Prompt #3

I decided to sit down and interview my sister who is starting her career in the special education field at her alma mater.

Q: What do you do for a career?

A: I am an Intervention Specialist at ___ High School and I have a Multiple Disabilities classroom.

Q: Why did you choose to teach in this field?

A: I chose to teach in this field because I have a strong passion for working with children with disabilities. these children have endless amounts of potential and need an educator that is going to help them become independent contributing members of society.


Q: What goes into your lesson plans? How do you prepare it?

A: For my lesson plans, I usually prepare a few days to a week in advance. I do not like to plan too far in advance because since I have kids with such high needs, often the work does not get done. It takes a decent amount of planning to go into my lessons because I must differentiate everything I do in class. I have some students who can read and some who cannot, I have some that are verbal and some that are nonverbal, so all my lessons must be tailored to align with each student and their needs.

Q: How much time do you have to put in outside of the school day?

A: I typically put in an hour or two each day after school. That goes anywhere from completing IEPs, progress reports, and other paperwork, to just simply preparing stuff for class. Some days it is more and some days it is less, it just depends on what all needs to be done at the time.

Q: What does a daily schedule look like for you?

A: Every morning we do calendar where we go over the day, month, weather, etc. After that some of my students will go down to the cafeteria and do some work. When they come back that is when our instruction time starts. Typically, we spend about two hours in the morning working on academics or IEP work. I have one student that leaves to go to a food and fitness class, and I have another student that will leave on Tuesdays and Thursdays and will go do some work in the community. Once our instruction time is done, we get the kids ready for lunch, and after lunch they work on their vocational work which is the Frisch's kids coloring packets. They put those together every day. Once that is done we go to gym, and then once gym is done we head back to the classroom and get the kids ready to go home. 

Q: Are there any misconceptions or stereotypes in your field that you have experienced?

A: I think with the type of students in my classroom, people might think that my students are not very capable of attaining anything and some people may not take the time to see the potential that my students really have.

Q: How do you work around those?

A: I try to include my students into the gen ed. population as much as possible, so the staff and students can really get to know my kids and see that they are more than just what these people see on the surface.

Q: What advice would you give to new college students or graduating high school students that want to become teachers?

A: As soon as you enter college wanting to become a teacher, all eyes will be on you, and you are now in the works of becoming a professional. Remember that you never know who people know, and what you post on social media can and will be used against you if it is not appropriate. I have deleted some social media, and I personally know people that jeopardized their careers because they posted inappropriate things online. Be aware of what you are saying, always! Remember what made you want to become a teacher in the first place and run with that, because it is going to be hard. It is still hard for me now, but seeing those kids everyday makes my job worthwhile. 

- Joe

College Admissions Really Stresses out High School Students

By: LaRyia Ferrie
I remember my senior year being totally scared while filling out multiple college applications. After doing so many, my thoughts were really racing. "How will I choose?" "Will I even get accepted?" "What if I don't get into the school I want?" These are very common scenarios for high school students when applying to colleges.  In fact so many students are stressed during this time of their lives that researches from New York City conducted a study to explore the stress levels of high school students in competitive settings. The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.

The study's senior researcher, Noelle Leonard, stated that "We are concerned that students in these selective, high schools can get burned out even before they reach college." The research team launched their study in four different stages to assess student coping skills, academic engagement, family engagement, expectations, and mental health symptoms, and alcohol and drug use to discover what the leading cause of chronic stress was for today's youth. The study focused on schools in high competitive private schools.

First, the researchers interviewed 19 private school teachers, counselors, and administrators about how they have seen students stress and cope. They then analyzed 128 anonymous surveys from the students at the school that were in there junior year.

The results showed that 48% of students spent 3-4 hours a night completing homework. Girls were 40% more likely to finish the 3-4 hours of homework than boys were, resulting in higher GPA's. Besides their academic success, 49% of all students reported that they felt a great deal of stress on a daily basis, and 31% said they felt "somewhat" stressed. Grades, homework, and college prep were the three main factors of the student's stress levels. 26% of participants reported symptoms of depression at high levels.

The researches then reached out to 18 of the 128 students to get more information on their responses. Lastly, they sent their findings to eight private school experts ranging from psychologists, social workers, one teacher, and one private school graduate. The teacher responded saying,  "I think that parental pressure on schools and students is real, parents are coming in and thinking, "I'm spending a lot of money and I need to get something, a very tangible something." A great education is not a tangible something; a diploma from Harvard, Princeton, or Yale... that's tangible."

According to the American Psychological Association, college and university counseling services an increase in the number of cries for help. It is true that a large percentage of high school students are attending colleges, it does not make up for the sharp rise in recent years. According to a 2013 national survey, college counseling services across the country, 32% have waiting lists because there are so many students seeking help that they can not fit them all in. Overall, students are stressed while filling out applications and still stressed far into the start of their college.

Photo Credit: static.wixstatic.com

Works Cited: http://www.medicaldaily.com/high-school-students-are-stressed-out-about-college-admissions-reality-burning-out-347476

Prompt #9 - Recognizing Significance

Psychology is at times misrepresented or misinterpreted and can confuse people of what the importance of the field is. Psychology, by definition, is "the scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behavior in a given context" (Google). So knowing that we can find what significance has come out of the field and into the existing world.

