Metacognition: Thinking and Learning During 1st Semester

When I started first semester, I was happy to start out fresh. I wanted to do my best in school. I finished all of my homework as soon as possible and studied hard for tests. But, after a while the rigorous pace of trying to learn everything possible; I got burned out. My life outside of school was too busy for me to do every assignment perfectly. I realize now that I have to accept imperfection. All that I can do is give every assignment my best effort and complete them on time. 

Another thing that I have realized in the course of first semester is that, when reading a book for English, reading it closely and being focused the first time pays off. When looking back in the book to refresh for a paper, I don't see any information as brand new. Learning something right before a paper or test is not a good thing. This is especially true with social studies; I find that now I don't have to re-read everything to understand concepts. What really benefits is trying to explain the concepts in my own words to see if I understand them. 

During first semester; I found about halfway into October that I was feeling tired most of the time. I was staying up late into the night doing homework and studying for tests. I would come home from school, take a fifteen minute break, practice until dinner, eat, do homework, and then eventually go to sleep. I still keep this same schedule now; but I try and divide my homework up so that I am not overloaded on any given day (although this still seems to happen on Thursdays for some reason). What I have also realized is that if I pay close attention in class; the homework and preparing for exams are easier and take up less time to complete. This gives me a little extra sleep; which then helps me focus during the day. 

In the past, I tended to see English as an easy and light-loaded class. I was hoping that this year's work load would be similar to last year, but I was a bit nervous too. I was wondering how grading would work, whether I would get high grades, and how the entire class' attitude would be. The very beginning of first semester, there was a general sense of unsureness. That is normal, though; every year starts with the unknowns. I was happy to find myself looking forward to when I would finish all of my homework and leave English for last (mostly with the blogs). Now that I know how to deal with the work load; I know how to structure my time effectively. I've settled into a comfortable routine with my classes and I am glad that I had first semester to figure it all out.

Blogging Around

Nicole,

I was very intrigued with your observations about Dali's "The Persistence of Memory". This painting has been a favorite of mine ever since 3rd or 4th grade. I love the general strangeness of it, but never really thought there was an underlying meaning. I also never noticed the bugs on the clocks; this could also explain how just because time goes on, it doesn't mean that all life will. It almost looks as if the human-esque shape is being pinned down by the melting clock. In the end, time catches up to us. No matter how fast we think time is going by, we cannot escape it.

You pointing out the shadows made me look at the specific directions of them. The shadows are pointing east; but there's a large black spot in the bottom right corner (where the light source should be coming from.) This is very interesting to me. How could light come from dark? Maybe this could also relate to dreams; how things that make sense in the dream don't have to when you wake up.

Erika,

hearing about the Hands of Peace program and what the participants walk away with is truly amazing. I admire your choice to stay neutral while listening to both sides of the conflict. Because you didn't become biased, you saw all of both sides. Nothing was blinding or clouding your judgment. If all conflicts were looked upon by neutral people, then I'm sure that both sides of the conflict would also start to lean towards that neutrality and actually understand the other. Biases seem to be playing too big of roles in any sort of conflict or even discussion in current times.

Metacognition: Get Organized/my Room

I looked at my disorganized room with dread. I knew I had a big job ahead of me, but I also  knew I had to clean it soon before it just kept getting worse. My room accumulates more and more mess as the weeks progress. I usually try to clean a little bit on Sundays, but sometimes I just get too busy. 

When I actually got around to cleaning, I put on some music and got right to work. I decided to go around and do the easiest first. I collected and threw out all garbage. Then I tackled specific areas. I organized all of my school books/papers/notebooks and backpack first. That cleared enough room so I could gather up my scattered music folders and put them onto a shelf. I then went around and gathered all writing utensils and put them in my pencil cup or art drawer. I cleared random papers off my desk and put my necklaces back on hooks. I made a stack of items that belonged somewhere else in the house and put them downstairs. My mind went on a bit of autopilot; I just kept cleaning and cleaning until I was finished. 

I stepped back to look at my room once I was done and felt refreshed. I could walk easily around my room without the fear of breaking something or making a bigger mess. Now that everything was in its place, I was more willing to keep it clean. It's easy to put away things as you use them, not all of them at once. I'm glad I chose to organize my room because now my room is less cluttered and my mind is less cluttered as well. I know where everything goes and I can be at peace not having to worry about a looming mess. 

