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LETS START: Number Ten

10. Dealing with unfair criticism

One of the articles that we read outlined the steps to take when dealing with unfair criticism. Unfair criticism means that the criticism given may be out of line, unnecessary, untrue, or given out of anger. It is important to remember how to deal with this criticism so that you do not add fuel to the fire. You must remain calm, have the point repeated, open up both perspectives, and then respond. The most important lesson I learned was that you must open up both perspectives and respond after.

This idea made my top ten list because we all are given unfair criticism in some points in our lives. For most people, it is hard to not get angry about this criticism and it can lead to an even bigger conflict. Sometimes the criticism that we receive may be from someone who is having a bad day and we need to take a step back and realize this. This piece of knowledge opened up my eyes because the root of a lot of conflict is criticism that we take offence to. I thought that the steps provided in order to handle this situation were very honest and effective.

Personally, I kept this lesson in the back of my head throughout the rest of the semester because I am often quick to get offended if someone unfairly criticizes my school work. I learned from this lesson that it is okay to not agree with what someone says, but tale a second and look it from their point of view because they might have a point. As I go into university, I will most likely have a lot of professors who criticize my work and maybe don't agree with my point of view. Now that I understand how to deal with this situation, I can get the most from my academic experience and remain calm in these situations.

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NUMBER 9

9. Classroom Responsibilities

During our group building activities chart assignment, Lena introduced a very good idea that I have learned from. She introduced the idea of a chore/responsibility chart. This would involve assigning jobs such as handing out papers, weeping, stacking chairs and other small tasks that different students would be assigned to each week. One of the principles we learned about is that students like to feel that they are responsible for something and this follows along with that perfectly.

I chose this on my top ten list because I think that is it such an easy and simple task that can be done in a  variety of settings. I learned through my peer tutor class that students feel good about themselves when they think that they have a role or that they are valued. By giving them a task to do, you are showing them that they are significant to the functionality of the classroom.

In the future I hope to become a high school teacher. I think that this would be a very helpful tool to use in a classroom especially when the students are unfamiliar with each other. This chore chart will allow the students to not only contribute to creating a friendly environment to work in, but they will also get to know one another. Looking back to when I was a kid, certain teachers used this chore chart tool and it made me feel important and that I had a relationship with my teacher. It is most important when working with students to make them feel valued and safe.

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if you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you are right

Henry Ford

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NUMBER 8

8. I learned that I have a growth mindset.

A growth mindset is the ability to understand that you can develop your knowledge, skills, or capabilities through hard work. A person with a growth mindset would see an obstacle and instead of saying: “I cant do this”, they would try to find a way around it. A growth mindset is often not everyones first reaction to have but when you do, it creates qualities that are essential for success.

I put this on my top ten list because when I found out from the quiz that I had a mostly growth mindset, i was kind of surprised. I have always been that kid who parents told to “not be so hard on yourself”. I guess through my time in high school and as a leader, I have come away from that harsh attitude that I used to have and I am now able to praise myself, encourage myself, and improve upon my skills by motivating myself to do so.

As I move forward into university, I will not be able to handle everything that comes at me and I may not always find everything to be easy. Even when things get really hard and I'm struggling to find a way out, I need to use my growth mindset to ensure myself that through hard work and perseverance comes an even better person. I need to be my own biggest motivator and use the knowledge that I have learned to handle the next 6 years with a growth mindset.

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NUBER 7

7. “when people feel psychologically safe in a group, their participation levels will increase”

We read an article that outlined different principles that encourage group work. In this article, it stated that one principle is that people participate more when they feel psychologically safe. This means that students who feel like their are well known and that their ideas are valued, they will be more likely to share. This means that the leader knows the student by name, provides positive feed back, and avoids sarcasm or ridicule. All of these come together to create a healthy environment for group discussion.

I put this idea on my top ten list because it is a very important thing to remember. When a leader is comfortable in a position, they may assume that everyone else is just as comfortable. They might also try to “break the ice”  through humour that just comes across as rude. The most important thing to remember is that group members want to feel values and that your initial positive feedback to them can go a long way.

I can use this information in the future because I am a very sarcastic person. I don't even always realize that I am doing it. When I first walk into a room of new people I can make sure to be supportive and provide a welcoming environment. Surely, if I am feeling nervous, then so are they. During my peer tutor class I found that when you encourages students, they wanted to share their ideas in order to receive more encouragement

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SWOT - NUMBER SIX

6. I learned from my SWOT analysis that in order to effectively set goals for yourself, you must outline your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

The SWOT analysis is a goal setting tool that helps to analyze different aspects that may get in the way or help you achieve your goal. By doing a SWOT analysis, you identify any weaknesses or threats that you should be prepared for but also analyze your strengths and opportunities in order to help you. This analysis can be used for any goal or idea and is effective because it solidifies your goal and makes it real.

This SWOT analysis made my top ten list because I had honestly never heard of it before. I think that it is such a valuable tool that any age can use in order to prepare themselves on how to follow through with a goal. Goal setting is not always easy and requires a lot of in-depth thinking, planning and analyzing. It opened my eyes to the idea that even the hardest goal to reach may still be possible. This is why I believe that the SWOT analysis is a very important piece of information I have learned this semester.

In the future, I will be able to use this analysis whenever I am stuck with how to reach or a goal or when I think that something is just too unattainable. I can be pretty hard on myself sometimes and this technique will allow me to pull myself out of a tough spot and see that my goal can be met. This is also an important tool to teach to other group members and encourage them to strive to goal set and plan.

