A Hope in the Unseen

I chose to read A Hope in the Unseen. It is a look into the life of Cedric Jennings as he struggles to beat the odds and succeed and be accepted in an inner-city Washington, DC public school to go on to an Ivy League school. He continually has to overcome obstacles in his life where he and his mother fight to survive with little money and in the middle of a home surrounded by drugs and violence. I thought it would be interesting to read because it is so opposite what I grew up with. Here being an Honor student is something to be proud of, but in the case of Cedric, many fear being acknowledged as one for fear of abuse, both verbal and physical. It’s a completely different environment and situation that I have a hard time grasping. It’s something I know happens, but it’s easier to be in a bubble here in Iowa where I grew up than to actually think about it. It’s definitely an eye-opener to what can and does sometimes happen in schools such as his, where there is little hope for many of the students due to their situations and surroundings.

So far I am not quite halfway through reading the book. Cedric is currently studying and preparing in any way possible for the SAT and waiting to hear back from MIT about their summer scholarship program. I’m anxious to keep reading to see what happens with MIT and his process of applying to college. I’m amazed at his determination and dedication to his schooling in an attempt to overcome his situation and make a new life for himself.

Telling Me About Myself: MBTI

It always amazes me reading through my report how much it really says about who I am. It pretty much hits me right on the head. I am ISFJ, but the clarity of those preferences varies. I am just barely over the line to be an introvert, but over the past year I have noticed I’ve become more comfortable in more situations being extroverted. As I think about it, it’s still more with people I know well, but I’m more relaxed in groups of new people than I used to be. That was one of my goals becoming a peer mentor and it’s worked.

I have a moderate preference for sensing and that fits me well. I am a very hands-on learner and so I try to make the most of that fact when I am in class and in everyday life. I am very traditional and like when there’s routine, but I’ve been working on my adaptability to change. My preference for feeling is in the clear zone. As I said in class I try to avoid conflict at all costs. I always try to find the best solutions to make everyone, if not happy at least comfortable with decisions. My best example is at home with my roommates. Having a dirty house stresses me out, but instead of saying anything I just go ahead and clean it so I don’t have to worry about it anymore and maybe they’ll get the hint… I definitely don’t seek it out by any means, but when I ‘m faced with it I’ll run at it head-on. It’s funny how alike my mom and I are on this preference…

I have a moderate preference for judging, so I like to plan. Spring break last year, my roommate and I planned everything from the hotel to what food we were taking for what meals by the end of January. We’re going on a weekend trip this October and we’ve been planning it since the week before school started. I like to have stuff planned out. At the same time though I like a little variation in my schedule to break it up. I’ve done a lot more this year already on the fly. I’m already swamped with schoolwork so I try to make time for myself to have fun, but it’s almost more fun when it’s not planned for. I definitely try to at the very least get started and a ways through the project or assignment I’m working on or it will bother me the entire time I’m gone, but it’s kept me from getting really bogged down and stressed out about being stretched to my limits like I am sometimes. If anything, my judging preference has probably gotten less clear and gone more toward the perceiving type, at least my systematic and scheduled sub-types have.

I think it will always amaze me at the accuracy of this test. A lot of people are skeptical of it, but reading through it and having me described to myself is really fun. My preferences vary day to day and by situation, but that’s normal. They probably will still more as I get older, just as they have since I’ve been a freshman. It just kind of depends on what experiences I go through and am shaped from.

14 Things I Learned on a Ranch...

1) 5 bulls can go 20 different directions
2) a horse is only as good as its rider
3) having patience pays off
4) hurry to get the gates!
5) (when driving) drive in the clear, don't clear the way
there are several (better) ways to say the same thing (in reference to cursing)
6) a starving calf isn't stealing milk, it's trying to stay alive
7) the days may be full and long but the week(s) goes fast without enough time in it
8) listen the first time and ask questions; it's better to ask and do it right than to do it wrong and have to redo it
9) scrapes, bumps and bruises (often of unknown origin) come with the job
10) when riding, keep your hips under you and your feet and legs in front of you
11) when you think you've had enough water to drink, drink some more
12) indian pants: ones that sneak up on you
13) part indian: when you follow single file on horseback
14) lingo differences between Iowa and Nebraska:
-Nebraska has trucks/freight liners and pickups
-Iowa has semis and trucks (pickup trucks) ;)

Ice Breakers

Class Tuesday we did a lot to start thinking about our co-leader pairs and our recitation sections next fall. Our question to start off the day was "what is one skill that you will bring to your peer mentor pair and one skill you want to develop during your time as a peer mentor?" It was good to stop and think about. To my pair next fall I will be able to bring my past mentor experience and my organizational skills. What I would like to develop is to learn more about more students outside of my own section.

We got to play ice breaker games too. They can be really important to build community within your sections and they're a good way for you and your students to get to know each other. Some of them are more suited for extroverts, like the scream game we did with Zach, but they can still be a lot of fun for everyone. And something to keep in mind, ice breakers don't just have to be for the beginning of the semester. They can be for any time and make great fillers and just something fun to do when it's more of a dull day.

