Grades are for ... Other people. We do Self-Evaluations.
Learning is an individual, internal process. Nobody can learn for you, nobody can tell you how much you really know about a subject, not a teacher, a classmate, a test or a grade. Only you know where you stand in your understanding of the books and articles you read, the dialogues you engage in with others, and what you see and experience from reality. Even if you don't understand, being genuine and honest about the quality of your standards and achievements is the only true path to Self-Directed Learning.
In the words of Edward Wilson: “If those committed to the quest fail, they will be forgiven. When lost, they will find another way. The moral imperative of humanism is the endeavor alone, whether successful or not, provided the effort is honorable and failure memorable."
In the words of Edward Wilson: “If those committed to the quest fail, they will be forgiven. When lost, they will find another way. The moral imperative of humanism is the endeavor alone, whether successful or not, provided the effort is honorable and failure memorable."
MPC Week 8 Self-evaluation
By the end of the first eight weeks I realized I hadn't really finished any books. I made plans of course, but, as I wrote in that self-evaluation, I've had some trouble keeping with schedules (specially when we keep prolonguing dialogues and include debriefings after every discussion we have).
I Include my Self-Evaluation here:
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MPC TERM ONE ASSESTMENT
The end of the Term came too soon, and I never realized how much time I wasted procastinating until the last possible minute (ahh the irony...). Next year my main goal is manage my time responsibly and be self-governed.
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Please answer the following questions to your highest standard of integrity.
1. SELF-AWARENESS
o Time Management& Attendance
1. Please list the days you have been late to morning meeting.
September 24th, 2012
September 25th, 2012
September 28th, 2012
October 1st, 2012
October 2nd, 2012
October 3rd, 2012
October 23rd, 2012
2. In your estimation, what percentage of the time are you on time to group meetings (epicycles)?
Roughly 94% of the time
3. Please list the days you have been absent.
I haven’t been absent, just unfashionably late.
4. Are there any activities, dialogues, or epicycles that you have missed? Please specify.
The Getting Real Discussion with Gabriel Calzada
The Celebrating What’s Right Video
Rick and Scott Lee Socratic Dialogue (arrived late)
5. If you have missed an MPC activity, what steps have you taken to make up or understand the missing time?
I have read others’ documentation, asked Majo, Kata and Carmen to fill me in, asked Bert or Ingrid.
6. Have you adopted the habit of posting a schedule of your reading that includes time, place, and reading goals?
Not yet, but I will make it my first 21-Day Goal.
7. Do you have a system for setting goals and accomplishing them? Please explain.
I do not have it for the moment; I am open for guidance and suggestions.
8. What percentage of time do you spend on non-program related activity at MPC? Give an estimate.
25% maybe, although I really try not to get distracted by anything other than my scheduled work, I sometimes find myself lost in thought and not present.
9. What keeps you most focused and on-task? Give concrete examples of techniques you use to manage your individual work time at MPC.
Creating and following a Reading Schedule or a To-Do List
Reading outside or out loud with other people
Study Groups
Deadlines
10. What would you say keeps you from “disentangling” at MPC?
a. Cell phone& Apps
b. Internet: Facebook, social networking, etc.
c. Fellow students
d. Other distractions (please specify)
o Management of Environment
a. Do you clean up after yourself when using MPC resources such as coffee cups?
Yes, 98% of the time.
b. Does your personal space at MPC reflect your standards for order and esthetics?
Yes, it is almost perfect.
c. What is missing from your personal space that you would like to have included in the new space?
A better, more spine friendly chair
A small bookshelf
Storage space (small table with drawers)
o Personal Ethics
1. Of the ethics and virtues that we have discussed and read about so far which ones stand out to you the most? Make two lists and specify the source of the ethic: Twain, Kant, Emerson, Campbell, Bauer, Franklin, etc.
a. The following are the ethics of a learner that I am consistently demonstrating in my daily work and interactions.
b. The following are the ethics of a learner that I value but do not consistently practice.
Virtue I practice today
Source
Virtue I wish to develop
Source
Order
Franklin
Temperance
Ben Franklin
Sincerity
Franklin, Campbell
Silence
Ben Franklin
Cleanliness
Ben Franklin
Frugality
Ben Franklin
Justice
Ben Franklin
Reading Habit
Susan Wise Bauer
Relate vs. Control
Susan Campbell
Patience
Ben Franklin
Resolution
Ben Franklin
Life Meaning
Parker Palmer
Self-Reliance
Ralph W. Emerson
Self-Governance
Emerson, Franklin
2. Give an example of when you stood up for the ethics we are trying to practice at the MPC.
We had scheduled the completion of the book Getting Real, by Susan Campbell, and I purposely excluded myself from it, because I hadn’t finished the book and I did not want to pretend that I was prepared for that dialogue and wing it, as I would’ve done before I was in the MPC.
