Learning Plan

When I look over the strengths and limitations I identified in sprint 2, I get a snapshot of myself in that moment. It's making me realise that the way I feel about and see myself can be quite changeable.

I can be compassionate, patient and openminded, but I can also be judgemental when I feel insecure.

I can be careful, methodical, and organised, but I can also be impulsive or reckless with my time when I'm feeling out-of-touch with the big picture.

I can be curious, light-hearted, and level-headed, but I can also get overwhelmed if I get too stuck in negative self-talk.

When I am taking care of myself, being deliberate about how I spend my time, and staying consciously connected to my values, that is when I am most able to utilise and engage with my strengths.

When I deprioritise my well-being, I can slip into a mindset that lowers my self-worth and makes me less likely to identify with the constructive, productive, passionate and compassionate version of myself.

I think one of my biggest challenges in bootcamp will be staying aware of my mindset, and taking the steps to look after myself when needed.

I know that I learn best in collaboration with others. While at Dev Academy I want to push myself out of my comfort zone a bit more socially, and become more confident interacting with and working with other people.

While at Dev Academy I hope to develop my ability to reframe challenges as opportunities for growth. I want to be less discouraged by my mistakes and more okay with just doing my best.

So far I have appreciated the culture of proactive support from the Dev Academy team. This has helped build my confidence going back into a learning environment, I feel able to communicate with them easily and able to ask for help when I need it. I also feel that safety and inclusivity are prioritised and taken seriously, and I expect this to continue in bootcamp.

I am determined to get the most out of this experience. For me this means:

• communicating honestly and effectively with faculty and students
• taking care of myself, eating well, sleeping enough
• engaging with a growth mindset, having patience and grace for myself while learning
• being thorough, genuinely doing my best, not cutting corners
• practicing compassion for others, holding space for different peoples' strengths and limitations and respecting our different experiences and points of view
• building meaningful relationships within the program

When I first started programming I was filled with such joy and curiosity. The types of strategic thinking and problem solving that went into it felt like playing a game, and I gradually started to realise how dissatisfied I was in my current career. When I found out more about the tech industry, the culture and the career opportunities, I started to see a real future for me, doing work that I enjoy that offers financial stability.

My long term goal is working towards a career pathway where:

• I am part of a team where our values align clearly and we are able to contribute meaningfully to the community with our work.
• The work is challenging, enjoyable and complements my skills and passions
• I am able to work remotely
• I am able to provide financial stability for my family

I want to become more comfortable with getting things wrong and approaching mistakes as opportunities for growth. I want to find peace in being myself and doing my best, and spend less energy trying to control how I am perceived.

I think that this will also help me to make bolder choices and take more chances where I would have otherwise stayed in my comfort zone.

I am committed to planning and scheduling my time effectively, and staying on top of my workload to avoid getting overwhelmed by deadlines. I will have patience and grace for myself and other students as we take on this challenge together, and remember the big picture. We are all coming into this with our own unique strengths and limitations, and learning about ourselves and developing skills along the way. I will be considerate of the time and effort of others, offering only encouraging and constructive feedback.

I will be realistic and honest about where I'm at in my learning. When I come across obstacles I will communicate this to facilitators and other students where appropriate. I acknowledge that when working in a team, being present and honest about where I'm at is important for myself and other students.

A supportive and non-judgemental environment where seeking help is met with encouragement as well as practical advice. As someone who has been historically reluctant to reach out for support, the experience of interacting with facilitators here so far has made me so much more comfortable and excited about doing this course! One of my biggest challenges coming into this was learning how to ask for help and engage with others, and I already feel that I am building confidence in this area.

I am coming into this with the privilege of being able to commit myself to the program fully over this time.