Seven and 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners
Habits that are easy for me:
Habit 1: Begin With the End in Mind
This habit is easy for me because the only reason I start something is because I plan to finish it. I think about what the finished product will be and how it will affect me. Going back to college was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. The reason I continue with it and work so hard is because I know how amazing it is going to feel when I get to hold my degree and say "I knew this day was going to come".
Habit 2: Accept Responsibility for Your Own Learning
I am the only one that will suffer if I don't take responsibility for my own learning. It was my decision to go back to school; therefore, it is my responsibility to want to learn and understand what is being taught to me.
Habit 3: View Problems as Challenges
Almost all problems end up being a challenge. It is how you take on that challenge and overcome it that is most important. Viewing a problem as a challenge comes natural to me because my problems, not just with school but family and life too, are the biggest challenges I will ever face. These challenges make me a better person and they are the best things that have ever happened to me.
Habit 4: Have Confidence in Yourself as a Competent, Effective Learner
It is easy for me to have confidence in myself as a competent and effective learner because without it I would struggle with school every day. I go to my classes ready and eager to learn and that also helps me be a competent and effective learner: I want to be there, I want my knowledge to grow.
Habit 7 and 1/2: Play!
I love this habit! It is essential to take school and learning seriously, but everybody needs a break to relax and have a little fun.
Habits that are hard for me:
Habit 5: Create Your Own Learning Toolbox
I don't feel as though I have established a learning toolbox as of yet. This is a habit that I should focus more of my time on so that I can provide myself with the right tools for my learning experiences.
Habit 6: Use Technology to Your Advantage:
The technology that I use the most is a simple desktop computer. I am comfortable with this technology, I know how to use it and the process of using it comes easily to me. I feel like the reason I have not expanded to other technologies is because they were not introduced to me at a young age. Schools today have introduced the use of iPads, iPods, MacBooks, and more, I did not have access to these when I was in school.
Habit 7: Teach/Mentor Others
I am not much of a social butterfly. I like to be alone where it is quiet when I am working on assignments for school. When I am placed in a group project for a class, I do what I can to teach and mentor the other members of my group when they need it. I definitely need to work on this habit because I know it is going to benefit me in the long run.
When I started this blog I had never learned the term Web 2.0. What I want to learn most by playing with Web 2.0 tools I am already in the process of doing; I have always wanted to make my own blog page and now I am learning how.
My experience while setting up my blog page was fun and informative. The reason I have never done a blog page was because I thought it was going to be a long, hard process, but it ended up being one of the easiest projects I have ever done. I knew that this blog page was going to follow me for the rest of my life so I wanted to make it special and take the time to make it nice. I did not want to just hurry and pick a name for my blog or my blog address; I wanted my address to represent who I am and what I represent. My blog address may not make sense to anyone who accesses my blog, but every time I get on I will remember why I started school in the first place and how much it will mean when I have finally conquered it.
