Reflection 5: So What?
Situation:
The two of you head toward the MSC and decide to grab lunch together. You begin discussing why you selected the particular capstone program and they ask you about your confidence, your influence, and your feelings towards developing your capstone and coming to the completion of your project.
How has your confidence grown as you build expertise on your capstone topic?
My confidence has grown immensely as I have not only built expertise on the Enneagram, but also have learned how to verbalize and properly articulate my thoughts on the subject. I have always lacked total confidence when public speaking, but this capstone project has provided a transformative experience in learning how to overcome my nerves when speaking. I have grown confident in fully explaining my thoughts, instead of stopping short from saying what I truly want to.
What has caused you to feel accomplishment during your process?
The main aspect of my class that has caused me to feel accomplished is when my students ask thoughtful, insightful questions that prove that they have been fully engaged throughout the teaching of the material. I love when the students stay after class has ended to discuss further or ask questions about how this material relates to other relationships in their lives (family, friends, significant others, etc).
What has caused you to feel concern during your process?
The only aspect of my course that has caused me to feel concerned is that one particular student has not submitted a few weeks' worth of content, and their grade is suffering. I want learning to be the main takeaway from this class, not a “letter grade” or “GPA point”, but I cannot give this student a high grade for work that is not deserving of an A. I am concerned that my class will be one that lowers her GPA, but I am hoping she will pull things together in the coming weeks and start performing to her fullest potential.
Why does this capstone project matter to you?
This capstone project matters to me because I am able to share something that I am so passionate about with those around me, who will go on to share this same information with those around them. My class has the potential to spread to many people beyond my individual reach, which is extremely inspiring to me and gives me the motivation to teach the material as best as I can. My class matters to me because it gives me a platform to help people become more self-aware, compassionate humans, which could change how they act and treat those around them for the rest of their lives.
How have you grown in awareness of the particular issue that your capstone is addressing?
I have grown in awareness of the Enneagram by reading 3 books on the subject and watching informative YouTube videos to get different perspectives on the information. The Enneagram is like religion in that it can be interpreted in MANY different ways, so there is always more to be learned! I also enjoy researching the questions that my students ask and filling them in during the next week.
What have you enjoyed most about your project?
I have enjoyed the “Discussion Times” most about my capstone project. During each class, when we are about halfway through the information, I include a discussion question to keep the students engaged and interacting with each other. So far, these questions have been “What’s the one thing you’d like others to remember about you at the end of your life?”, “What small act of kindness were you once shown that you will never forget?”, “What’s your why?”, “What value do you bring to the world?”, “What is something you would love to learn?”, and “When did you last push the boundaries of your comfort zone?”. Hearing the responses of my students and how they have grown throughout these few short weeks has been so amazing to witness!
What are some of the things that you would change regarding your project?
If I could go back in time and start my project over, I wish that I would have been recording my students’ responses to each discussion prompt. If I had done this, then at the end of the semester I could have given them each a folder or page with all of their responses on it, so they could keep this and reflect on it going forward. I may still try to make this modification during the last few weeks of my project because I want the students to have something tangible that they can hold onto to remind them of all that they learned during this class.