Recognizing and Revising Self-Talk Patterns

Common Exhibit for Learning Objective #1

CU1010 Portfolio

Spring, 2017

Learning Objective #1

Be able to recognize fixed- and growth-mindset perspectives and use this awareness to foster a growth mindset.

Procedure

Part1: Identifying Three Different Inner Voices

1. Inner Critic: “I’m not good at it; that’s why I can’t do it.”

• Definition: The Inner Critic judges self, blames self, complains about self, and demeans self. Its positive intention is to protect self from failure, but the actual result is either a partial attempt or no attempt at all.

• Identify: Early this semester in Physics I was having a tough time grasping and understanding some of the concepts we are required to learn. The first couple of weeks were fine, but then when we started getting into the harder material I found myself getting easily frustrated with the in-class and homework problems. I just couldn’t seem to find the right way to do some of the stuff – not all but some.

• Revise: I cruised through high school never studying for any tests and never picking up a book to read. I was “good” at the material. Little did I know high school was a joke compared to college. So when I got to college I used this inner critic, telling myself I’m just not good at it like I was early this semester. I quickly found out that if you put in effort and study you can be “good” at whatever you want.

2. Inner Defender: “I would have made an A if…”

• Definition: The Inner Defender judges others, then blames them before self-assessment takes place. Once blaming an external takes place, complaining about the external and demeaning the external replaces problem-solving and escape occurs. Its positive intention seems to be fending off criticism and punishment from others.

• Identify: I haven’t found myself using this much this semester, but last semester I had physics which had teacher who was hard to understand. I found myself lost very quickly because I didn’t know what they were saying half of the time. Once I got down and behind there was no hope because I kept using this excuse throughout the whole semester.

• Revise: Blaming others for my mistakes played a major role in why I didn’t do as well as I could have and should have last semester. Looking forward I now understand that it’s hard to teach a major class like physics, especially in a language that’s not your primary speaking language. It’s all water under the bridge now, but I can’t forget this and make the same mistakes. Instead of blaming others and getting down on myself I have to put in the work outside of the classroom in order to make the grades I want.

3. Inner Guide: “I did this, so now I need to correct it.”

• Definition: The Inner Guide offers an objective and wise perspective about ourselves and others. It doesn’t self-demean; it doesn’t attack. Our inner guide tells us the absolute truth and allows us to be more conscious of reality, other people, and ourselves.

• Identify: Until recently I didn’t use this inner voice as much as I should have. I thought I was supposed to be naturally good at everything in college like I was in high school. When I wasn’t I didn’t take the blame when I should have. After receiving the grades I did last semester I saw that maybe the problem wasn’t the teachers, but perhaps the common denominator was the student. I came into this semester with the mindset that I created the mess that I’m currently in, and the only person who can fix it is going to be me.

• Revise: I came into this semester with a positive attitude telling myself I can fix the mistakes I made. In physics I make sure that no matter what happens I’m responsible for making sure I understand the material I have to put in the effort to make the good grades. When my first physics test rolled around I felt better prepared than I ever did last semester. I ended up making a B on my first exam which was well improved from last semester. It’s amazing what changing a single perception of yourself can do to the results.

Part 2: Reflect

Self-talk patterns make a huge difference in the performance in many things. The way you look at the results and react to yourself can mean the difference between success and failure. If you look at your first result and instantly think negative thoughts you can expect the results to reflect this negative attitude. Inner critic and inner defender are two self-talk patterns I used a lot last semester and some this semester that follow this negative attitude. If you don’t get something right away, the first reaction shouldn’t be to get down on yourself, or even blame someone else for your mistakes. The worst thing to do when already facing adversity is to bring more negativity into the situation. Positivity is key when in these already tough situations. The inner guide self- talk method is the best to use in all situations. It is a more positive of all of the methods. When you make a mistake or don’t make as good on a test as you had hoped, you have to own up to the mistake and tell yourself that you’re going to put in the work it takes to turn it around. In the end no one else is responsible for how well you do in your classes, it all boils down to you. The amount of effort you put in will be a reflection of the results you’re going to produce. Don’t forget that success doesn’t happen overnight, and you can’t get down on yourself when the results you want aren’t immediate. They say practice makes perfect, and this is what it’s going to take to be successful.

