Hello once again. For this weeks class I thought Rachel and Amy did a great job with the exercise and getting everyone invovled as well. I really enjoyed the activity because it made me think about my strengths and weaknesses as well as making me think about how I can better myself by capitalizing on those strengths and trying to improve those weaknesses. It also allowed me to become more self-aware as I listened to other's strengths and weaknesses. One of my weaknesses that made me think a lot about was the value of gratitude. I do take some things for granted, but that is not why I chose this as a weakness. I chose gratitude as one of my weaknesses because I feel I sometimes have trouble expressing gratitude towards the people who have changed my life for the better and while thinking more about I came up with ways to more effectively show my gratitude towards others. This class activity helped show me my strengths and weaknesses as well as allowing me to listen to others how they use their own strengths and weaknesses to get through their everyday life.
The book describes a positive role model as someone who exemplifies values and behavior that others want to imitate or follow. As we strive to become mentors and role models to students in the fall we have the power to inspire others to follow and use the attributes or attitudes that make them exceptional and unique people. As we are mentors we do not automatically become role models for students but over time we can become good role models as we earn student's respect by demonstrating the attributes that they value as well.
As I was a freshman, I began to look up to my peer mentors, Kris and Nikki, as time went by I hoped that some day I could be as successful as they have become through college. I plan to treat my students the same as they did me and I hope to gain the respect of my students as I did for Kris and Nikki. I also plan to use my strengths to my advantages and work on my weaknesses to become a better and more respectable person not just for next fall, but for the rest of my life.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Week 6 Blog
Hello everyone. The weather is great, the sun is staying out longer, and spring is on it's way. Its a good feeling, but somehow I think old man winter is done with the cold yet. I thought tonights class was a really insightful one and I really enjoyed getting to know people a lot more. Hearing everyone's stories made me think about my life and how I take a lot of things for granted and I'm glad this class really made me think about that and opened it up for me. It also made me think more about what certain people and events in my life has influenced me to become the person that I am today. Tonights class activities helped me become more self aware and I would like to thank Anthony and Beth for helping me think more about myself and also congratulate them on the great job they did leading the lesson tonight.
As peer mentors, I believe we have a huge role in helping freshmen students become self aware. Before tonight's class I didn't realize the importance of being self aware and the impacts of one's own self-awareness. In order to successfully deal with the challenges and opportunities that come with being a college student, a person must consider who they want to be and how they will end up becoming that person. If we as mentors understand how increasing our self-awareness affects our success as students, we can help other students understand the same thing. We can achieve this by helping students understand themselves well enough for them to recognize what they need to change and to take the right steps in order to improve their situations along with their chances of succeeding in college. Some questions or thoughts that can help students become self aware are one that can include their strengths and weaknesses, what motivates them and makes them happy, what they can do to improve as a person, what are their most important beliefs or values in life, and just simply what has brought them to being the person that they are today.
I think one of the bigger things that I can do to help myself become more self aware is just thinking more about life in itself and how I came to be the person that I am today. Along with that, listening to the values that people have that are different than mine as well as attending more events that make you recognize the little things in your life that you don't notice.
As peer mentors, I believe we have a huge role in helping freshmen students become self aware. Before tonight's class I didn't realize the importance of being self aware and the impacts of one's own self-awareness. In order to successfully deal with the challenges and opportunities that come with being a college student, a person must consider who they want to be and how they will end up becoming that person. If we as mentors understand how increasing our self-awareness affects our success as students, we can help other students understand the same thing. We can achieve this by helping students understand themselves well enough for them to recognize what they need to change and to take the right steps in order to improve their situations along with their chances of succeeding in college. Some questions or thoughts that can help students become self aware are one that can include their strengths and weaknesses, what motivates them and makes them happy, what they can do to improve as a person, what are their most important beliefs or values in life, and just simply what has brought them to being the person that they are today.
I think one of the bigger things that I can do to help myself become more self aware is just thinking more about life in itself and how I came to be the person that I am today. Along with that, listening to the values that people have that are different than mine as well as attending more events that make you recognize the little things in your life that you don't notice.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Week 5 Blog
Hello everyone. Hope everyone's doing alright and making it through school ok. First off I would like to give a congratulations to those who led the class tonight (Nick, Kelly, Joe and Deb). I thought they did a good job and portrayed many of the major concepts in both chapter 3 and chapter 4 that needed to be covered. I thought Kelly and Nick did a good job in portraying the five different roles if a peer mentor and also advancing more on them after the small groups talked about what they thought of each role. Joey and Deb also did a good job in getting everyone involved with their skits they created. One of the main concepts that stuck with me after tonights class towards the end, was the part about boundaries. I believe that establishing these boundaries early in the relationship between peer mentors and mentees will further prevent major problems from happening that may develop in the future.
