for my students.
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