A study on prescription painkillers and chronic pain surfaced the web last year in May. The research team gave morphine to rats for five days, and after those days were up resulted in the evidence. The team found that "opioid use increases chronic pain in rats," suggesting that if the same result is true for humans, opioids are rigorously addictive and worsen the condition rather than helping it. "We found that the treatment was contributing to the problem," said Research Professor Peter Grace.

Photo: Henry Kotula

This study and research does not just come naturally, this was a find from a specific team tasked with finding the psychological and psychical effects of opioid use on rats. Now that can link chronic pain with opioid use in rats, we can begin the study looking for the same results in humans and other animals. If there is such of a connection, we would have evidence, understanding of it, and how to counter the effects all because of a little curiosity of what opioids do to rats.

The work done in psychology benefits several aspects of life including health, relationships, happiness, and more. The insight that previous research has given us helps us understand how the body and mind works and how it reacts to things. It also helps with psychological illnesses, giving doctors a chance to develop medicine and cures for patients. Psychology offers more to the world than what's understood of it. When we take time to understand our own mind and bodies, then we can learn how to treat and handle it better.

by Lucas W.

Works Cited:

Carter, David. "Why is psychology important? - Quora." 23 September 2015. https://www.quora.com/Why-is-psychology-important-1

DiSalvo, David. "Prescription Painkillers May Worsen And Lengthen Chronic Pain." 30 May 2016. https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2016/05/30/prescription-pain-killers-may-worsen-and-lengthen-chronic-pain/#65bf5537eeb4

Becoming a Leader

Photo: Kit8

Leadership is learned and becomes automatic throughout time. Some people are naturally born with leadership skills, and some watch and learn from others. Becoming an effective leader is more about what you do rather than what you know. Making the right decisions for not only you but those who look up to you.

The first starts with keeping promises. Leaders are tasked with doing so much that things may become forgotten or unapparent, that's why you should never make a promise without the intention of following through. "Nothing kills credibility quicker than unfulfilled expectations," says Mark Sanborn from Entrepreneur. Sometimes keeping promises is harder than not keeping them, so know when to set the bar and say "no", and when to take on the challenge.

Communication is one of the most important traits and skills of great leaders. Many times leaders seem intimidating to others with their title and influence, but leaders who encourage others to speak their opinion are the ones most well connected to the people. To involve everyone is to gain trust from everyone and even see their perspective of you. Whether it be good or bad it will help identify where success is needed, and where it is best.

Leaders are mostly in charge of making the first decisions for people, pathing the way for those behind them. So to be a great leader, you need to make great decisions. Focus on constantly "making things happen" to always sustain progress. No matter how slow or fast, short or far when progress was done, progress is made. Also, take time to learn others view of the future and try to keep a balanced perspective for all. Keeping a clear-cut view of the future helps with making decisions in the present.

Photo: Cliff Knecht Artist Representative

A leader isn't only about helping himself, a leader is about making sure that those around them are steady before they are. To lead by example promotes future leaders by practicing what you preach. Only when people observe great leaders will they know why they need to become one for others.


by Lucas W.

Works Cited:

Llopis, Glenn. "The Most Successful Leaders Do 15 Things Automatically, Every Day." 18 February 2013. https://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2013/02/18/the-most-successful-leaders-do-15-things-automatically-every-day/#57b4dbd469d7

Sanborn, Mark. "5 Ways to Train Yourself to Be a Great Leader." 3 April 2013. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226265

Be a Good Teacher

https://www.pinterest.com/alwaysTracieL/the-friends-and-family-plan/

   As a teacher it is extremely important that you don't just see your classroom, filled with students. These kids should stop being just kids, just any students to you. You are an important and influential adult in their life. You are in their life for 5 days a week, for about 8 hours every week. I think it's important that you see them as your kids. When you start to view them as your kids, there is a lot more to it. This will make you an amazing teacher. You will care for them, which will mean you will be filling in all the other hats that you are supposed to as a 'good teacher'. This is important because you should be aiming to become a good teacher. If not, then why strive to become one? Do it right, or don't do it at all. What I mean by your kids, is I mean is view them with importance. Make sure there is safe zones. Be there for them as more than just a teacher. Make it feel like family at school.

When you do this keep in mind that you are doing this, because you are one of the most critical factors of your students achievement. Students with effective teachers will score 50 points higher in math skills than those with ineffective teachers. 

