ASSIGNMENT: Learn about Positive Psychology, then create a blog post about what you’ve learned.

First, read this webpage: “What is Positive Psychology” This gives you the basic knowlege you need to begin further exploration. (If it still feels a little confusing, here’s a simpler essay. Try reading it, then going back and reading the first one.)

Then read this blog (and it’s a very good example of a blog.) Notice that he is blogging about things he has read. He provides quotes from and links to the sources he has read, and guides you to other websites where you can learn more. He ties it all together by telling you what he has learned and what he thinks. Your blog should do the same.

The blog above mentions three kinds of happiness in Positive Psychology. What are they? I didn’t think he did a great job of explaining them, so you need to do some googling. Remember, we’re looking at the ideas of happiness in Positive Psychology, not what Uncle Ned or the guy on the bus says happiness means — so your Google search must contain the phrase positive-psychology. Another good google phrase is Authentic-Happiness. After you’ve read more, explain the three types of happiness.

When you blog about what you’ve learned about three kinds of happiness, signature strengths and Positive Psychology, include quotes, links, referrences to other websites and your own learning and thoughts.

Go to http://blogsearch.google.com/ and find other blogs that discuss Positive Psychology. Do they also include quotes, links, referrences to other websites and their own learning and thoughts?

One of the links from the blog above led to this website, which I will definitely check out further– it lists the “Ben’s Top 11 Positive Psychology Internet Resources.” Maybe you could include a list of the sites you found the most informative, with a few sentences about why you found them them helpful. Check Ben’s site to see how he did it.

     The three kinds of happiness in positive psychology are pleasure, meaning, and engagement. “The three main ingredients of authentic happiness are: pleasure, engagement, and meaning.” This is the equation for happiness. People have to take part in the little pleasure of life, to watching the sunset to having a relationship with a certain someone. If theres nothing in your life like this there has to be something done, which isn’t hard. It just means you have to get off the couch. Another key ingedient to happinessis meaning. “Meaningful activities are those that are engaging but also serve others.” People have to have to feel important and needed to be happy. Like helping others. The last part of authentic happiness is engagement which is when your involved in activities with others and using your skills or interests. This will actually help with passing the time because if your doing something you want and like to do then the time will fly by. http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/A-Formula-For-Happiness-/90253

 http://ranhasa.typepad.com/blog/2006/09/authentic_happi.html

http://mavic.blogspot.com/2006/07/authentic-happiness.html

 

Writing 3:

On your blog, tell what you consider to be your five signature strengths. Briefly give examples of the role that signature strength has played in your life.

           I think that my five signature strengths are that I’m creative, outgoing, easygoing, persistent, and responsible. Being creative is what helps me have my own style. My creative side can even help me solve problems in my own different way. An outgoing person would go after what he or she wants and thats exactly what I do. I work for what I want and need because I know that no one else is going to hand it to me. I’ve also been a very laid back kind of a person; one thats along for the ride. Being easygoing is good for hanging around with other people because then your not the one thats being bossy or controlling. Responsibility is a big signature strength for me, If I wasn’t responsible I don’t know where I would be. I would be in a lot of trouble for starters and also I would not have a car. The cars really important to me. Signature strengths play a part in my life everyday.

Writing 1:What are other “good things” about people — personality traits like  ”creative, wise, brave, honest, enthusiastic, kind, etc.” — qualities that make our lives better and which we can use to improve our happiness and success? We call these attributes “signature strengths.” List a few and explain what they mean.

1. Outgoing- Not being afraid to go after what you want.

2. Unique- Special (not like that!), not like everyone else.

3. Courteous- Being polite to others and respecting other people.

4. Charismatic- Able to make others enthused about something.

5. Genial- Cheerful and kind.

==============

Writing 2:

Think about a time in your life that you showed that you had one of these signature strengths. Think about it, remember what happened, what the circumstances were, what you did and why you did it. How did you feel about what you did, and what did it show you about yourself?

