Experiential Learning Reflection:
Learning Leadership In Theory and Practice
Upon my completion of this project I felt extremely proud of the work that was completed by my team this quarter. I was also proud to see my own personal leadership development. Looking back at my original application, I would change what I had said the expectations of my position were. Before the quarter began I did not foresee that I would have to hold the students accountable for their actions related to the class. Something I struggled with in this leadership role was the potential need for disciplinary action. When students failed to come to class or contribute in a positive manor, I felt somewhat uncomfortable with the responsibility of determining whether or not they would receive credit for the class. Because we graded on a credit/ no credit scale, the only possible repercussion for a lack of investment in the course was to withhold credit. However, this action seemed too severe. Instead of withholding credit entirely, my teaching team and I decided to reach out to each student and speak to them individually to reiterate the requirements of the class. While at first it felt difficult to have this type of authority, our teaching trios problem solving techniques made it much easier.
Throughout the quarter I could feel myself becoming more comfortable and confident in my role as section leader. At the beginning of the quarter I relied mostly on pre-constructed questions from the lesson plans in order to facilitate discussion. However, as I got more comfortable in the leadership role, it became easier to identify questions that could be asked to direct the conversation in ways that could help the expand the students thinking. This project has furthered my educational and personal goals because it has offered me an opportunity to apply the leadership skills that I have been taught. While learning leadership strategies and theories is a good foundation for one’s leadership development. You truly begin to become a leader when you have the opportunity to put what you have learned into practice. Throughout the entire quarter, I have learned much more about thinking on my feet, how to be a peer coach, and how to support the development of others. Most of all, I have developed a much greater confidence in my own leadership ability. I now feel that in the future, when I am given an opportunity to lead, I will be much more comfortable taking on the role and will be able to do a better job because of it. The development of my leadership ability also has given me the confidence to take on other leadership opportunities that I previously thought were beyond my ability. I am currently looking for a way to get involved in ASUW. I feel as though my position as a section leader gave me the experience necessary to go after a position like that.
This opportunity connects with my future coursework because I now have a lot more experience leading and contributing to discussions, which will be extremely helpful to me in both my smaller business classes, as well as honors classes that depend so greatly on discussion. It will also help me to take on a larger role in group projects, as well as greater involvement in the RSOs that I am a part of. Also, I see myself continuing my role with this class next year. While I feel as though last quarter was successful, I think that next year I would do an even better job as a section leader. I have already learned how to solve many of the preliminary problems, and could focus on making small changes so that the class could be even more helpful to the students in it. While the curriculum of the class is fairly consistent from year to year, the professor is extremely open to comments, critiques and ideas from the section leaders. Due to my experience with this course, during the planning months for next years’ course I will have some feedback that could positively influence the coursework. I also see myself doing something like this again because I really enjoyed the opportunity to help students younger than me find their footing, and discover what opportunities they have for involvement at UW. When I first came to UW, it was difficult for me to identify exactly what I wanted to do during college and what I wanted to get involved in. Now that I have more of an idea, I am excited at the opportunity to help students who are in the same position that I once was. Over the last quarter I learned that I value community and leadership very highly. I enjoyed having a community of section leaders who supported each other while teaching this course. I also enjoyed seeing community develop within the students of the course as well. As they became more vulnerable with each other, they began to grow more comfortable and supportive of each other. I have learned that I value leadership highly because I like the opportunity to share my values with other people and help them discover and live out their own values.
Overall, I am incredibly proud of the results I received during this quarter. When I was a student of this course, last year, my section leader Kendall inspired me to step out of my comfort zone as a leader. Her investment and support led me to develop as a leader in a variety of ways. She inspired me to take on new leadership roles, pursue my own passions, and became one of my role models. Kendall encouraged me to apply to be a section leader for this class, as well as for the Greek Community Project, and RSO that I am now a staff member for. Pursuing these two opportunities has been one of the best decisions I have made in my time at UW. They have provided me with valuable learning experiences, supportive relationships, and tight-knit communities. I am very grateful to have had such an influential person as my section leader for this course. Not until recently did I believe I could have the same impact on other students as she had on me. Having the opportunity to inspire growth in others is extremely important to me and is one of the reasons applied to be a section leader for this course in the first place.
In the last quarter, my leadership confidence has developed and I believe that I can achieve much more in my time at the UW. I feel empowered and excited to discover what is next for me. I am excited to pursue my current goal of running for an ASUW officer position. Holding such a position would develop my own leadership tremendously, while giving me the opportunity to support and advocate for a larger community. In the next two years, I plan on taking advantage of every opportunity that I encounter, and being a mentor to others in their own leadership development. When I graduate, I want to know that I maximized each chance to develop the communities I am a part of, and prepare myself to pursue my passions after graduation.
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