Your reflective writing essay should be written about achieving or working towards the SMART goal you chose for the semester. You’ll also submit an artifact or artifacts to demonstrate that you worked on or achieved your goal. Please see the attached example and the WHAT, SO WHAT, NOW WHAT reflection model. it should at least be 400 words (minimum) – 600 words (maximum).
Disposition Meeting: MY SMART GOAL
By the end of the spring semester, I will take significant action steps to improve my health and wellness by planning and saving for a vacation. The goal amount I’d like to save is $2500 by June.
- Action step – pick up extra shifts at work; Evidence – before and after photos of regular schedule and extra shifts
- Action step – less shopping for clothes and shoes; Evidence – create a monthly budget
- Action step – create a “Saving for Vacation Fund” Jar; Evidence – take photos and keep track of how much money she adds to the jar every week.
OVERVIEW
Self-reflection involves thinking about what you experienced this semester with your personal, people, paper, and practical goals. Your honest reflection will result in a deeper understanding of your personal growth or journey and how this learning can help you in both the classroom and in your future career. For our purposes, we will be using the “What, So What, Now What?” model of reflection.
o The “What” brings focus not only to the activity being performed (your goal and action steps), but what the individual is getting and expects to get from the experience. The “What” is important in determining if the goal you are attempting to achieve meets your level of commitment and satisfies some present personal development in your life as a student. It fosters reflection on what kind of student you are.
o The “So What” goes a step deeper and focuses more on the changes that
are taking place within yourself. It promotes critical thinking and reevaluation
if the learning you are providing is not meeting your expectations.
o The “Now What” is the crux of lifelong development. This step of your writing is thinking about what kind of impact this process (developing a growth portfolio) will have on your lasting development as a student. It is the step where you consider changes to your learning. It also prompts one to think about the kind of impact this process may have on their success in a future healthcare career.
QUESTIONS
Paragraph #1: The WHAT?
- Describe the goal and action steps you determined. What was your motivation for choosing this goal?
- Describe where you are in the process of achieving your goal.
- Read your personal mission statement. Do you feel your goal and action steps helped you in achieving your mission statement?
- In your opinion, what were the challenges you faced? What were your successes?
Paragraph #2: The SO WHAT?
- Think back. What did you learn from pursuing this goal?
- What might I have done differently? For a next time?
- What else could have be done to meet your goal?
Paragraph #3: The NOW WHAT?
- What lasting impact has this process of determining and attempting to achieve your goal left on you?
- How has this experience of achieving your goal affected your growth as a student?
- How has this experience of achieving your goal affected or could affect your growth as a pre-professional?
- If a friend asked you why this growth process is important, what would you say?