        Almost everyday people show signature strengths and don’t really think about it to be significant. I would have to say that I’m an outgoing person. The things I want and get aren’t that big, but one day they will be. I remember my mom told me she was going to stop handing me money for things like lunch and anything else I wanted and told me I had to work for my money and learn how to save it. Soon after when I realized she wasn’t kidding around I started to look for a job. Eventually I got one and I’ve worked there for almost two years now. I manage to pay my bills and have money left over; I’ve become a little more responsible and learned to manage my money. I feel really independant because I don’t have to ask people for money and it shows that I don’t need to depend on anyone.

• WEEK 1: ASSIGNMENT #1:

1) Take some time to read this brief article (click on the purple words and it will open the article in a new window) about blogging for beginners. What you’re looking at is a blog about blogging by Darren Rowse. Click on some of the links. Read some of the responses by readers. (Soon you will be able to comment on my posts here at MaxLighthouse.)

2) Write three things about blogging you learned at this site that you did not know.

1 I didn’t know there were actually name for a person that writes a blog and a name for when you’re making a blog.
 

2. I also didn’t know that blog was short for web log.
 

3. It can also be anyone who writes one it doesn’t have to be a teacher or a computer genius.

 

• WEEK 1: ASSIGNMENT #2:

• 1) Find some blogs that deal with topics that interest you (keep it G / PG rated, please!) You can find them by going to Google and entering the word blog plus the topic you want to read about (for example comic-books, hip-hop, plastic-surgery, CGI, Portugal-history, stolen-elections — almost anything. Take some time to read and explore them.

 

2) Choose two blogs — one you really like and one that isn’t so great. Write three paragraphs about the blog you liked best. Write one paragraph about the other one. Why did you like the one that was your favorite? What did you find there? Why was it a better blog than the other one?

            I like the “Did It” blog because it made me excited just reading it. I could tell the person that wrote it was really anxious for his next step in getting his motorcycle license. He or she thought differently about riding after they took the first step into getting their license though, I guess there’s a big different when it’s illegal.
            The blog reminds me of my friends. They went out and bought street bikes and didn’t have their licenses beforehand and they couldn’t wait to get on their bikes. Of course not having their licenses didn’t stop them. Then when they finally did get their MSF they would go where ever they wanted instead of only certain areas.
            I want my own street bike one day so I can completely understand this guy’s excitement. I would be that excited or even more so probably, because no one thinks I’ll be able to ride a bike. I would call everyone I knew if I got my license and got to ride my bike legally.
 

            The “MSF Class Finally” blog was still a descent blog, but it didn’t really make me want to read the rest after reading the first sentences or two. It seemed like he was excited about his class that he took, but he didn’t really express that through what he was writing. The blog explained what he did in the class and how he wanted to keep riding even after his class was over. That’s the part I liked the most though; where he talked about wanting to keep riding for hours and hours after riding for about 3 hours even though it was really cold.
 

http://newstreetbike.blogspot.com/

• Week 1: Assignment #3

1. Using google.com, find some definitions of blog that explain the characteristics of a blog.  Is google a blog? Is YouTube? Is Answers.com? (No, no, and no. But they are three of my favorite websites.) WRITE a half-page explanation of what a blog is. Include particular characteristics that make a blog a blog.

2. Using google.com, some other search engine, or your own Internet favorites, find a blog you like and that you would re-visit every week or so. Write a paragraph about it telling what you like about it and be sure to include the URL. (The URL is the “address” of the website. For example, the URL for this site is http://maxlighthouse.edublogs.org/

NOTE: The blog you choose and your review will be posted for other Lighthouse students to read, so make a good choice and do your best writing.

