Blog Post #7

Dear Class,

Personally, I found Chapter 15 more helpful than Chapter 14. I believe this is because Chapter 15 was written by a college student rather than a professor. We are more likely to relate to a student because we are students ourselves. Nevertheless, I found helpful hints in both chapters.

Tip #6 from Chapter 14 “Don’t Be Afraid to Ask the Teacher Questions” seems like common sense, but has been something that I have struggled with over the years. I used to be one of those super smart kids that no teacher worried about during elementary school, so when I did begin to have problems and questions with the work I was given during later years, I found it difficult and at times, impossible to ask for help. I felt as though asking for help meant admitting defeat; admitting that I wasn’t smart or capable enough to figure the work out on my own. As a result, I would get more confused and frustrated, and the cycle would continue. Recently, I have been trying to ask more questions, but there is still a little prideful kid in me who doesn’t want to. Reading this section and learning that teachers “really appreciate students who take the time to visit during office hours and ask questions (145)” is extremely comforting to hear.

I enjoyed the writing style used in Chapter 15, because the sentence structure reminded me of my own, and therefore it was easier for me to read. The chapter also benefitted from the organization and subheadings. While some of the tips Timm provides would prove distracting to me, I could see myself using a good few. His sixth tip on procrastination stood out to me. I am a great procrastinator, and pretending that an assignment is due in an hour would certainly get my adrenaline pumping.

The second sign from “3 Signs You’re A Lifelong Learner.” stood out to me because of how true it is. We never do stop learning, and we start as a beginner in most everything we learn to do. That's something that we should always keep with us, no matter where we go in life.

Sincerely,

Jayasree Jaganatha

Song of the Day

it's the sound of the lost gone found / it's the sound of a mute gone loud / it's the sound of a new start