in Skillful, Bixby and Scanlon introduce the ideas in a reading with a discussion question. For our next reading, they ask us to first think about our own experience of achieving something.
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Question for readers
Think of an experience when you worked hard to achieve something. (Bixby & Scanlon, 2013, p. 78)
- What was it? Was it, for example, an exam, an award, buying something, or something else?
- What helped you achieve it?
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- Bixby, J. & Scanlon, J. (2013). Skillful reading & writing: Student's book 3. Oxford: Macmillan Education
At first, and as usual, I had trouble thinking of a good topic to discuss, but as I thought a bit more, a couple of ideas came to mind: buying my first computer, completing my honours thesis in moral philosophy, and setting up a business in the early days of the Internet all seen like the right type of topic here.
ReplyDeleteBuying my first computer to came to mind first, so I'll choose it. This was back in 1990, an age ago in technology. I was living in Bangkok, email was a wonderful new things, and Microsoft Windows 3.1 was the latest operating system. I wanted to get into the fun. The computer I wanted was a notebook, and at the time, these were very expensive - about 100,000 Baht, which was a lot more in 1990 than it is today.
I have never thought of buying something as an achievement, but as I read from your comment, actually, it might be.
DeleteIt reminds me of my belongings that was very hard to get from, and what come up to my mind is music CD. As a film student, I have my favorite movie which is a Japanese movie. I very like its soundtrack, and I want to buy The OST. (original soundtrack) of it very much, but it was very difficult to buy it in Thailand, actually, it is impossible.
So when I got a chance to go to Hong Kong. I decided to find. I got it from local music store in Hong Kong, and, of course, It is very expensive. but it is what I am looking for.
What I did not have time to write before was that it took me a few months to save enough to be able to buy the notebook I wanted. It was good discipline, but very hard giving up other things like favourite foods and treats. It was all worth it, and having the computer led me to the Internet and a set of skills that helped my start a small online business that worked out well before many people were doing it. I was greatly helped by my passion for learning the technology, like database design, website creation, and so on.
DeleteI don't know, to be honest. It's not easy for my to give this answer for five minutes. I have to be honest, I'm very lazy. So, that's why achievements are difficult for me. But I think that an exam, an award, buying something is not achievement. For me achievement means to help people, to help cure a sick child or help to build a house for those in need.
ReplyDeleteBefore I had all of my words rudely thrown away by AUA's antique technology, I had written, in a bit more detail, that although very different to my ideas, I like Kate's new examples of types of achievements we might write about here.
DeleteThe question asks for one example of an achievement, so I had asked Kate what was one of her achievments in the areas she lists as types to choose from . And then I gave one of my own for her excellent suggestions.
I was writing about how I had been able to help an old Thai friend with serious health problems and his family for the past ten years or so, something I would never have listed as something I hoped to achieve if I had been asked twenty or thirty years ago. Yo has been unable to work for some years, and I have been fortunate to be able to support him and his sons, especially the youngest, who is now ten, over this time.
I'm glad Kate suggested very different areas of achievement to the ones I had thought of when I added my revision to Bixby and Scanlon's Before Reading question.
The question asks us to share one of our own experiences. What is yours? What helped you to achieve it?
DeleteEvery year, I and my husband every year organize trips on Koh Chang for sick children from Russia. But I don't like talk about it. I think that all good deeds should be done in silence.
DeleteI think skills, experiences and self commitment will reach us to success. Which is could be education success, occupation success overall could call a life achievement. Sometimes helping people to get to their goal is also can call an achieve as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your ideal that skills, experiences and self commitment can lead us to success. Moreover, I think that attempt is also important because even you have great skills and experiences but you are not attempt, you might not achieve your goal.
DeleteThe question asks us to share one of our own experiences. What is yours? What helped you to achieve it?
DeleteFor more specify, my latest achievement that I think I could call that was one of my life goal that I have done was being the artist in resident in Iceland. First, I set that goal because I wanted to travel to Iceland with strongly hope to see the Northern lights with my own eyes but how can I make it in the cheapest way. Then I make a research about artist in resident program and I found one in that time and I applied and they picked me 1 of the 12 artist selected from all over the world because being an artist is bring me a really good opportunity to travel the world, good way to safe my money for seeing the world and I can also do things that I love in the same time "make art and explore the world".
DeleteWhen I was in high school, my project group had a gold that we wanted to participate in science innovation contest. We worked for 6 months to develop our machine for the contest and we could finish our work before the dead line. However, we didn't won any price in the contest but it is ok for us. The most important things for achieving each work is attempt. If you do not give up, you can achieve every thing.