To be considered a good teacher remember to:

• Enjoy teaching- Teaching has a number of discouraging factors that stand your way and make it a challenge. However, for someone who has the drive, passion, and enthusiasm for their job, can get past these small hurdles.
• Be accountable- This is important not only for your own professional career but it will benefit your students as well, which should be your priority.
• Adapt-  You may find yourself having to adapt a lesson plan. The most effective teachers develop the ability to make changes to lessons or activities on the fly because of an unforeseen situation or problem. 
• Challenge and Inspire- You have the unique opportunity to give your students the motivation to become lifelong learners. A truly great teacher can make a lasting impact that follows a student throughout their life.
• Be able to relate (be human)- Students will also go through issues outside of school that requires adjustments within the classroom, so compassion is important.
• Be determine: Teachers also tend to be fearless, resilient, and have a certain amount of grit. Obstacles will come up throughout the school year and it is important to stand up to criticism or scrutiny for things you believe are right.

work cited:

https://www2.ed.gov/teachers/nclbguide/nclb-teachers-toolkit.pdf/index.html

https://www.thoughtco.com/the-most-essential-qualities-of-a-good-teacher-3194340

Kids Dealing with Parents Divorce

By: Liz

   Marriage has changed a lot in the past couple years. Before I feel was more emphasized and looked at as a promise made upon God. I feel as if it was a bigger fear to divorce, because they viewed marriage as a commitment for life as it was set to be viewed as. There is many more divorcement / single parenting going on now-a-days. This has an affect on kids and it's important to try and help, because as the teacher you spend like 8 hours with them, they are your kids too and you should always be there for them.
   However for some reason teachers always asked me to leave my problems outside of the front doors when I walked in class. There was times where I wished it was that simple to just forget what was bothering me and have a peaceful regular day. However I do not personally agree with that, because sometimes we as human should understand that especially kids can't just leave that behind them. Sometimes they need our support, our help.
   I think it's important that we know information about this, because at times we will have students in our class room who can't focus, who are sad, kids who need an adult in their life showing them some love and support, because they have family problems. 50% of the divorce cases have an involvement with children. I read the article "Helping Students Going Through Divorces" which is where I learned the new information on this.
   It's important to keep in mind that it takes 1-2 years for a kid to get used to a new family system. To try and help them, begin the teacher you can make a safe space, where they can talk to you or even keep a journal that only you have access too. Also keep in mind that there is a set of 5 things you can do to help the student going through rough family problems, this includes:

• Discussion opportunities - hear them out 
• Words of encouragement - be caring and accepting
• Communicate with parents - keep both parents in the loop
• Maintain structure and routine - make sure they follow a schedule 
• keep a boundary - set limits

https://www.rd.com/advice/parenting/slideshow-13-things-your-childs-teacher-wont-tell-you/

Work cited:
http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/parents/divorce/

The Truth About Teaching Salaries

An average of forty-five percent of staffed, salaried teachers leave the profession after five years. Twenty percent, in urban areas, leave after their first year. Sixty-two percent of surveyed teachers have to work a second job to make a livable income. The yearly turnaround will cost the United States over $7 billion.

Why is all of this happening?

Credit to: Forbes

For the most part, we can point at the salary. The average first-year salary for a public school teacher (private schools obviously pay higher) is $39,000 and can eventually increase to $65,000-$70,000 after your twenty-fifth year, which is when some teachers end their career. On average, they make fourteen percent less than professionals in other fields that hold salaried positions. McKinsey polled 900 college students and found that 68 percent would "consider teaching if salaries started at $65,000 and rose to a minimum of $150,000." That survey tells you enough about to know that a backdoor problem is visible.

In comparison to South Korea, the government hires and trains staffed teachers and pays them 250% more in terms of currency balance. The yearly teacher turnover there is only just more than one percent.

In the next ten years, about half of the total teaching population (estimated 1.5 million) will retire. Who's going to replace them? Will college students shift their majors in a supply-and-demand stance? Will the increase in need of qualified teachers cause a needed salary increase?

- Joe

Statistics contributed to the New York Times

School Psychologist

By: LaRyia Ferrie

Photo Credit: nasponline.org

What is a school psychologist? They are qualified members of a school who help in supporting students ability to learn, and teachers ability to teach. They apply their knowledge in health, mental ability, and behavior in order to help children and students succeed academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally. School psychologists partner with many people such as families, students, teachers, school administrators, and other professionals to create a healthy and safe learning environment throughout the school. They also promote connections between the home, school, and community.

School psychologists need training. In order to be a school psychologist, one must receive specialized   advanced graduate preparation involving both psychology and education. This preparation includes coursework and practical experiences. They typically complete a specialist - level degree program or a doctoral degree. Both programs include a year long 1200 hour supervised internship. Graduate preparation develops knowledge in many aspects such as:

• Mental Health Interventions 
• Assessment
• Progress Monitoring 
• Data Collection and Analysis
• Special Education Services 
• Prevention and Intervention Services
• School-wide Practices 
• Academic/Learning Interventions
• Research and Program Evaluation
• Family-school-community collaboration 
• Behavioral Interventions

It is required that school psychologist be credentialed by the state in which they are working in. They must also be nationally certified by the National School Psychology Board (NSPCB) The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) sets standards for graduate preparation, credentialing, professional practice and ethics. 

School psychologist can work in a variety of places. Some of these locations include: private schools, preschools, universities, school mental health centers, juvenile justice programs, and independent private practices. 

