Personal Development Plan for the Next Academic Year - Essay Example

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN By student’s name Code + Course Name Professor’s Name University Name City/ State A personal development plan involves the most effective tools that are quite useful to the students and professionals, in which case they are aiming to achieve excellence in their various and respective fields. The plans usually utilize the idea of reflection to enable someone to keep track of the advances they have had to make in order to acquire the skills and knowledge. One ought to keep track of the changes necessary in their life and the weak points that require some improvements. In essence, the plan helps in providing a person to observe their advancements, and conclude the skills that they can achieve in the future. Moreover, the plan helps in the achievements of the professional and the personal development goals. This is because accomplishment may demand setting of goals and proper planning. Usually the setting of goals in the plan must be clear and measurable (Rughani, 2001). By embarking on my initial personal development plan, my social skills acquisition and communication were the principal goals I had to set for the semester. This was the greatest strengths I had to achieve. In essence, I had to set and plan how to communicate further with my instructors in the points where I found myself weak. One significant thing that enabled my deeper understanding of the notions taught in the lecture room is the utilizations of the instructor’s office time and the using of the extra time to be in touch with them. This activity enables me to make a substantial change. In addition, during this semester, I had to increase the availability of time that I spent with instructors on learning immediately after the lectures, and I had to ensure that I pass over everything I had to learn in class. Whenever I felt there was something requiring some clarification, I would approach the teacher with the issue myself, and this made me understand the concept before the next lecture begins (Tassoni, 2005). One of the strengths that I had involves the interpersonal skills. In essence, social development was the most significant part of my plan. I had to discover that I never had the soft skills when I related myself to the other people. The skill that I had to acquire is quite significant in the next academic year and even in the work place. Therefore, I needed to develop skill in order to escape the skill mismatch in the next academic year and the work place in the future. During the semester, I have had to change how I relate with the people by ensuring I leave more time for the interaction with them. To achieve this, I had to seek elective post as the representative in one of the academic clubs at the school. This demanded the development of the leadership skills, in which case it helps me develop communications skills because I had to communicate the issues of the academics to the club members. The experience also made me a good listener and focused (Dransfield, 2004). The other strength I achieved includes the curricular activities. I had the intention advance in my social interaction in and out of school. The effective option I had was to indulge in the extra curricular activities. One thing that I saw quite challenging involves choosing the sport or the club as I was poor in the athletics. Knowing the importance of it, I had to choose the badminton, in which case my participation enabled me deal with fatigue and stress more efficiently. It gave me some way of relaxing actively, and live constructive life, including the fact that it proved helpful and beneficial to me (Dransfield, 2004). One of my weaknesses I had in my plan was improving on time management. I had to plan usually and on a weekly basis on how I will do the works in order to make sure that I do not lurk behind on time. The whole plan was effective, but there were some challenges in achieving some of the entire goals set for the academic year. The time schedule was also quite challenging when it came to following them, and this was because of overcrowding and the poor execution. The milestone I had to achieve by the end of the academic year for instance reading the motivational books have not been read. There was overcrowding, and the best that I did was a half of the whole thing that I had to plan. Therefore, my inability to complete the reading of the motivation book is quite discouraging and bothering. This indeed highlights the challenge of time management that I have to put more effort as I prepare the plan in the next academic year. Another weakness includes the poor performance. In my plan, I had to achieve an average of 75 percent in all the exams and assignments before the academic year-ends. I had to spend quite quality time in consulting with my lectures and the instructors, only to have a little effect on my performance. This demands that I should put efforts in improving myself academically. This calls having enough time and practice as opposed to some theories. There has not been any implementation of changes for practice needed such that the results become satisfactory (Tassoni, 2005). In addition, I had the weakness of being patient. Indeed, I lacked patience. The impatience I had may have been because of my attitude of perfectionism. Whenever I had some imperfection, I would be impatient, and this would have negative effects on my performance. Therefore, I have to put more efforts in addressing the issue of my impatience by increasing it in a systematic manner. I have to monitor my high anxiety level, in which case it has been causing me to get short with people. The monitoring will be on a weekly basis. This implies that, in the next academic year, I ought to get to the point I will handle whichever the situation comes on my way no matter what entails. The process demands that I get to the point where I do not let the anxiety in me obstruct with my academics and also my development of professionalism and interaction with others (Tassoni, 2005). Personal Development Plan for the Next Academic Year The current performance level is quite average and, hence; I need to advance by the end of the next academic year. This is to ensure that I graduate with the first class honors. Therefore, much of my time will be to improve on the activities advancing the gaining of knowledge during my lecture times and outside the lectures. In have also to practice, in which case I ought to increase the time of practicing the learned skills in the next academic year. In addition, the vision of attaining the set standard of academic performance is quite crucial and hence, I have to channel more time in the aspects of my studies, and also to include the curricular activities alongside the academics. In order that I attain all of this, I will measure this by keeping records of all the activities that I have to involve myself in, and concerns the personal behavior development, the work experience among other life encounters. The major endeavor of the plan will be to accomplish the skills and the knowledge that will match the market necessities (Grit, et al, 2008). In improving one of the weaknesses, for example, in improving on the patience I have in the next academic year, I would decide that I increase the patience in a more systematic manner. I will ensure I monitor the anxiety levels such that, I do not get short of the people, in which case it presents me as useless and more so if I do not improve on my patience. I will have to evaluate myself on a weekly basis, and if possible, on a daily basis. In the next academic year, I want ton ensure I get to the point whereby I have the capability to handle any situation that comes up in whichever the means available. I will not let the anxiety in me meddle with my academics and the duties I have, including the interaction with others. My attitude of imperfection may have been the cause of the impatience in me, and hence, I feel embarking on this one will be vital to my advancement as a person for the desire professionalism and job. Being perfect will make me have the feeling of imposing at all times to people the highest necessities for my work activities without considering their capabilities. Considering the fact that everything has some deadlines, I would devise my schedules to improve so that I will not procrastinate on some things. In measuring the progress of this activity, I would do it by measuring my progress, and my criteria for measuring would be to have less frustration with progress. This will happen while I ensure that there will be an accomplishment of the work. This implies a timetable for one month (London, 2002). In conclusion, basing on the above plans, I do trust that I would be able to achieve the target of performing as the best candidate in my class. The necessities of the targeted position of having the first class honors and having a 75 percent average on all the subjects are quite exceptionally clear. Having the realization that drives me to acquire the skills, I should contain the confidence and the courage to correct my weakness by ensuring that I trace the character that are making me not to have the many desired necessities of the targeted position in terms of the performance academically and skills. Therefore, the personal development plan is quite extraordinarily significant as it enables the tracking of the developmental changes that are indispensable for the accomplishment of the set goals. Planning is quite vital because it make available some medium for an individual to set goals and choose how they have to achieve them. List of References: Rughani, A. (2001). The GP's guide to personal development plans. Abingdon, Radcliffe Medical Press. Grit, R., Guit, R., & Sijde, N. V. D. (2008). Managing your competencies: personal development plan. Groningen, Wolters-Noordhoff. Tassoni, P. (2005). Children's care, learning & development. Oxford, Heinemann. Dransfield, R. (2004). Business for foundation degrees and higher awards. Oxford, Heinemann. London, M. (2002). Leadership Development: Paths to Self-Insight and Professional Growth. Routledge. Rughani, A., Franklin, C., & Dixon, S. (2003). Personal development plans for dentists: the new approach to continuing professional development. Abingdon, Oxon, Radcliffe Medical Press. Tassoni, P. (2007). Child Care and Education: Cache Level 3. Oxford, Heinemann. Read More