In continuation of my blog, here are a few thoughts I have about building a “toolbelt of skills” for high schoolers through self-reflection.
High school is an opportunity to explore. With more freedom and independence to choose courses based on interest, it can be incredibly exciting to learn new things. From chemistry to economics to statistics, classes in high school are more in-depth than they are in middle school. However, while learning the conceptual knowledge of varying fields, it is important to simultaneously practice academic and non-academic behaviors alike to improve oneself. These skills and traits, which help define a person, should not be solely measured by resume lines or test scores, but also by the immeasurable scales of becoming a more well-rounded human being.
During youth, the period of life when education should be prioritized, the value of actually learning the materials within courses themselves cannot be understated. This pursuit of knowledge—how to find a p-value in statistics or when the Civil War took place—needs to go hand-in-hand with the pursuit of how to learn, communicate, time-manage, empathize, and more, which can set oneself up for achieving long-term life goals—not just short-term endeavors.
How can we ensure we learn these skills?
Every person has a different vision for what skills they hope to hone. Depending on personality, background, family influence, community, and goals, choosing the path to reach one’s plans can be difficult. Therefore, regardless of what path is chosen, self-reflection is one tool which can keep individuals on the right track—whatever that may be; for we should not only measure our progress through the speed at which we are going, but also the direction we are headed.
The act of looking at one’s own character can reinforce the lifestyle you hope to live. By better learning who you are as a person, you can see the pitfalls you fall into (which you hope to correct), areas you succeed in (in which you hope to continually do so), and uncharted territory (which you may hope to explore). This act of self-reflection will lead to awareness—an important step.
Awareness is the first step to action, which is the first step to change. After becoming aware of your strengths, weaknesses, and areas you hope to develop, executing upon these plans is an important next step. As with many things, stepping out of the world of theory into application can be difficult. Therefore, having a system of implementation which you can trust is ideal. A system of, for example, spending five to ten minutes each night before bedtime writing about the present day’s actions and tomorrow’s actionable plans. Finding your own plan of action and what works best for you is key.
As someone who is learning more about the world each day, excited to see what the future holds, I humbly share my thoughts on this topic.
If you have questions or comments, please feel free to reach out through E-mail: terry.shen@pineviewtorch.com