Part I. Describe the most effective in-class learning experience in your life and the most effective out-of-class learning experience of your life. Provide enough detail so that someone who was not there will understand it. (The out-of-class experience might be something like learning a lesson about how to treat your fellow human being, a lesson about learning to do some life skill like riding a bike or tying your shoe, or anything else that you count as an important life lesson.)

Part II: What did you learn in EACH case? What factors made the learning experience effective? (Such as the way the lesson was taught, how you approached the learning, etc.)

Part III: Reflect on the things you can take from each example to help you learn more effectively in AND out of the classroom at Converse.

The most effective in-class learning experience that I’ve ever experienced was first time I flunked a test. Believe it or not, this was a very positive experience. My achievements up to that point had given me a very big head; I needed this failure to show me that I had to work to get the grades I wanted. While getting a bad grade wasn’t something that had an immediate positive effect on my grade, it did have long term benefits for me in that class and in future classes. I began to study, took better notes in class and paid more attention to what the teacher was saying.

The most effective out-of-class learning experience I’ve ever had involves a time I was at the mall with some girls I’d met from school. We were browsing in this cute little souvenir shop. After looking around at all of the different glass figurines and statues I witnessed one of the girls slip something into her pocket. At first, I was very confused as to what I should do. I didn’t want these girls to think I wasn’t “cool” enough to hang out with them, but I certainly didn’t want to say nothing about the shop lifting. So, I stupidly did nothing until we left the store. We walked around for a few more minutes, darting in and out of stores. Then, it was time to go home. We walked past the little shop again and the girl that had taken the object decided to go to the bathroom. I noticed that some of the shop keepers were talking to security, and I made the decision to approach them about what my friend had done. She got in trouble and I got my mom to come pick me up from the mall.

I learned a valuable lesson in both cases. In the case of the failed test, I learned that I am not invincible to bad grades. I need to study, I need to prepare, and I need to take good notes. Through this lesson I learned things that are more applicable to college. For example, when I learned I needed to study, I began to develop study strategies. I’m also very glad that I approached this experience in a positive way. I think that made the biggest difference. If I had decided to get mad, or had reacted in a negative way, I don’t think I would have learned the same lesson.

For the case of the stolen article, I learned that no matter what I need to be honest. This means that I am responsible not only for what I do, but also what I see. In sort, I learned values that are in the honor code. If I had choose to approach the situation differently, if I had decided to not say anything to the security officer I would not have learned the lesson. If I had succumbed to peer pressure, and stole something too, I would never learned the importance of honestly

I can use both of these lessons at Converse College. I can use the value of hard work I learned in the first example in my everyday life. From what I’ve learned so far, Converse is a difficult environment. It’s harder than any duel enrollment or honors class I’ve ever taken. I really need to take my study skills and note taking skills and utilize them to the fullest. I’m glad I learned this lesson before I got to school, because I don’t want failing grades on my college transcript. I can use the value of honesty I learned in my experience with my friend as well. Converse College has a very strong honor code system. Now that I’ve seen what kind of trouble you can get in for doing something such as stealing I will never even be tempted to. This is good, because it means I’ll never have to worry about going up against the honor board, or civitas.