ThinkGlobally
It’simportanttoknowaboutplacesintheworld.Why?Tomaketheworldabetterplace.Doyouknowwhereothercities,countries,andcontinentsare?Thiswillhelpyoumakesenseofthestoriesyoureadandnewsyou hear.
Whenyouhearaboutanewplace,finditonamap.Seewhereitis.Whatbigcitiesarenearby?Whatlanguagesdopeoplespeak?Whatislifeliketherefromdayto day?
Listen
Everypersonhasastory.Itmightbeabouttheirpast.Itcouldbeabouttheirhopesfortheirfuture.Whenpeoplesharetheirstory,theyaretellingyouwhothey are.
Beingagoodlistenermeansbeingcuriousaboutothers.Itmeanscaringabouttheirfeelings.Thatcanmakeyoumorecompassionate,whichcanhelpmaketheworldabetter place.
Fivewaystoboostyourlisteningskills:
1.
TRYTOUNDERSTAND.Don’tworryabouthavingananswerathand.Instead,trytofigureoutwhatthepersonistryingto say.
2.
FOCUS.Thatmeansputtingawayalldistractions.Givewhoever’stalkingyourfull attention.
3.
DON’TINTERRUPT.Givethespeakerthespaceandtimetoexpressthemselvesthewaytheywant to.
4.
BEOPEN-MINDED.Whensomeonetellsyousomethingpersonal,they’retrustingyouwiththeirfeelings.They’regivingyoualittlepeekintotheirheartandtheirmind.Berespectfulofthat.Don’t judge.
5.
LETTHEMKNOWTHATYOUUNDERSTAND.(Orthatmaybeyoudon’t.)Whenyouwanttoletsomeoneknowthey arebeingheard,say,“Itsoundslikewhatyouaresayingis….”Or,“Doyou mean…?”
ThinkAboutThingsCritically
Beacriticalthinker.Thinkaboutfactsandevidence.Whathappenswheninfoisnotfact-checked?Thenyouhavetofindasourceyoucan trust.
Howdoyouknowwhetherornottotrustasource?Considerthese questions:
1.
Whoistheinformationcomingfrom?Whoistheoriginal source?
2.
Isthissourcetrustworthy?Whyorwhy not?
3.
Doesthissourcehaveareasonforsharingthis information?
4.
Whatdoesthissourcegetfrommybeliefinthis information?
5.
Doothertrustworthysourcesconfirmoragreewiththis information?
