I really enjoyed the exercise we did in class today where we wrote down 3 questions and then mingled with our classmates to discuss them. It hit me, after we were done, that Professor Middleton was teaching us about networking!
I think our culture, in general, trains us to associate asking questions with appearing weak or unintelligent. This is unfortunate because there is so much we can learn from those around us. The people we come in contact with, each specialize in a variety of different areas of interest. Pretending we already know what we need to know on any given topic, hinders ourselves from gaining useful information.
This activity inspired me to be better about viewing my friends, family members, and even acquaintances, as resources of valuable information. It also reminded me, as discussed in chapter one of our text, of the importance of being willing to be that resource for others.
You're so right. I hate when I have a question in class, but hesitate because I think, "oh, everyone else already knows the answer...I'll just ask the professor after class is done." Today, I learned we each can benefit from each other's questions. Thanks for your advice!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. I think that one of our greatest strengths as humans is the ability to learn from each other's experiences without actually being exposed to the same life events. Sadly, we are often too proud to utilize this skill. I thought the exercise in class was an excellent way to get people out of their comfort zone, and also a great way to facilitate active listening.
ReplyDeleteLove it! After all, how else are we truly supposed to learn if we don't ask questions? Everyone lives a different life, has had different experiences, and could offer new ideas that we ourselves could never have considered. I have found myself in the same boat at Sarah, hesitant to ask questions in class, but it opens us up to receive far more insight on our questions.
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