School psychologists provide direct support and interventions to students, families, teachers, and other school-employed mental health professionals such as counselors. They work to improve strategies, give support, improve school practices and polices, and provide needed services. School psychologists successfully improve academic achievement, promote positive behavior and mental health, support diversity, create safe environments, and strengthen family-student relationships. Every school needs one as they help students and youth thrive in school. 

Photo credit: pdresources.org

I learned this information through researching among many days because I one day hope to become a school psychologist. I did online researching and read articles about the career, as well as watch some YouTube videos on people's experience of being a school psychologists. I learned that having a school psychologist can really benefit a school as they promote healthy behaviors. Anyone in need of help can talk to their school psychologist about almost anything. They are there to help not only the students, but teachers as well. Everyone included in a school setting may need advice or guidance at some point and that is what the school psychologist is there for.

Works Cited: https://www.nasponline.org/about-school-psychology/who-are-school-psychologists

The Effects of Bullying

There doesn't have to be physical contact between a threat and their target to cause harm. People who are bullied may carry emotion damage without ever being physically harmed, and that's why it's important to become aware of bullying. "It is estimated that about 20% of all kids are bullied in school at any time," according to eSchoolToday. The numbers will only go down once we act on the issue, and know what causes it can spawn.

Photo: Bryan on Scouting

Those who are bullied in school soon lose their interest in education, challenging their future academics and success. In a survey from Cornell, "they found that dropout rates were 29% higher than average in schools with high levels of teasing and bullying." That's too high of a percentage to be comfortable with, showing that schools should put more effort in keeping bullying out, and keeping graduation in. In other cases, the victim may seclude themselves from other people as a result of feeling depressed or anxious. That would only put the victim on medications or therapy rather than fixing the root of the problem at hand, bullying.

So now that we know what could happen, how do we stop it from happening? We can take many approaches to stop bullying, one being to take immediate action. If you see someone being bullied, then do not wait, go and help them. Intervening can stop the escalation and make the bully think twice about acting out. Setting a good example is another way, influencing everyone around you. Make sure that you are not perpetrating bullying behavior, and spread the word that bullying has to stop. Once everyone becomes aware that there is a problem, it is easier to address it.

Photo: Ryan Semenluk

Bullying is just another form of abuse, and it is clear that it causes short and long term consequences. Lingering feelings of anger, depression, self-esteem issues, and even worse self-harming thoughts are a few results of it. Lying as the big elephant in the room, we all need to recognize it as reality: bullying is real, and victims are being wrongfully hurt. In order to keep schools safe for everyone and give a fair chance of success for all, we need to look out for another, especially if we see bullying happening in our own community.

by Lucas W.


Works Cited:

Daniels, Ellen. "U.VA. Study Links Prevalence of Bullying, Teasing to High Dropout Rates." 31 October 2012. https://news.virginia.edu/content/uva-study-links-prevalence-bullying-teasing-high-dropout-rates

Saint Louis, Catherine. "Effects of Bullying Last Into Adulthood, Study Finds." 20 February 2013. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/20/effects-of-bullying-last-into-adulthood-study-finds/

Prompt #1

By: LaRyia Ferrie

Photo Credit: Brainblogger.com

Many people who are not experienced in the field of psychology have various opinions, comments, and ideas on what they think Psychology is all about. Half of these assumptions are in fact - false. Psychology is a complex field with hundreds of ideas involved in it. It is not easy to learn, which some people may think. Here are some common misconceptions people have about the field of Psychology as a whole.

•  Psychology is easy. 
•  Psychologist just get paid to listen to people talk.
•  Psychology is not a real science.
•  Psychologists can read minds.
•  Psychology is just common sense.

Even though I  know all of  these misconceptions are entirely not true, at one point I have considered some of them. After taking multiple psych courses in high school and now college, I can truthfully admit I was wrong about all of the misconceptions I once had. My Intro to Psych 101 book, "Psychological Science" can prove some of these misconceptions as false statements. 

1. "Psychology is easy." 

Many people believe psychology will be interesting and a breeze so they should take psychology courses to just get the A. This is not true. Psychology is more than just learning about personality and brain development, etc -  there are many statistics and research based papers involved. It is not all about remembering theories and terms, it is also conducting your own research based paper, doing math, writing statistics and much more. You must use critical thinking in the field of psychology. The book states that, "Being a critical thinker involves looking for holes in evidence, using logic and reasoning to see whether the information makes sense, and considering the alternative explanations." None of which is easy, but it can be done!

2. "Psychologist just get paid to listen to people talk."

People who know nothing about psychology think that psychologists get paid to sit in a room all day and listen to patients tell their life stories. This is another false belief. Although psychologist can be paid to listen to people, it can be more than that. The book writes that psychological knowledge is used in many professions, "Psychological knowledge include research assistants, attorney's assistant, police officer, social worker, personnel director, hospital counselor, and persuading jurors." Psychology does not have to be about just sitting with a patient all day long, it branches out to many different areas of ones interests. The textbook also states, "most psychological science has little to do with therapeutic cliches such as couches and dreams. Instead, the goals of psychology are to understand mental activity, social interactions, and how people acquire behavior."

