Learning Challenges: It's all in the H.E.A.R.T.

This is another topic I have never heard before, but it caught my attention immediately. Health/Happiness, Empathy, Attention, Reading, Time - Every single one of these topics are things that make up being human. I find it difficult to choose only one of these topics because they are all vital in my life and important. 

Heart of Vegatables

(Source: Flickr)

H. Health/Happiness

Every time I see my dad he always says, "Smile! It's a good day. Life is too short to be unhappy." This is something I agree with wholeheartedly. Life really is short! The older I get, the shorter my days seem to become. My hours become fleeting moments that pass without any acknowledge from me. We only get one life to live on Earth. If we live our lives happy and excited about opportunities and adventures, then we have less regrets. Health is also a major component in our lives. We have this one body and it's up to us to nurture it and take care of it. I think that's why it's important for daily exercise and to be mindful of the things we eat. This is the area I have recently been working on. It's too easy for me to say that I can just workout tomorrow, or the next day. I've made it my goal to not quit on myself or my body. Even if I only get 30 minutes on the treadmill, that's 30 more minutes than I had. I have even started watching the foods I consume by doing meal preps at home. By doing this I can cut my cooking time down, allowing me the time to do something else. 

E. Empathy

I like to think empathy is something every person has. Empathy is also another important topic in life. There is nothing better than being able to help someone achieve goals or strive towards something they want. To be a part of another person's happiness is a special thing. People deal with their emotions differently. I think it's good for us to understand the place where people's emotions come and to be sympathetic and aware of their needs. 

A. Attention

As you mentioned, there are so many things to distract us. We are obsessed with technology, constantly trying to squeeze too many activities in each day, and in a way, somewhat removed from focusing on ourselves. A lot of times I find myself spread so thin that I can't enjoy the moment because I'm already thinking ahead to my next project or next activity. This is definitely a problem for me. 

R. Reading

Reading, is perhaps, my favorite thing to do in my spare time. I love reading thick books because I love the feeling when I finally finish it. There is so much knowledge out there for us to gain and I want to learn as much of it as I can. The great thing about reading is that we can teach ourselves things and learn about history, or science, or about what's happening in the world.

T. Time Management
I think time management and attention sort of go hand in hand. I know that when I paying so much attention to one area of my life, I lose out on other important things. Without time management, I would never make it class, or take care of homework and turn it in on time. I think I could always improve my time management. 

The Discovery of Growth Mindset

The concept of growth mindset and professor Carol Dweck are completely new to me. Watching the videos was the first time I have heard about it. I found the idea of it really interesting, especially now with the new generation. In some cases, it seems like many people now are given things without having to work for it. They are missing out on what it means to strive for the things you want.

Quote from Carol Dweck's Memes

(Source: Blogspot)

"What's the problem with easy?"

 My parents have always made sure to push me and made me challenge myself and my abilities. They say that "nothing worth wanting comes easy." If you aren't willing to fight for something or working for something, then you aren't learning anything or striving to be better at something. I think it's important for us to always strengthen and grow our minds. It keeps our minds alert and healthy. Since I was raised this way, I think I am the same way in my school work. My first attempt at something may not be the best. I rely on criticism and more information to make my work better. So I think in a way I use the idea of 'not yet." Although when I played sports in high school, I think I was the complete opposite. I wanted to be perfect (which I was not the greatest by far). I settled often for mediocracy in sports.

In my major, broadcast journalism, the idea of "not yet" is used a lot, although we are unfamiliar with that concept. We are constantly changing and revising stories, trying to make them better. We never settle for okay. Even when our stories hit the air, we are never fully satisfied with our work. This pushes us to work harder on the next piece of work.

I am definitely curious about growth mindset and would love to learn more about it, including how to use it in my daily life.  I truly want to excel in my final broadcast class this semester, and I think the growth mindset idea could really help.

My Storybook Favorites

The first Storybook that caught my eye was The Legend of Odysseus. As I have stated before, I read the story of Odysseus in high school and continue to enjoy learning about the many adventures he had on his journey. The introduction is placed in the the future which I thought added a nice touch to the actually time the events took place in stories of Odysseus. During Odysseus' journey, he encountered many obstacles and I liked how this Storybook chose to dissect only a few of them. It made for a very entertaining part of the whole. I also really enjoyed the characters that were chosen to discuss the legend of Odysseus. The physical part of the Storybook was very simple which allowed the reader to focus on the story.

