Reflective Essay Assignment - Ana

Molina
1. Current learning career and trajectory.
I am a Math high school teacher in Mexico City. I hold an MBA and an Engineering Degree in
Computer Science. Ive taught for more than 30 years.
2. The learning aim that is of importance to me.
I am looking for ways to help my students to learn in more efficient ways. I would like to engage
them and help them enjoy learning. I took this course in the first section. This time I enrolled the
32 students in my senior class in the course, and enrolled myself in the Signature Track
3. Biggest mental challenges in achieving your learning aim
My premise is that the lack of study technique and procrastination are preventing my students
from learning in my courses. I want to teach them how to stop procrastinating and how to
improve their learning skills.
4. Outline existing research or learning techniques that are relevant to your challenges
Study techniques: I will focus my attention on using recall (read, tell yourself what to
read, read again) and spacing repetition (investing 30 minutes in 5 different days is
better than cramming 5 hours of study the night before the exam) to prove them that,
investing the same amount of time, they can learn far more using this techniques.
Procrastination: Here I will introduce them to the Pomodoro technique (using a 25
minutes timer to pace work without distraction) and a great Chrome extension chromo-
doro to implement it in their digital lives. https://code.google.com/p/chromo-doro/
Furner, Joseph M., and Mary Lou Duffy. "Equity for all students in the new millenium:
Disabling math anxiety." Intervention in School and Clinic 38.2 (2002): 67-74. In this
article, the authors explain that if we are able to reduce the anxiety generated by Math
courses, the students performance will improve.

5. Applying knowledge of research findings or learning techniques to help me
overcome my challenges
My premise is that if I reduce the classroom anxiety, and show the students a better way to
study, they will enjoy learning Maths and will find this learning meaningful. Ive introduced some
of the concepts I learnt in the course to my classroom and the results have been amazing. I
assumed that their performance in my course (and in all their courses) will improve once they
overcome this challenges. I was right. They are blooming.