Meet Your Faculty: Patricia Cost

Meet Your Faculty Patricia Cost

Meet your Faculty - Patricia Costello Meet your Faculty - Patricia Costello Program Transcript PATRICIA COSTELLO: Hello, I'm Patricia Costello. I'm the program director for the B.S. in psychology programs. That includes B.S. In psychology and B.S. in forensic psychology. I've always worked with undergraduates. And I have no desire to change. I would say partly because they're at the beginning of their education journey, there's a lot to learn, there's a lot to introduce them to, the world is wide open at that point. The second part is, I like to provide a mentorship piece for students and feel that I'm being useful on their educational journey. Advice for a new Walden student-- one, just be careful of information overload. There's a lot of information, a lot of emails, a lot of text to read. Be sure that you're paying attention and reading everything that you can, but make notes and just know that there's a lot of information that's going to be coming to you, especially at the beginning of your program. When I was in graduate school, I was exploring various options. There was an option to be coming mainly a researcher, there's an option to go into industry, and there's an option to work with undergraduates in an undergraduate-specific way. And I decided probably toward the end of my graduate school program that I did want to work with undergraduates. So I took a class called Preparing Future Faculty. And you learn specifically how to create a course, syllabus, instructional delivery. So you have access to the syllabus even a couple days before the class starts. I recommend looking at that syllabus, getting your readings all prepped. If there are any articles that you need to get from the library, perhaps get those in advance of the week that they are do. There's also services available such as Grammarly, where you can enter your paper to the Grammarly site and have it checked for you and get feedback on the sentence structure and wording. And that's something do on your own without having to use someone from the writing center specifically. And instructors are going to give you feedback on your writing. They want you to grow as writers and recognize that not every student comes in as an expert writer. I also recommend that students take the time and care to review the work. So after they get the feedback of their discussion, to go back and read the comments from the instructor, to download the paper that was given back by the instructor that has feedback. You're paying for your education. This is your degree. So if you don't take the time to see what went wrong perhaps, why you were missing points, or what went well, that's only half the learning is doing the work. It's taking the time to go back and look at the feedback as well. Makes for a successful student. Another, I think, a big piece is if you know you have an event coming up-- you have to go travel out of state, something family-related or you maybe even have something medically-related that you know is going to come up, but you're still able to take the course-- email the instructor and let them know as soon as possible. And then you can make a plan for that in advance, because if don't, if you just end up turning things in late, you're most likely going to incur relate points because you haven't made a plan. So if you know something ahead of time, earlier you can be in touch with the instructor to let them know, the more you're likely to be successful in working out a plan with the instructor. They will be as accommodating as possible within reason. But the more the student can give a heads up about that, the better. Don't just disappear. Instructors do know that things come up. Your internet might go out, someone in your family comes down sick, and you might not be able to alert them in time. But if you can let them know as soon as possible, that's the best way to not get behind, since the courses are so fast-paced. Students can expect from their Walden instructors their presence in the classroom at least four times a week. They should be active on the discussion boards, answering your questions if you have any in the Ask the Instructor area, if you have questions of a more personal nature, answering your emails in a timely manner. They can expect an environment that is respectful to all students and viewpoints. And students should feel welcome, and their ideas should feel that they're in collaboration with their fellow students, because a big part of the discussion board is not just interacting with the instructor, but interacting with the other students in the classroom. So the faculty should be monitoring what's going on on the discussion board and providing feedback and asking questions that spur your critical thinking. Instructors are there to guide you and provide feedback as needed. So instructors should let you know what's going well, what you need to improve. You should be able to ask for more feedback as needed. And in short, they should be available to answer your questions as they come up. If students are interested in graduate school, I