Today I finished my last summer class and it's also my last class of my program. It's bittersweet. I enjoyed attending so many of my classes these two years. It's refreshing to be with other classmates discussing many education issues and events. I also learned so much from them too. Now I will share a few reflections from the Second Language Methodology throughout this term:
Q: Why are we learning about historical language methodologies? How could your knowledge and understanding of these methods impact your teaching?
Learning about historical language methodologies are helpful because we need to know what worked or didn't worked. Reflecting over old methods provide us with people's original thoughts on how best to teach language. Each method has some value in promoting language learning. From our brainstorming on how to use each method in our teaching practice, I know I am able to use these methods in my practice. For example, I see myself in using community language(CLT) teaching since language requires interaction between people. With the CLT method, it provides my students a place to practice language. Language can be acquire when it is actively used.
Q:Choose one current methodology that you would like incorporate in your practice more regularly. Why did you choose that methodology? How can your students' language development benefit from that approach?
I chose community language learning (CLL) because this approach gives students the time to practice their language use orally. Of course I would incorporate content-based instruction to support students in learning academic English since many ELL students would not get much practice outside of school. Both approaches would benefit the students because they would be using academic language while gaining content knowledge. The more students have the chance to practice, the easier for them to acquire the academic English that is needed to succeed in school. When they gain the academic English proficiency, they would be able to communicate successfully in their professional careers and actually gain good financial situations.
Q:What were the highlights of your observations in the K and 4/5 classrooms on Monday? (On Monday, we had a field trip at a summer school serving ELL students.) What methodologies were the teachers using? What did you learn?
Kinder Classroom Highlights
*The teacher have a good management skills to get students to stay on-task for learning.
*Very interactive language learning with many opportunities with pair-share between students
*Lesson is clear and easy to follow
*Lesson delivery appropriate to students' age/cognitive level
*The teacher seemed to be using traditional teacher-directed mini lessons and community learning methods.
*I learned that being a language teacher to kindergarten students requires strong management skills, simple mini lessons, plenty of interaction for students to practice between themselves, clear communication and excitement of language learning.
4th Grade Classroom Hightlights:
*Students get to practice their persuasive writing skills.
*The teacher would monitor students as they work independantly.
*Majority of the students seemed to be engaged with their writing prompt.
*The teacher used the teacher-directed and silent writing methods.
*I learned that some students lost focus when they worked given a choice of how best brainstorm their ideas before writing the persuasive piece. It's important for students to think-pair-share for brainstorming ideas and reviewing over previous lessons or vocabulary. After the silent writing, students should get to have a few minutes to pair-share so peers can assist with checking if they hit the writing objective for the day. The next day lesson the students can do a compare and contract of what they did well or didn't do well. Since the teacher has seen each individual work and assess them, she can figure out where the students can improve on while sharing the positives.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Celebrating my Graduation and my Next Steps
Wow, it has been a very busy month. Last week I spent three days celebrating my in-pending graduation. Last Thursday (June 13), it was my hooding ceremony. It was a night for my colleagues and I to celebrate our masters (either in teaching or education). Here is a quick history on hooding. It was a more of an intimate setting. My second celebration was the Baccalaureate Mass where I got to participate by co-sharing the prayer. I had two dear friends named Lyla and Dorothy who were able to make it. It's a blessing to have good friends be there to celebrate one's achievement. I couldn't have done it alone without my support system and my God.
Finally, last Saturday (June 15) it was the commencement ceremony at the Oregon Convention Center. I was there early to get prepared with the other graduates. We were divided up by undergrads and grads as well as departments. Though, Master of Education shared a room with a few other graduate programs. We were blessed to have Bill, our dean of students in our room. He prepared us on what we all need to do. Around 10 am, all of us lined up and was ready to go into the Portland Ballroom. When we entered the ballroom, some of us had some paparazzi (really our family and friends) taking a lot of photos. The student speakers were all inspirational. Check one of them out here; there are other student speakers to view on the MU Youtube channel. Anyway,the Master of Education graduates were the last to cross the stage. I was the first one of us to cross. Somehow I ended up starting us. I was unofficially voted for that spot. In addition, I was standing closes to the card passer in our preparation room earlier. We had bagpipers to close the show. The faculty and the new graduates followed the bagpipers out of the ballroom. It was a bit chaotic. People trying to find their love ones and it was so crowded out in the hall. Many of us had cell phones to call or text family and friends. Actually two of my young cousins saw me and I followed them back to where my family was waiting.
