Mayuresan's October Week 2 Reflection
What were your initial expectations coming to work at U+/YRES, and how have they evolved after your first couple weeks on the job?
My initial expectations coming to work at U+ Education were to take on the teaching aspect and actually teach students. I’ve come to realize that before that, I should familiarize and learn how to create effective and engaging lesson plans. This was seen while I worked on LEGO Robotic lesson plans for kids in grades 1-5 under the supervision of Christina. I learned that I shouldn’t rush things and take things one at a time, and eventually I will be trusted with bigger responsibilities.
What is one strategy that you use to manage co-op and academic work? What’s something that U+ does well in helping you in maintaining that balance?
One strategy that I use to manage co-op and academic work would be taking prioritizing big assignments and breaking them into small chunks, and working on them before moving onto other assignments. That way, I can focus on doing part of an assignment without feeling overwhelmed and in a timely manner. Once completed, I would work on school assignments in order of due date. Something U+ does well in helping me maintain that balance is having a wide time frame for the due date of assignments. This allows me to not feel overwhelmed with the assignment, and work on it to the best of my ability.
One of the key parts of success in a workplace is setting goals. No matter the magnitude or length, goal-setting helps you recognize what you want to accomplish in any professional work setting. What are some things you want to achieve during your co-op at U+?
Things I want to achieve during my co-op at U+ would be networking with others in the education industry, so building those connections with supervisors and co-workers at U+ would be valuable to my experience and further insight into a future career in this industry. Another thing I would like to accomplish here at U+ would be to discover more about the teaching process and how teachers keep students engaged or what strategies they use to motivate students.
What interactions or collaborations with colleagues or supervisors stood out to you this week? How did these interactions enhance your understanding of the workplace and the industry?
I was able to collaborate with colleagues and work on similar problems regarding a lesson plan we had together. This interaction enhanced my understanding of the workplace and the industry as I was able to develop a professional connection with colleagues while also working on my problem-solving and critical thinking skills. I realized that such skills & connections are crucial in the professional workplace and I wish to improve my skills moving forward. This could mean offering assistance to those in need, attending more meetings and voicing out my opinions in a respectful and professional manner.