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Looking for my Place… Belonging

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NSW students will be particularly well acquainted with the concept of Belonging (English: Area of Study). You will have studied the ideas and emotions in depth; pouring over prescribed texts and wading through supplementary options. So, by now you probably have a detailed understanding of how the texts you have studied communicate both individual and group desires to establish a connection to people, place and culture. You will appreciate that there are times when we ‘choose’ to belong and other times when we do not and sometimes, we are not even given the opportunity to belong. You will recognize the barriers, challenges and obstacles that need to be overcome before a sense of belonging can be established. You will have contemplated the importance of self-awareness, or identity. And hopefully, you have also reflected on your own experiences of belonging and considered how the texts you encountered this year influenced your perspectives.

Discussions with my classes have led me to the belief that a ‘connection to place’  is fundamental to feeling, ‘I belong’. Connection to place occurs when we feel accepted, valued and comfortable within a particular space. With this sense of being ‘at ease’ comes the understanding that, even though challenges will arise, ‘I’ have the foundation (mindset and skills) to achieve what ‘I’ set out to accomplish. Let me clarify; when I speak of place, I am referring to both the physical location of our ‘room’ or ‘home’ (or even ‘State’ and ‘Country’) and the more significant ‘inner’ place. The inner place, as I see it, is that ‘space’ within ourself that is known only to us. Metaphorically speaking, it is the ‘multi-roomed home’ ‘inside’ us. When we can locate that ‘place’, and recognize the rooms and their functions, we are less likely to seek external means to ‘fill’ a perceived inner ‘emptiness’.

 How do we find a ‘connection place’? Partially the answer lies in our ‘connection to people’. Those we feel connected to may offer the extra support and ‘fuel’ we require to keep moving when it seems as though the path ahead is dark. Equally, at the times when our path is ‘well lit’, our connections to people provide us with much appreciated companionship and laughter. Of course, connections to people also present the opportunity to be mentored, trained and encouraged, so that we may develop new skills and perceptions.

 However connection to people may not be enough. Perhaps we also need a ‘connection to culture’ since this bond offers a sense of being a part of something that has existed for a long time. As a result, a connection to culture provides the opportunity to refine and measure our internal guidance system. The existence of an established behavior or belief pattern may become reassuring since it offers a ‘well worn’ or established path for us to follow. While it is true that ‘culture’ may be restricting, once we are secure in our ‘place’ and with our ‘people’, culture offers reassuring familiarity and support. Of course, I should add, as Robert Frost suggested, sometimes taking “the road less travelled” has much to recommend it. Nevertheless, even if standing in a “yellow wood”, being secure within our ‘connections to culture’ allows us to consciously choose the ‘less worn path’, rather than embarking on a fear fueled attempt to escape or rebel.

 The film, Looking For Alibrandi offers an ‘easy to digest’ illustration of what I have just written. My favorite quotes are,

 “I wonder what it would have been like growing up an Andretti, who never was an Alibrandi and should have been a Sanford and may never be a Coote.”

and

“What’s important is who I feel I am… I’m Michael and Christina’s daughter and I’m Katia’s granddaughter and we’re not cursed, we’re blessed.”

 So, if you are looking for a bit of ‘down time’ which may also help you clarify your understanding of the concept of belonging; watch the movie. Even if you do not have a migrant background, following Josie and her friends as they experience the trials and triumphs of their  HSC year, may just bring a smile to your face (perhaps even a tear).

I guess I should warn you, the film does contain mild sex scenes and a suicide so please watch from a critical mindset to understanding ‘Belonging’. I am sure you will find many aspects you can relate to. 

image from SBS.com.au

How Do I Write a Good Personal Reflection

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How do ‘I write a good personal reflection?’  Many students are riding intellectual waves, devoting hours of mental and emotional energy to examination preparation so, today’s post is a practical one inspired by a question from my year 12 students.

How do I write a good personal reflection?

First it is useful to clarify, ‘what is a personal reflection?’ As is the case with most reflective writing, a Personal Reflection is a response to a particular stimulus. Often, it is written by an individual to explore personal experiences, feelings and events. A personal reflection is an opportunity to reconsider events, thoughts and feelings from a fresh perspective. Many blog posts are written in this style. However you may also be required to write a Personal Reflection within an academic context.