3. Give an example of when you ignored the ethics we are trying to practice at the MPC.
All the times that I’ve been late for Morning Meetings, the time I came in late to the Dialogue with Richard K. and Scott Lee, when in Ati I devoted myself to do everything but the work that was on my plate.
4. Which dialogue rubric rule do you find most challenging personally?
The NO-CELLPHONE rule has been the hardest for me to overcome, but also active listening 100% of the time is pretty challenging.
5. What dialogue rubric rule do you think the group finds most challenging?
One person speaks at a time, active listening, staying true to what the author is saying.
o Personal Contributions
1. Please list the rubric rules that you have personally contributed/suggested at MPC.
The No-Cellphone rule was suggested and inspired by myself, I think.
2. Please give a full account of your facilitation of Morning Meeting including a one-page write-up that would allow a future student to replicate your Morning Meeting contribution.
My Morning Meeting was oriented to physical activity. We had been, and remain, worried about the lack of physical activity we have faced ever since we began the first Cycle at the MPC. With this in mind, I attempted to make everyone do a little Yoga. We logged in to my account at www.gainfitness.com, which is a webpage dedicated to build home workouts. We followed the instructions of the online workout and finished a 20 minute yoga circuit.
Every MM begins with announcements and planning our day, so naturally I led my fellow pioneers in that direction.
3. What rules or sets of rules would you like to contribute/suggest for the future?
I would like to address the use of our current space, since it always looks so messy.
4. Can you list any other innovations or contributions that you have brought to the MPC either academically, culturally, or environmentally?
I brought the accessories in my desk, which help the MPC look pretty. I brought the Pop Corn Machine and many boxes of tea; I have contributed with ideas for fundraising. I am not sure what my contributions have been.
5. What area of curriculum would you most like to help design?
I would like to participate in creating the Entrepreneurial, Wealth Creation of our 6th Semester, and also to incorporate meditation or yoga to our daily schedule.
6. What subject would you like to teach or facilitate at the MPC?
As I mentioned, I think meditation and yoga would help the environment and the minds of the students of the MPC.
2. COMPLETED WORK
1. Are you caught up with the required reading at MPC?Not at all.
2. Please state what you personally have read so far in the program. If you have not read a work from beginning to end, specify exactly what you have read. Example: “Page 1-3 of “Self-Reliance,” by Ralph Waldo Emerson.”
Trivium
Chapter 1-2
Taming the Infinite
Chapter 1-5
The Autobiography of Ben Franklin
Part I and II
How to Read a Book
Chapters 1-2
The Well-Educated Mind
Chapters 1-5
Basic Greek
Lessons 1-20
Euclid’s Elements
Propositions 1-4
Getting Real
Chapter 1-8
Let Your Life Speak
Completed
Self-Reliance
Pages 1-6
Rhetoric of the Image
Completed
Freedom to Reason
Page 1 and 2
Corn-Pone Opinions
Completed
3. Have you begun to read any of the required books without being directed to do so? If so, please specify.Not really.
4. Does your documentation specify a place to see your responses and commentaries on what we are reading at MPC?Yes, you can go to this link here.
5. On a scale of one through ten how would you rate the substance or completeness of your commentaries?Maybe around 5 or 6.
6. Give at least one example of how you are applying what you are learning from the required readings.
I’m creating schedules for all my readings; I’m trying to apply Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Virtues to my life.
7. Are you caught up with your Greek study? No
o Please list your current scores for the on-line tests.I have not done any online test.
o Do you know your Greek alphabet by heart?Yes
o Do you know how to pronounce the Greek letters and read phonetically?
Not to the level I believe I should by now, but it is due to the confusion around the kind of pronunciation we were going to focus during the course.
8. If asked to do so could you demonstrate the first three propositions of Euclid?
Yes, gladly.
9. Of the work you have done so far at MPC, which represents your highest standard?
My Webpage, although it is not completed, it reflects the quality of the work that I want to achieve and model.
