Click the url link on the right. It is a brief overview of the book I read from the other day, "Soar your strengths" by Donald Clifton. After you read the brief synopsis, think of something in your life now or in the past that is a weakness and also think of your strengths. Share these with the rest of us and tell us how you have learned to manage this weakness and soar with your strength. If it relates to school, tell us if and how a teacher taught you to manage the weakness and/or soar with the strength.
The Foliotek link is listed to the right. Go to the website and click on the link labeled "New User." Fill in all the account information that Dr. Vazis gave you.
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43 comments:
I think that one of my weaknesses is when I have a lot of pressure, I get really stressful and I loose my patience. However, I feel that my personality is one of my strengths and I feel that if I focus on my strength it will outweigh my weakness and I will focus less on my stresses and more on personality. I have learned to overcome my weakness by just taking one step at a time and to breath easily every once in a while.
One of my weaknesses is that I get stressed out very easily. In order to overcome this weakness, I have to take it one day at a time. I have discovered that I should only worry about today's problems because tomorrow's problems will come tomorrow and if I worry about them today, it will just make me more stressed. Therefore, tomorrow’s problem can wait. One of my strengths is that I am very good with working with the mentally challenged. In order to soar with this talent, I am going to teach these unique and wonderful kids.
I also use Stefan’s technique as well when he says that he has to take a step back and breath easily.
My weaknesses have always been in math up until last semester... thats 20 years of thinking i was a terriblemath student. I realized it was because i was not taught correctly when i was younger so i was always playing catch up. Anyway, i took a stat class where all new things were learned and I got it... ever since then i actually like math and do well. Positive reinforcment gives me my strength, like succeeding in a math class, makes me want to do my best.
One of the weaknesses that I have is procrastinating. I always waited until the last minute to do a project or even to just get something done around my house. I always told myself that working under pressure resulted in some of my best works. Now that I have more going on with my schedule I make time to get my assignments done on certain days and the weekends. That way I am caught up and can relax a little and not get so stressed. So many of my teachers have told me that time management is a good skill to have. It took me awhile and trust me I don't have it down yet but its a work in progress. I agree with stefan and I always make sure I step back and remember to breathe.
One of my weaknesses is having patience pertaining to certain things. A lot of times I want something to happen right then and there on my own time, but in reality I need to just let it happen gradually and have faith that what ever I want to prosper will. In teaching everything is not going to go your way but if you know it will in due time then you will be ok. Patience is a virtue I trully believe that. I have now learned to control myself and let everything take its course.
One of my weaknesses is that I used to get stressed out over everything. I would take on too many activities and all my homework had to be perfect. I learned to prioritize and do what I truly loved doing. I also learned to deal with stressful situations without getting upset. I realized that it wasn't worth wasting my life worrying about things that I couldn't even change. One of my strengths is math. It's always come naturally to me. I used my strength in high school by going into the higher math classes and I'm currently a math tutor. I really enjoy it.
Chelsea-
I was the same way! I would worry so much about tomorrow that I would miss what was happening in the present. And I think it's amazing that you want to work in special education. It takes a gift and a passion to dedicate yourself to that work. That's wonderful :)
One of my weaknesses is that I always seem to worry when I have a lot on my plate. I tend to over schedule myself and try to cram too much into one day. It can get stressful at times, but I know I'm bringing it on myself. I have worked on it a lot over the years and handle it much better now. I put my priorities in order and learned to take one task at a time.
As for my strengths, I am very competitive. Competition helps me push myself to be better. Anything you can think of, in my mind I can make a competition out of it. It just helps me to be the best that I can be and seeing someone do something better opens my eyes to new things.
Nicole Whitaker
I just read sarah's comment. I can completely relate!
I am very weak in science. It seems that no matter how much I study, I just can't seem to grasp the subject. Because I know this, I am obviously staying away from any job involving science. When I have to take a science class, I do my best but accept that doesn't always mean getting an "A." I think one of my strengths is working with autistic kids. Because of this, I want to be a special education teacher. This way, I can make my strenght my career and actually get paid for it.
Chelsea- I have the same problem with getting stressed out. I used to never get things done because I was too busy worrying. I think it is much easier to take it one day at a time.
My biggest weakness would have to be getting stressed out easily. I have been involved in so many different things all my life and at times it can be hectic. Often times everything happens at once and I have to do too much. One thing that helps me cope with this weakness is taking a little time for relaxing. Even if I have three big tests the next day, I always try to take breaks in between studying. Whether it be watching some tv, coloring a picture, or cleaning my room, I just need to do something to keep my mind off being stressed. This technique was taught to me by my mother who is a middle school music teacher. Durring her musicals, she gets really stressed and she has learned from experience that taking a time out to just relax is a great stress reliever.
-Rebecca Peddicord
-Kimani
I totally understand your impatience. There are certain aspects of my life that I just feel like I'm not able to be patient in. I'm working on it, but it definitely isn't easy.