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NUMBER FIVE

5. Active Listening

One thing that has actually suck with my was the assignment where we had to watch the Everybody Loves Raymond video clips and identify poor and good active listening techniques. I learned that certain things such as speaking softly and sympathizing with others can help to ease the mood and resolve conflict. In the scene, the daughter just wanted to be understood and have her issue acknowledged instead of being disciplined.

I think that this lesson deserves to be on my top ten because often in conflict situations our first reaction is to defend ourselves. When someone has done something or wrong or upset us, we jump blaming them and trying to make them accountable for their actions. This lesson taught me that the best outcome is not always the most obvious one. Sometimes there is more to the story and the reason that someone i acting out may have nothing to do with us at all. Sometimes they just want to be heard and feel like someone cares.

As an assertive communicator, I am very quick to defend myself in situations. I am able to speak respectfully but sometimes I get so caught up in the moment that I forget what the big picture is. I have now learned how to acknowledge this weakness and try to understand the feelings of others before jumping to conclusions.This will help me to lead future group members

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Leadership and learning are indispensable to eachother

John F. Kennedy

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NUMBER FOUR

4. I learned that I am an assertive communicator.

There are four different types of communication styles such as passive, passive aggressive, assertive, and aggressive. I found out that I am an assertive communicator. This means that I  am confident in my communication but also am able to feel connected to others. This communication style usually expresses feelings clearly and respectfully while having a relaxed tone or body posture. By doing these things, they create a respectful environment for others to grow in and are able to encourage others to speak with confidence.

This is on my top ten list because I think that a part of being a good leader is identifying my communication methods. In order to ensure that I am communicating to the best of my abilities, I must be aware of who I am. This piece of information opened my eyes because I felt that it was very true to who I was and that it was a good communication style for me to be. It helped me to realize that I really can be confident in my communication abilities.

This piece of information helps me to identify my strengths but also reminds me of weaknesses that I can work on. When speaking to a group of people, I am able to notice what I am doing effectively and then realize when I do not need to be an assertive communicator. Sometimes when speaking one-on-one, I do not always need to be a confident and put together communicator. Sometimes it is okay to modify my communication styles based on the situation.

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NUMBER 3.....

3. “IQ accounts for only 10-25% of success”

In our emotional intelligence discussion, Charlotte pointed out the fact that our IQ actually only accounts for a small fraction of our actual success. Emotional intelligence is that which makes up the rest of the percentage. Your emotional intelligence involves your ability to perceive, control, evaluate, and express emotions of others and yourself. Your emotional intelligence puts you in an advantage in terms of management and leadership positions because you are able to easily communicate and relate to others. One’s IQ can only do so much if one doesn't know how to apply it.

This made my top ten list because I realized in my placement class that most students are unaware of this. To a grade 9 in high school, the most important indicator of their success is their IQ level. Their test scores are what they allow to define ow successful they will be in the future. This piece of information helped me to understand that your IQ is only a part of your capabilities. You can take the emotional intelligence that you have and use it to build upon your IQ. This fact really opened my eyes in my placement class because it helped me to rationalize the insecurities of the students in my class and use this information to help them feel empowered.

Even as a graduating grade 12 leader, I still get down on myself by saying i’m just not smart enough” and believing that my poor math grade defines my future success. Although, I learned through this lesson that I am so much more than just a test score. I am able to perceive how others feel and express myself in order to be an effective and successful leader. Now that I know this information, I am easily able to build the self-esteem of others by teaching them about emotional intelligence.

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NUMBER TWO

2. “70% of our communication is through our body language”.

The way in which we communicate determined how people perceive us and includes a variety of factors. Most surprisingly, 70% of our communication is not through our words. We pick up on others facial expressions, closeness, posture, hand movements, eye movements, body contact, and appearance and perceive this in a way that is more powerful than the person’s actual verbal communication.

As a leader, we are constantly communication and we use our words as a powerful tool in order to influence others. This piece of knowledge made my top ten list because I feel that people often forget how powerful their body language is. When you walk into a room, the first thing someone will pick up on is how you communicate through your body. Being a good leader is partly about giving off a good impression and setting the tone for the environment which can be done through body language. It is hard for leaders to motivate students when they are slouching or crossing their arms. This is a piece of knowledge that everyone should use.

I now often catch myself using ineffective body language in a group setting. Now that I am aware of how this influenced my team and my message, I can pull myself away from this habit and use my body manage a a tool for positive communication. In the future, I will be able to use this knowledge during presentations and even placements in teachers college.

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FINALLY: Number One!!

1. I learned different ways of leading a team such as supervisor, network facilitator, helpful participant, and external coach.

There are different ways in which people can choose to lead and sometimes the best leader is a combination of many leadership types. A supervisor is used to act as the “head” of the team. This individual leads a fairly inexperienced team in order to help them acquire more knowledge early on. A network facilitator serves as a network hub for a certain team where members font know each other too well. A participant acts mostly as a participant and is useful when members have a high level of experience and they use their more relaxed role to empower others. Lastly, an external coach serves as an external support for a team and monitors them so that they can meet their goals and vision on their own terms.

This concept is important to me because it really changed how I adapt my leadership methods to different groups. Each of these styles works for different types of teams and so learning this was very valuable to my success as a leader. I had never thought of this concept before and it never occurred to me to be more of a participant than a leader.

This lesson has helped me to change my leadership style to accommodate different teams. This lesson opened my eyes to how diverse a team may be. It is not always straight forward in terms of leading a group, sometimes it requires more critical thinking and changing leadership styles in order to be effective.