We also found out who our mentor pairs are. I'm so excited to be partners with Greg. I think it's gonna be a blast! And Anthony is in my sister section again, so we're both excited about that. :) I think all the pairings turned out really well and Allie, Silas and Debra did a great job working it all out. It's too bad that there were some scheduling problems, but I'm sure it'll all work out. I can't wait to find out for sure tomorrow in class! (again...) ;)

Fun Times... :)

So class yesterday was so much fun! I love scavenger hunts! :) It was really good to go around campus to find the Personal Counseling, Career Counseling, and Career Services, Theilen Health Center, the Study Abroad Center and the Financial Aid Office. Those places are important ones that every student should know, but even by the end of their first year, many incoming students don't. Knowing what those services are and where they're located is important for next year when we have our recitations and incoming students. You never know when you'll be faced with a situation where one will be needed. Being able to walk our students there if they need to and physically show them where it's at can make a bigger impact too. I always remember something better when I go there rather than just being told where it's at.

Well, sorry this blog is going to be a little short. Class was awesome and filming after went really good too. The script really came together and I can't wait to see it when it's done. I can't wait 'til Sunday for the retreat and more filming after! I hope the weather turns out to be nicer than the forecast is saying! Even if it's not we'll have fun though. :)

Have a great (and safe) VEISHEA all! :)

Goals vs. Wishes

Tuesday night Zach and Karen did a great job presenting the topic of goal-setting. They opened up the night with the quote "a goal not written down is only a wish." It's so true. I make goals for myself all the time but I find if I don't write it down for myself to see or at the very least tell someone about it who can hold me accountable to it, it's really easy to forget about it and have it not happen.

Tuesday night in class Zach and Karen did a great job of introducing the topic of goal-setting. In the chapter it laid out two forms of goal-setting techniques. The SMART goal probably most of us have heard of or done before. They are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-limited. To me, these goals are more short-term, very specific. They don't allow for a lot of leeway because they spell out exactly what needs to happen when and why.

The second goal-setting method is the Four M's. This includes motivation, make comments, modify environment, and monitor actions. To me, a goal in this setting would be more suited to long-term goals. It's basically a map to get to the ultimate end point and SMART goals can be made inside each step of the way through the process.

In class we were to make our own goals for our next year in the Hixson program, our college education, and our lives after college. I chose to use the SMART goal technique to make all of mine for the fact that it's a little easier to lay out. For this next year I want to learn the names of the students in my section withing 2 weeks and the names of the students in our sister section as well as at least 20 other students in the large group lecture by the end of the semester.

Last year I knew my students and a handful of others. I could recognize faces of those students in our sister section, but I could only maybe name one. Knowing the names of our students is so important in the relationships that we're trying to build. I know from my own classes that if the professor/TA knows my name, I feel like I'm not just another face in the crowd and that I'm important enough for them to know me. It's a simple thing that I can pass on and work with for my upcoming students in the fall and do better with this year.

Goals are important in that they give us something to strive and work towards. The sense of accomplishment that goes seeing it get done is a great feeling as well. We need to continually work to show our students in the fall that goal-setting is important but not only in lecture or by word of mouth. Just like so many other topics covered this past semester, it is sometimes best shown by example, making the greatest impression.




--Sorry this is a little late. I guess the autodraft wasn't working last night and it all went away when I went to submit it. I figured it'd be better to calm down a little before I worked on the new post in its stead. See you all tonight and tomorrow! :)

Who Knew?...

Poverty Awareness Week
"Making Poverty History"
-Scott M. Lacy, PhD; Exec. Director, African Sky

I went to the lecture given by Dr. Lacy with Chelsee and it was really interesting. He started off the night by asking everyone in the audience, "why are you here?" We pondered and the answer he gave that I thought was true was that to some level we all care about the matter of poverty and want to become more aware of it. Fighting poverty is the biggest social movement in the world.

Millennium Development Goals were developed to create an end to (extreme) world poverty within our lifetime. Some dollar values were shown on the screen as to what would be spent by 2015...
-halving poverty and hunger $20 billion
-universal primary education $ 9 billion
-gender equality in education $ 3 billion
-halving HIV/AIDS $10 billion
=$42 billion total
This really isn't that much to spend based on the next value he gave us. Can you believe that $1.3 trillion is spent on the global military per year? It just boggles my mind! $42 billion in the next few years isn't hardly anything in comparison and just think about the potential impact it would have... An interesting point was made that I'd really never thought about before as well. Third world countries are really the majority of the world. Because of the fortune we're blessed to have here, it makes it that much more important to share it with others. We need to be careful though because even the best of intentions can lead to misfortune.

Often development can lead to underdevelopment. What works for us here in our society may not necessarily work for others. It can lead to pockets of development, but some are being left behind still. An example he gave was introducing cotton as a cash crop in southern Africa. It worked for the first few years but then the soil became depleted. Other crops that had previously been grown hadn't been grown to allow for the cotton but then couldn't grow with the poor soil. Productivity was lost and the nation was actually made more dependent rather than independent.

Dr.Lacy spent several years in the Peace Corps. and doing other work over in Mali. He learned three important lessons that he shared with us. We need to...
1)Endure cycles of debt
2)Follow the momentum
3)Learn to take
The first has to do with no matter what you do for others, you will always get something out of it making you in debt to them, but you need to learn to deal with it. It was from this that he established the nonprofit organization African Sky. The second is as it sounds. Take something you have and build on it, and if an opportunity presents itself make the most of it. In the case of the last one it's for the self esteem of the host, to learn humility yourself, and to gain perspective and establish priorities.

To wrap up the presentation Dr.Lacy left us with a couple thoughts to ponder. To make poverty history, it can't be all about us. What we consume others aren't able to. It's just another way to think about how fortunate we are here in the U.S.