3. "Psychology is not a real science"
Many believe that psychology is not a science. Psychology is the study of the mind, brain, and behavior.  Some characteristics of science include: hypotheses testing, empirical methods, researchers controlling and manipulating variables, results being replicated, and results leading to finding new research. All of these concepts are widely used in the study of psychology on human and animal behavior. Researchers use the scientific method to conduct their research, as well as manipulating or controlling variables. Just because psychology is a relatively new science, does not mean it is not a real science.

4. "Psychologist's can read minds."
Often, people believe that because someone is a psychologist, that they can read another persons mind, or categorize them. This is not true. Psychologists do notice certain characteristics in people related to some sort of disorder or disease, but they are not telepathic. Psychologist comprehend human behavior, but they do not form any super powers, whatsoever.

5. "Psychology is Just Common Sense."
It also believed that psychology is just seen as common sense. The textbook explains that, "The results of psychological research are often surprising and often run counter to common beliefs. " With common sense, just because you think something should be true, does not always mean that it is. In the example of Stanley Milgram's Electric Shock experiment, random participants were told to deliver electric shocks to another random individual if they answered a question wrong. You would think that the person delivering the fatal shocks to a stranger would not continue with the experiment, even though an authoritative person was telling them not to, right? In this case, you're wrong. Therefor, psychology is not always common sense, many things may be shocking.

The Intro to Psychology course textbook was indeed very useful at proving most of these misconceptions. In the first chapter, it explains what psychology is, how it can be used, why study it, and many other topics. It tells the truths about psychology, and that it's not just sitting in a quiet room listening to patients all day - it's finding research, studying behavior, and thinking critically. The textbook gives a good understanding on why psychology is important and why many people considering studying it should stick with it. I knew that psychology would not be easy and I knew that psychology was more than listening to somebody, but the book really helps to get an understanding of the full extent of studying this particular field. All together, the textbook "Psychological Science" gives clear information to anyone interested in studying psychology. 

Works Cited:

Gazzaniga, Michael, et al.  Psychological Science. 4th ed., W.W. Norton & Company. 2011. 

https://www.verywell.com/myths-about-psychology-2795594

United States Department of Education

After Betsy DeVos was sworn in as the seventeenth Secretary of Education on February 7, 2017, many people have asked "What does that person do?"

Credit to: CBC News

The Secretary of Education cannot determine budgets or tuition costs for primary or secondary schools. It is considered one of the weakest cabinet positions in the capital. Some of Secretary DeVos' main assignments are to "advise and enact policy, collect data, administer funding, and handle discrimination complaints regarding education. Sexual assault claims on college campuses are also tied in to the SOE, as they have to uphold government policies. She is also responsible for maintaining the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which states that people that have mental disabilities should not have to pay for school.

Some also might ask if you need to be a teacher to hold this position, and the answer is "No". Just like with President Donald J. Trump, you don't need to be a person in that career field to hold a spot in the White House. DeVos actually had to have Vice President Mike Pence break the tie to elect her in, becoming the first Secretary of Education to do so.

Published by: Joe

Information provided by the Master of Education Degree Guide

The Struggle of Being an ESL Teacher

   By: Liz

   English might be the primary language as many people would argue that is spoken in the united states, however there is way to many people in this world. A few people will even say things like "we are in America. You need to learn English." However in my defense there is many countries, and many different wide-spread languages. English is and will never be the only language people speak. There is traveling, migration, and even immigration. Therefore as I said, even if English was the first language or not it will never be the only language that is spoken in the United States.
   As I said there is cruel people who will dis, or think of someone as less because they don't speak any or fluent (well) English. However it's sad to think people think English should be the only language spoken here in English. People should spread their knowledge and learn different languages. It should be an honor to know more than one language not a bad thing.

http://www.amerika.org/wp-content/uploads/diversity_map.png

   To have English be your second language does not stop you from being an ESL teacher, however it will come with several challenges. I read the article 8 challenges for today’s ESL teachers (and how to handle them) and what I previously mentioned came up a lot. First off is the English immersion. I hate the fact that what I said previously is very true, and even as being an ESL teacher, they would go on and ask you to speak nothing but English to your students. This really will happens at times so maybe that is not the correct job for you or maybe you will have to adapt and follow the rules. Furthermore this might be very hard and upsetting, but at times as I said you will be left, looked at, and treated like nothing but an outsider. It's difficult, I know to be minority, to look different. but don't let them get in your head. You got your degree, your there now, and you know more than just one language. You are a step ahead, and have achieved a lot. Be proud of yourself and don't allow them to get in your head. Be the bigger person, and ignore the fact that they are just ignorant people.

work cited:
https://matadornetwork.com/abroad/8-challenges-for-todays-esl-teachers-and-how-to-handle-them/

The Comfort Zone

Photo: Business 2 Community

"Everything you want is on the other side of fear." - Jack Canfield

Somehow you've found that life has just become a routine. Nothing new happens anymore, and the feeling of things being unexpected or unknown has vanished. A life without challenge, without fear-the same thing every day. Some people are content in this situation, but on the other hand, some are not, and there's one reason why: the safety of comfort zone holds back growth and happiness. 