Time Management Self-Study

Common Exhibit for Learning Objective #2

CU1010 Portfolio

Spring, 2017

LEARNING OBJECTIVE #2

Learn and explore multiple self-management strategies, including time management, personal wellness, financial literacy, campus resource utilization, and knowledge of academic policies.

Procedure:

1. Semester Plan:

• At the beginning of the semester I bought a planner that was monthly broken down into everyday of the month. With this planner I wrote down important dates, when homework was due, tests dates, and any date that I needed to remember. This helped me keep an organized schedule for the bigger events that I knew were going to come up that I couldn’t afford to forget.

2. Weekly Plan:

• A weekly plan is good for staying organized between the big events marked on the semester schedule. Breaking down the months into a weekly schedule is good for keying in on what specifics you have that week. For me this was extremely helpful for keeping reminded about homework and tests due in that specific week.

3. Daily Plan:

• The daily plan for me was the hardest to get a routine with. At the start I would try to do this daily plan the night before or the morning of. I would find myself in a rush trying to get this done, especially the morning of. Instead I tried to do all of the days for that week the weekend before. This was a little early to do so as things can change, but most of the time it was successful. If anything all I had to do was make small changes to the schedule if anything came up, or if I forgot something I had to do that day.

Part 2: Monitor your plan

I found that the monthly planner was good to a certain point. It’s very helpful for writing down big dates like tests and homework. Beyond this it’s very hard to stay organized with just this planner. With the weekly planner I found myself using it like the monthly planner, but just for one week instead. This is good for breaking down the month into smaller chunks, but this needs to be broke down even more. The daily planner was difficult to start, but once I got a system it became easier to do. At first I would plan my day either the night before, or the morning of. I found myself in a rush, and sometimes even forgetting or not having time to plan my day. I then decided that I needed to plan my days the weekend before the week started. With this I already had everyday planned for the most part, but it would be easier to make changes if need be. Since most of my days are normally the same every week I could use the one from before and make changes if I didn’t like the routine I was in. I have a picture of 3 days I did, two of which were class days, and the last being my Saturday to get a weekend day in.

Part 3: Evaluate and Revise

Like I said before my monthly and weekly planner were almost identical just broke up. The daily planner was by far the most helpful for staying organized throughout not only the day but the week as well. After changing when I made the daily schedule I found myself being more consistent with my routine. For me getting in a routine is big for staying on track. If anything I would like to find a way to better incorporate the monthly and weekly planner with the daily that I like. All in all the planners were very helpful for me staying organized and managing my time wisely.

Retrieval Practice Self Study

Common Exhibit for Learning Objective #3

CU 1010 Portfolio

Spring, 2017

Learning Objective #3

Students will explore and test new strategies for learning and critical thinking.

Procedure

1. We are learning numerous techniques to help you absorb, retain, and use the information needed to succeed in your courses and prepare for your careers.

2. I chose to use the self-testing, group quizzing, and flash cards methods for my three techniques.

3. Self-testing: I used the self-testing method for my engineering class. It was made fairly easy for me because my teacher put up a practice test that allowed me to see what type of questions I should prepare for. I used this practice test along with homework problems and in class problems to make sure I knew everything there was to know for the test. I did this over the course of a few days before the test, and it helped me feel more comfortable when I went in to take the test. I feel that the self-testing really helped me grasp an understanding of the material. I’m also like to study by myself in a quiet area so I don’t get distracted. Since I get easily distracted I did my practice tests in my room in my apartment off campus. I found that this method worked fairly well as I made an 85 on my first engineering test, but there’s still room for improvement.

4. Group Quizzing: I used the group quizzing method for my physics class. I met up with a friend from my engineering class that is also taking physics. Since this session is not exactly sitting in silence we met in the library for this study session. We both pulled up some of the old physics tests, and we both started working on the same problems. If we had any questions we would ask each other and help each other out if we knew the answers. If we were both stuck on the problem we would pull up the solutions and see what we were doing wrong. This method was nice because it’s enjoyable to study with a friend, but it can sometimes be distracting for me. With the noise in the library and the conversations that arise outside of the physics we were studying, sometimes we got off track. Not to mention Jimmy Johns was going around the library one of the days giving out free samples, and I can’t turn down free food. This method had its pros and cons with me, but overall it was a decently successful method. I made a B on the first test with is an improvement from last semester, but I still can do better and will try something else for the next test coming up shortly.