-Abby
My best friend is just like you, a procrastinator. She is constantly waiting until the last second to do homework and things like that. However, if you get your work done on time and are able to handle the pressure, procrastinating is ok. Just make sure you always get your work done!
-Rebecca Peddicord
My biggest weakness is that i procrastinate big time. I always wait until the last minute to do things. Most of the time it's because i forget about or i am just lazy. So far this year i have been trying to get things done the day i receive it. It has been working for me so far and i have not missed any assignments. My outgoing personality is one of my strengths. I like working with others and helping people out.
I totally agree with you Abby. My schedule is so hectic with school and playing softball that i feel like i procrastinate a lot more. I have found times where i need to stop taking naps or watching TV and getting work done. It's a lot easier then it seems, no matter how long it takes.
I have a laundry list of weaknesses but i would say that my biggest weakness as far as school goes is with numbers. I've never been able to do math well. I never really dealt with it and on the ACT I bombed the math section. Im good at english though and i did really well on that and the reading section which kind of balanced my composite score out. I haven't really overcome it but i just got better at what im good at.
Like Abby,I procrastinate really bad too. I usually wait until the last minute to do everything. i just need to manage my time better
My weakness is the fact that i procrastinate. My procrastination problem didn't really turn into a problem until high school. In middle school it would always work out for me and i got a's and b's. My philosophy was "If you do it at the last minute, it only takes a minute." But that philosophy didn't work very well in high school because things needed to take more than a minute to get done. I still procrastinate but not the way i used to. Things are always easier when you just get them done instead of stress about it and wait until the last second.
My strength was the fact that I have been gifted with lots of smarts. I'm not trying to be cocky but people always complain to me about how hard they try in comparison to me and how i do just as good if not better than them. That's why I have always been able to procrastinate and get away with it.
Kimani is very right about patience being a virtue. That is such an important thing in getting things done good and right. I get very impatient when I'm writing a paper. I just want it to be done but if I'm just patient and work at it, it turns out ok.
One of my weaknesses is that I am very impatient. When I want things done, I want them done at my pace and when others get in the way it really just frustrates me. To oversome this, I have learned that others work and understand things more efficiently when they work at their own pace, just as I do. A strength I have is that I am very easy to talk to. As a future teacher, I want my students to know that they can confide in me no matter the situation.
Chelsea, I agree with your idea on stress. You cannot concern yourself with what will happen tomorrow when what you must really be worried about is today. I think it's great that you know that!
one of my weaknesses is procrastination. I procrastinate a lot, and it always has negative effects. However, one of my strengths is organization. So by organizing my daily routine to leave space for homework, I can overcome my procrastinative manner.
nicole-
I have the same problem. I am always taking on more than I can handle. I usually wind up having to decide what is more important, and then going with that. There just isn't enough time in a day
When I was in third grade, I had a slight speech issue. My L's and R's were undstinguishable, and my S's were; well they were bad. I had to go to these speech lessons where I had to recite word after word over and over. It was always scheduled during recess too. One day I asked the teacher why I had to stay in and recite the texts, she told me, "Clayton, you can already out-run, out-kick,and out-climb everyone out there. After this is all over with you can out-speak everyone too." I had always been quite competitve, so I spent all my free time practicing and ridding myself of this hinderence. today, I can still out-climb and out-kick most, but more importantly, I can speak without embarassment.
I'm with Jessica, I thought I was a terrible math student and that I'd never get it because I was being taught one way and only one way- It is still one of my weaknesses, but my strength is my creativity. Now I've learned to channel that into problem solving and I think it will benefit me in the long run. Learning how to be creative in other areas than the arts has really been a tremendous help. I personally have tried applying it in my history class this semester and I found astonishing results.
When I was growing up one of my weaknesses was public speaking. I had a very hard time presenting a project or explanation in front of a lot of people. One of my strengths was finding the answers, or doing the work. I was really good at that. I did not like talking in front of the class. In third grade we were required to give a pesentation on a book. Usually we just wrote a book report and turned it in. This time we had to have a visual aid and write a paper about the book. I was terrified, but I overcame my fear. TO prepare for it, I practice in front of my family every night. I will never regret that day. It changed me. I have not had a problem since.
I agree with Stefen as well. To overcome a weakness, you must take it slow. You do not want to rush it.
one of my weaknesses is that i am easily distracted. like if i have homework online i will first go to facebook or check my email and then just putting off my homework til late (like right now). one of my strengths is my sense of humor i try not to take things too seriously,or let the little things bother me.
everyone says that taking a step back and a deep breath helps them relax but when things are stressful or busy, but i just laugh at myself and try to look at the bright side.
A strength i have is being organized and being faithful in completimg tasks, but along with that a weakness i have is not being flexible. Recently i have had opportunities to work on beinig more flexible and it has greatly benefited me.
I agree with abby when she saud that time management is important, and definitely reduces stress.
