Blog Post #4: Interview or Written Reflection Questions
My best reading experience? Interesting question! I haven't given this much thought, despite the fact that I'm reading so much every day. Correspondence with friends and families, social media, text books, novels, things my students are working on, magazines, online news and analysis sites, and online product reviews are just a few things that I read regularly, but I know there are more.
It's not imperative that I have a silent and undisturbed place to read, but I tend to lean in that direction. For me, the most important part of a good reading experience is what I am reading. Am I engaged, and have I learned something? Have I gotten some other value out of what I read? Of course, the term "Value" registers on many different levels. Have I been entertained? Did I read something that was thought-provoking, or something that I found aesthetically pleasing? Occasionally I may read something and find myself being amazed that a human could write something so remarkable. I read a lot, and I am curious about a lot of things.
It is also helpful to answer this question by describing the converse, or what can be called a poor reading experience. Again, the idea of what I'm reading is most important. If I'm reading something that is intentionally false or misleading, or something that preys on our weaknesses or ignorance I can be dismayed and even angered. I also have to remind myself that other opinions and world-views exist, and that it is important that I suspend my own judgement and hear what others have to say. But I am human, and can't deny my own emotions when I ready something that I don't like.
My best writing experiences? Easy to answer! I keep a travel journal and like to record my (our) travel experiences with my family. Lots of adventures have been documented, both good and bad. And often the bad experiences end up being the most interesting ones. And I like to hand write in cursive with a pencil, despite the fact that it's slower than typing, and that text can't be searched or linked with pictures. I've often pondered this question, especially after earning my livelihood in the software business for the last 30 years.
And what about my immediate physical environment when I read? I'm not too particular, but if I forget my glasses and the typeface is too small I can get annoyed. I don't really like music playing, either. I do like to read when my son is close by, and, of course, I make him read, too. I think I learned in another class that it's called modeling...
How long does a reading or writing session need to be for me to become really involved or productive? It may take 10 or 15 minutes to get me started, or perhaps longer if I'm tired. And, I often find myself standing up or pacing around after some 20 or 30 minutes of intense reading or writing. I call it a "pondering what I just read (or wrote) time." My upper limit in terms of time is about two or three hours, after that I have to call it quits for a while.
Lastly, I haven't set myself up in our classroom to have the best possible reading and or writing time or experience. I don't have any problems reading or writing while we're in class, but I'm most interested and focused on what others have to say.
It's not imperative that I have a silent and undisturbed place to read, but I tend to lean in that direction. For me, the most important part of a good reading experience is what I am reading. Am I engaged, and have I learned something? Have I gotten some other value out of what I read? Of course, the term "Value" registers on many different levels. Have I been entertained? Did I read something that was thought-provoking, or something that I found aesthetically pleasing? Occasionally I may read something and find myself being amazed that a human could write something so remarkable. I read a lot, and I am curious about a lot of things.
It is also helpful to answer this question by describing the converse, or what can be called a poor reading experience. Again, the idea of what I'm reading is most important. If I'm reading something that is intentionally false or misleading, or something that preys on our weaknesses or ignorance I can be dismayed and even angered. I also have to remind myself that other opinions and world-views exist, and that it is important that I suspend my own judgement and hear what others have to say. But I am human, and can't deny my own emotions when I ready something that I don't like.
My best writing experiences? Easy to answer! I keep a travel journal and like to record my (our) travel experiences with my family. Lots of adventures have been documented, both good and bad. And often the bad experiences end up being the most interesting ones. And I like to hand write in cursive with a pencil, despite the fact that it's slower than typing, and that text can't be searched or linked with pictures. I've often pondered this question, especially after earning my livelihood in the software business for the last 30 years.
And what about my immediate physical environment when I read? I'm not too particular, but if I forget my glasses and the typeface is too small I can get annoyed. I don't really like music playing, either. I do like to read when my son is close by, and, of course, I make him read, too. I think I learned in another class that it's called modeling...
How long does a reading or writing session need to be for me to become really involved or productive? It may take 10 or 15 minutes to get me started, or perhaps longer if I'm tired. And, I often find myself standing up or pacing around after some 20 or 30 minutes of intense reading or writing. I call it a "pondering what I just read (or wrote) time." My upper limit in terms of time is about two or three hours, after that I have to call it quits for a while.
Lastly, I haven't set myself up in our classroom to have the best possible reading and or writing time or experience. I don't have any problems reading or writing while we're in class, but I'm most interested and focused on what others have to say.
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