I didn't know that I could clean as fast as I did. I thought I would have to meticulously put items into categorical piles and then find a place for them, but it turned out that just by doing a few small tasks at a time got my room to clean. Having a deadline also helped my pace quicken. I wanted to finish with enough time to pack up my things and head over to see Harry Potter 7 pt.1, so my excitement carried me forward. Seeing the movie became a sort of reward for my hard work. I found by cleaning my room that incentives, time limits, and taking small steps help me to tackle larger projects.

iMedia: Strauss' Ein Heldenleben

Music that tells a story or goes with a story amplifies the experience of that story. The melodies become representative of specific events, characters, or moods. Even if there aren't words or a movie in front of you while listening to the music, a story is still played out. When I listen to Ein Heldenleben, I don't even see an actual picture of people and events taking place. I just have a feel for what's happening. For example, I can tell that the repeating and heroic melody represents the hero and how it's played and in what context shows the mood and events taking place at that point of the music. 

I find this fascinating. Without being told that a rising melody links to rising action, heavier orchestra means something more serious, or that tempos show a pace; my brain can still understand the flow and events of the story. Is there an archetypal application to music where different aspects of the music evoke different emotions? I can conclude that with many  pieces, a major key, fast tempo, and light articulation is more on the bright side than a minor key, slow tempo, and winding melodies. There are of course some exceptions, but certain things in music tend to be archetypal. 

Much like authors use word choice, structure, and organization to shape their writing; composers and musicians carefully pick out a key signature, articulation, dynamics, and instruments to provoke different listening experiences from the audience. Not only musicians and music theorists enjoy music. Even people who have no idea how musical notation and keys work can get the same emotional experiences from music.

What I'm finding with Ein Heldenleben is that the music not only shapes the story, it is the story. The very specific choices of the musical aspects in this piece show the parts of the story. It's a musical equivalent of a book or movie. I feel like this piece of music would be too complete to go along with a movie. The music takes care of all the action and emotion. The movie would be accompanying the music; not the other around. 

I am very excited to play this piece in the spring. Every person in each section matters in the story; it can not be complete while missing any piece of the orchestra because everything is so intertwined and connected. Strauss has composed a truly fantastic and brilliant example of how music is the story.

 This is a good interpretation (the best I could find on Youtube). I recommend the recording of Fritz Reiner conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (I own this one and I love it).

Connection: Edmund (from Shakespeare's King Lear) and Voldemort

Voldemort is the ultimate villain throughout the Harry Potter series. His brutal quest to ultimate power was not meant to be stopped. He connived and killed his way to the title of the "Dark Lord" and didn't stop at that. He wanted to become the most powerful, feared, and unstoppable wizard. His quest would end with him obtaining the Elder wand. 

Like Voldemort, Edmund is on a quest for power. He wants to inherit/ take control of his father's land even though he is a bastard and his younger (legitimate) brother is in line to inherit. He gets rid of his brother Edmund by framing him in plotting his father Gloucester's death. He even betrays his father by telling Cornwall that Gloucester was on his way to help Lear against Cornwall's wishes. This gets Gloucester the punishment of being blinded by Cornwall. 

Voldemort also had family problems when he was younger. he was conceived under a love potion, his dad left before his birth, and his mom died soon after. After growing up in an orphanage and later going to Hogwarts, he later goes on to murdering his father and grandparents for never wanting to care for him. 

This connection between Edmund and Voldemort being ruthless (even to family) in their climb for ultimate power shows how issues with family at a young age can lead to serious problems growing up. Edmund and Voldemort were never loved by their family. Edmund was cast off as the bastard and had to watch Edgar get most of the attention and chance for inheritance, while Voldemort was tortured by the knowledge that his family abandoned him. The power they both search for could be to fill the void left by the lack of love from their parents.

Dialectics: letter/point grade-based education and non letter/point-grade-based education

Letter/point grade-based education: Letter grades and points help students keep track of their success in class because each assignment or test has points. However well the student does on each assignment is reflected in their final grade.