3. YOUR ROLE IN OTHER’S LEARNING
1. How are your decisions and actions affecting your co-learners at the MPC? Choose all that apply.
a. When there are distractions I take an active role in eliminating them.
b. I give direct feedback even if it is negative
c. I give positive feedback
d. I offer to help those who are struggling with curricular content
e. I model the rules and ideals of the MPC
f. I invite and welcome feedback
g. I organize study groups to master the material
h. I make a list of questions to bring to dialogues that will help with understanding the text.
i. I am often the distraction
j. I encourage others to be off-task
k. I have trouble choosing the appropriate time to engage others in conversation
l. I often do the right thing at the wrong time
m. I put off my MPC work for times when I am not at MPC
2. What steps are you taking to learn about the academic needs and strengths of your fellow MPCers?None.
3. If you had to give one piece of advice to each MPCer on how they could improve their role in the learning process at MPC, what would it be. (Create a list of names and put your advice next to each name.)
Alejo
You need to be more humble and open your mind to the fact that not everybody else sees the world as you do and that doesn’t mean they’re wrong or dumb.
Carmen
Be patient!
Lorena
You could commit a little more to be part of the group, because you have so much to give and we can learn so much from you.
Katarina
You’re perfect, I love you. And you could do a little more time managing.
Mabe
Try to better manage your time
Gaby
Maybe you could think a little bit how to say what you want to say before you say it.
Diego
You could use a little humility and open your mind to the fact that not everyone will see the world as you do and that doesn’t make them stupid or inferior.
Pablito
You could embrace silence from time to time during dialogue, let others talk too.
Isa
Johann
Integrate a little more to the group, relate and be present.
Ine
You should stand up for what you want to, and never let anybody else influence your peace of mind.
Chacho
Keep on the good work
Marce
Keep on the good work
Grace
Let yourself live
Majo
Be patient
Javier T.
Focus
Javier P.
Keep on the good work
Albert
You could be clearer when expressing what you want others to do.
Ingrid
You could be creative to solve the tardiness issue.
4. What advice would you give yourself?
Be present, organize your time, manage your impulsivity, commit, don’t procrastinate, be responsible, do the work you have to do at the appointed time, create your reading schedules… (I could go on for days).
4. SMALL GROUP PARTICIPATION AND CONDUCT
1. List the rules of your current small group rubric?
To Do
Not to Do
Be Honest
Cellphones
Be Aware
Leave unexpectedly
Be there for your Group
Keep things to yourself
Focus
Unpunctuality
Contribute to the Environment
Ignore others’ comments
Embrace Silence
Giving up on the task
Be Concrete
Be Humble
Be Supportive
Call for Breaks
2. What commitments has your group made to the MPC environment?
I think that we are still figuring a lot of things out, and I cannot truthfully say that I have a concrete answer to this question.
3. Has your group made commitments and failed to follow through? Be specific.
We forgot the week we had our turn to bring snacks and make coffee, but we got organized pretty quickly and I brought popcorn, almonds and tea.
4. What is the most difficult aspect of working with a small group?
Maybe that we can get off task fairly easily, and if one of us isn’t aware or present in our group work, the others suffer more than if we were in a large group.
5. What is working well in your small group?
We are very upfront with each other when we are not satisfied with our work, and when we are not ready to participate. We have committed to be honest and rely and trust each other.
6. What plans do you have for innovation of your group’s dynamic and/or its goals?
I think that we are still figuring a lot of things out, and I cannot truthfully say that I have a concrete answer to this question.
5. LARGE GROUP PARTICIPATION AND CONDUCT
1. Have you ever called for a debrief during a dialogue?Yes.
2. Does the group maintain the set of standards it has set for itself when we have outside professors? If not, how is it different?
We have much yet to work on regarding the maintenance of the standards we have set for ourselves. It is an ideal that we are pursuing and we are getting closer to it each day.
3. What are the most significant signs that our group is progressing at MPC?
The way that we construct arguments and handle ourselves during dialogue is a sign that we are progressing significantly. Also, we could consider the fact that we are more open and truthful to one another and, most of the time, to ourselves.
4. What do you see as the biggest challenge or obstacle facing the group?
In my opinion, our own paradigms, our difficulty to concrete our previously agreed commitments, our impatience, and the fact that we don’t have a clear idea as to where we are headed are somewhat slowing our progress and our process.
6. DOCUMENTATION
1. When and where do you do your daily documentation?
Whenever and wherever I can, it is difficult because I don’t own a computer.
2. How long do you spend each day?
Depends on how inspired (pressured) I am.