All personal development comes from outside your comfort zone. In times of discomfort, those experiences are the ones that push growth through challenges. As a kid, we all struggled with making friends at one point in time, but it only became easier as we tried and tried again.When we failed, we learned from our mistakes and planned to do better next time, and when we succeeded, we witnessed our failures turning into growth. Soon we come to the realization that as people we either succeed and grow, or we fail and grow, but that anything's better than nothing at all.

Taking the first step is always the hardest step of them all, no matter how small it may be. Putting yourself out in the world to become vulnerable is always going to be scary, it just depends on how you take it. There is no golden rule to stepping out of known boundaries, there are just many small tweaks that could make life more unpredictable. Doing everyday things differently invites change to happen, whether it be from taking a new route to work or greeting people off the street. Trusting yourself in making snap decisions is the counter to thinking too much, sometimes speeding up a little kickstarts the movement. And another example is doing things in small steps. It takes a lot of strength to put yourself out there, so don't feel as if the deep end is the first place to jump to when change is wanted. Take your time, recognize your fears and flaws, and battle them one by one. 

Photo: Business 2 Community

As cliche as it sounds, the most successful people have failed the most out of all of us. The difference that stands is that they did not let their comfort zone define who they wanted to be. They recognized that some parts of their happiness and success lie beyond their comfort zone, and that they would rather face it than live a life of dreams. We could all learn from these types of people and follow their ways. If not, then we let our comfort zone take the wheel, restricting us from all other paths that could open up in life. 

by Lucas W.

Works Cited:

Forbes Coaches Council. "Overcoming Fear: 10 Ways To Step Outside Your Comfort Zone." 26 April 2017. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/04/26/overcoming-fear-10-ways-to-step-outside-your-comfort-zone/#65681919882d

Henry, Alan. "The Science of Breaking Out of Your Comfort Zone (and Why You Should.)" 3 July 2013. https://lifehacker.com/the-science-of-breaking-out-of-your-comfort-zone-and-w-656426705

Pak, Elliot. "7 Reasons to Abandon Your Comfort Zone and Why You'll Never Regret It." https://tinybuddha.com/blog/7-reasons-abandon-comfort-zone-why-you-wont-regret-it/

Quiet Hours

We are all guilty of checking our text messages, Snapchat, or emails when we are supposed to be studying or doing homework. Some can see it as just a quick break to get your mind onto something else, but that is actually a non-healthy study habit. There are many other examples of these, but what should you do that is considered a good study habit? Here's five tips on what you can do to improve.

Credit to: Vanderbilt University

1.) Where you study is important.
We all make the mistake of sitting in the place that actually hosts the most distractions, which is most likely the bedroom or the kitchen. If you're in your dorm room, you have a television, laptop, phone, and in my case, three guitars all within ten steps. Studying should be done in a place that's quiet and distraction-free. Try going to the study lounge in the basement or in your parent's work office if you're at home. Turn off your computer, put your phone on silent, and close the door. If you're in a place where nothing can distract you, your focus is higher.

2.) Be confident!
If you open your notebook and think "Ugh, this exam is going to kill me", it might. Confidence is almost 100% of a factor into your grades for any assignment. If you come home and say "I have a test tomorrow and I have an essay due next week, but I feel great, I know I will do well", that gives you a huge mental boost. If you feel you're behind when you start, you will not catch up or even fall more behind.

3.) Don't procrastinate.
We are all guilty of this as well. Studying the morning of the exam or the night before is not the best idea. Your brain retains more information the more you look at your notes, so start it about four or five days before the exam date. That will give you the chance to get any notes you might have missed and start a small study group or go to the professor's office hours.

4.) Section the work and take breaks.
Studying for three hours at once seems impossible, but it can be done. A more modern approach is studying or working for an hour, taking a ten minute break, and repeating the process. Your brain will stay more focused if it can have a small break every now and then. Take a selfie, get a Gatorade or granola bar, pet your dog, or something else that can take your mind off of the assignment for a few minutes.

5.) Most importantly, sleep.
It's said the most, but it is also the most important thing you can do to achieve success. Sleep for at least eight hours a day and try not to go to bed after midnight. It can be tough if you have two exams in the same day, but sleeping is where your body resets itself. If you don't give it time for the batteries to recharge, you will not be fully focused. Rest is very important!

I'm guilty of doing all five, and it absolutely impacted my test results, along with homework. I have been doing better on my study habits and hoping I can turn it around this semester.

- Joe

Sources:

Dr. Grohol, John M. "10 Highly Effective Study Habits." PsychCentral, www.psychcentral.com/lib/top-10-most-effective-study-habits/, accessed 7 October 2017.

Well-Being

By: LaRyia Ferrie

Emotional well-being can be described as a positive sense of well-being which enables an individual to be able to function in society and meet the demands of everyday life. It is not the absence of your emotions, but being able to value your emotions and use them to move in positive directions when going forward in your life.

