I'm very excited to have you all enrolled in LA151 and to serve as your instructor this semester. It was great to meet you all today! I truly believe that this is the beginning of your own personal journey towards greater academic success! Through your involvement and active participation in this class, I am confident that you will walk away with at least two things:
1) A better understanding of yourself
2) Develping skills and abilities that will assist you in your academic pursuits at AAU
Blog Entry Assignments -
Any time a blog entry is assigned for homework, each of you is responsible for coming to this BLOG and posting a comment in response to the most recent blog posting (I will post each initial blog entry that you will respond to on a weekly basis). Yes, this does mean you will be able to read what your classmates also write but this is completely intentional. I firmly believe you all have a great deal to learn from one another. This learning will come not only from our classroom discussions but also from what you share in your comments and responses to the questions posted in the blog...
Blog Entry # 1 - What are your thoughts about being enrolled in this course? What are you hoping to gain from the experience of being enrolled in LA151? Name one thing that occurred last semester that likely led to academic struggles. If you could travel back in time, what might you have done differently? (Please respond to each question completely and thoughtfully).
It is expected that you will post your response to this blog posting by 12midnight on Sunday, February 5, 2012. Your response can be as long or as short as you choose...but you do need to respond fully to the questions from above!
I'll see you all on Tuesday!
Alex Pavlow's Blog Entry #1: At first my thoughts on being enrolled in this class were very reluctant. I felt It was unfair that I am to be forced to pay/take a class that has nothing to do with my major. I made me feel like I was back in high school to an extent. But then i thought about it and realized that I'm in this class and the only reason while I'm here in because of my own actions so I might as well embrace it. The reason why I'm in this class in the first place is because I have some very unfortunate events happen at the end of the semester and It threw my priority's of line. Due to that school was the last of my worries, I found myself having to travel up and down the coast to take care of others witch ended up costing me my job and then my apartment. Since break I have regained my work position got a new apt. and came to terms with the past to assure my success in this up an coming year. If I could go back in time I wouldn't change a thing I did was needed of me and I am proud of how I handled it.
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ReplyDeleteMicah Matsumoto's Blog Entry #1: at first, i was not pleased with having to drop my other class for this. i was pretty mad. i just felt like, why am i taking this class, that won't go towards my major, and because of this, i have to take my other class that i registered for later. but as i thought about it, i know that it was my fault why i am in this predicament. and that because of my actions this is the results. i am hoping to gain some stability in my school life with this class. like you said david, this class load won't be as heavy as our other classes. so i hope with the skills that we may inquire in this class, with the lighter class load. this will eventually help me create a good stability in my other three classes. one thing that led to me having to take this class would have to be a mixture of a couple of things. one, i am currently a full time worker. i work a full time job because i have to worry about saving up money for my soon to be apartment. another would have to be some family issues that i had last semester. ill leave it as that. and if i could go back in time to change anything, to be honest, i wouldn't. regarding the family issues, they had to be dealt with, they couldn't have changed. it was just something that had to happen to become a better ending. and regarding my job, i would not change my choice about getting a job because i believe that with my job, its also helping me to learn how to juggle more than one thing when its necessary. and with learning many important attributes from work and school, it just helped me to become a stronger person today.
ReplyDeleteGrace Choi's Blog Entry #1: When I first got a call from my adviser saying I have to take this class and my failed class again, it made me really want to just give up on everything. First of all, I felt so horrible for my parents because they work hard for me and I hardly did any work without appreciating that. It's not about taking this class but it's about wasting my parents' money that I feel so bad about. I definitely am motivated and for me, I never learn until I fall. This would be a great chance for me to get back up and start fresh with a clean mind state. Last semester since I was around the new environments, I was focusing more on "socializing" and I always put school as a second option but I realized my goal is more important than anything else right now so I'm really looking forward to do better and so far, I feel good about my new classes. It's embarrassing to say that that's my case when other people are mostly because of family issues, etc but that's just my issue and at least I learned from it. At the end of the day, no matter what happens, it makes me stronger and I always try to think positive. Stuff happens and you make mistakes in life but it's about who you become for those reasons I think.
