Learning Objectives: What specific skills or knowledge do you hope to acquire by the end of this course? Explain why these are important to you. 

By the end of this course, I would like to acquire skills that will help me in both my academic and personal growth. One of my main goals is to improve my public speaking abilities, as this is an important skill that I believe I can benefit greatly from, especially since I can be a bit shy and quiet when presenting. Furthermore, I would also like to improve my collaboration skills, especially in being able to work with others and acknowledge their ideas and perspectives. This is important to me because developing this ability will help me become more adaptable when working with a wide range of people on school projects and in future workplace environments. 

I would also like to take on more of a leadership role, such as becoming a point person and someone people can rely on for guidance. I also want to be a role model to those in Grades 10 and 11 and encourage them to take on more leadership roles as well. Finally, I would like to work on teamwork and take charge by making sure that everyone feels heard and valued, especially those who may be shy or hesitant to participate. Developing these skills will help me collaborate more effectively with different groups in various settings and adapt to different work environments. 

 

Application of Knowledge: How do you plan to apply what you learn in this course to real-world situations or future academic/career pursuits? Provide examples. 

I plan to apply the knowledge I gain from this course by actively participating in leadership roles within my school and community. The strong public speaking and leadership skills I hope to develop from this course will help ensure my voice is heard in group settings and provide me with the skills needed to excel in other aspects of my life, such as academic presentations, group discussions, and leadership roles within the community. 

In addition, the teamwork skills I develop will allow me to collaborate efficiently with others, which is essential for university group projects, extracurricular activities, and future work environments. Many careers require the ability to work well in teams, be a leader, and support others when needed. By focusing on these skills, I will be better prepared for post-secondary education and career-related opportunities. 

 

Personal Growth: In what ways do you expect this course to contribute to your personal development? Consider aspects such as critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills. 

This course will contribute to my personal development by improving my critical thinking, teamwork, and communication skills. It will encourage me to step outside my comfort zone, take initiative, and adapt quickly to changes. I believe this will also help me become more self-aware and improve my social awareness and responsibility, as I will frequently work with different people and need to adapt to team environments. I will also need to apply specific skills based on the needs of each situation. 

Furthermore, by strengthening my communication skills, particularly in public speaking and group discussions, I will gain confidence in expressing my ideas and delivering messages clearly and persuasively. This will not only benefit me in this course but also contribute to my personal growth by preparing me for future university presentations, interviews, and leadership roles. 

In addition to communication, this course will help me develop resilience and problem-solving abilities by encouraging me to manage setbacks and handle conflict calmly. Since teamwork is a major focus, I will learn to collaborate with others and value different perspectives, which will be beneficial when working on future academic projects or collaborating with future coworkers. Overall, the experiences I gain from this course will make me more adaptable, confident, and effective in both personal and professional environments, providing me with the skills needed to succeed in university, future careers, and leadership roles. 

 

Challenges and Strategies: Identify potential challenges you might face in achieving your goals for this course. What strategies will you employ to overcome these challenges? 

Some potential challenges I may face in achieving my goals are managing my time effectively between leadership, school, volunteering, and university applications. To overcome this, I plan to stay on top of all my coursework and complete assignments right away, so they don’t pile up. Furthermore, I will create a detailed schedule and set priorities for tasks each week. 

Another challenge might be projecting my voice since I tend to have a quiet voice, and it may be a struggle to speak loud enough for everyone to hear. I will work on this by practicing speaking loudly and confidently, even yelling if needed, as this is a skill that takes time to develop. 

Working in groups with people who have different working styles may also be a challenge for me. Sometimes, when I see someone not doing their job or doing it differently than I would, I tend to want to take over. To manage this, I will remind myself that everyone learns at different paces. Instead of taking over, I will talk to the person, offer support, and try to help them. By identifying these potential challenges early on, I will be able to develop effective strategies and work toward overcoming them.