5. Flashcards: Flashcards are something that I’ve never used as a study method, so I figured I’d give it a shot. I see so many people using them, so I decided to try it for my calculus class. I feel like this wasn’t the best choice for this subject. I used them to remember the formulas better for the test, but I didn’t spend enough time putting the formulas to use. I should’ve spent more time using the self-testing method for this course. The flashcards did help me remember formulas, and I’ll still be using it for that, but I believe if I combine the self-testing method with this I will have a good system. I ended up making a 68 on the first calculus test which isn’t exactly good. I can come back from this though as long as I combine some of my new study habits. I realize now that just knowing the formulas doesn’t always mean you know what to do with them. Depending on what I partner this method with it could be useful for me, but just this method alone would be better for a memorization only class. I will not be getting rid of this method though, because it does help me memorize much needed formulas. Overall this was a decent study method to add in, but I will use it to improve my next test score.

Overall Conclusion: Of the three methods I believe my favorite will have to be the self-testing method. It brought the highest grade, and I feel as if I got the most done while using this method. My learning style consists of doing the work to learn rather than watching or listening. The group quizzing method wasn’t bad, but I feel as if I got too easily distracted while using this method. It was nice to have someone to ask questions when I didn’t know an answer to a problem, but I can look them up myself if that will help me get more work done and improve my tests scores. I’ve never used flash cards before this year, and I was surprised at how well it helped me memorize formulas for my calculus class. Although I wasn’t completely thrilled with my grade, it is an improvement from last semester so once I master these new study methods I think a huge improvement will be made. The thing I like most about the flashcards is you can pull them out anywhere and go through them anywhere. I found myself pulling them out waiting for class to start, and would pull them out on the bus back to my apartment. I will be using flashcards again, but will also use the self-testing method for this calculus class. Overall I’ve learned three new study techniques that will help me in t

Post-Test Analysis with Office Hours Visit

Common Exhibit for Learning Objective #4

CU 1010 Portfolio

Spring, 2017

LEARNING OBJECTIVE #4

Learn and test best practices for preparing for and taking exams.

Procedure:

1. The class I chose was ENGR-1020 as this is my second time taking this class, and I thought it would be perfect to make sure I do well this time.

2.After completing the Post-Test analysis I realized that my errors came from careless mistakes. This test was timed and I finished right as we ran out of time. I was working the problems very fast in order to make sure I could complete all of them. The problem where I missed most of my points I found that I didn’t think the problem through all the way before working it out and as a result I missed most of the points for that problem. Overall I am pleased with the result of the test, but I was told to think the problems through and write down everything I know before working and it would make things smoother and quicker while working.

3. My study plan for this test worked out great. I started studying days before the exam, and would study just a little every day. After looking over the new material I would review the material from the day before. I did this every day, and on the last day I practiced homework problems, and even did a practice test. I will not change my study plan, but I will try to make a couple of small changed recommended to me during my test. All of my mistakes and missed points came from being careless. One way to fix this problem is to write down everything I will need before I ever start working. For example, the professor really pushed me to write down all of the given information, formulas, then what I’m trying to find. After all of this is written down I can then start to work out the problem. I can’t say that I need to slow down, but I can say that I need to be more careful while working at a fast pace as it is easy to make small mistakes. The professor stated that I am less likely to make mistakes if I already have everything written down, and just copy from there. Overall the professor was pleased with most of my test besides the careless errors.

4. Overall this experience changed my outlook on interacting with professors. I find it hard to make an appointment with a professor that has over 200 students per class, but if it will benefit me then from now on I will do so. This class is not 200 students, but is well above a “small” class. The professor was very helpful, and opened my eyes to a new way of learning material.