ReplyDeletei got a call from a very happy counselor explaining it to me that i had academic probation,i accepted it.
ReplyDeleteI screwed up so there would obviously consequences to me failing, im actually glad there giving me a class to help me improve.
Im hoping to get aid in helping with my procrastination an time management which were my reasons to failing, i did lot of partying and socializing and less time on assignments which led to D and -C's.If i could travel back in time.......i guess i would do it all over again,the reasons why is all the socializing i did was worth it, all the networking and people I've met in all the gallery exhibitions,parties and school events can become very helpful in the future, But for better grades wise i should have put more time to homework as well, but oh well cant change the past got to learn from my mistakes and press on.
Devin Dubovsky's Blog Entry #1: To be honest I'm not to excited to be enrolled in this class. Mainly because I have a hard time comitting to things I consider being wastes of time. However I screwed up and am here now so I plan to give this class all Ive got. Last semester I attempted to handle full time school part time work and maintain 3 friendships, add that to family and I was just overwhelmed. I ended up with type 2 insomnia and after being up for 3 days crashed on the 4th and didn't finish one of my finals. Anyways like I said I'm here now and and trying to remain hopeful I can pick up on some useful tips. Oh almost forgot, if I could go back in time I would have either quit my job or . . . get some heavy duty sleeping pills from my doctor.
ReplyDeleteDaniel Giglio's Blog Entry #1:
ReplyDeleteOverall I'm not too excited about being in this class. Mainly because I have to pay for two extra classes of tuition (this class, and then for the class I didn't pass to retake it). I feel that on the whole, I don't stand to gain too much from being in this class. The only thing I feel that will be helpful coming from this class will be time management skills, as mine have always been bad
It was pretty simple. I took one of my classes last semester online, which turned out to be a horrible idea, as the class was about ten times harder online then in a classroom I found out later, and I would always put it off because I felt my on campus classes were more important.
Simple, instead of taking a class online, I would have taken it on campus, where I would have passed it easily.
Unfortunately, I was placed in this class by default. I became extremely ill last semester and was hospitalized for six days. I was unable to return to my classes and as a result I had to forfeit two of my grades. I am still in the process of changing my incomplete grades and resolving these other issues. I am in no way thrilled about being in this class because I don't believe that I deserve to be in it. As I stated in class, I attended UC Berkeley and participated in their athletic program and still managed to get on the honor roll. I know what it takes to succeed as a student I don't need anyone to hold my hand and this class in a lot of way is redundant. My frustration is not intended to disrespect my instructor by any means, I know that my assignment to this course had nothing to do with him, but I am a very open and honest person about my feelings. One of the questions states, what would you like to gain from this experience, and my response is I hope to gain better eating habits so that I can finish the school year without becoming ill again. Lastly, if I could travel back in time I would have known that I would not be able to complete last semester and would probably not have enrolled in my classes.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't too thrilled to hear that I HAD to take this class, but then again I can't really be upset since I got myself on academic probation in the first place. It's just the idea of having to pay the school just to beat myself over the head really sucks. But again, my fault. The problem was I didn't manage my time wisely. I would get sidetracked with things and pushed other assignments further towards the deadline until I finally crammed them all at the last minute. If I could travel back in time I would have taken my work a little more seriously and taken advantage of my free time. I guess time management and organization would be a good lesson to get out of this class.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually feeling pretty confident and good about this class. I screwed up really hard last semester, anatomy class to be specific, so it'd be dumb of me not to assume there would be some kind of consequence. I had the class at the same time as perspective, and it was really stressing me out, but i suppose if i really would've worked my ass off, i could've passed everything. thing is, i got a job, got even more stuff to do, so i figured F*** it and i really dropped the ball. I tried to score a C- and I was hoping i would pass but it wasn't the case. I tried to recover at the end, but it was kinda a waste. I think this is a good class, and the idea behind it is something that could help us all, and it being as easy as it is (let's face it. this class looks like it's going to be a breeze. an important breeze granted but still a breeze).I do however wish the school would put a little more into it, cause I mean cmon! we're in a freaking basement but what can you do :/ Way I figure it, it could be worse. I'm not mad about having to take this class but I am really pissed about having to retake the class I failed. If I could go back I think what I would change is just try to procrastinate less since i do believe that's ultimately what killed me in addition to missing alot of class but i feel like that's cause i had a wacky sleep schedule, which as opposed to just manning up and going up and going to the classes would've been better remedied by registering earlier and getting the class times I want. I'm confident things will go different this semester though ^_^