My Next Steps
*First, I have one more term to go to officially graduate. What's neat is that I could celebrate my graduation earlier. Many people who still have summer term to go would do the current year's commencement. Who wants to wait a whole year? Basically I have one more class and my portfolio to put together. I also have to present my portfolio; it's more like a highlight of it and share what my next steps are.
*After completing my graduate work, I plan to spend a year of reflection and prayer. I really need time to debrief and figure out what I want to do next. I know my Master of Education (for alternative educators with no teaching license) degree is quite flexible. For example, I heard one former graduate who like working in the health field. This person use the degree to teach health lessons to patients or something like that. I believe this year of reflection and prayer, I will find what my passion is and apply for jobs that fit the bill.
Tonight, I attended an Alumni Success Panel at MU campus. It's an event hosted by the Career Services. There were five MU graduates who shared with the university community on how their MU degree and education has helped them in their current careers or applying/attending to other graduate programs at other universities. The topics covered was job hunting, networking, and the skills needed to land a job that fits you. I found it interesting. One of the panelist works in the education field. His name is Greg L. who graduated from MU with a BA in Communications back in 2011; he recently graduated from PSU's Master of Educational Leadership program. He has worked in the David Douglas S.D. for many years. Currently he is in the administration area. Previously he worked as an educational assistant and attendance department at David Douglas H.S. After the panel discussion, I was able to speak with him. I need to keep him in mind as one of my network contacts. After tonight, I realized I need to start a Linkin account. That is my goal in 2014. I want time to figure some things out before I start something new.
Finally, last Saturday (June 15) it was the commencement ceremony at the Oregon Convention Center. I was there early to get prepared with the other graduates. We were divided up by undergrads and grads as well as departments. Though, Master of Education shared a room with a few other graduate programs. We were blessed to have Bill, our dean of students in our room. He prepared us on what we all need to do. Around 10 am, all of us lined up and was ready to go into the Portland Ballroom. When we entered the ballroom, some of us had some paparazzi (really our family and friends) taking a lot of photos. The student speakers were all inspirational. Check one of them out here; there are other student speakers to view on the MU Youtube channel. Anyway,the Master of Education graduates were the last to cross the stage. I was the first one of us to cross. Somehow I ended up starting us. I was unofficially voted for that spot. In addition, I was standing closes to the card passer in our preparation room earlier. We had bagpipers to close the show. The faculty and the new graduates followed the bagpipers out of the ballroom. It was a bit chaotic. People trying to find their love ones and it was so crowded out in the hall. Many of us had cell phones to call or text family and friends. Actually two of my young cousins saw me and I followed them back to where my family was waiting.
My Next Steps
*First, I have one more term to go to officially graduate. What's neat is that I could celebrate my graduation earlier. Many people who still have summer term to go would do the current year's commencement. Who wants to wait a whole year? Basically I have one more class and my portfolio to put together. I also have to present my portfolio; it's more like a highlight of it and share what my next steps are.
*After completing my graduate work, I plan to spend a year of reflection and prayer. I really need time to debrief and figure out what I want to do next. I know my Master of Education (for alternative educators with no teaching license) degree is quite flexible. For example, I heard one former graduate who like working in the health field. This person use the degree to teach health lessons to patients or something like that. I believe this year of reflection and prayer, I will find what my passion is and apply for jobs that fit the bill.
