REFLECTION
Here are my reflections and thoughts on different parts of this project. I have overcome several struggles I've faced through the process of this project, as well as the things i've learned, and a general reflection on the entire process.
Difficulties
Through this process, I was presented with several struggles/problems. One of them was that I was too ambitious with my initial proposal-I took on too much in a short amount of time to complete. A lot of the project depended on collecting data and talking to other people which really depended on their schedules instead of mine. A lot of people I contacted unfortunately were not available to talk to me before a certain date, in which the deadline to submit the AC was over. Other aspects of the project required me to talk and communicate with schools and faculty, which proved to be not the most reliable/timely communication. Because of this I realized I would not be able to complete the entire project by the "due date." After talking to Jacob, I was able to revise my initial proposal and make it into a 2 part one, since it was an ambitious project.
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I then had some difficulty doing the background research, as not a lot of solid research has been done specifically on this topic. I had to search a lot and narrow down what I was searching to specifics to actually find some information.
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It was also pretty hard to find the people I wanted to talk to/interview. I contacted schools as well as used Linked In as a way to find people in this profession.
I think this process has taught me a lot of things and helped me develop and validate several skills.
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Focusing specifically on my knowledge on this topic, I think this project truly served as a way to really just educate myself about the struggles special needs students go through, and to make myself more aware. I learned about their struggles, harmful micro-aggressions many kids do, the different terminology to use, and more.
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As for the skills aspect, this entire project has really given me a lesson in time management. This was a big project done in a short time, even with splitting the project into 2 parts. I had to figure out a proper schedule with my AC in order to get this done in time and move at a progressive pace. I've also briefly practiced my interview skills, as I prepared and conducted an interview already and am planning to do more. I also learned how to take advantage of my resources and current connections, which is something I really gained as I was trying to find people to talk to and figure out how to reach out to them.