Using Personal Values to Set Short- and Long-Term Goals

Common Exhibit for Learning Outcome #6

CU1010 Portfolio

Spring, 2017

Learning Outcome #6

Students will use increased awareness of their personal values to craft effective short- and long-term goals.

1. During the class activity we started out with an envelope full of different values. At first we went through and kept what we liked and discarded what we didn’t find as valuable. After a couple of rounds we were asked to narrow it down to ten values, then we had to narrow it down to only 5.

Of the final five values my top value would have to be family. My family means the world to me, and they are what keep me going when things get rough. I can call and talk to anybody in my family for hours about anything. So my family is my motivating factor, and the reason I have the drive to be successful.

2. Goals:

• Graduate college

Graduating college is a goal that I’ve had for many years. The main value that keeps me pushing toward this goal is my family. They support me in everything I do, and it makes it that much better going after this goal.

• Get a good job

Getting a good job is a goal of mine after a graduate college. This is a goal that can connect to all of my values. I would like a good job not only for myself, but for my family, and in this job I’m sure I’ll create friendships and feel loved. This will only be possible if the Lord has it in his wishes for me to do this. I’ve learned that what I want for myself isn’t always what God wants for me, and he works in mysterious ways.

• Start a family

Having my own family is something I hope to have one day. Knowing how much I love and care for my family now, this is what has me wanting to start a family of my own one day. I want to have a family and carry over the love my family has to my own. God will lead me to the right person one day, and when the time is right. These values are what make me want to achieve this goal one day.

• Make new friends

Friendship is an important part of what keeps me going. Having friendship and having love for them is like having a second family to me. While at school I would like to meet new people, and build long lasting friendships for the future.

• Be better than the day before

It is a goal of mine to always improve as a person. I want to wake up every day and be better than I was the day before. In order to make friends, and make my family proud I feel as if I need to improve every day. They may not think so, but for myself I need to achieve this goal.

Overall, all of my goals are possible. If I keep my core values in mind, and strive to be better every day I can achieve anything. As long as it’s in God’s will anything is possible.

Self-Image, Motivation, and Mindset

Personal Exhibit #1

CU 1010 Portfolio

Spring, 2017

Objective:

Be able to do something regularly that you enjoy, and that simultaneously motivates you to be better than the day before. There’s always room for improvement to better the best you possible.

Overview:

Motivation comes from within, and sometimes motivation from one thing can help motivate you in other areas of your life. If you feel good about yourself, and want to be the best you can be maybe this will motivate you more than you thought possible. The hardest was obtaining the right mindset to not only get into the gym, but also stay at it.

Self-Image:

Self-Image to me is more than just looking in the mirror and feeling good about yourself. I’m perfectly happy with how I look, and the person I am. With this being said nobody is perfect and there is always room to improve yourself. Nobody wakes up and says “I want to be less successful than I was yesterday.” It’s human nature to want to improve in any way possible. Find whatever it is you want to improve and go for it. This will improve how you look at yourself, and will motivate you every day to do better than the day before. For me this gave me a reason to do my work. In order for me to go to the gym I had to have my work done. School always comes first, so this is motivation to get my work done.

Exercise: I recently started back going to the gym, and I wake up every day looking forward to getting back in the gym. The hardest part for me was initially getting in the gym again for the first time. It’s intimidating being a small guy and going into a gym full of people who have been doing it for years. After thinking about it I realized they had to put in the time and effort to get there. It’s just like anything else where the effort you put in reflects the results you’ll get out of it. Once I got back into the gym I loved it. And once you start seeing improvement on the scale, and with the weights it becomes addicting. Hard work and dedication will get you the results you want when in the gym. It doesn’t matter where you start it matters where you finish. I realized quickly that going to the gym could motivate me to do better on my school work, because without that I wouldn’t be able to go to the gym.

Mindset:

Inner Critic: “You’re not big enough, there’s not need to even go.”

The hardest part for me about getting into the gym was overcoming the initial fear of going and being around all of the “gym rats.” I told myself I was nowhere near where they are so there’s no need to even try.

Inner Defender: “I would go to the gym, but nobody will go with me.”

At first I tried to make an excuse that if I had somebody to go with me then I would go so it wasn’t my fault.