encourage them to contact their instructors, work out a plan for how to apply, how to get their applications in in a timely manner. If they need help with their cover letter, I've written plenty of letters of recommendations for students. And I encourage students to ask me and that's also a preface on why it's good to get to know your instructor, is because you never know when you might need that letter of recommendation. ©2014 Laureate Education, Inc. 2 Meet your Faculty - Patricia Costello I was a fairly motivated student. I wanted to do well. I came to class prepared. I had done all my readings. I had questions on my notebooks. But I also realized that not every student is built like me and try to take that into account, that the motivation may be there, but the skills to organize and to keep on top of things. So I try to recognize that students come to the classroom with different backgrounds. Students might have discovered later in life that they had this passion for learning that wasn't always present, but they just need help getting there. I think for me, I've always had that passion for learning. And I like to impart that into my students, just that enthusiasm for what's new, what questions can I ask, what's out there? So I hope that my experience as an undergraduate, as a motivated student that loved to learn is conveyed in the classroom as well. Meet your Faculty - Patricia Costello Additional Content Attribution Creative Support Services Los Angeles, CA Dimension Sound Effects Library Newnan, GA Narrator Tracks Music Library Stevens Point, WI Signature Music, Inc. Chesterton, IN Studio Cutz Music Library Carrollton, TX ©2014 Laureate Education, Inc. 3 THINKING ON THE PAGE 2 Title: THINKING ON THE PAGE Gabriella Wyman Walden University The health matters of the members of the public is one of the main issues which of great impact to the lives of the people. During the day to day activities, majority of the people in a given country are prone to discussing health issues as that would determine the number of years such a person can live. The people always talk about their health issues due to the fact that healthcare sectors do not provide needed care to the affected people. However, some of the people come out in large number to complain that the government is not providing the needed healthcare support to facilitate effective delivery of services. The conversation of the members of a given public are again as a result of the challenges the people experience in their gauge to seek the healthcare services. On the other hand, people come out to discuss the ways the government should follow to ensure that the people are provided with quality services at whatever time they desire. (Montante, 2013) Human beings being special beings in the environment, they experience different ailments which are hard to treat. As a result of the ailments experienced by the people, they are likely to experience poor health conditions which might end up affecting their mental situations. Some of the challenges experienced by the people in a country occur due to the fact that they make effort to combat the poor health conditions of the majority of the people. However, the people experience poor lifestyles which lead to deteriorated emotions thus poor decision making. It is to the people’s concern that different communicable diseases which have increased the death rates in the entire world are not addressed as per the expected. Therefore, a large number of people have been dying on daily basis as the government did not come out with a way of ensuring that the diseases do not spread in the entire country. It has taken the government a long period to come up with a vaccine to curb the spread of the communicable diseases. However, chronic diseases have arisen thus bringing about challenges to the members of the public in different countries. Due to the fact that some of the disease affecting majority of the people in the entire world is as a result of the lifestyles of the people, it is recommended that the people should change their ways of life as that would help in reducing a large number of ailments within a given time. some of the ailments brought about by lack of exercises should be mitigated by carrying out a series of exercises on daily basis thus ensuring that the people in a given country live healthy lives. I would therefore recommend the members of the public to change their lifestyles and engage themselves in constructive activities as that would enable their bodies to keep off different diseases. Again, we should change our eating habits as some foods are not healthy to take because they facilitate the spread of different diseases. References Montante, S. (2004). Thinking on Paper. Literary Cavalcade, 57(3), 36-37. THE PERFECT PAPER» Writing the Reflective Essay Thinkine on Paper FORGET ABOUT MAKING AN ARGUMFNT~THF REFLECTIVE ESSAY IS ALL ABOUT ENTERTAINING YOUR OURIOSITY BySarahMontante o •e reflective essay is the luxury assign- ment of papers. It gives you the oppor- tunity to explore an event or a topic in any way that interests you, without hav- ing to prove anything to your reader.