Tonight, I attended an Alumni Success Panel at MU campus. It's an event hosted by the Career Services. There were five MU graduates who shared with the university community on how their MU degree and education has helped them in their current careers or applying/attending to other graduate programs at other universities. The topics covered was job hunting, networking, and the skills needed to land a job that fits you. I found it interesting. One of the panelist works in the education field. His name is Greg L. who graduated from MU with a BA in Communications back in 2011; he recently graduated from PSU's Master of Educational Leadership program. He has worked in the David Douglas S.D. for many years. Currently he is in the administration area. Previously he worked as an educational assistant and attendance department at David Douglas H.S. After the panel discussion, I was able to speak with him. I need to keep him in mind as one of my network contacts. After tonight, I realized I need to start a Linkin account. That is my goal in 2014. I want time to figure some things out before I start something new.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
How is my service learning?
For my service learning experience, I have spent fifteen hours so far assisting a first grade newcomer at a local school. I haven't worked with a newcomer who had no previous English language skills before. It was a challenge. I'm learning on the go. I like to think I am the solid and positive person in this young girl's life. I know it's a short time but I hope I leave a good impression. I like to think I'm getting the swing of things.
The newcomer has grown so much. She has been in school for six weeks now. She can produce a few words that is her own. Since she is pre-production language acquisition stage, she is learning receptive language and parrot language back. Since she's a very bright girl, I feel she could actually participate in very simple conversations by June.
I have made mistakes along the way. But I do learn from them. Mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow. Anyways, I go there on Thursday mornings. I have fifteen more hours to go to complete my volunteer requirements for my service learning class.
I will share with you what happened two days ago. During double dose of reading, the newcomer read to me. Sometimes she would test me and be the teacher. I would read the word and she usually repeats after me. In the middle of practice reading time, she worked on counting coins and the names of them. I kept saying the names of the coins and she repeated after me. After that quick math practice, I asked her if she wants to go back to reading. She said, "Yes" excitedly. She read aloud the next story. It was exciting that I was able to actually work with her. It's a victory! I feel that I was able to celebrate with this young student in her accomplishments that morning.
The newcomer has grown so much. She has been in school for six weeks now. She can produce a few words that is her own. Since she is pre-production language acquisition stage, she is learning receptive language and parrot language back. Since she's a very bright girl, I feel she could actually participate in very simple conversations by June.
I have made mistakes along the way. But I do learn from them. Mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow. Anyways, I go there on Thursday mornings. I have fifteen more hours to go to complete my volunteer requirements for my service learning class.
I will share with you what happened two days ago. During double dose of reading, the newcomer read to me. Sometimes she would test me and be the teacher. I would read the word and she usually repeats after me. In the middle of practice reading time, she worked on counting coins and the names of them. I kept saying the names of the coins and she repeated after me. After that quick math practice, I asked her if she wants to go back to reading. She said, "Yes" excitedly. She read aloud the next story. It was exciting that I was able to actually work with her. It's a victory! I feel that I was able to celebrate with this young student in her accomplishments that morning.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Taking a long-term approach is okay
Last week, my online class was discussing social change as a long-term approach. Here is what I said:One thing comes to mind on what walls I hit was when my dream of becoming a classroom teacher. I thought I can serve the public children by being an elementary school teacher. Things weren't coming together and twice I was diverted from that dream. Now I realized I have grown from how this dream isn't meant to be. I feel I have gotten closer in my relationship with God during these personal and professional struggles. I am learning how to be more self-compassionate. I still do see myself as a teacher and an educator; however, it would be different from what I thought for years. Right now I'm in discovery mode in where I will go professionally. Isn't it exciting? Now I can relate to older teenagers who are trying to figure out what they want to do after high school and which career path to start out on.
Yes, I believe that the local school (I'm doing my service learning experience) would need a long-term approach to really made positive social change for their students. Though each year, I feel that the administrators, teachers and staff should focus on one area to improve on. It can be overwhelming to make too many changes in a short time and they don't usually last. Over time I feel with that approach, all students will be educated based on Best Practices standards. Of course, they should start with what their strengths are and add with skills needed to better educate the students. I learned that researchers have proven better modes of teaching and learning so it's up to the educators to keep up with that. These educators need to figure out which strategies would work best with the students. (Just an add on: I believe classroom teachers can be action researchers. They can test out strategies to see what works best for their students and share the results within their school community. When teachers share their best strategies to each other, I feel students benefit the best.
