Eng 111

Time management, procrastination, and related reflections

  • Overview of today’s plan: bridge from time management chart to procrastination, discuss academic reading strategies, introduce narratives, watch a TED Talk from North Korea, and end with assignments and a campus scavenger hunt.
  • Start in this building: elevator is down, so second half of class will stay in this room to avoid stairs; no lab in the plan for today.
  • Schedule touchpoints: end of class around 2:00 PM; there will be a check-in about attendance questions and the group project during Thursday’s session; professor has been replying to canvas annotations with brief answers.
  • Prior steps: reference to a “time management chart” from the last class; focus on each student’s individual challenges and adjustments (e.g., being an early bird, planning ahead).
  • Questions from students: syllabus-related questions are common; the instructor will revisit them on Thursday; questions are valuable for clarifying expectations and improving clarity for the instructor as well as students.
  • Purpose of annotations and feedback: instructor uses student questions to understand what needs to be clarified and to improve the course; feedback loop supports alignment with personal learning needs.
  • Time management theme: “pressure cooker” as a major category in student surveys; emphasize self-reflection on personal time management styles.

Procrastination: what it is, why we do it, and consequences

  • Core claim: procrastination is not solely a time-management issue; it often involves psychological and behavioral factors in addition to scheduling.
  • Diagram discussion: Things I should do vs things I would like to do vs things I do when I procrastinate; exploring the gap between intentions and actions.
  • Consequences of procrastination:
    • Increased stress
    • Formation of bad habits
    • Lower quality of work due to time pressure
    • Disorganization and chaotic workflows
    • Domino effect: delaying one task disrupts others and undermines progress
    • Incomplete tasks when not followed through
  • Scope of procrastination: not limited to academics; appears in personal life and work tasks; examples include:
    • Laundry and daily chores that pile up
    • Working out or exercise routines
    • Scheduling appointments and making phone calls
    • Car maintenance and cleaning
    • Running errands
    • Dealing with personal issues or conflicts (avoidance)
  • Personal examples shared: gift shopping for birthdays, waiting to handle appointment holds, avoiding conversations or difficult emotional tasks.
  • Emotional drivers: fear (of failure, judgment, or uncertain outcomes) is a major driver of procrastination; fear links to avoidance of stress, perceived negative outcomes, or social judgment.
  • Cognitive and contextual factors: distractions; feeling overwhelmed by a task; lack of understanding about how to proceed; underestimating task complexity; not knowing where to start.
  • Social and practical drivers: the allure of easier, short-term activities (e.g., social media, TikTok, quick amusements) can compete with longer-term goals.
  • Reflective prompts introduced: understanding what triggers procrastination in a given domain helps plan more effective strategies.

Procrastination: a practical, reflective exercise

  • 8–10 minute writing activity: think about a time you procrastinated (academic, work, or personal life).
  • Reflect prompts:
    • What was the procrastination moment?
    • What caused it (emotional, cognitive, situational factors)?
    • What would you do differently in a similar situation?
  • Sharing guidelines: you may join a group with 3–4 people; you can choose a non-sensitive example to share; you can keep specifics private if preferred.
  • Typing vs handwriting: typed responses are allowed if more comfortable; the goal is to articulate the experience and plan for change.
  • The value of writing: writing helps process thinking, clarify ideas, and move from reflection to action; it makes thinking explicit and supports commitment to change.
  • Group structure: participants will be placed in groups (e.g., Manoj, Brianna, Alyssa; Christian) to discuss their procrastination experiences and strategies, fostering peer learning.
  • Takeaway: procrastination is an ongoing life issue; awareness and small adjustments can improve future task approach; peers’ ideas can offer practical approaches.

Transition to academic reading strategies

  • Plan to shift to academic reading strategies after the procrastination discussion.
  • Emphasis on sharing diverse reading approaches rather than prescribing a single method; focus on adaptable strategies that work across tasks.
  • Annotation as a key academic practice: intentional note-taking and marking important ideas while reading.
  • The class will model collaborative knowledge-building by combining student experiences with instructor guidance.

Mentimeter interactive activity: gathering reading strategies

  • Tool: menti.com (Mentimeter) used to collect anonymous student input; increases honesty and breadth of ideas.
  • Code: 61832632 (eight-digit code).
  • Process: students go to menti.com, enter the code, and respond to three questions in sequence; responses appear on screen without showing names.
  • Three questions (conceptual summary):
    • Before reading: what strategies do you use before you begin reading? (single idea per response)
    • During reading: what do you do to stay engaged while reading? (idea-based entries)
    • After reading: what helps you understand or apply the content or prepare for a test? (entry-based)
  • Purpose: collect a wide range of strategies to identify common themes and effective practices, then summarize to the class.
  • Group sharing: after responses, students note two strategies they want to try applying; the instructor will recap themes from the responses.

Thematic recap from student responses on pre-reading strategies

  • Common actions before reading: skim, scan, examine headings and title, assess length, and make predictions about content.
  • Predictions: predicting what the text will cover helps engagement by providing a mental roadmap; compare predictions with reading to adjust understanding.
  • Purpose awareness: understanding the assignment’s requirements (what you’re being asked to do) informs how you read (what to focus on).
  • Task awareness: clarify the purpose of reading (e.g., to extract general themes vs. to memorize dates).
  • Author awareness: knowing something about the author (background, other works, frame of reference) can influence interpretation.
  • Headspace and environment: prepare a conducive mood for reading (calm music, taking a deep breath, short walk) to improve focus.