Inner Guide: “I’m doing this for myself, don’t worry about anyone else.”

After my roommate told me he wanted to go to the gym I had no other excuse not to go. I told myself not to worry about anyone but myself. I’m going to the gym for myself, so what everyone else thinks doesn’t matter. It’s not about where you start it’s where you finish.

Motivation

Once I started seeing results it wasn’t hard to stay motivated. I want to get back in the gym every day, but school must always come first. This motivation for the gym has helped me stay motivated in school. In order to go to the gym I have to get all of my school work done. This motivation for the gym has carried over and kept me motivated for school as well. Motivation for school was one of the hardest things for me last semester. I would stay up late doing homework, and wake up late sometimes missing class. This semester I have 8ams that I attend regularly, and I feel good when I wake up in the morning most days. Waking up early has also been good motivation because I can get so much done when I start my day early. And when I get all of my work done I can get ready to go to the gym. After a hard workout I’m normally worn out and ready for bed in a few hours after I go home. Going to the gym has gotten me into a routine that I’ve never been able handle before.

Reflect:

I’m not saying everyone has to go to the gym to improve their self-image or stay motivated. I don’t think this is at all true. But for me it’s improved my motivation by getting me in a daily routine, and also gives me the mindset that I can do anything I set my mind to. It does improve my self-image because I simply feel better after getting a good workout in. When finding something you enjoy doing everyday just remember that school always comes first, and use this as motivation to get all of your work done if you want to do your daily activity. Your activity could be anything you enjoy as long as it motivates you to be the best you can be. If the activity you enjoy doing gives you a good mindset, carry that over to other activities you do. A strong mindset can carry over to a lot of things, and it has carried over to my school work. Not only does going to the gym motivate me to get my school work done, but it also gives me the mindset that I can do anything I put my mind to.

Sleep Related to Success

Personal Exhibit #2

CU 1010 Portfolio

Spring, 2017

Overview

For this personal exhibit I want to see how sleep has an impact on my performance, and the overall ability to achieve daily goals.

Procedure

1. Record the time I went to sleep and the time I woke up every day for a week.

Here is the picture of all of the recorded times going to bed and waking up for a week of school

2. The next step was to record how well I did homework and studied for tests during this week. I also had two tests this week so I looked at how well I thought I did on the tests as well.

Looking at sleep compared to work I found that I did actually do better when I got more sleep. On the days that I got a good amount of sleep I found that I did better on the homework, and I could stay focused long enough to get good study time in. On the days that I got less sleep, which were Tuesday and Thursday, I didn’t do nearly as well studying or on the homework. I did however feel as though I did well on the tests I had on Wednesday and Thursday. One day I got a lot of sleep and the other I didn’t get as much. I concluded that I studied well enough before hand that the sleep didn’t impact me as much on those as I was in class and ready to take them. However for the work out of class it was much harder to stay focused and stay motivated with less sleep.

Conclusion:

I found throughout the week that sleep does indeed help me do my work better. When I’m sleep deprived it is harder for me to do the work I need to get done. I find myself giving half effort because I’m just exhausted by the time I do the homework and study. Studying was probably way harder than doing homework while tired. Homework gives you something to look forward to, a grade. Studying doesn’t give an instant reward for the work you’re putting in at the moment. Studying is more of a long term reward, and this also played a role in how much effort I put into it. Overall I found that sleep is 100 percent necessary in order to give 100 percent effort.

Reflective Introduction:

After doing these many techniques above, I've not only learned a lot about schooling, but I've also learned a lot about myself. This has not only opened my eyes to the many study techniques, but it has shown me how to be successful in school and beyond. There's more the college than just showing up to classes, and I've figured out quickly that's probably one of the easiest parts of college. "Just showing up" in college isn't enough. Most of the work in college is done outside of class, and nobody is there to make you do it. It's all about what you do, and how bad you want to be successful. With the techniques I've learned in this class, and through this exhibit, I feel I have more tools to be successful in college, and in my life beyond this. This exhibit opened my eyes to many things, and I'm extremely grateful for not only this class, but what it has taught me about myself.