As for me, this lecture reminds me that it's okay to take a long-term approach. Sometimes the stress of our society about making changes in a short time creates an anxiety in me. Since working with children all these years, my patience has grown so much. I come from a culture (Chinese) who are hard workers and sometimes we don't mind how long it takes. Sometimes there will be sacrifices in our own part to make our dreams happen. Though I am learning that self-care can't be sacrifice if one wants to live a well life and still be a social changer and a positive influence within one's community. Since starting at MU, I realized that I'm a social changer and I'm learning the tools here to prepare me professionally and personally. Anyways, I don't mind the journey and I'm learning that good changes do take time.
Yes, I believe that the local school (I'm doing my service learning experience) would need a long-term approach to really made positive social change for their students. Though each year, I feel that the administrators, teachers and staff should focus on one area to improve on. It can be overwhelming to make too many changes in a short time and they don't usually last. Over time I feel with that approach, all students will be educated based on Best Practices standards. Of course, they should start with what their strengths are and add with skills needed to better educate the students. I learned that researchers have proven better modes of teaching and learning so it's up to the educators to keep up with that. These educators need to figure out which strategies would work best with the students. (Just an add on: I believe classroom teachers can be action researchers. They can test out strategies to see what works best for their students and share the results within their school community. When teachers share their best strategies to each other, I feel students benefit the best.
As for me, this lecture reminds me that it's okay to take a long-term approach. Sometimes the stress of our society about making changes in a short time creates an anxiety in me. Since working with children all these years, my patience has grown so much. I come from a culture (Chinese) who are hard workers and sometimes we don't mind how long it takes. Sometimes there will be sacrifices in our own part to make our dreams happen. Though I am learning that self-care can't be sacrifice if one wants to live a well life and still be a social changer and a positive influence within one's community. Since starting at MU, I realized that I'm a social changer and I'm learning the tools here to prepare me professionally and personally. Anyways, I don't mind the journey and I'm learning that good changes do take time.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Compassion is connected to the heart
This is how I define compassion and how I see it:
Compassion to me is how it is connected to the heart. Susan mentioned on one of my forums that I was noticing how I see compassion as "heart work." When I am connected to someone, I can care about that person deeply. Since I do wear my heart on my sleeve and my other interpersonal strengths, I use them to help others. I enjoy helping someone when s/he accomplish something with my encouragement (sometimes people do need encouragement to get them to achieve something) or comfort them if they are sad or in pain or if they need a good friend by their side for the moment.
These last several years, I think I have developed an attitude of "How can I help you?" When I see someone in need, I feel like how can I help that person. Sometimes I am also a conduit to connect this person to someone else who can help better. Each one of us have our own gifts and talents to assist others. I learned that I can't help everyone in my path since that's impossible.
Since I have my faith, I pray to God and I do believe he would send the right person to help that person in need. Sometimes I am someone else's prayer request. For example, once I felt this urging to assist a Napoli family as they were getting ready to move to Kentucky to be closer to relatives. I join the team at my church who was helping them. I even spent my Thanksgiving Day, about a few hours, to spend time with the mother and daughter. (The sons/brothers was out with friends. By the way, their father/husband past away almost a year before they moved away. The team I mentioned was with this family that whole year with free babysitting and other assistance.) I use my strengths to help in any way possible. Since I didn't share the same language of the mother, I have observed her responses. She was grateful that I was there for emotional support as well as spiritual support. She gave me lots of smiles. The daughter who was six years old was hanging onto me. I didn't feel anything right away. During the time I was there, I was so focus on the family's needs. Later when I was able to process the exchanges, I did feel good that I could help others. From this experience, I like to help others. In this class, I learned that I'm a "heart work" type of person.
Sometimes I do get down. When I receive compassionate acts from people around me who noticed that I need encouragement, I feel good that someone did listen and show me that they care about me. I think the other person feels good that s/he can help me out too. I'm just thankful to my inner circle of friends. I have received hugs from other females that really cheered me up that they can empathize with me when I'm stressed or upset or frustrated.