Non letter/point-grade-based education: But what determines how many points an assignment gets? Or how points are awarded?

L: the more important assignments are worth more points. They can also be weighted (let's say that tests make up 40% of a grade, homework 10%, quizzes 20% and other 30%). Points are awarded on how accurate and/or detailed the product is (rubrics are used a lot of the time). It is very fair and a set system. Students know what to expect and how doing well in every area of class pays off in the end for that higher letter grade.

N: If weighted, tests are always more important than homework. I can see how that's good because tests are cumulative information applied to questions, but homework is just as important. Every part of the education is necessary to understand and be able to apply the material. Weighting and giving a wide variation of point values could lead some students to think they only have to focus on the assignments that are worth more

L: All of the assignments lead up to each other, though. I see where weighting could become a problem, but points are points. If a student got 5/15 points for homework, they would know they have to study that certain material more. Seeing their level of understanding the material reflected in how many problems or questions they missed gives targeted areas for improvement.

N: What if a student gets so caught up into how many points they are getting that they put learning on hold? They might rush to finish an assignment for the full points (if late, points would be taken off) and not really understand it. If they took their time to go through the assignment slowly and ask questions about it, then they would learn and understand the material better. When points aren't an issue, learning at students' own paces is a result.

L: There does need to be some structure; what if a student thinks that they don't have to complete an assignment at all because it "doesn't matter". If not everything is counted, then the final outcome (grade or pass or whatnot) a student could not do any assignment (or at least think they don't have to) and still pass etc. the class. I am a bit confused as to how success is measured in your system.

N: The whole point of this system is to learn without the stress or constraints of points or grades. Students would come into the class or course with the desire to learn. If the motivation is there, students will try and absorb and "get" the material in ways set up by the teacher (exercises, projects, etc. ) that are there to expand the course material or apply it to the outside world. If a student chooses not to try, then that's their loss. They shouldn't have come into class in the first place to be reluctant. Having an open mind and want to learn is key in this system.

L: Having the drive and desire to learn is important in this system too; if students have the drive to be successful in the course, then they will strive for the highest grade. They will put in effort into their assignments etc. They wouldn't be able to complete them without learning. The more structure in the points gives those students who try a positive outcome from their effort. Why reward students who do not work or even try? The points show who's actually trying to learn the material.

N: Okay, I see the aspects of your system and how our systems aren't all that different from each other. The goal in both is for learning and education. Yours would work better for students who prefer or need more structure, and mine would work better for those who want a more flexible and self-paced education.

Metacognition: Kite Runner Essay

While writing my Kite Runner Essay, I found it incredibly hard to just start writing. Even though I had the thesis, evidences, and what the topics of each paragraph were going to be; it took me a while to fit it together in the introductory paragraph. Introductions are crucial when writing essays because they set the tone and interest for the whole paper. I knew I had to make the introduction based on blood (part of the topic of my essay), so I thought of some specifics and general ideas about blood. I then compiled a list of specific imagery and ideas of blood that also related to topics covered in the rest of the essay. From there, I could finally connect to the thesis and forecast the body paragraphs.

With the body paragraphs, my mind followed a pretty set format. First the topic sentence, a little expansion on the topic, evidence, explaining the evidence,  and ending with a sentence that links to the next paragraph.

With the conclusion, I tried to take one important idea from each body paragraph and tie them together with my thesis. While doing this, I also had to incorporate a new thought-provoking idea. That idea was like the bow to my conclusion. It stuck out, but was still connected. 

I would have liked my body paragraphs to be a little bit more unique from the others, but with this essay format, I could not figure out how to do that and still meet requirements. I could have added something extra to each that was different in each one (such as an additional quote for one and two different viewpoints for another). Next time I write a paper, I would like to try writing the body paragraphs first and then the introduction. Once I actually know what my body paragraphs say, I don't have to keep modifying the introduction to fit with the body paragraphs. I felt more constricted with what to write in my body paragraphs to make them fit my introduction. 

I like how my thinking while writing my essay was linear in terms of the beginning, body, and end; but I think my essay would have turned out better if I started from the middle and worked backwards. Thinking from specific to broad, much like my introduction, would have kept my thoughts on track and organized, but also more free to flow outwards into insightful big-pictures.