7 and a Half Habits
1.Begin with the end in mind!!!
2.Accept responsibility for my own learning
3.View problems as challenges
4.Have confidence in myself as a competent effective learner.
5.Create my own learning toolbox.
6.Use technology to my advantage
7.Teach / mentor others
7 1/2 PLAY.
The Hardest
The hardest of the 71/2 habits for me is the fourth one. Having confidence in myself as a competent effective learner. For many reasons i hated school. Through my whole high school years it was very rough. In fact I can say it was so abusive that I detested just getting up to get on the bus. I was not liked by most of the other students, in fact i had very few friends. I was so different that i did not fit in anywhere. I did not drink or smoke or wear the clothes so, i either got ignored or picked on, & like most picked on i had lunches taken, projects wrecked & clothes hidden or taken in gym. the one that most stands out is when some offered to sign my yearbook and they burned holes in it instead. Another reason was i spent so much time in pain, nauseous, tired and unable to concentrate, which was happening at home as well as school.I finally quit school at 16 and just floundered in my unhappy life. Finally when I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 97, that explained most of my symptoms my whole life. Then in 2002 i was diagnosed with ADHD & bipolar, which explained why I could not concentrate... or achieve success in school. And again I had another diagnosis to add to my list I was diagnosed with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder.) which with all the other symptoms influence my life everyday. However before I was diagnosed with any of these, I in 1991, finally went back to school at 29 with 3 young girls under 7 and got my diploma. And still today I still come to the adult learning centre to just learn new things or upgrade in what I already know. I do however have friends here and fit in more.
The Easiest
The easiest of the habits for me is number 6 using technology to my advantage. I just love technology. Computers, laptops, cell phones, blackberries (not that I can afford that one, or the laptop) I would not exist without my satellite dish or Internet, or my diskman ipod and mp3 player. I can remember when I was 16 and had my first Walkman I thought that was amazing in itself. I have seen our world come so far in the technology trade, I wonder and wish i could be alive for what the future holds for my children and grandchildren. My daughters know much more on computers and ipods & mp3 players that I have to ask for help. But on my own I love to learn new things especially on the computer. If I see something on tv or hear about it in general I go and google it and learn more about it. I wish I could afford some of the other toys. I would be in heaven.
