"What is critical thinking?" - Reflections

Reflection: emotional self-management

For me, the emotions that are most difficult to manage when others disagree with me are:

1. Frustration because when something like that happens, usually I'm the one who is right and the other person just doesn't listen and doesn't accept that it's wrong.
2. Anxiety because in those cases I don't know how to react, if get mad, upset or angry which are almost the same so I just keep quiet and don't say anything.

I deal with these by:

1. When I get frustated I usually try to stay calm, I breath in and out, count to 10 and keep telling myself: it's ok, Cami, he'll come around eventually. Don't push it. 
2. When I get anxious it's a bit more complicated because I actually don't have a tecnique to deal with it, I just stay in complete silence, avoid eye contact with that person and instead, try to change the subject or end it if it's possible. 

Reflection: influences on my thinking

For me, the influences on my own thinking that I need to be most aware of so they don't prejudice my thinking are:

1. The points of view of some people on how to live life, because most of them do what they want, they usually don't think before acting and think everything is alright.

I will deal with this by:

1. Not letting those comments affect me. Instead, I will try to give them advice.

Reflection: challenging opinions

For me, the things I find most difficult about challenging the opinions of other people are:

1. The other people's attitude when speaking
2. What they are talking about (the topic)

I deal with these by:

1. When someone is speaking about something and his attitude is bad or he's shouting or he seems to be angry about it I'd rather not talk to him about that.
2. If I find the topic interesting for me I like to participate but if not I'd be very quiet. 

Reflection

Do you recognise anything of yourself in Bodner's description of students? 

Ans/Yes, I do. Because the majority of teacher and professors of today tend to teach their classes focusing just in their books without using other kinds of materials that could be more effective when learning a second language, for example, English.

What effect would the approach he suggests have on your learning and understanding?

Ans/Well, I think my learning and understanding could be improved a lot if Bodner's approach was used. Because it focuses mostly on the critical field of the students and that part's what I'd like to have improved more at an early age.

Reflection

Consider what you could do to manage these barriers in the next few months.

Ans/Well, I think I can try to focus more on what the professors are saying when I'm in class, not to get distracted by other classmates or even by my cell phone. And to keep my eyes wide open, I mean, paying attention so I can participate.