An experience I've had learning actively is this past semester. We began classes via zoom, and I had the assumption that this course was going to be extremely difficult. We then met in the classroom for the rest of the semester and I was able to become more observant of what the teacher was teaching us based on my environmental surroundings and being more active with the professor and my classmates. 

Another experience outside of the classroom is when I coach volleyball. I coach 18 year olds and have to come up with several drills for them to practice. Explaining the drills by just talking makes it very complicated, so by being actively involved and showing them how to perform the drill correctly makes the drill run smoothly. They also observe how their teammates perform the drill. 

A great experience I have with this is the classes and things I've had to learn as an education major. Reflecting what I have learned in all my classes and putting it towards my teachings is the most powerful tool. If I don't focus on what I'm actually learning then it does me no good in preparing me for being successful in the classroom. 

The second experience I take away from this characteristic has been in all of my Math classes whether that be in high school or college. My plan is to become a Mathematics teacher so my focus has been to study and grasp every concept well enough to be able to teach it. Without being able to articulate what I'm learning in my Math classes, I won't be able to prepare my students to learn it successfully. 

I have always enjoyed group work in my classes as a student. There are several things that personally I just couldn't figure out myself, and by being in groups it's helped my knowledge on certain topics, especially in Math classes. Math can be explained many different ways and students may hear it differently coming from their peers. This is why it's helpful for teachers to incorporate group projects/group work in their classroom. 

A personal experience is the relationship with my family and parents. Without the help and guidance from them I would be so lost. The amount of understanding and information they've given me about life is the most knowledgeable thing I've learned. An example would be cooking. My mom has taught me how to cook and passed down her ideas and opinions when it comes to recipes.

Last semester I was in a class that taught the importance of applying what we teach our students to real world problems and situations. In my Math classes I have learned ways to solve problems and relate it back to life which has helped my understanding of certain topics. One of the main classes was probability and statistics. If teachers don't present problems in an authentic way students will become confused with the relation of what it truly means.

This characteristic relates a lot to my coaching job. I can show my players what to do and tell them what's right and wrong, but if I'm not breaking it down and telling them the importance of how to pass, set, hit, and serve the ball then what's the point in them learning it? They won't see a purpose in learning what I coach them if they don't truly know how to relate it to the sport.

This is probably the most important characteristic from my point of view. My goal educationally is to pass my Praxis exam by December of this year and begin student teaching next semester. Without this goal I wouldn't be able to even use my degree that I've put ll my hardwork and dedication into, so it's extremely important.

I mentioned in my introduction that I love fitness and nutrition. I have several goals aligned with this hobby and achieving them would bring great reward and accomplishment in my life. There's usually always a goal in mind when working out and eating healthy which is really important in the fitness industry. I think having goals are beneficial in life when it comes to mental and physical health!