In the English classroom, personal reflections are usually a response to what you’re studying. For example, you may be required to offer a personal reflection during examinations. In these cases, examiners want to gauge how successfully you can interact with a text (previously seen and unseen). You need to show that you can evaluate ideas and draw a comparison between those ideas, and your own. At other times you may be required to reflect upon your own learning in order to identify then evaluate, which approaches have been helpful or unhelpful. You may also be asked to consider your own role in the learning process.

The key to writing a successful personal reflection is to remember that it is a personal response made by you. Therefore, your responses are usually different from someone else’s. Your response will be influenced by:

1) Your opinions, beliefs and experiences

2) Similarities or contrasts to your own life (i.e. experiences you can identify with)

3) How real or believable a subject / text is

4) Your emotional state at a given moment

5) Sympathy or empathy with characters

 

Even though you have been asked to provide a personal response you will still need to justify your opinion. This means you need to give reasons why you developed your ideas.You can support your response through:

1) Examples from the text

2) referring to specific events within a text

3) referring to specific quotes within a text

 

Remember when writing a personal reflection, you are offering your opinions. However you are also demonstrating that you have thought about the issue carefully and, from multiple perspectives. So you need to show the development of your thoughts. For example;

“I used to believe …, however, after considering the effect of … my perception has shifted …. Once seemed obvious that … yet now it is more tempting to ask …. Perhaps …. is an assumption which relies too heavily on … Therefore it may be more accurate to suggest…”

Did you notice that reflective writing requires personal language?  Hopefully you also realised that, as much as possible, it is important to minimise the use of the word ‘I’. Instead, use connotation (the emotion or ‘vibe’ of a word) and modality (degree of meaning) to offer your opinions.

Remember a personal review is a critical piece of writing so it is important to write evaluatively.  This involves asking questions and proposing reasoned solutions.

Finally, in many ways a writing a personal reflection is similar to writing a Critical Review. In fact, the planning and writing stages required to produce a successful personal reflection will incorporate many of the steps required for a successful critical review (I have listed these steps below).  Perhaps the main difference between a personal reflection and a critical review is, when writing a personal reflection you focus on how you  interacted with the text and how you  changed as a result. Whereas a critical review focuses on evaluating the usefulness of the text (or a process) in general (or academic) terms.

 

Stages for Writing a Critical Review

1. Identify the audience, purpose

2. Identify the social, historical and/or cultural context

3. Identify the main or ‘controlling’ idea.

4. Identify the main ideas in each paragraph. Jot down notes and record your response  to them.

5. Identify key definitions and question, ‘do I agree?’.

6. Analyse the structure or organisation of the text. Is it clear?

7. Evaluate the controlling and supporting arguments;

i) are they based on assumption, opinion, belief or fact?

ii) how many alternative ways could the argument be considered?

8. Evaluate the evidence;

i) does the author rely on generalisations?

ii) how reliable is the evidence (research, statistics, hearsay)?

iii) is the research current, thorough and properly referenced?

iv) does the evidence relate directly to the main points or controlling idea?

v) have important ideas or facts been ignored?

9. Evaluate the language, is the writing;

i) objective or subjective

ii) personal or impersonal

iii) emotive or rational

iv) concise or convoluted

10.  Final (overall) evaluation

i) Does the composer achieve their purpose?

ii) When, where and by whom could the text be used?

iii) What recommendations could be made to improve the text?

Meditation: A Breath Away From Balance

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How often do you think you have ‘the answer’ only to find you’ve changed your mind?

We’re encouraged to identify who we are; we are told to set goals and decide what we want from life. However, this is challenging, especially when everything seems to be in a state of flux. Yet, if we can find balance we can recover a sense of stability and achieve harmony. I realise this is beginning to sound a lot like Mr Miyagi or Mr Han (depending on which version of Karate Kid you’ve seen) but what I find interesting is that this movie was re-made within the space of 26 years. Perhaps it highlights, or rather reinforces the message that young people (and not so young people) are struggling to find a path of peaceful co-existence.

Meditation may be described as a practice of focused breathing that helps you find a sense of balance. It has the potential to increase your capacity to concentrate, retain more of what you learn and access your inner creativity. Meditation offers you an opportunity to develop a focused, relaxed state. Over time, you are likely to notice yourself becoming aware of how your thoughts and emotions effect your beliefs and actions.