3. Please list the types of documentation that you are currently updating maintaining:
· Timeline
· Calendars
· Schedules
· Autobiography
· Blog
· Vlog
· Video archive
· Writing archive
· Reading Commentaries on program material
· Code Academy
· Kahn Academy
· Personal journaling
· Rules and Standards (Rubrics)
· Mind-mapping
· Cross-curricular connections
· Others (please specify)
Music
4. Have you posted the results of your Khan Academy self-evaluation for mathematical literacy?
No
5. Have you posted your personal vision statement?
Yes, to some extent
6. Have you posted your version of the MPC vision statement?
Yes, to some extent
7. Do you have a record of the outline for the meta-question you were given for the MPC Handbook?
Yes I do, but I haven’t posted it on my Webpage
Seven Thinking Dispositions
Please give one example of how you are demonstrating each of the seven thinking dispositions at the MPC. If you cannot think of an example, write an example of what you plan to do in the future.
1. “The disposition to be broad and adventurous: the tendency to be open-minded, to explore alternative views; an alertness to narrow thinking; the ability to generate multiple options.
Lately I’ve Being able to open up to others in ways I had never done before. To be honest, I feel as though I was such a prude in the past, but through truly listening to others opinions in discussions, I realized my close-mindedness stemmed from a false sense of self-righteousness.
2. The disposition toward sustained intellectual curiosity: the tendency to wonder, probe, find problems; a zest for inquiry; an alertness for anomalies; the ability to observe closely and formulate questions.
Engrained in me has always been an intellectually curiosity, however this has especially been strengthened in discussions in which a variety of opinions and theories are proposed, causing me to take into question my own theories and to wonder the possibilities of more interpretations.
3. The disposition to clarify and seek understanding: a desire to understand clearly, to seek connections and explanations; an alertness to unclarity and need for focus; an ability to build conceptualizations.
During discussions I feel it is easy for people to interpret a text without clearly defining how they subjectively perceive certain words. I strive to make clear how someone is defining a particular word and the connotation they attach to it.
4. The disposition to be planful and strategic: the drive to set goals, make and execute plans, envision outcomes; alertness to lack of direction; the ability to formulate goals and plans
One cannot venture into an enterprise without knowing what the expected outcome is going to be, because, if you don’t know where you’re gong, any road will take you there, and a blueprint, or even a set of goals are sufficient to direct the efforts of a person, group and community.
5. The disposition to be intellectually careful: the urge for precision, organization, thoroughness; alertness to possible error or inaccuracy; the ability to process information precisely.
It is very important to me, as I’ve stressed previously, that we understand clearly the connotations and meanings of the symbols we are using in order to have a conversation that enriches us and allows us to learn from each other. As I said before, I seek to understand what the other person is meaning to say, and to make myself clear as to what I mean with what I say, even though sometimes I don’t accomplish this to perfection.
6. The disposition to seek and evaluate reasons: the tendency to question the given, to demand justification; an alertness to the need for evidence; the ability to weigh and assess reasons.
I think this is a disposition I need to work on more conscientiously.
7. The disposition to be metacognitive: the tendency to be aware of and monitor the flow of one's own thinking; alertness to complex thinking situations; the ability to exercise control of mental processes and to be reflective.”
I think this is a disposition I need to work on more conscientiously.
The Habits of Mind
Please give an example of how you are demonstrating the following habits of mind at MPC. If you are not demonstrating a particular habit, give an example of what you plan to do in the future.
1. Persisting
I have not given up yet, and it has been difficult. I have been improving in my awareness and the fact that I need to be present at what I’m doing at the moment I am doing it.
2. Managing impulsivity
I’m trying to put into action Ben Franklin’s virtues of SILENCE and TEMPERANCE.
3. Listening to others with understanding and empathy
I have always been able to put myself in another’s position and imagine how they must feel and what they might need.
4. Thinking flexibly
I try to open my mind to others viewpoints and to relate instead of controlling. I realize that even though sometimes we make plans, these have to be changed and one has to adapt.
5. Thinking about our thinking (metacognition)
I am not sure if I know exactly how to know when I’m thinking about thinking. I guess this is something I have always been aware of.
6. Striving for accuracy and precision
As I said before, it is important to know what the other person means when he says something.
7. Questioning and posing problems
I shall be more like Katarina and Carmen and question every text I encounter, every opinion and every idea, to make sure that I agree and not just accept it.
8. Applying past knowledge to new situations
I have been able to make a lot of connections between what we have been learning at the MPC and what I learn in my previous career, what I have learned in my previous jobs and my current one, and what I learn every day from the people around me.
9. Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision
I need to think about the message I am trying to convey, before actually launching myself to say it.
10. Gathering data through all the senses
Using notebooks, video notes, audio notes, mind-maps, etc.
11. Creating, imagining, and innovating
I do a lot of writing, I make mind-maps and I cover everything I read with post-its relating new information to previous knowledge.
12. Responding with wonderment and awe
I try to maintain a child-like imagination
13. Taking responsible risks
By doing things I have never done before.