It's funny, sometimes I just do kind acts without even thinking. One day last month, a co-worker thanked me for being so nice. I just responded to one of her complaints to make something easier for her. In my mind, what's the fuss, I'm happy to help you. To tell you the truth, I don't dwell about compassionate acts or even think about them. I just respond after I figure out what the other person's needs. If we are all about to do this constantly, our world would be a bit easier and kinder place to live in.
Compassion to me is how it is connected to the heart. Susan mentioned on one of my forums that I was noticing how I see compassion as "heart work." When I am connected to someone, I can care about that person deeply. Since I do wear my heart on my sleeve and my other interpersonal strengths, I use them to help others. I enjoy helping someone when s/he accomplish something with my encouragement (sometimes people do need encouragement to get them to achieve something) or comfort them if they are sad or in pain or if they need a good friend by their side for the moment.
These last several years, I think I have developed an attitude of "How can I help you?" When I see someone in need, I feel like how can I help that person. Sometimes I am also a conduit to connect this person to someone else who can help better. Each one of us have our own gifts and talents to assist others. I learned that I can't help everyone in my path since that's impossible.
Since I have my faith, I pray to God and I do believe he would send the right person to help that person in need. Sometimes I am someone else's prayer request. For example, once I felt this urging to assist a Napoli family as they were getting ready to move to Kentucky to be closer to relatives. I join the team at my church who was helping them. I even spent my Thanksgiving Day, about a few hours, to spend time with the mother and daughter. (The sons/brothers was out with friends. By the way, their father/husband past away almost a year before they moved away. The team I mentioned was with this family that whole year with free babysitting and other assistance.) I use my strengths to help in any way possible. Since I didn't share the same language of the mother, I have observed her responses. She was grateful that I was there for emotional support as well as spiritual support. She gave me lots of smiles. The daughter who was six years old was hanging onto me. I didn't feel anything right away. During the time I was there, I was so focus on the family's needs. Later when I was able to process the exchanges, I did feel good that I could help others. From this experience, I like to help others. In this class, I learned that I'm a "heart work" type of person.
Sometimes I do get down. When I receive compassionate acts from people around me who noticed that I need encouragement, I feel good that someone did listen and show me that they care about me. I think the other person feels good that s/he can help me out too. I'm just thankful to my inner circle of friends. I have received hugs from other females that really cheered me up that they can empathize with me when I'm stressed or upset or frustrated.
It's funny, sometimes I just do kind acts without even thinking. One day last month, a co-worker thanked me for being so nice. I just responded to one of her complaints to make something easier for her. In my mind, what's the fuss, I'm happy to help you. To tell you the truth, I don't dwell about compassionate acts or even think about them. I just respond after I figure out what the other person's needs. If we are all about to do this constantly, our world would be a bit easier and kinder place to live in.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Service Learning, Benefits & my own service learning project
What is service learning?
This short info clip has been created at a different university than the one I go to.
My Thoughts about the benefits of Service-Learning
(I wrote this on April 11th.) After reading Susan's speech and the condensed notes of it, I realized how many of the benefits resound with me. I know I'm a compassionate person since I was young; I had adults in my life who shaped me with their encouragement and guidance to make sure my compassionate self grows bigger and better. I had opportunities over the years for me to practice my compassion and my loving side keeps getting stronger and hopefully better at responding to help with other people's needs. Since I have developed and strengthen my spiritual faith, when I give myself to God, he also gives me the strength and wisdom to continue to use my compassion into my work and into my life.
I like the concept of community-based learning/service learning because this benefit the local community, the student and the university's relationship with the student and it's relationship with the local community. If everyone at Marylhurst signed up for this course once in their academic time here, students start to share with each other what they learned and experienced, this would a wonderful way to bond with each other. When we are all excited to give back, we continue to showcase our compassion. We are doing this not just to fullfill any requirements, but we service so others can benefit.