Being in school can have a negative impact on your emotional well-being. Being bullied, having a bad home life leading into having a bad school environment, economic disadvantage, illness, etc. All of these factors can play a vital role on a student's self esteem and ability to learn. It is important that everyone be aware of their well-being so they can succeed in life and notice their strengths.

Here is a YouTube video that briefly explains Emotional Student Wellbeing.

Using these tips can improve your wellbeing and strive to be a better student. I know I have struggled with self-esteem issues in school. Pressure to do your absolute best can really get to you at times. It is important to realize that things will be okay. Instead of focusing on "what if," just go with the flow, and tell yourself the outcome will be in your favor. You can do anything you set your mind to. Do not let one bad score on a quiz, test, or exam, get you down for the rest of the semester.

Leave stress, worrying, and despair behind you and lead your life with positivity.

Photo Credit: i.huffpost.com

I learned this information through self growth, as well as the YouTube video and article. I learned that well-being is crucial to living a happy life. Everyone should know their self worth. It's especially important when going through school because that is when it can be the most difficult to keep pushing forward. It can be easy to feel lack of motivation when you are worried about studying for a difficult exam, but just know that one bad score won't affect your life forever.

Works Cited

"Emotional WellBeing" Parliament House. http://belongto.org/resource.aspx?contentid=4574. Accessed 8, October 2017. 

Prompt #8

 By: Liz

    If one thing is for sure is that you will never truly learn everything from a textbook. I say this by experience. Everything is different when your hearing, seeing, and reading about then when you really are put in that situation. You can be told, you can practice, but nothing will ever truly prepare you for the real world. With everything you must have to go trough on in your own shoes, so you may capable of truly learning. Things like hearing about it, seeing it, or reading on it can obviously can be a huge help for you. Things like others experience, textbooks, videos can all be resource to help you prepare. It will help you prepare, but it will never help you know how to really 100% prepare. The real world can be true chaos that even when you do get some experience that still never means you will know how to react for every situation you are put on. Again even your own experience can help, but will never mean you are ready to take down any situation.

   "Ready, Set, Teach!" Is a course that was offered at Weslaco High School. This course helped you prepare to become a teacher. It helped you end up getting certified as a substitute. Even they knew you can't learn it all from a text book. They took us to a different elementary school each semester. We did class work at the beginning to help you prepare, but we knew that wasn't enough. As everyone must have heard it's easier said than done, and I believe this saying works perfectly with this situation too.

    I was a part of this "Ready, Set, Teach!" course. It allowed us hands-on experience where sure we went in an elementary class with some knowledge, but still had to go open minded. We had to know that different situations happen all different. We had to learn that everyone is different, so even if the same situation happened, you can't just do exactly what it is the textbook told you to do right away. You can't you know it all because a great article trained you.

    Last semester I decided to take a special ed hands-on elementary class. Those are the picture I am sharing with you all. It was amazing. I loved the kids! But it was harder. I mean there was things where of course they are totally different because of their disabilities, but not only that. Things also had to be different because even though you might have great resources, you can't react to things the way the author on the textbook did, because it won't work out the same way. The teacher always told us if a kid is being distracting to just ignore them. In my class you couldn't really just ignore them. You had to talk to them. You had to approach the situation in a different matter.

work cited:
https://www.buckingham.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/GTTG12.pdf

Coping With Anxiety

Photo: The Tab 

You've been in bed for some time now. Head spinning, thoughts rambling, it's as if worries keep coming upon you, even when you don't want them to. We've all been there, felt as if the world was on our shoulders, pushed through the day with a look of hopelessness, we've all seen anxiety. The bright side of it is that there are many ways of coping with anxiety; because even if we can't get rid of it, we can suppress it, because we all deserve to live happily.

The worse thing to do is reject the acknowledgment of anxiety, whether it be shame or sheer denial. One of the most important ways of coping with anxiety is becoming aware of our emotions, and how much we can tolerant before things go bad. When we become aware of our emotions, we become more able to react in the way that we want to, being in more control and not doing things we wouldn't normally. I'd suggest that next time while in a spurt of anxiety, to step back for a second and become aware of what you're feeling, and why. That way, any decision made is a decision thought of, not solely coming from what you're feeling at the moment.

Along with stepping back to become aware of our emotions, we should take some time for ourselves. To let ourselves rest for the upcoming day, or to let ourselves breathe after a long period of time spent active. Just listening to music or meditating is one of the many things that the ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America) suggest people do to 'take a time-out' and relax. Understand the importance of taking time for yourself. Downtime gives a moment to reflect on the things that we've done, and process all the emotions felt throughout the day.  Without it, we would be forced to bundle it up and continue our life of getting everything done for others, and not for ourselves.

Photo: Ally Psychological 

Anxiety is an uncomfortable emotion for everyone, but everyone has different ways of handling it. No matter how much we want to get rid of it, we have to meet the day to accept it. Accept that from time to time we feel anxious and a bit overwhelmed with life. Accept the flaws in ourselves and the fact that there is no such thing as 'perfect'. And lastly, accept that just like any other emotion, anxiety will pass, and we can continue the day knowing how to deal with it if it spawns again.

by Lucas W.


