The year is coming to an end once again. As the year looms to an end, people often look back to the year that was. At the start of each year, we often do some New Year resolutions. Things that we want to change as the start of New Year signals a new us. And as the year ends, we often do a little self-check and see if we are able to do the things that we promise to change.
There are two ways to check ourselves—self-evaluation and self-reaction. Now how do they differ? Let’s take it from the term itself. What is the difference before reacting and evaluating? These two both involve self-checking but how do we draw the line between the two.
A reaction is an immediate response of a body to certain things or situations. An unexpected event or thing can lead us to react in an unpleasant way. For example, robbery or accidents can freak us out and eventually lead us to do the wrong thing. Self-reaction is studying how we react to unexpected situations. It is a check of how prepared and composed we are to handle unexpected things. It is more often a sudden emotion (Harvey, 2002, p. 245). Self-evaluation is actually a closer look at one’s self. In newly-opened restaurants, they often give their customers a service evaluation form. They want to know what their customers think of their service. The customers then rate their performance. Now that is evaluation. We rate ourselves from the things we’ve done from the previous year. It may occur to us that we have reacted so badly in this certain situation. Or maybe this change of perception helps us to be more productive in the every thing. A self-evaluation is a closer look at us, grading, even critiquing ourselves. It is a chance of changing the bad habits and continuing the good ones (Harvey, 2002, p. 245).
Self-reaction and self-evaluation should be done in a regular basis to help improve one’s life. It is a great opportunity to look back and think of all the good and the bad things that we have done and have a chance to make our lives better.
References
- Harvey, L. (2002). Evaluation for What? Teaching in Higher Education. Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press.
- Karlsen, R. (1995). ‘Between governmental demands and institutional needs: peer discretion in external evaluations—what is it used for?’ Zurich: 17th Annual EAIR Forum, Dynamics in Higher Education: Traditions Challenged by New Paradigms.
- Rasmussen, P. (1995). Evaluation in Higher Education. Paris: Elfav Press.
- Saarinen, T. (1995). The Good in Evaluating. Aalberg: Danish University Press.