ReplyDeleteAt first I was disappointed that I was forced to enroll in this class, mainly because the reason for my academic probation is because I dropped a class and was told that it would not be held against my GPA. After I accepted that I couldn't wiggle my way out of this situation and looked into what the class is about, I actually grew a little bit excited. Even though I balance work, school, personal studies and occasional freelance work, it is always helpful to gain new skills on how to balance time and schedules more efficiently. I am hoping that this class helps me do just that, along with giving me the necessary tools to be the best student I can. To put it simply, last semester I was a bit too much of a procrastinator. I had big ideas but lacked the discipline to plan them out, so naturally my work showed it. If I could travel back in time, I would plan my projects out more efficiently so I could put the time into them that I would need to make a product/project that reflected what my imagination truly sees; something I can be proud of and satisfied with. Creative work has helped me gain some semblance of a proficiency in the art of planning, nevertheless I'm excited to see what this class has to offer me. I am definitely looking forward to this semester.
ReplyDeleteI personally don't think I should be in this class. I am currently fightinng my grade in a class that put me here to begin with, but by the time the issue of my grade can be solved it will be too far in the semester to switch. so here I am paying for and taking this class. So since I'm here I hope to gain skills in time management, which would not only help me in school but also with my job. I have a job that I really care about. I put in lots of time and effort which could possibly be the reason I struggled last semester. I need to manage my time better. If I traveled back in time I would have spent more time on school work. simple as that. Even though I spent a lot of time at work I don't think reducing those hours would have neccesarily helped me, but if I dedicated less time watching tv, or going out I could spend that time on school.
ReplyDeleteI was feeling quite nervous about it at first but then I thought this is exactly what I need to better myself. I mean, its strategies for success. I could learn a few things from this course that could benefit me a lot in the future. What I am hoping to gain from LA 151 is better time managing skills and motivation. I get distracted a lot, and forget to prioritize and I have a hard time saying no to people when they ask me to go out and do...whatevers, and then I realize I have only a couple of hours to do my homework. I also have an issue with turning in work that i feel isn’t my best, so I go to class and submit nothing hoping that i will have enough time to redo my work and praying that my instructor would accept it late. If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t miss a day or more of class and at least turn in something to each of my instructors. I would also prioritize better so that i know which of my assignments I need to do first.
ReplyDeleteIn a all seriousness I am not angry or dismayed at having to take this class. I know what led me to make the mistakes I made which lowered my GPA, but I do not count them as excuses. Upon reading the class description, I made up my mind that I was going to learn to develop some strong self-discipline and really begin to organize my time more efficiently with the aid of LA151. Last semester after the final grades came in, I knew that I was going to get some terrible marks because I prioritized some of my classes over the other ones. I was still furious and ashamed at myself for about a month after classes had ended, but I kept in mind that in the classes that I didn't back out of I had done a very good job. Why I backed out of the other two classes had to do with a number of things, mainly that I was beginning to realize that I was enrolled in fashion courses when what I really wanted to be doing was producing music, so that threw my motives way off key. Also, last semester was my first at the Academy, and the first I have spent living here in SF. I confess that at times I was entirely too preoccupied with getting to know the lay of the land. Even if I could go back and change anything, I wouldn't because I still learned a great deal, I believe, from both my mishaps and my triumphs. One thing I will take away from it is that I need to be more self-motivated and committed to doing what is most important to me.