ReplyDeleteYes, if we don't give up, we can achieve everything.
DeleteBut is that so tired for us do that? I don't know but one thing, I think, that can refresh us from exhausting is ourselves. If you read my comment(not this), I have tried so hard, but fortunately I didn't get tired. Actually, I'm a very lazy guy, but in that situation, it's another me. Maybe it was tired but I was willing to do.
So that's it. Another thing can help you refresh and keep going your work is your willing to do. I honestly say that's not every time of my life.
However, your achievement is cool and what you think is completely true!
A well-chosen experience to tell us about. Thank you Thun.
DeleteAbout three years ago, I was doing my last year thesis so that I would be graduated the bachelor degree. It was very hard work. I had been doing it for one year long. A month before the final deadline to sent my work, I hadn't slept well and not enough. I slept about 3 hours a night and worked all day long.
ReplyDeleteIt usually happened, when I was in high school. To hand out the report before deadline, I even have not sleep all night. I double checked about what I have wrote. If there are a little mistaken it might destroy all I had write. Although I have not do thesis before, I might know that it was pretty tired to finish. Just because you working hard for about one year long. It was a really big pressure to sent you work in final deadline.
DeleteA well-chosen experience to tell us about. Thank you Pa. I had a very similar idea about my own theses - they were achievements. I think all of my friends feel the same way about their theses.
DeleteWhat I first think of my achievement that I had tried so hard is that I can join one of the most competitive high school. That makes me and my parents and others on my family proud of me. Because that's not a easy job to do this, the percentage of the students joining is very little compared to the students enrolling.
ReplyDeleteSo what helped me achieve it is that I tried very hard. I practiced the exam every day. But so doubt I didn't feel tired because I chose to do it myself. However, I think that I get an advantage that I like and am good at mathematics, and it helped me so much in this situation or test.
Actually, I am poor at doing math so I always admire someone who can easily understand math but I still try as possible as I can to realize the calculations.
DeleteI believe that when people try hard to do something they are interested in, it makes us fell satisfied so I think this experience is really a big achievement to you.
When I was in high school, I was very passionate about reading, I spent most of my time reading books in the library in stead of playing football (I used to play football everyday during lunch break) One day, I told myself that I have to write something, so I started writing.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I started writing blog about film review, music, concert and film festival. I was writing for about 1 years with out reader, but that never made me stop writing. I keep writing until one day I have a chance to intern in magazine company in Thailand.
Every writer wants to have people read and react on what they wrote. You are very patient person that can keep continue following your dream on doing what you like even though, in that time, you didn't get anything in return. And I'm glad that finally, you can make your dream comes true. You haven't finished your comment, but I guess, eventually, your pieces of work had been plubished in the magazine. It must be a wondeful feeling when you know there are people reading and enjoy what you wrote.
DeleteI used to study hard for the exam which determine what university I will go. In Taiwan ,there are exams to get to the college. Because I didn't do well on the first exam, I continue to participate in second exam ,but most of my classmates have the college.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I mean there are "two" exams to get to the college.
DeleteYour achievement is similar to mine. I wrote about when I was accepted to my dreamed university. I understand it is not easy especially when we are serious and pressure. I believe that your determination will make you succeed in the second time definitely. As I already passed this moment, I would like to suggest you that apart from practicing, relaxation will help reduce your tension particularly the day before examination, taking a rest and sleep early. In my opinion, failure gives us more advantages than success. It teaches us to be aware and become better and better.
DeleteI think of when I was able to entrance to Chulalongkorn University. Studying there was my parents' dream, also myself. I am not a clever and skilled student but I tried hard. During the last year in the primary school. I prepared myself by reading books, practicing exam and taking additional course.
ReplyDeleteYes I agree, one of life achievement of almost everyone is education, getting to study in the university. That reminded me I remember that I must prepare myself, practice my drawing skills and learning hard about human anatomy. But this was not my parents' dream I didn't follow my their dream at all, study art was my dream and I'm glad that they support.
DeleteWhen I was in high school, I work hard to achieving my goal point.And study really hard in every moment.
ReplyDeleteI'm very sorry, Sharon, but could I ask you give a bit more information about your achievement. How was it? Why it was hard for you? What was your goal point? And, it's quite interesting for me, why your studying is hard for you every moment? I think that's important to take pleasure when you study. In my opinion, the studying give a benefits to person when he loves this process. But, perhaps, it's my mistake, and people have to study very hard without any joy. What do you think about it?
DeleteI am sorry I have not finished yet. In my high school, every student want to go to the greatest university.
Delete