14. Finding humor
Taking myself more lightly, and not taking everything so seriously.
15. Thinking Interdependently
Making connections between previous knowledge, new information, what I see in the environment and what I learn from the people around me.
16. Learning Continuously
Youtube Tutorials and Videos, internet how-to’s, books, talking to people that are good at what they do and listening to what they have to say and the advice they offer me.
Your Own Reflections on Self-Assessment
Please use this space to add anything relevant to your self-assessment for Cycle One.
I recognize that I have failed to comply with the rubrics and standards I have personally set for myself. I believe I urgently need to better manage my time and my workload. I need to be more organized as to how I will use my time at the MPC and what amount of work I am actually capable of completing outside the designated schedule.
1. SELF-AWARENESS
o Time Management& Attendance
1. Please list the days you have been late to morning meeting.
September 24th, 2012
September 25th, 2012
September 28th, 2012
October 1st, 2012
October 2nd, 2012
October 3rd, 2012
October 23rd, 2012
2. In your estimation, what percentage of the time are you on time to group meetings (epicycles)?
Roughly 94% of the time
3. Please list the days you have been absent.
I haven’t been absent, just unfashionably late.
4. Are there any activities, dialogues, or epicycles that you have missed? Please specify.
The Getting Real Discussion with Gabriel Calzada
The Celebrating What’s Right Video
Rick and Scott Lee Socratic Dialogue (arrived late)
5. If you have missed an MPC activity, what steps have you taken to make up or understand the missing time?
I have read others’ documentation, asked Majo, Kata and Carmen to fill me in, asked Bert or Ingrid.
6. Have you adopted the habit of posting a schedule of your reading that includes time, place, and reading goals?
Not yet, but I will make it my first 21-Day Goal.
7. Do you have a system for setting goals and accomplishing them? Please explain.
I do not have it for the moment; I am open for guidance and suggestions.
8. What percentage of time do you spend on non-program related activity at MPC? Give an estimate.
25% maybe, although I really try not to get distracted by anything other than my scheduled work, I sometimes find myself lost in thought and not present.
9. What keeps you most focused and on-task? Give concrete examples of techniques you use to manage your individual work time at MPC.
Creating and following a Reading Schedule or a To-Do List
Reading outside or out loud with other people
Study Groups
Deadlines
10. What would you say keeps you from “disentangling” at MPC?
a. Cell phone& Apps
b. Internet: Facebook, social networking, etc.
c. Fellow students
d. Other distractions (please specify)
o Management of Environment
a. Do you clean up after yourself when using MPC resources such as coffee cups?
Yes, 98% of the time.
b. Does your personal space at MPC reflect your standards for order and esthetics?
Yes, it is almost perfect.
c. What is missing from your personal space that you would like to have included in the new space?
A better, more spine friendly chair
A small bookshelf
Storage space (small table with drawers)
o Personal Ethics
1. Of the ethics and virtues that we have discussed and read about so far which ones stand out to you the most? Make two lists and specify the source of the ethic: Twain, Kant, Emerson, Campbell, Bauer, Franklin, etc.
a. The following are the ethics of a learner that I am consistently demonstrating in my daily work and interactions.
b. The following are the ethics of a learner that I value but do not consistently practice.
Virtue I practice today
Source
Virtue I wish to develop
Source
Order
Franklin
Temperance
Ben Franklin
Sincerity
Franklin, Campbell
Silence
Ben Franklin
Cleanliness
Ben Franklin
Frugality
Ben Franklin
Justice
Ben Franklin
Reading Habit
Susan Wise Bauer
Relate vs. Control
Susan Campbell
Patience
Ben Franklin
Resolution
Ben Franklin
Life Meaning
Parker Palmer
Self-Reliance
Ralph W. Emerson
Self-Governance
Emerson, Franklin
2. Give an example of when you stood up for the ethics we are trying to practice at the MPC.
We had scheduled the completion of the book Getting Real, by Susan Campbell, and I purposely excluded myself from it, because I hadn’t finished the book and I did not want to pretend that I was prepared for that dialogue and wing it, as I would’ve done before I was in the MPC.
3. Give an example of when you ignored the ethics we are trying to practice at the MPC.
All the times that I’ve been late for Morning Meetings, the time I came in late to the Dialogue with Richard K. and Scott Lee, when in Ati I devoted myself to do everything but the work that was on my plate.
4. Which dialogue rubric rule do you find most challenging personally?
The NO-CELLPHONE rule has been the hardest for me to overcome, but also active listening 100% of the time is pretty challenging.
