Sieminski- Journal 1 1

Stephanie Sieminski

Wilmington University

Reflection Journal 1
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Analysis of Experience as an Intern

An internship can provide valuable opportunities if gone about in the correct way. As an

intern, one should look at an internship by using reflective processes. Reflective practice is a

process whereby individuals assume the perspective of an external observer in order to identify

and challenge assumptions and feelings that underlie their practice and then to speculate about

how these assumptions and feelings influence their practice (Smith, n.d.). Through using

reflective processes there are three phases: Recalling the experience, connecting the feelings,

and evaluating the experience. Reflection requires individuals to rethink what they experienced,

apply their thoughts and feelings and evaluate it (Smith, n.d.). Combined with reflection should

be a mentor. Reflection with a mentor further improves practice (Smith, n.d.).

I am looking forward to my internship in order to gain Human Service administrative

experience. I hope to dive in and be involved in the experience as much as possible in order to

get hands on experience. After each time Im at my internship, I am going to recall the

experience of that day and reflect on it. By keeping a running journal, I will be able to document

my feelings of each situation and evaluate it in order to move forward. This journal will also be

a valuable experience in order to reference later so I can cross reference my thoughts and

feelings about a previous situation. I also hope to reflect on some of my experiences with my

mentor and through my class.

Strengths and Needs Analysis

Analyzing your strengths and needs, I feel, creates an awareness. It brings to light the

strengths you possess and can used to have a positive impact. It also exposes the areas of need

that can be improved upon. By analyzing these areas, you will know when you are most

comfortable to take the lead and when you need to step back and assist. This is especially

important as an administrator in the Human Service field because administrators are responsible
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to ensuring the success of the program. Without knowing your strengths and areas of need, you

could lead your organization down the wrong path.

Analysis of Strengths
Strengths are always a hard area for me to put down in writing. I dont like to project that

I am strong at something. I just like to do it. However, by writing the strengths down, it helps

focus you and builds confidence in those areas which will hopefully impact the confidence

needed to develop the areas of need. For this analysis, I have pinpointed three strengths:

detailed, creative and flexible.

I am a detail oriented person when it comes to work. I make sure what I am working on

is done to the best of my ability, and all aspects have been covered. As a Human Service

administrator, it is crucial to be detail oriented. You have to know the ins and outs, deadlines for

funding/programs, and how different aspects need to be carried out. I feel that I would be able to

ensure that everything that needs to be done would be done properly and all qualifications are

met.

My second strength would be I have a lot of creative ideas that allow me to convey my

message in appealing aspects. Part of being a teacher is being creative. You have to know how

to deliver material in a variety of ways. As a Human Service administrator, I would be able to

create programs that clients would be interested in, develop ways to get my staff excited and

involved, and deliver important information in a way to catch the readers attention.

The third, and what I believe to be my strongest is my flexibility. I am open to doing

whatever I need to do to make the day run smoothly. I understand that things happen, situations

arise, and changes need to be made. In those situations, I am ready and willing to adjust, shift,

and change whatever needs to be done for success to take place. I have a go with the flow

kind of attitude which is beneficial in many aspects but when combined with unassertiveness can
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be hurtful. As an administrator in the Human Service field, being flexible is important. You

have to be able to jump into any aspect of the organization at any time in order for it to continue

to run successfully. You also have to understand that situations arise and to be able to work with

your employees.

Analysis of Needs
Needs are areas that can be built upon. They may not come naturally but they are always

a work in progress. By identifying these areas, you will be able to help yourself be more

proactive in order to develop these areas. As a Human Service administrator, it is important to

identify your own areas of need so you know when youll need to have your team support you

the most. I have identified three main areas of need. These areas include communicating,

organization, and assertiveness.

Communicating is an area that I always think is a need because I feel it is constantly

developing. Communication is crucial in order to running a successful workplace. I feel that I

communicate well in written form but tend to get nervous when speaking. I can lose track and

not be as explicit as I would like to be.

Organization has always been another area of need for me. I tend to have so many ideas

that I want to put into practice and take on more task than I should and my physical organization

tends to get lost. I need to learn to limit my ideas and focus on a few main ones that I can invest

my time in. I also need to have a systematic filing system in order to better organize my physical

space.

The third area of need is assertiveness. I have always had a difficult time being assertive.

My personality is not authoritative, but in order to run an organization, you have to have some

authority to keep the order. I very much want everyone to like me and I dont like when

people are upset at me which is why I know I need to work on my assertiveness.

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Self-Improvement Plan
For my self-improvement plan, I want to focus on my areas of need by phrasing them

into active goals. By organizing these needs into goals, it will allow me to be inspired, see them

clearly and drive me to achieve them. If the goals are not active and specific, it makes it hard to

picture them as being obtained.

I want to be able to communicate my expectations clearly, both written and verbal, to all

individuals involved and communities I serve. In order to accomplish this, I will continue to

practice my verbal communications by rehearsing independently and with peers. I will also

make an outline to help focus what I am communicating. In addition to my verbal

communication, I will continue to develop my written communication by having it read over by

others, and ensuring that I am delivering a clear direction. It will be a learning experience at my

internship because I do not know the individuals I will be communicating with so I will have a

fresh group to continue to develop my skills.

I want to better organize my physical space to help reduce looking for materials. To do

this I will create a file system that I will stick to in order to better organize my paper materials. I

will also narrow down my ideas to better organize my thoughts which will help me carry out

more refined and thought out ideas.

Lastly, I want to be able to be assertive to the individuals I work with. I want to be able

to deliver instruction, give direction, and correct errors without worry. I want to earn the respect

of the position and my coworkers in order to develop a relationship but with a distinction

between roles with respect.

I am eager to get started with my internship and begin working on my self-improvement

plan to see myself develop as a Human Service administrator.

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References

Kiser, P. M. (2016). The human services internship: getting the most from your experience.

Australia: Cengage Learning.

Smith, M. L. (n.d.). The Reflective Process: ssecorP evitcelfeR ehT. Retrieved from

http://www.experientiallearning.ucdavis.edu/toolbox/reflection.pdf