Part 1: Today I am...
The first and longest section of your essay should describe who you are today as a result of this first-term course and starting your educational journey. Specifically consider your personal plan for success at Walden. Answer these questions to develop this section:
• Who are you as a student?
• What tools has college provided?
• How do the tools and available support play into achieving your goals?
• What did you learn about yourself through the assessments? How is that going to feed into your plan for success?
• What has this first course done for you? What might this course do for you moving forward?
Think about some of the course themes and big ideas we discussed and connect them to the way you will approach learning and future classes.
Make sure to get specific and point to course examples to support your ideas.
Part 2: I promise to...
In the second section, make a promise to yourself and the classmates who might need your support during the program. Think about your reasons for being here and why you are promising to work towards success. Consider the following:
• Here is why I am not going to walk away
• Here's how I will help myself
• Here's how Walden will help me get there
• Here's how I will be part of positive change
Part 3: How I will become part of the college Community
In the third section, explain how you might identify a mentor (colleague with different professional skills, someone in your profession, or a Faculty Member) to support your educational efforts. Share how a mentor would have a positive impact on your education and the role you would like him/her to take. How you might become a mentor to others in the program?
After you have completed your Reflection, find or create a visual artifact that shows your aspiration and hang it above your desk. Think of something that will motivate you and keep you engaged and focused as you complete each Discussion and Assignment as you move through your coursework toward graduation. Be sure to include a picture or copy of this visual representation with your reflection paper by copying and pasting it into your paper or attaching it as a separate file.
Submit a 2- to 3-page rough draft of your Reflection Assignment using the guidelines above. Your rough draft should demonstrate use of the Academic Writing Expectations, such as proper grammar and sentence structure, and address the parts described above. It should also include an introduction andconclusion. Make sure to support your ideas with specific evidence and class examples.