5. What dialogue rubric rule do you think the group finds most challenging?
One person speaks at a time, active listening, staying true to what the author is saying.
o Personal Contributions
1. Please list the rubric rules that you have personally contributed/suggested at MPC.
The No-Cellphone rule was suggested and inspired by myself, I think.
2. Please give a full account of your facilitation of Morning Meeting including a one-page write-up that would allow a future student to replicate your Morning Meeting contribution.
My Morning Meeting was oriented to physical activity. We had been, and remain, worried about the lack of physical activity we have faced ever since we began the first Cycle at the MPC. With this in mind, I attempted to make everyone do a little Yoga. We logged in to my account at www.gainfitness.com, which is a webpage dedicated to build home workouts. We followed the instructions of the online workout and finished a 20 minute yoga circuit.
Every MM begins with announcements and planning our day, so naturally I led my fellow pioneers in that direction.
3. What rules or sets of rules would you like to contribute/suggest for the future?
I would like to address the use of our current space, since it always looks so messy.
4. Can you list any other innovations or contributions that you have brought to the MPC either academically, culturally, or environmentally?
I brought the accessories in my desk, which help the MPC look pretty. I brought the Pop Corn Machine and many boxes of tea; I have contributed with ideas for fundraising. I am not sure what my contributions have been.
5. What area of curriculum would you most like to help design?
I would like to participate in creating the Entrepreneurial, Wealth Creation of our 6th Semester, and also to incorporate meditation or yoga to our daily schedule.
6. What subject would you like to teach or facilitate at the MPC?
As I mentioned, I think meditation and yoga would help the environment and the minds of the students of the MPC.
2. COMPLETED WORK
1. Are you caught up with the required reading at MPC?Not at all.
2. Please state what you personally have read so far in the program. If you have not read a work from beginning to end, specify exactly what you have read. Example: “Page 1-3 of “Self-Reliance,” by Ralph Waldo Emerson.”
Trivium
Chapter 1-2
Taming the Infinite
Chapter 1-5
The Autobiography of Ben Franklin
Part I and II
How to Read a Book
Chapters 1-2
The Well-Educated Mind
Chapters 1-5
Basic Greek
Lessons 1-20
Euclid’s Elements
Propositions 1-4
Getting Real
Chapter 1-8
Let Your Life Speak
Completed
Self-Reliance
Pages 1-6
Rhetoric of the Image
Completed
Freedom to Reason
Page 1 and 2
Corn-Pone Opinions
Completed
3. Have you begun to read any of the required books without being directed to do so? If so, please specify.Not really.
4. Does your documentation specify a place to see your responses and commentaries on what we are reading at MPC?Yes, you can go to this link here.
5. On a scale of one through ten how would you rate the substance or completeness of your commentaries?Maybe around 5 or 6.
6. Give at least one example of how you are applying what you are learning from the required readings.
I’m creating schedules for all my readings; I’m trying to apply Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Virtues to my life.
7. Are you caught up with your Greek study? No
o Please list your current scores for the on-line tests.I have not done any online test.
o Do you know your Greek alphabet by heart?Yes
o Do you know how to pronounce the Greek letters and read phonetically?
Not to the level I believe I should by now, but it is due to the confusion around the kind of pronunciation we were going to focus during the course.
8. If asked to do so could you demonstrate the first three propositions of Euclid?
Yes, gladly.
9. Of the work you have done so far at MPC, which represents your highest standard?
My Webpage, although it is not completed, it reflects the quality of the work that I want to achieve and model.
3. YOUR ROLE IN OTHER’S LEARNING
1. How are your decisions and actions affecting your co-learners at the MPC? Choose all that apply.
a. When there are distractions I take an active role in eliminating them.
b. I give direct feedback even if it is negative
c. I give positive feedback
d. I offer to help those who are struggling with curricular content
e. I model the rules and ideals of the MPC
f. I invite and welcome feedback
g. I organize study groups to master the material
h. I make a list of questions to bring to dialogues that will help with understanding the text.
i. I am often the distraction
j. I encourage others to be off-task
k. I have trouble choosing the appropriate time to engage others in conversation
l. I often do the right thing at the wrong time
m. I put off my MPC work for times when I am not at MPC
2. What steps are you taking to learn about the academic needs and strengths of your fellow MPCers?None.
3. If you had to give one piece of advice to each MPCer on how they could improve their role in the learning process at MPC, what would it be. (Create a list of names and put your advice next to each name.)
Alejo
You need to be more humble and open your mind to the fact that not everybody else sees the world as you do and that doesn’t mean they’re wrong or dumb.
Carmen
Be patient!
