Talia Lees

Core Competency Reflection

Personal Awareness & Responsibility:

Strengths:
1. I can express my needs and seek help when needed.
In grade 11, I took a harder class that I wasn’t sure about at first because I didn’t think I would be able to
do it. I was able to complete the course with a good grade because I spoke up and asked for help. I told
my parents that this was going to be a hard course for me, and I said that it would be helpful if I got a
tutor to support me. I wouldn’t have been able to do well in this class if I didn’t have a tutor and if I didn’t
ask my teacher for help when I was struggling.

2. I understand learning takes patience and time.

I have not completed my capstone yet, but I already know and am aware of the amount of patience and
time it will take. I have started planning for it and brainstorming my ideas. If I get stuck on something, I
try and come up with a solution or a new idea which requires patience if the first option doesn’t go as
planned. I already have faced challenges along the way of brainstorming, and I have been patient with the
process.

Weakness:
1. I am learning to take care of myself
I personally do not take very good care of myself and my body. I don’t take my medicines/supplements
that my doctor asks me to take on time or frequently like I am supposed to. I don’t eat proper meals daily,
and I don’t eat enough food. I also hold in my emotions a lot of the time and I don’t express what I am
feeling to others, and it is good to share feelings with family/friends to help take care of your mental
wellness better.

Social Responsibility:
Strengths:
1.I am aware of my community and environment and work independently and collaboratively for the
benefit of others.
I am good at keeping an eye on what’s happening in my community and the environment around me, and
I like to help out by myself or with other people. For example, if I am at school and I see garbage on the
floor in my classroom or in the hallways, I will pick it up and put it in a trash can nearby. I will also do
this if I am walking my dog or out for a walk outside and I notice litter.
2.I have positive peer and inter-generational relationships.
.
I really value having good friends that are my age and getting along with people from different
generations, such as, my grandparents or older people in my life. It’s nice because I can learn from other
people's experiences and get advice when I need it. Having close friends my age helps me grow and have
a strong group of people around me.

Weakness:
1.I can identify and appreciate different perspectives on issues and use and evaluate strategies to resolve
problems.
Sometimes, I struggle to see things from different perspectives. For example, when my friends and I have
disagreements, I might get stuck in my own point of view and have a hard time understanding theirs. I
often will focus on my own opinion/idea rather than other peoples. This can make it hard for me to find
solutions to our problems.

Critical Thinking:
Strengths:
1.I understand the purpose for my work and consider my audience
Understanding why I do the work I do and thinking about who it’s for is a good strength that I have. It
means that I can make my work more detailed and important and make sure it’s right for the people I’m
doing it for. I understand that I do my work to learn and succeed, and that it’s not just for fun and for
nothing.

2.I can assess my progress.

Being able to assess my progress is important and a good skill to have while doing work. It means that I
can keep track of how I’m doing in whatever I’m working on, whether it’s a project, a personal goal, or
my homework assignments. It helps me stay on the right track and make improvements if they are
needed. Without checking progress, there might be mistakes being made that aren’t noticed.

Weakness:
I can analyze and make defensible judgments, draw conclusions, and consider a variety of perspectives.
I sometimes find it hard to understand things in more depth and make strong decisions. For example, in
group or class discussions, I might get confused by all the different opinions and decide too quickly
without thinking things through. It can cause problems for me because I don’t think it out and I rush my
answer or opinion too quick.
Creative Thinking:
Strengths:
1.I can create new and unique ideas that may provide new perspectives that influence how people think
about topics.
I personally think that I am good at thinking up new and different ideas. This is a good skill because it can
change how people look at things. For example, when I’m working on something, my different ideas can
help find new solutions and make others think in new ways. Multiple ideas and thoughts will help me out
because I have different ones to choose and decide from.

2.I can persevere and understand that failure can be productive.

I have always said to myself to not fear failure as failure can be a learning process. I know and understand
that if I do bad on one assignment or on one test that it won’t be the end of the world and it doesn’t mean
that I won’t do good in the future. I think that failure is a thing to learn and grow from and I have
personally done really poorly on some tests and assignments, and I learned from my mistakes.

Weakness:
1.I can use the environment around me, including others, and my unconscious mind to generate new
ideas.
Sometimes, I rely on what's around me and my inner thoughts to come up with ideas, not myself
personally. For example, when I depend too much on what's happening around me or what other people
think and share with me, it can make me less independent and slow me down and it may stop me from
doing things myself.

Communication:
Strengths:
1.I can work with other students to plan, inquire, and solve problems.
I prefer to do work and assignments in groups, rather than alone. I still like to have a say in the
assignment if it is in a group setting but I find it more helpful and easier to discuss ideas and come
together as a group to create something, rather than alone. I can solve problems with others by having
multiple people think. It is better and more helpful to have more people thinking to help.
2.I can reflect on the processes of learning and share what I have learned.

After I complete a project, I take some time to analyze what worked well for me and what could’ve been
improved to help me for further projects. I sometimes share my thoughts and findings with other people
and ask for their thoughts and opinions. It helps me understand and learn better.
Weakness:
1.I can engage in deep and meaningful inquiry for a variety of purposes and audiences.
I like to dig deep into topics, but sometimes that can become a problem. For example, I can focus too
much on details and miss the big picture or important message in the discussion. My interest in a
important conversations can make others uncomfortable, so I have to be careful with what I say and who I
say what to.

Personal & Cultural Identity:

Strengths:
1.I can define myself in terms of my relationship to others and the world.
Knowing how I fit in with others and the world has been important and good for me. It’s helped me
understand people better and learn new things from different cultures and different people. For example,
my close friends have taught me about trust and being loyal, and my experiences in different places have
made me interested in more.

2.I understand what is important to me.

Ever since I was little, my parents always made it clear to know what is important to myself. They have
made it clear to know my values and to remember what I have in my life. I have many things in my life
that are important and meaningful to me, and I know and remember this because my parents have talked
to me about it throughout my life.

Weakness:
1.I understand how to use my strengths and abilities to my advantage, and I can explain how I use them
to contribute to my community.
I know how to use what I’m good at to help my community, but sometimes, I get too caught up in my
own things that I don’t have enough time or energy left to give back to my community. Sometimes I
focus more on myself and my own personal abilities, rather than sharing them and helping others.