            A blog is basically an online diary. It’s a website where one author can write whatever that person feels or wants to say. Sometime there can be links to other websites or other blogs that maybe the author visits everyday. A blog is short for web log which is the formal way of saying it. Blogs are recognized by their format. A blog normally has dated entries that are in chronological order which is kind of backwards if you ask me. The earliest entry is on top and the older ones are on the bottom. They also have comments and links. Blogs can be used to share things that you find interesting on the internet. Most of the blogs that people subscribe to are free. Blogs can also be used to learn about whatever you’re interested in because there are blogs for everything.
 

http://www.learningcircuits.org/2002/apr2002/ttools.html
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,289893,sid9_gci214616,00.html
 

            I found a blog mostly about fashion and make-up and other girly things. I like this one because I am always seeing what’s new with fashion and trying to put my own twist on it. I read about all the new ways and styles to do make-up even though I don’t wear much, but just in case I needed to get all dressed up I know how to do my own. My big obsession is purses and they have a separate blog just for the new designer purses.
 

 http://www.apparelsearch.com/fashion/Fashion_Blogs.htm
 

• WEEK 1: Assignment #4:

Have you ever had a nickname? Did your family have a particular name for you when you were little? Do your friends call you by a name other than the one you were born with? How did the name come about? Do you like it? What does it mean to you? Write a paragraph about your nick name. If you have never had a nickname, tell us about a nickname would be a good one for you, and why it would fit you.

            When I was about five my grandma started calling my Lizzie because of my middle name which is Elizabeth. When my mom heard my grandma calling me Lizzie she told her to call me something different like Lizard. My mom didn’t like the name Lizzie and she thought she came up with a pretty cleaver and original nickname so for the longest time she called me Lizard. My friends have a better nickname for me that I actually like. They call me Bidi. It started out because they all thought I was really short, which I am compared to them. At first it was Ity-Bidi, but then got shortened to Bidi. I like this one a lot better than Lizard I guess because it just sounds more like me.

• WEEK 1 ASSIGNMENT #5

Find a blog that is different from your culture, ethnicity, political point of view, etc. Write a one paragraph review of the Blog, and write one paragraph telling about something new you learned.

            The Japanese blog that I read having to do with their culture was mainly telling a story about a tree that had to be pruned. They went through a lot more than we would normally do in our culture just to cut off a couple of branches of a tree. They had to pay their respects to the sprit of the tree before they could prune the tree. They folded paper and tied it around the tree, made a shire to the tree and called a Japanese priest to help with the ritual.
            I learned that their cultural is all about respect. Not just respect to your elders or other people, but to every living thing. Their decisions are mostly based on honor and their obligations to their family, and in no way can you disrespect your family in Japan.
 

http://joi.ito.com/archives/japanese_culture/
 

• WEEK 1: ASSIGNMENT 6

Using Google, write a paragraph telling me who Clyde Tombaugh was. Why was he famous? Where did he grow up? What is the latest news about his great discovery?

            Clyde Tombaugh was an American astronomer who discovered the smallest planet in our universe, Pluto. He was born in Streator, La Salle County, Illinois. The latest news on Pluto is that it is no longer considered a planet.

• WEEK 1: ASSIGNMENT #7

Go to one of the blogs I’ve listed below, choose a post you find interesting and summarize it in one paragraph.

• This is BlogHer – a blog written from a female POV.
  • ===
• I wanted to find a political blog that expressed a Red State / conservative perspective, since my own politics are very liberal / progressive. But I had trouble finding one I could really recommend. So here’s a particular post on the RED STATE blog that I found interesting.
  • ===
• Math was never my favorite subject, and I tend to think of myself as a rejected stranger on the Planet Math — so I definitely need to read more about math.  Let’s try a math teaching blog that could have some ideas for Independent Study: Homeschool Math Blog
  • ===
• Culturally, I’ll admit to being pretty ignorant about Islam, so with all the endlessly negative news and oppinions about Muslims, I wanted to read a blog from an Islamic point of view. Here’s veiled4allah.

Blogher: The business of selling nicotine- liar, liar, pants on fire
 
       In this blog she talks about the cigarette company and how they have increased the amount of nicotine that they have put into their product. They have been trying harder and harder to promote smoking in the youth. Her point is that if they have to do something they don’t want to there only going to do what the have to and not go any further than that. The other point is that if there is a standard that someone has set for them; expect only the standard and nothing more.
 

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