Life skills

(Exercise 1 - EDS 113) Having a groupwork activity back in grade school to college used to be very easy for me, especially since I knew my classmates and we already had a relationship prior to being part of a team. I found out through our first exercise in EDS 113 that being thrown into a group with a bunch of people you only know through their online posts is much more difficult than initially thought. Given the pressure of the deadline and the confusion in answering the questions posted in the portal, I was first worried that I would have a hard time doing this activity. Hearing feedback from our professor however, helped us to be on track and boosted our energy to finish our work before the deadline. Each one did their part to contribute what they learned in the discussed modules relating to our topic. I felt that our team employed a cooperative manner and implemented strategies to stay on task. I learned to compromise and accept contrary opinions expressed in the group. Each one practiced the virtue of honesty to evaluate opposing opinions and viewpoints before dismissing them as relevant or irrelevant, whatever the case maybe. At first, I felt stressed out, this exercise was more grueling than the group activity in EDS 103 during the first trimester. I dutifully researched on our topic and kept on going back and forth between the modules to keep me from going off-track. The first Zoom meeting calmed me down as I engaged in a fruitful discussion with my groupmates. We courteously learned to listen to each other's opinions and each one contributed to conduct a smooth functioning meeting. Even though we knew each other for a very short period of time, we learned to reconcile our differences. 

I realize that having this group assessment really plays an essential part in creating a positive learning environment. It engaged us in a high-level of thinking by owning the assessment process. We learned a lot from the discussion we had with one another. By discussing the concepts, we were able to understand and improve our paper. As a team, we reflected and reviewed the criteria and rubrics that needed to fulfill the task at hand. We thoughtfully listened and treated each other with respect. There were times that we did not agree, but we ended up putting our heads together and worked towards a collective consensus to resolve the different perspectives.

Having said all this, I think my key take away, aside from reaching our goal, is that I learned more important life skills. These skills are to collaborate, cooperate, communicate, create, contemplate, and investigate. In our modules, we've always discussed how lessons and assessments should prepare students for real-world life-after school scenarios. Being in the work place for a few years now, I know that having practiced these skills in our exercise will help me be a better educator. I am grateful that I ended up with my team mates: Paul, Jaz, Vera, Kae and Chris. It was a fun, thrilling, and nerve wracking ride. I am thankful for the experience which I will bring with me as I start another school year with my students. 

*Photos from Freepik using my premium account.


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