ReplyDeleteI don't really have much thought about being in the class, I understand I'm enrolled in this class because I'm in academic probation, so while I'm here, might as well make good use of it. I hope to be more academically conscious, to better at managing time, and "cure" my procrastination. One thing that occurred last semester was that I was late to a lot of my classes, and sometimes even missing the class all together. If fact, I was "booted" out of one of my class because I missed too many classes. If I could travel back to time, I hope that I would learn to acknowledge that my laziness would only comeback to bite my in the butt, and that it was mine time that I wasted. Although, I'm not happy how it turned out last semester, I probably wouldn't have it any other way. Last semester was a wake up call, and I definitely learned something from it.
ReplyDeleteWhile yes, I am disappointed that I have to pay for this class when I could be forwarding my skills as a photographer, i realized I could get a lot from this. I've never managed my time well and I could learn a thing or two from this. Last semester, during the last few weeks of class, something tragic happened to my girlfriend, which left me apathetic and i lacked all motivation. I failed to do a final project for one of my classes and got awful grades in the rest of them. Also since I live about an hour away from the city, i have to take bart into sf which costs a lot of money over time and I am unemployed at the moment. I hope to get a job soon and have steady source of Income, hopefully I will improve my grades this semester.
ReplyDeleteJooYeon Park's Blog entry #1: On the first week of school, I've got an email from my advisor for two time that it was an important note. Then she was asking me to take this or else I would get dropped out. Of course I was really mad at my self and I felt sorry for my parents. I had to take this class because i've failed on one of the classes. However since I have to take this class, I will learn a lesson 100% understandable on how to manage time well and organizations. Especially on figure modeling I dropped out this class because it was really hard for me and even when I do the homework, I was not satisfied with my grades. Also, I guess I was not that organized in this class. If I could travel back in time, I will just take my figure modeling and I would ask teacher for an help not just to drop out. Lastly, through this class and others also, I hope to earn better grades this semester.
ReplyDeleteWell I am highly upset that I have to pay for a class that i didn't chose. Although I'm angry i know that taking this class can only help me. I hope that this class can be motivational for me and teach me how to prioritize in the right manor. My social life hindered me from putting my best foot forward last semester and I wont allow it this time around. If I could go back in time I would be way more focus and not concern myself with things of irrelevance.
ReplyDeleteI have learned that knowing your audience and room before your speech can help a great deal while presenting. Also focusing more on the message rather than the media. I am a visual learner so I used to put a lot more importance on how the presentation looks. In the future, I will arrive to the location of the presentation early enough for me to get a good idea of the room and the audience I will be speaking to. As for the media and message part, I will make sure that I have all the information I need before I start to work on the visuals.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking with confidence, is knowing your information and your presentation well enough or you to not rely on your note cards or other helping aids. Practicing the speech a couple of times before the speech will help me a lot. For me, the term "Practice makes Perfect", is very true. Being a dancer; I know that it takes a lot of practice and dedication to put the show that you aimed for, or even something greater. The same applies for any speeches or presentations.
My biggest fear for public speaking is just talking in front of others when the attention is on solely me. I am a more background worker rather than a center stage person. Making eye contact with people freaks me out and creates a silence within my head. To deal with this, I blur my eyes just a little so that I don't see the stares of the audience but can still make out individual people. And picking a safe spot, such as the center of the room, helps me have something to look at without worrying about not making eye contact with the audience. Being a performer through dance helps a great deal with giving speeches and presentations in front of unaccustomed audiences.
My favorite activity in class was when we were given the random objects and a prompt. I like being given specific instructions; which helps me achieve the specific answer. This activity also gave us the room to use our on creativity within the set prompt boundaries to make up a short story. This way my brain isn't thinking too hard to come up with a random story.