This quote resounds with me the strongest:
• Research has shown that those who give emotional support reap health benefits, and people involved in helping others through community activities live longer. When we feel compassionate or loving our heart rhythms actually shift, transmitting signals that sooth our bodies.
It's so natural for me to give emotional support. I understand how hard life can be so when I support someone emotionally, this person can manage life better. I'm a good listener too. For example, I support my students' emotional state and sometimes their parents too at my after school care program job. I coached and taught different emotional intelligence skills such as how to manage one's anger to be able to speak to someone and how to watch out one's tone of voice to better communicate calmly one's needs and wants. As for the parents, sometimes I have to comfort the single parents of some of my charges since they show up feeling stressed and other emotions. I show my support of them as adults and how hard it's to be a single parent. I empathize with their children since I also was raised by a single mother growing up. By supporting these parents' emotional needs, it makes it easier for them to transition to meet their children happily and not let their work or whatever life's stresses interfere with their relationships with their kids.
I still have a lot to learn myself. I know I have a high emotional intelligence but I also have a couple areas within it that I need to work on. Currently I am participating in heavy self-care regimen such as prayers and listening to positive music so I can better meet my own needs. I learned over the years that it's okay to self-care; if I don't do that, I won't have much to give back.
My Service Learning Project
I am doing my service learning at a local school in SE Portland. I am working with a first grade newcomer who recently immigrated from Vietnam with her family just a few weeks ago. I have never worked with a newcomer first grade student with no previous English skills. (The newcomers I helped with English acquisition was with my own relatives who has immigrated here over the years. Though they had some English language skills before coming to America.)This is going to be a good challenge to help me professionally. I have worked with English Language Learners (ELLs) who are elementary aged students previously but they were at a higher English language acquisition level. By the way, I have only been there twice; I'll be going there again tomorrow morning.
My questions about my service learning project are: How can my services benefit the school community specifically? How is my presence going to impact the newcomer?(I'm hoping it would be for the better. Since I don't speak Vietnamese, I have only my smiles and non-verbal communication to help me connect with the student. I am working to gain her trust so we can really work together in her English language acquisition.) Will I inspire and encourage teachers to find better strategies to teach newcomer students? Learn along with me as I post what I'm learning throughout this term.
This short info clip has been created at a different university than the one I go to.
My Thoughts about the benefits of Service-Learning
(I wrote this on April 11th.) After reading Susan's speech and the condensed notes of it, I realized how many of the benefits resound with me. I know I'm a compassionate person since I was young; I had adults in my life who shaped me with their encouragement and guidance to make sure my compassionate self grows bigger and better. I had opportunities over the years for me to practice my compassion and my loving side keeps getting stronger and hopefully better at responding to help with other people's needs. Since I have developed and strengthen my spiritual faith, when I give myself to God, he also gives me the strength and wisdom to continue to use my compassion into my work and into my life.
I like the concept of community-based learning/service learning because this benefit the local community, the student and the university's relationship with the student and it's relationship with the local community. If everyone at Marylhurst signed up for this course once in their academic time here, students start to share with each other what they learned and experienced, this would a wonderful way to bond with each other. When we are all excited to give back, we continue to showcase our compassion. We are doing this not just to fullfill any requirements, but we service so others can benefit.
This quote resounds with me the strongest:
• Research has shown that those who give emotional support reap health benefits, and people involved in helping others through community activities live longer. When we feel compassionate or loving our heart rhythms actually shift, transmitting signals that sooth our bodies.
It's so natural for me to give emotional support. I understand how hard life can be so when I support someone emotionally, this person can manage life better. I'm a good listener too. For example, I support my students' emotional state and sometimes their parents too at my after school care program job. I coached and taught different emotional intelligence skills such as how to manage one's anger to be able to speak to someone and how to watch out one's tone of voice to better communicate calmly one's needs and wants. As for the parents, sometimes I have to comfort the single parents of some of my charges since they show up feeling stressed and other emotions. I show my support of them as adults and how hard it's to be a single parent. I empathize with their children since I also was raised by a single mother growing up. By supporting these parents' emotional needs, it makes it easier for them to transition to meet their children happily and not let their work or whatever life's stresses interfere with their relationships with their kids.
