Reflection Paper
People enroll in higher education institutions with different objectives in mind. For many, it is usually to guarantee themselves a comfortable future by laying a foundation for their professional careers. While this was also my primary objective when joining university and selecting an education career, I have learnt that the degree program and university life has provided me with more than just a career path. This degree program has helped my development into a “complete” person.
First, my degree program has provided me with different formal knowledge, skills and competencies enough for me to build a professional career. These are such as; mathematical knowledge, planning and organizing, education psychology among others. These skills will be useful after I complete my study and join the professional field. I speak with such certainity because I have experienced the importance of such skills during my internship.
Skills and knowledge I had learnt in class came in handy during my internship period. The internship period was a big test to the skills and knowledge I had acquired concerning the organization and planning of lessons. This knowledge was very crucial in assisting me to prepare for lessons and the content of lessons I was about to deliver to a class. I was also able to apply the mathematical knowledge I had gained during my study to assist students in their learning processes. It was very evident that my algebra, geometry and other mathematical application knowledge, was giving me an upper hand when delivering lessons to students. Education psychology knowledge was also useful during my internship. Using this knowledge, I was able to discern whether each and every student was at par with what we were doing in class. It was easy to identify students with problems and come up with appropriate solutions.
Apart from knowledge learnt in class, my study program and life in the university has exposed me to other “out of class” events that have given me informal skills and knowledge. These university-out-of class experiences have been unique and have completely shaped my personal and professional life. Various events and people in the university have contributed to this. First, dealing with different people, from different backgrounds in the university has fostered my intercultural and interpersonal understanding. I have learnt how to look at issues under different perspectives and to appreciate other people’s perspectives. I have developed tolerance and understanding of other people’s beliefs and values. This important skill acquired through my interaction in the university has made me a better citizen and future employee as I can now peaceful coexist with people from diverse backgrounds. I can live and work with people from virtually any cultural or social backgrounds while experiencing minimal conflicts.
Second, university life has also presented various situations, some of which were difficult to handle. There several occasions that I have found my self in tricky situation or that my friends have come to me for help when in such situations. Through such events and situations, I have learnt how to be a better problem solver and how to deal with situations better. Before, coming to university, I was dependent on my parents to solve the difficult problems for me. Coming to university has made more responsible and independent in handling my own issues. Through situations and events, I have learnt how to be a critical thinker and hoe to view issues in an objective manner. I believe that university life has prepared me for future challenges both in personal and professional spheres.
Another event in the university that has also formed a milestone in my professional and personal life is internship. Through this program, I was able to put to practice the different concepts that I had learnt theoretically in class. This enabled me to get a practical feel of what it is like to be in the field and how the practical setting is different from the class setting. Through the internship experience, I was also able to learn how to best apply the knowledge learnt in class in a real life setting.
I was supposed to apply the teaching psychology and lesson planning knowledge in real time. This was remarkable experience for me. I was also able to identify the best ways of dealing with the pressure associated with being in new environment that has different culture from that which I was used to. It was difficult adjusting from the role of being a student to the role of being the teacher but eventually I came to learn. The internship experience was also beneficial to my future professional career and personal life, as it sharpened my interpersonal skills. During the internship period I was expected to integrate with fellow teachers and students who were complete strangers, within the shortest time possible. In addition, the internship experience was useful in expanding my network of friends and professional associates.
In conclusion, my degree program and university life has provided me with essential life skills that have contributed to my development as a whole. Not only has the program provided me with formal skills to aid me in my professional career but it has also provided other important life skills such as; problem solving, greater interpersonal skills, cross-cultural understanding and a vast social network to work with.
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