I believe the the stages of a mentoring relationship were a huge part of this chapter. These stages of a mentoring relationship are more or less brought about by questions and these questions remind us not only if we are creating relationships, but establishing our role as peer mentors as well. These questions include: who are you, why are we here, where are we going, how are you doing, what is working and not working, and are we there yet. As time goes by and as we progress through each stage of the mentoring relationship the trust level between a peer mentor and the mentee increase. The question "Why are you?" helps you to remember to get to know your students and give them a chance to know you. The question "Why are we here?" reminds you to be upfront about your responsibilities as a mentor and the ground rules for the relationship. The question "Where are we going?" will make sure to remind you to work with your mentees and set goals and objectives. And last, but not least the question "Are we there yet?" will give you an opportunity to think about what you have accomplished together as mentors and mentees and if you have reached your goals and objectives. I believe that each of these stages are important in the mentoring relationship. If we all follow these stages we can almost ensure good relationships between us and our mentees.
I believe the the stages of a mentoring relationship were a huge part of this chapter. These stages of a mentoring relationship are more or less brought about by questions and these questions remind us not only if we are creating relationships, but establishing our role as peer mentors as well. These questions include: who are you, why are we here, where are we going, how are you doing, what is working and not working, and are we there yet. As time goes by and as we progress through each stage of the mentoring relationship the trust level between a peer mentor and the mentee increase. The question "Why are you?" helps you to remember to get to know your students and give them a chance to know you. The question "Why are we here?" reminds you to be upfront about your responsibilities as a mentor and the ground rules for the relationship. The question "Where are we going?" will make sure to remind you to work with your mentees and set goals and objectives. And last, but not least the question "Are we there yet?" will give you an opportunity to think about what you have accomplished together as mentors and mentees and if you have reached your goals and objectives. I believe that each of these stages are important in the mentoring relationship. If we all follow these stages we can almost ensure good relationships between us and our mentees.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Week 4 Blog
Hello again everyone. We are into week 4 and suprisingly enough it's snowing in February and sad enough, this week's class got cancelled. Chapter three is about defining roles and what are the mentors roles in the mentoring relationship. They give five big roles of a peer mentor which include a trusted friend, peer leader, student advocate, learning coach, and connecting link. I beleive students are more likely to respect you if they can trust you first and become friends. Without building trust and friendship it is hard to communicate effectively. As a connecting link you can open up to students the plethora of opportunites available on campus here at Iowa State. I beleive having the ability to connect with others, create freindships, and know the people around you can become a huge asset in the future. As a student advocate you want the best for your students and hope that they succeed and I believe that could be one the most important parts of this program is watching new freshman students become more independent and transtition to college. As a peer leader you are no longer just focused on your own success, but the success of your students and as you show your success they will want to do the same.210
I really enjoyed the keynote speaker this Saturday. I especially liked the list of questions he had asked us and as we all sat down is was neat to see everyone's own reactions to the questions. It made me think about all the little things that I was doing wrong in my everyday life that I could easily change if I had thought enough about it. He encouraged us to start our own list of wrong doings and I believe I'm going to do that. I thought it was cool how he was nominated for entertainer of the year compared to Chris Rock and the others that have been previous entertainers of the year.
One of the sessions that I went to was the one on interviewing. The speaker was very good and I learned a lot and was very glad that I attended. Interviewing these days is one of the key factors in obtaining the job that you want. Without good communication skills it is hard to sit down with a stranger and answer questions that you maybe are not prepared to answer. That it is where preparation is key and in the future I planned on being much more prepared for any interviews that I have lined up.
I really enjoyed the keynote speaker this Saturday. I especially liked the list of questions he had asked us and as we all sat down is was neat to see everyone's own reactions to the questions. It made me think about all the little things that I was doing wrong in my everyday life that I could easily change if I had thought enough about it. He encouraged us to start our own list of wrong doings and I believe I'm going to do that. I thought it was cool how he was nominated for entertainer of the year compared to Chris Rock and the others that have been previous entertainers of the year.
One of the sessions that I went to was the one on interviewing. The speaker was very good and I learned a lot and was very glad that I attended. Interviewing these days is one of the key factors in obtaining the job that you want. Without good communication skills it is hard to sit down with a stranger and answer questions that you maybe are not prepared to answer. That it is where preparation is key and in the future I planned on being much more prepared for any interviews that I have lined up.
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