I still have a lot to learn myself. I know I have a high emotional intelligence but I also have a couple areas within it that I need to work on. Currently I am participating in heavy self-care regimen such as prayers and listening to positive music so I can better meet my own needs. I learned over the years that it's okay to self-care; if I don't do that, I won't have much to give back.
My Service Learning Project
I am doing my service learning at a local school in SE Portland. I am working with a first grade newcomer who recently immigrated from Vietnam with her family just a few weeks ago. I have never worked with a newcomer first grade student with no previous English skills. (The newcomers I helped with English acquisition was with my own relatives who has immigrated here over the years. Though they had some English language skills before coming to America.)This is going to be a good challenge to help me professionally. I have worked with English Language Learners (ELLs) who are elementary aged students previously but they were at a higher English language acquisition level. By the way, I have only been there twice; I'll be going there again tomorrow morning.
My questions about my service learning project are: How can my services benefit the school community specifically? How is my presence going to impact the newcomer?(I'm hoping it would be for the better. Since I don't speak Vietnamese, I have only my smiles and non-verbal communication to help me connect with the student. I am working to gain her trust so we can really work together in her English language acquisition.) Will I inspire and encourage teachers to find better strategies to teach newcomer students? Learn along with me as I post what I'm learning throughout this term.
Summary of what Compassion is
I just want to share what my classmates and I collectively came up about compassion for the Compassion in Action:Service Learning Seminar course. Our instructor summarize our thoughts:
As we look into compassion on several levels and enter into our work in the work in our communities, the topic of self-compassion is bound to come up. We want to help "be the change" and we want to see progress in both ourselves and the causes/social change work in which we have engaged—now!I like how my instructor Susan provide some wise words alongside our comments and learning. When she said about changing negative words to more positive words, she is reinforcing what I'm learning from my Action Research instructor Janice on word choice. If we use negative words, it won't help us to move and grow in a healthy way. If we change our perspective and use more positive words, we can actually change for the better.
For most of us, self-compassion is one of the most difficult practices and is a continual process or journey. This has been expressed in a variety of ways in many of [on Moodle postings]—and is reinforced through spiritual teachings and thousands of self-help books. I paraphrase and quote here from our site (anonymously): It is easier to care for others than for myself. I feel guilty if I care for myself. Self-care is really difficult for me, I have never been good at it. I feel exasperation with an inability to change bad habits.
I feel moved to share something that has helped me in my own personal practice of compassion for self. Whenever I find myself thinking about a fault or weakness I "see" in me, or feel impatient with myself, I deliberately shift these terms (fault or weakness) in my head to a "vulnerability" or "opportunity for growth." It has been my experience that this softens the "self talk" and helps me to have deeper or renewed compassion--for self and others. (Of course, sometimes the use of fault or weakness is actually accurate -- but I always stop to think about it instead of just automatically blaming or beating up on myself.)
Likewise, when I interact with difficult people, people who project and lash out, or continually complain, I try to turn my ideas around these situations, too. A complaint is a "longing unfulfilled," and when people are unpleasant I allow the benefit of the doubt—perhaps they are spiritually bereft, are ill, feeling downtrodden, just suffered a personal loss (such as the loss of a loved one), and so forth. So in this way, I also try to anticipate and "hold" others' vulnerabilities, too. This is not an easy practice, and like many of you also spoke about in your posts, we are not always successful. (Back around to self-compassion.)
We can’t go outward with great compassion—or even write about it for that matter—unless compassion resides deeply and lovingly right where we nest, whatever our nest looks like (single, married, partnered, children/no children, still living with parents, etc).
Of course, I am not suggesting that none of us be involved/become involved in outside causes with which we resonate and through which we wish to help create positive social change! We need to continue with the "outer work." But we cannot forget the "inner work"--which begins with us personally and ripples outwards to our intimate others, our extended families, and then into our communities and the world.
This is not easy, and it takes continual practice and vigilance. And it is some of the most rewarding and necessary work toward world peace.
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