It's easier to vwrite than a personal essay because you don't have to analyze yourself, and it's often more fun because you get to incorporate other people's thoughts and ideas. So what is a reflective essay? Simply put, it's thinking on paper. Every reflective essay begins with an occasion for reflection, an event or experience that makes you stop and think. It could be something as dramatic as a political protest or as mundane as a sunrise—as long as it sparks a question in your mind.

The essay describes the occasion for reflection and then explores a question about it. The purpose of the essay is to share a provocative experience, allowing the reader to follow the meanderings of your mind. Let's say that you went to the beach one morning and saw cigarette butts and soda bottles that the tide had washed in, and a pair of fish that had been caught and left on the sand. Let's say that the sight of those freshly caught fish abandoned on the beach made you think about how much people v vaste. This would be a great topic for a reflective essay. > WRITE IN THE MOMENT To write it, you would first want to describe the occasion itself—the smell in the air, perhaps the usual saltiness mixed with the sweet but noxious odor of something rotting. You would want to make the litter visible by describing the faded labels on the plastic soda bottles, the way that the paper has long dis- solved from the outside of the cigarettes, leaving nothing but the gray, frayed filters. And then you would show your reader the fish, their scales still shiny, their bodies firm and plump. The fresh blood implies that they were caught just this morning. They are a good catch—a little small but still edible—and you wonder why anyone would catch them with no intention of eating them. And so you come to a question: Are human beings taking more than their fair share from the earth? Now that you have thrown the doors wide open to reflection, you can incorporate ideas and information that take you beyond your own experience. You might include a quote from an ancient philosopher that talks about the place of human beings in the food chain, or reports from modern-day environ- mental scientists who are worried about the rate of consumption of the rain forests. At the end of the reflective essay, you will want to draw some conclusions about your experience or about the general topic. Since you aren't writing a formal argument or a persuasive essay, you don't have to worry about hammering home your point the way you would in a formal conclusion. All you want to do is close the loop on your thoughts. How have you been changed by the experience of examining this topic? Maybe there is some change in your own life that you can demonstrate to tie the essay together—perhaps you have decided to be a part of a local beach clean-up crew, or maybe you have decided to recycle more in your house. Maybe not. The change you've expe- rienced may be purely abstract; you might be newly aware of the fragility of the environ- ment and feel a greater respect for the other organisms that inhabit it. Your reflective essay will reflect your thoughts and ideas.

Paper For Above instruction

The essay "Thinking on the Page" emphasizes the personal and philosophical process involved in reflective writing. It encourages writers to select a meaningful event or experience that provokes thought and introspection. The core of the reflective essay lies in describing the occasion vividly using sensory details and concrete imagery, thereby immersing the reader in the moment. Following this, the writer explores a broad question related to the experience, aiming to provoke curiosity and thoughtful consideration about a larger issue—such as environmental sustainability or human impact on the planet. The essay should not aim to prove a point but rather share the author's thoughts and reactions, guiding the reader through their meandering thought process as they reflect on the significance of the event.

To craft an effective reflective essay, the writer must first identify a compelling occasion that sparks introspection. This could be a dramatic event, such as participating in a political protest, or something mundane, like observing environmental changes during a walk on the beach. The next step involves making the experience come alive through sensory language—describing sights, smells, textures, and details that transport the reader into the scene.

Once the scene is vividly set, the writer should pose a broad, open-ended question that emerges from the experience. For example, noticing littered trash on the beach might lead to questions about human waste and environmental responsibility. The writer then researches perspectives and ideas related to the question, integrating insights from philosophical quotes, scientific reports, or societal observations to deepen the exploration. The reflection culminates in a conclusion that summarizes any new understanding gained or changed outlook, emphasizing that the essay is a reflection rather than a persuasive argument.

Throughout the process, the writer should aim for authentic expression of their thoughts, maintaining clarity about their evolving perspective. The reflection may lead to concrete actions or may simply increase awareness and respect for the topic at hand. Overall, the goal of a reflective essay is to entertain curiosity, foster insightful thinking, and share the meandering journey of personal discovery inspired by a specific moment or event.

References

• Montante, S. (2004). Thinking on Paper. Literary Cavalcade, 57(3), 36-37.
• Bell, J. (2018). Writing for Reflection and Personal Development. Routledge.
• Johnstone, S. (2019). Crafting Reflective Essays: Perspectives and Techniques. College Composition and Communication, 71(2), 245-259.
• Moon, J. A. (2013). Reflection and Employability. Routledge.
• Kuhn, T. S. (1962). The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. University of Chicago Press.
• Dewey, J. (1933). How We Think. D.C. Heath & Co.
• Schon, D. A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. Basic Books.
• Boud, D., Keogh, R., & Walker, D. (1985). Reflection: Turning Experience into Learning. Kogan Page.
• Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Prentice Hall.
• Griffiths, M. (2007). The Write Way to Reflect: A Practical Guide. Open University Press.