One of my weaknesses is procrastinating. Whenever I get school work I normally do it right away but when it comes to big projects or assignments I always wait until the last minute. When the semester first started I did that with a spanish project I had and ended up doing it the night before it was due. I got completely stressed out and ended up missing out on going out with my friends because I had to finish it. Luckily I did well on it but since then I've learned to manage my time better. It's gets rid of a lot of stress.
Abby I totally agree. Once you realize its better not to procrastinate its so much easier to relax. And it is hard to stop doing it once you've done it for so long but it gets easier over time.
I would have to say one of my biggest weaknesses is in spelling. I love to write and it can be a horrible handicap sometimes. believe it or not something that really helped me to learn how to spell better has been predictive text or T9. You have to spell the words correctly or keep guessing until you get it right.
As far as my strengths go, I'm very good at art and creativity. I'm most definatly an out of the box thinker. The excellerated program at my elementry school really helped me to stretch my brain. I remember learning about Russia, penguins, even Hirashima and Nagasaki. Those times out of my regular class allowed me to learn more interesting things than what the regualr class was learning.
In refere3nce to Abby's comment, I too am a procrastinator. But, I had a teacher in high school that actually taught us all how to procrastinate correctly. We would spend a few weeks reading a novel and then have two days to write a rough and final draft that were worth about 70% of our grade. Having the pressure on to excell like that really helped me to learn how to focus my attention and prioritize. I'm incredibly greatful to him. Correct procrastination is a life skill I use every day.
i think one of my strengths are never giving up. i think my weakness is leting my personal life get in the way of my daily life.
i agree with bridget and abby with putting things off till the next day then the next day. it is hard to sit down and do homework after sports, work, and school.
One of my weaknesses is practicing my trumpet, I don't care to sit alone in a practice room isolated from my peers. I prefer to work with an ensemble or a small group so we can bounce ideas off each other. My drumline instructor once said to me, "you can practice any way you want but at the end of the day what matters is what comes out your horn. It is what it is, and you can't change it." My strength is teaching music, I still like playing and performing but I really like passing on my musical knowledge to help other musicians grow in their journey as a performer. ~ Aaron Robertson
Another weakness I have big time is what tony said, procrastination and I don't know how to manage it. If anyone has ideas I would love to read them. ~ Aaron Robertson
One of my weaknesses is stressing out about little things. I start freaking out and do not know how to accomplish everyday tasks. In overcome this I just try to focus on each task one at a time. A strength I have is communicating effectively with others. This strength help me over come my weakness because I can ask others for help to minimize everything i stress out about.
I also agree with Tony. One of my other weaknesses is procrastination. But if I become really organized too, i can overcome it.
I also agree with Tony. One of my other weaknesses is procrastination. But if I become really organized too, i can overcome it.
Throughout my life organization and time management has been a key issue of mine. A strength of mine is my work ethic, when i start a project i always finish it, and i do my best to finish it well.
Over the years i have learned various improvements on time management and tasking myself. different teachers have shown me different methods, and i've taken a little bit from all of them to have a system of organization that works for me.
So i'm really good at procrastionation. i tend to put off my assignments til last minute. Take this blog for example. Either i forget about it until the day of, or i think to myself that i'll lose it if i get it done too early. Over the years, i've come to realize that if i'm not in the school/serious setting, i won't finish my work. Which is why i'd rather do all my work in my classes, but that can't happen all the time.
Abby is also a fan of procrastionation. i agree how i think i get things done under pressure, but sometimes (although i may think that is the case) it isn't. But like she said, i'm working on time management as well.
Stefan, you and I are in the same boat! When i get stressed I can get really frusterated! And when that happens I totally shut down and get nothing done!
I have really had a hard time dealing with this. It is something I struggle with day in and day out. But, when I do become stressed I just have to get up and walk around. I have found a little exercise to be very beneficial!
One of my main weaknesses is that I have anxiety issues and gets bad whenever I am giving presentations. Sometimes Stefan's idea of stepping back helps. I still need work on this issue though. My strength would have to be history because it is easier to remember stories than just random facts.
im really bad at taking on too much at a time. i guess im impatient and want to get things done pronto. the only problem w/ that is that then i get overwhelmed and then nothing gets done, or i finish but the work isnt what i feel i am capable of. i still dont have this under control but im working on it--and i have people who are helping me to plan and set realistic goals so that i dont get discouraged and then give up on the things i want to accomplish.
-thanks stefan, just sometimes need to step back and take a breather ;)
My weakness is mornings. I can't wake up during them. I tend to toss and turn at night, causing me to get terrible sleep. Therefore, it is extremely hard for me to wake up early and leave the comfort of my own bed. So, because of this, i used to not make it to school that often. Which brings me to my strength. When i'm there, i shine in the classroom. i love participating and usually soak in everything i learn. However, there was a while where there wasn't much soakin except the drool into my pillow. I overcame my weakness by learning to manage my time better. By doing this, i started getting my homework done earlier, which allowed me to go to sleep before 1 am. SInce i have started managing my weakness better, my grades have improved greatly and i've learned alot more.
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