Lorena
You could commit a little more to be part of the group, because you have so much to give and we can learn so much from you.
Katarina
You’re perfect, I love you. And you could do a little more time managing.
Mabe
Try to better manage your time
Gaby
Maybe you could think a little bit how to say what you want to say before you say it.
Diego
You could use a little humility and open your mind to the fact that not everyone will see the world as you do and that doesn’t make them stupid or inferior.
Pablito
You could embrace silence from time to time during dialogue, let others talk too.
Isa
Johann
Integrate a little more to the group, relate and be present.
Ine
You should stand up for what you want to, and never let anybody else influence your peace of mind.
Chacho
Keep on the good work
Marce
Keep on the good work
Grace
Let yourself live
Majo
Be patient
Javier T.
Focus
Javier P.
Keep on the good work
Albert
You could be clearer when expressing what you want others to do.
Ingrid
You could be creative to solve the tardiness issue.
4. What advice would you give yourself?
Be present, organize your time, manage your impulsivity, commit, don’t procrastinate, be responsible, do the work you have to do at the appointed time, create your reading schedules… (I could go on for days).
4. SMALL GROUP PARTICIPATION AND CONDUCT
1. List the rules of your current small group rubric?
To Do
Not to Do
Be Honest
Cellphones
Be Aware
Leave unexpectedly
Be there for your Group
Keep things to yourself
Focus
Unpunctuality
Contribute to the Environment
Ignore others’ comments
Embrace Silence
Giving up on the task
Be Concrete
Be Humble
Be Supportive
Call for Breaks
2. What commitments has your group made to the MPC environment?
I think that we are still figuring a lot of things out, and I cannot truthfully say that I have a concrete answer to this question.
3. Has your group made commitments and failed to follow through? Be specific.
We forgot the week we had our turn to bring snacks and make coffee, but we got organized pretty quickly and I brought popcorn, almonds and tea.
4. What is the most difficult aspect of working with a small group?
Maybe that we can get off task fairly easily, and if one of us isn’t aware or present in our group work, the others suffer more than if we were in a large group.
5. What is working well in your small group?
We are very upfront with each other when we are not satisfied with our work, and when we are not ready to participate. We have committed to be honest and rely and trust each other.
6. What plans do you have for innovation of your group’s dynamic and/or its goals?
I think that we are still figuring a lot of things out, and I cannot truthfully say that I have a concrete answer to this question.
5. LARGE GROUP PARTICIPATION AND CONDUCT
1. Have you ever called for a debrief during a dialogue?Yes.
2. Does the group maintain the set of standards it has set for itself when we have outside professors? If not, how is it different?
We have much yet to work on regarding the maintenance of the standards we have set for ourselves. It is an ideal that we are pursuing and we are getting closer to it each day.
3. What are the most significant signs that our group is progressing at MPC?
The way that we construct arguments and handle ourselves during dialogue is a sign that we are progressing significantly. Also, we could consider the fact that we are more open and truthful to one another and, most of the time, to ourselves.
4. What do you see as the biggest challenge or obstacle facing the group?
In my opinion, our own paradigms, our difficulty to concrete our previously agreed commitments, our impatience, and the fact that we don’t have a clear idea as to where we are headed are somewhat slowing our progress and our process.
6. DOCUMENTATION
1. When and where do you do your daily documentation?
Whenever and wherever I can, it is difficult because I don’t own a computer.
2. How long do you spend each day?
Depends on how inspired (pressured) I am.
3. Please list the types of documentation that you are currently updating maintaining:
· Timeline
· Calendars
· Schedules
· Autobiography
· Blog
· Vlog
· Video archive
· Writing archive
· Reading Commentaries on program material
· Code Academy
· Kahn Academy
· Personal journaling
· Rules and Standards (Rubrics)
· Mind-mapping
· Cross-curricular connections
· Others (please specify)
Music
4. Have you posted the results of your Khan Academy self-evaluation for mathematical literacy?
No
5. Have you posted your personal vision statement?
Yes, to some extent
6. Have you posted your version of the MPC vision statement?
Yes, to some extent
7. Do you have a record of the outline for the meta-question you were given for the MPC Handbook?
Yes I do, but I haven’t posted it on my Webpage
Seven Thinking Dispositions
Please give one example of how you are demonstrating each of the seven thinking dispositions at the MPC. If you cannot think of an example, write an example of what you plan to do in the future.
1. “The disposition to be broad and adventurous: the tendency to be open-minded, to explore alternative views; an alertness to narrow thinking; the ability to generate multiple options.