Thematic recap from student responses on during-reading strategies

  • Engagement techniques: rereading is common; reading aloud can help processing when focus falters; some students visualize content (notes on visualization), while others may have aphantasia and not picture mental images.
  • Note-taking and highlighting: active annotation, color-coding, and selective highlighting; caution against over-highlighting; focus on meaningful cues that stand out.
  • Distractions and focus management: minimizing distractions is crucial for sustained engagement.
  • Pause as a cognitive strategy: pausing during reading to assess comprehension, re-clarify questions, and decide whether to reread.
  • Individual differences: some people visualize vividly, others do not (aphantasia); awareness of personal cognitive styles reduces miscommunication and improves collaboration.

Thematic recap from student responses on post-reading strategies

  • Post-reading actions: rewrite notes, answer given questions about the text, and generate new questions the text raises.
  • Question generation: asking what the text did not answer is powerful at all phases of reading (before, during, after).
  • Summarizing: high-level synthesis that captures big ideas while excluding extraneous details; requires effort and brainpower.
  • Rereading as a tool: multiple passes of rereading deepen understanding and retention.
  • Recall testing: self-testing to identify gaps in memory and understanding; targeted rereads where necessary.
  • Personal connections: relate content to your own experiences or knowledge to enhance meaning and retention.
  • The overarching goal: increased engagement and deeper understanding lead to better learning outcomes.

Key reading concepts and skills to practice across phases

  • Prediction and purpose: anticipate content and purpose before reading; use predictions to drive focus while reading.
  • Task orientation: know what you will do with the text (questions, analysis, argument reconstruction).
  • Active engagement: annotate, highlight selectively, take notes, and ask questions during reading.
  • Visualization (where applicable): for readers who visualize, create mental images to anchor meaning; adapt to personal cognitive style (some do not visualize due to aphantasia).
  • Pausing and reflection: incorporate deliberate pauses to check understanding and plan next steps.
  • Post-reading synthesis: rewrite notes, answer questions, summarize, recall, and connect to broader context.

Narrative: purpose and relevance

  • Plan to introduce the concept of narrative: what a narrative is and why narratives matter in our lives.
  • The TED Talk focus: a narrative account from a North Korean woman about a personal experience; use as a case study for narrative structure, voice, and perspective.
  • Why narratives matter:
    • They shape memory, identity, and understanding of events.
    • They help communicate experiences, challenge assumptions, and build empathy.
    • They can reveal power dynamics, cultural context, and personal resilience.
  • Relevance to studies: narrative awareness improves academic writing, critical reading, and ethical reflection by making experiences explicit and allowing for deeper interpretation.

Narrative in practice: reflections and connections

  • Consider how narrative voice influences interpretation; compare different narratives about the same event.
  • Explore ethical considerations in sharing personal narratives (safety, consent, and respect for others’ privacy).
  • Real-world relevance: narratives appear in journalism, memoirs, case studies, and classroom discussions; understanding narrative helps in persuasive writing and evidence-based reasoning.

TED Talk integration and academic reading themes

  • The TED Talk example provides a concrete narrative to analyze: voice, structure, evidence, and emotional impact.
  • Students will discuss how narrative choices influence interpretation and engagement with the material.
  • Link to foundational principles: narrative reasoning complements analytical and critical reading; it supports synthesis and empathy in scholarship.

Course logistics and next steps

  • After the narrative discussion, the class will briefly consider how narrative understanding informs reading and writing tasks.
  • Next steps include a campus scavenger hunt: visiting select campus locations (rounded to Culkin area) to build familiarity; this activity is designed to ease transition and increase campus awareness.
  • Logistics note: elevator is out; second half of class remains in this room; no stair climbing for today; adjustments announced if any issues arise.
  • End-of-class reminders: additional time may be needed for assignments; the instructor will provide clarifications for syllabus-related questions on Thursday; students should continue to monitor canvas for responses and feedback.

Connections to foundational principles, ethics, and real-world relevance

  • Time management and procrastination connect to self-regulated learning: awareness and deliberate practice to set goals, monitor progress, and reflect on outcomes.
  • Writing as cognitive processing: writing tasks trigger deeper reflection, help articulate thinking, and guide learning trajectories.
  • Peer learning and collaborative inquiry: group discussions and anonymous input through menti foster diverse perspectives, reduce fear of judgment, and enhance collective understanding.
  • Ethical considerations: respecting privacy in sharing personal experiences; using anonymous tools to reduce social risk while promoting honesty and openness.
  • Practical implications: recognizing personal procrastination patterns enables targeted strategies for study planning, task initiation, and completion.

Quick reminders for the day

  • Use the Mentimeter activity to capture ideas; remember the code: 61832632.
  • Prepare for the second half of class in this room due to elevator issue.
  • Be ready to discuss your procrastination reflection in groups and to compare reading strategies with peers.
  • Expect a follow-up Thursday on syllabus questions and attendance-related items.