Odysseus blinding the Cyclops

(Source: Wikipedia)

The second Storybook I noticed was Which is the Real Cinderella? I have probably watched or read every show, book, or movie that is based on the storyline of Cinderella. I thought the introduction was a very cute way to start the project. All of the animals were convinced they had the correct story of Cinderella. She then gave four different versions of Cinderella and each of them contained a different picture. I haven't heard any of the stories so this was really neat for me to read. 

I chose Hotel California next because I really like the song from The Eagles. The writer caught my attention from the labels at the top. The second label had a great entrance to begin the Storybook. I loved the storyline immediately. The layout was colorful and easy to read from. It was so easy to navigate through the site which made me like it even more. The pictures added a lot to the story. The characters had many speaking parts which I thought helped the story immensely. 

Overview: UnTextbook Choices

To begin my journey in this class, for week 2 I have chosen Homer's Iliad. I had a wonderful high school teacher who was very enthusiastic in her teachings of Homer's Odyssey. I have not read the Illiad yet, and really look forward to it. I hope to follow up in my third week and read Homer's Odyssey. The Odyssey was a favorite of mine in school.

Greek Manuscript of the Iliad (lines 245-253)

(Soure: Wikipedia)

The next unit I am looking forward to reading is Alice's Looking-Glass. I know very little about Alice In Wonderland and even less about Alice's Looking-Glass. I mainly have my childhood thoughts of what I remember from Alice In Wonderland. I've heard of many of the characters and would really like to know more about them. 

Another unit I found fun was Grimm (Crane). There is a show on ABC called 'Once Upon A Time' that puts a twist on many of the Disney stories we know about. I have a slight obsession with Disney characters and stories, plus I love reading and learning about different versions and styles of classic stories. 

Like I mentioned earlier, I love Disney stories and animation. The next unit I want to read is Arabian Nights. If you have watched Aladdin, then you only have a short glimpse into the story. I can't wait to learn more about the lamp and the storyline. 

Introduction to the life of Ashley Nicole Wheeler

My name is Ashley Wheeler and I am graduating in May!!!  I graduated with 28 students from a small country school. I am originally from Altus, Oklahoma and moved to Norman after I completed two years at a community college in Altus. I have three brothers, two sisters-in-law, and two nieces. I am crazy about my nieces and I have tons of pictures of them on my phone!

My major is broadcast journalism. I switched my major to journalism after my first semester at OU. I was a pre-pharmacy student but realized I needed a major where I could be more expressive. My favorite part about this major is that I am able to meet new people. Every interview I conduct, I am able to converse with someone I've never met. My biggest accomplishment last semester was putting a package together for OU Nightly about the penny sales tax that President Boren proposed for Oklahoma. It was the first time I really liked one of my projects. 

I am a full-time student and I work part time for a company that sells tickets to concerts, Thunder games, etc. The cool part about working for this company is the sometimes-free tickets to games! I am involved in pageants and have competed in Miss Oklahoma several times. This year will be my last year to compete. 

My absolute favorite artist is Adele. She wrote every single song on her album. I love her form of writing and how she uses her life experiences in her music. She is the type of artist I strive to be. I think her new album is incredible!! My favorite song at the moment is called ‘All I Ask.’ I think she is even more incredible live. The song is posted below for your enjoyment!

Adele singing

(Source: Wikipedia)

I’ve been singing since I was 6-years-old and I have been playing the guitar for the last 5 years. So in my spare time, I love singing, playing my guitar or curled up on the couch reading a good book. I have read the Harry Potter series all the way through at least four times... and it never gets old!

My favorite place.... Quartz Mountain

I grew up in Southwest Oklahoma in a small town called Altus. My three brothers and I were in love with water sports and spending time at the lake together. The closest lake to us was Lake Lugert. The lake is surrounded by a beautiful scenic area called Quartz Mountain. There was nothing I liked more than being able to enjoy this beautiful area that was practically out my backdoor. I think I am pretty partial to the area but I love the scenery and the amazing sunsets.

Quartz Mountain sunset 

by Mike Sanchez Source: Wikipedia

 

Wikipedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Quartz_Peak_Sunset.JPG