Lately I’ve Being able to open up to others in ways I had never done before. To be honest, I feel as though I was such a prude in the past, but through truly listening to others opinions in discussions, I realized my close-mindedness stemmed from a false sense of self-righteousness.
2. The disposition toward sustained intellectual curiosity: the tendency to wonder, probe, find problems; a zest for inquiry; an alertness for anomalies; the ability to observe closely and formulate questions.
Engrained in me has always been an intellectually curiosity, however this has especially been strengthened in discussions in which a variety of opinions and theories are proposed, causing me to take into question my own theories and to wonder the possibilities of more interpretations.
3. The disposition to clarify and seek understanding: a desire to understand clearly, to seek connections and explanations; an alertness to unclarity and need for focus; an ability to build conceptualizations.
During discussions I feel it is easy for people to interpret a text without clearly defining how they subjectively perceive certain words. I strive to make clear how someone is defining a particular word and the connotation they attach to it.
4. The disposition to be planful and strategic: the drive to set goals, make and execute plans, envision outcomes; alertness to lack of direction; the ability to formulate goals and plans
One cannot venture into an enterprise without knowing what the expected outcome is going to be, because, if you don’t know where you’re gong, any road will take you there, and a blueprint, or even a set of goals are sufficient to direct the efforts of a person, group and community.
5. The disposition to be intellectually careful: the urge for precision, organization, thoroughness; alertness to possible error or inaccuracy; the ability to process information precisely.
It is very important to me, as I’ve stressed previously, that we understand clearly the connotations and meanings of the symbols we are using in order to have a conversation that enriches us and allows us to learn from each other. As I said before, I seek to understand what the other person is meaning to say, and to make myself clear as to what I mean with what I say, even though sometimes I don’t accomplish this to perfection.
6. The disposition to seek and evaluate reasons: the tendency to question the given, to demand justification; an alertness to the need for evidence; the ability to weigh and assess reasons.
I think this is a disposition I need to work on more conscientiously.
7. The disposition to be metacognitive: the tendency to be aware of and monitor the flow of one's own thinking; alertness to complex thinking situations; the ability to exercise control of mental processes and to be reflective.”
I think this is a disposition I need to work on more conscientiously.
The Habits of Mind
Please give an example of how you are demonstrating the following habits of mind at MPC. If you are not demonstrating a particular habit, give an example of what you plan to do in the future.
1. Persisting
I have not given up yet, and it has been difficult. I have been improving in my awareness and the fact that I need to be present at what I’m doing at the moment I am doing it.
2. Managing impulsivity
I’m trying to put into action Ben Franklin’s virtues of SILENCE and TEMPERANCE.
3. Listening to others with understanding and empathy
I have always been able to put myself in another’s position and imagine how they must feel and what they might need.
4. Thinking flexibly
I try to open my mind to others viewpoints and to relate instead of controlling. I realize that even though sometimes we make plans, these have to be changed and one has to adapt.
5. Thinking about our thinking (metacognition)
I am not sure if I know exactly how to know when I’m thinking about thinking. I guess this is something I have always been aware of.
6. Striving for accuracy and precision
As I said before, it is important to know what the other person means when he says something.
7. Questioning and posing problems
I shall be more like Katarina and Carmen and question every text I encounter, every opinion and every idea, to make sure that I agree and not just accept it.
8. Applying past knowledge to new situations
I have been able to make a lot of connections between what we have been learning at the MPC and what I learn in my previous career, what I have learned in my previous jobs and my current one, and what I learn every day from the people around me.
9. Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision
I need to think about the message I am trying to convey, before actually launching myself to say it.
10. Gathering data through all the senses
Using notebooks, video notes, audio notes, mind-maps, etc.
11. Creating, imagining, and innovating
I do a lot of writing, I make mind-maps and I cover everything I read with post-its relating new information to previous knowledge.
12. Responding with wonderment and awe
I try to maintain a child-like imagination
13. Taking responsible risks
By doing things I have never done before.
14. Finding humor
Taking myself more lightly, and not taking everything so seriously.
15. Thinking Interdependently
Making connections between previous knowledge, new information, what I see in the environment and what I learn from the people around me.
16. Learning Continuously
Youtube Tutorials and Videos, internet how-to’s, books, talking to people that are good at what they do and listening to what they have to say and the advice they offer me.
Your Own Reflections on Self-Assessment
Please use this space to add anything relevant to your self-assessment for Cycle One.
I recognize that I have failed to comply with the rubrics and standards I have personally set for myself. I believe I urgently need to better manage my time and my workload. I need to be more organized as to how I will use my time at the MPC and what amount of work I am actually capable of completing outside the designated schedule.