Works Cited:

Greene, Benjamin. "6 reasons why you need to take time for yourself." Family Share. https://familyshare.com/24843/6-reasons-why-you-need-to-take-time-for-yourself

"Tips to Manage Anxiety and Stress." Anxiety and Depression Association of America.  https://adaa.org/tips-manage-anxiety-and-stress

"5 Top Tips for coping with anxiety." Priory Group. http://www.priorygroup.com/blog/mental-health/5-top-tips-for-coping-with-anxiety

Safety in School

Adversity: We have all sadly dealt with it in some sort of way. Merriam-Webster defines it as an "instance of serious or continued difficulty or misfortune". It can range from the loss of a close friend, loss of a pet, relationship breakup, or to bullying. Bullying is when someone is targeted and made fun of either verbally or over media (known as cyberbullying). This is an important issue in schools across the globe, along with preventing sexual assault.

Bullying can have infinite responses from the bully to the bullied. Sometimes the bully can realize what he/she is doing and apologize, but there are other occasions when they do not. There can be silence, counterattacks, or spurts of irresistibility along with resilience coming from the victim. If you're a bystander, friend of the bully/victim, or a teacher/staff member, you have to intervene. The last thing a person wants to feel in this sort of situation is loneliness or abandonment.

Credit to: Social Scholar

There is also a high rate of self-harming and suicide in those who are being attacked. One of my friends in high school attempted suicide because of him being picked on constantly and it tore my heart apart because no one should ever have to through that. I was also bullied and it absolutely took a toll on my studies. If you are a teacher, you need to literally have eyes on the back of your head to make sure that your students are safe. Some of these people come to school as a way to get away from a bad home environment, and sometimes being at school does not make it any safer. A school should be a place where all people can feel welcome, safe, and confident. Kids who are bullied are 2-9 times more likely to hurt themselves or commit suicide. Suicide is already the third-highest category for teenage deaths, and even just stopping a bully can make those numbers change.

Stop bullying now.

If you are being bullied and ever feel at this point, you are not alone. There are people who can relate to you and help you. The number for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255.

- Joe

Sources:
"Bullying and Suicide." Bullying Statistics: Anti-Bullying Help, Facts, and More. Bullying Statistics, http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/bullying-and-suicide, accessed 30 September 2017.

https://nobullying.com/

Overcoming Obstacles

We all set goals in life, our ambitions and dreams influence us to make hard decisions that we usually would never do for anything else. We start the work to make our dreams come true, to become reality, and then we meet a roadblock.

Photo: Psychologies

Personal obstacles relate to our psychology and behavior. When a lack of passion or desire ensures it is difficult to keep habits and work intact. We begin to doubt ourselves and spawn weakening and limiting beliefs preventing ourselves from reaching our goals. The thoughts we allow prevent us from making the right decisions that could lead us closer to the goals we want. Taking control of our thoughts makes it easier to effectively make decisions, but first we must know what obstacles can get in the way. Procrastination is a huge roadblock and it may be one of the hardest to get by because it also relies on discipline. A fear of change and failure restricts our thinking and places ourselves away from our dreams, and being a perfectionist will only slow us down rather than speed us up. There are many more personal obstacles but these seem to be the most arising.

When our goal meets unexpected situations, we are in an environmental roadblock. They are usually conditions that we have little control over as it is apart of life itself. Because they are unexpected, we're usually not prepared for the situation and we don't know how to deal with them accurately. The least we can do though is plan for them before they happen, and understand that sooner or later they are going to happen. These roadblocks are usually the ones that shape how we view our goal and what difficulties come between you and it. Not acting quickly and thinking about the situation that you're placed in is an easy way to make sure that your decision is close to being the right one. Acting without thought may lead to making a small stumble, a fall, making it harder to move.

And the last one being social roadblocks, involving those around you and those that know of you. Not always, but some people are out to sabotage you and your goals, to become a leech and take away from you and your work. Some people are unable to do the things you want them to do and as a repercussion, it becomes a setback. The importance is to remember that everyone is human and makes mistakes. To ensure that needs are met, give clear-cut instructions and details on how to do things, and hope that they will be down correctly. Also, build a bond with those around you, it is important to view them as a person, and not another worker. They have dreams and aspirations too, they are in the same situation.

Photo: IQ Doodle 

Knowing that we will reach a roadblock on the way to our goals and dreams is a big part of keeping our feet on the path. Everyone is possible to reach a goal of theirs, but overcoming obstacles that are in the way is not for everyone. Some people learn and adapt to it, some people quit. The difference between those two people is that one is ultimately closer to their goals than the other. If knowing is half the battle, the one who becomes who they want to be in life has learned the most on the road to success, they are the ones who overcame obstacles.

by Lucas W.


Works Cited:

Hall, Karen. "Overcoming Obstacles." Psychology Today. 12 May 2016 https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/pieces-mind/201605/overcoming-obstacles

Sicinski, Adam. "The Ultimate Guide on How to Overcome Obstacles and Setbacks." IQ Matrix. http://blog.iqmatrix.com/overcome-obstacles