This is what mediation helps you do – it helps you connect to your ‘inside self’. This is why meditation is useful. It is particularly helpful when you feel as though you’ve been cast adrift. As you become more aware of yourself and your surroundings, you’re likely to feel calmer, more in control and more confident in your ability to respond to what lies ahead.

This state is often described as being ‘in the flow’.

Friendship; A Powerful Learning Tool

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Catching up with friends is an energy boost for the head and heart. Our friends have the capacity to inspire, motivate and soothe because infused within the bonds of friendship is the recognition of shared experiences and complimentary beliefs. Since friends are the people we trust, we can relax in their company and enjoy the moment. It is within this mindful state that confidence, creativity and innovation flourish. Recently I was lucky enough to reconnect with an old school friend who I had not seen or spoken to for over 10 years. Over coffee we shared recent pasts, reminisced over shared histories and contemplated the future. We investigated ideas and examined social assumptions. In other words we chatted for hours, entertaining our hearts and invigorating our minds. The challenge for schools is to recognise and harness this form of energy.

Imagine learning the skills that will lay a foundational mindset which will enable you to accomplish whatever it is that you set out to accomplish. Too often when we are at school we forget that this potent energy force may be channelled equally into social and academic endeavours. The simplest and most tangible example which comes to mind is the ‘study group’. When conceived within a similar mindset to that of the corporate world’s ‘mastermind group’, the study group becomes a powerful vehicle for blending and creating critical thought processes.

Too often schools are viewed as institutions responsible for the dissemination of knowledge. Teachers teach, students learn and knowledge is restricted to what can be ‘remembered’ and regurgitated in a test. However, in reality schools should be the hub where young people gather the tools they need for their future. Today, content information is easily accessed by those who have the skills required to find it. More importantly, understanding or ‘knowledge’, is available to those who have developed the skills of critical analysis and critical thinking. Thus, it is not ‘knowledge’ which is the key, but ‘aptitude’. What must be remembered is that this is not a ‘new’ feature of 21st century living. Rather, it is a principle that has existed for a very, very long time.

This was made blaringly apparent to me when, stimulated after chatting with a friend, I reflected on my own school days. I realised that some classmates who did not ‘succeed’ in school, did succeed in life. Conversely, some who achieved at school have not achieved the same pre-eminence in the ‘real world’. Of course, some who were successful at school have achieved in life and some who struggled, have continued to struggle. The obvious message here is that ‘success’ or ‘failure’ at a school, in particularly the ability to perform in school examinations, does not provide a direct correlation to an individual’s ability to ‘perform’ in life. Rather, what does have an impact is ‘mindset’. Attributes such as creativity, flexibility and courage, when combined with qualities such as determination, persistence and critical thinking, merge to promote constructive thinking programmes. In other words those who have a proactive mindset are more likely to achieve what they set out to achieve than those who simply wait for opportunities to come to them.

Schools have the opportunity to help students develop these opportunistic thought processes because schools are places where friends gather, information is shared and ideas are generated. You may like to envisage a scholastic ‘coffee club’ or ‘study mastermind union’. In this case you will find yourself recognising that moments shared with friends are powerful moments and if you were to harness this energy imagine what you could achieve.

School Holidays

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Looking out over the gentle ripples of shifting shades and peaceful reflections I question, has a whole week really passed? Reality responds yes… it passed in a magical blink.

While to some, school holidays may seem like a too frequent luxury (or evidence that students and teachers ‘have it easy’) to those blessed with EI, they are an essential opportunity. Those with ‘Emotional Intelligence’ realise that creativity, flexibility and insight thrive in environments that are ‘alive’ with the energy of possibility. Conversely, they know that exhaustion perpetuates anxiety and stifles imagination. In short, individuals processing EI recognise emotions and their effect on the physical and mental body; they understand that holidays offer the opportunity to reflect and recharge. When regular breaks in routine are viewed as respite and an occasion to renew emotional resources, holidays become an essential component of the school year. In this case, school holidays become the motivational source for the following term.

So… rest, relax, be aware of the moments and enjoy your holidays.

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