Reflecting On The Core Tasks In Foundations
What are three new things you have learnt about yourself and your ego due to the core learning?
-I’ve learnt to understand that everyone is at a different stage in their learning and to accept that where I’m up to is where I’m up to
-That my mind has the ability to grow, that it’s not fixed. Even if I don’t get something now it doesn’t mean I won’t get it later on
-That mindfulness can be a helpful way to be able to step back a little and be more aware of what I’m doing or how I’m approaching something. It can help me focus and not lose sight of the bigger picture
What are the role of values, empathy, and self-awareness in learning and programming?
This foundations core material has taught me that programming is not a solo task and to be a successful programmer you need to be able to work with others. It’s helpful to be aware of what you can bring to a team but also have an understanding of others and their values. It also helps in keeping accessibility in mind when create websites. In learning it helps create a more accepting and inclusive learning environment, one where you can work towards avoiding intimidation or having people feeling incapable.
What has surprised you the most about the core learning?
The ability to use some of the material outside of the learning material. For example, adapting the growth mindset to other aspects of my life, using the planning skills I've learnt to make sure I make more time for myself, using the parts on creating habits to help with things like exercising regularly or remembering to try and read.
What were the most challenging aspects of the core learning?
I think the values task was the most challenging. Firstly, I hadn’t thought of my own values in this way before so it was a little trickier than I thought to define them. As well, as it was in the first week I wasn’t sure how much information to share or deep I needed to delve into the topic.
Why do you think we, a programming school, are spending so much time focusing on core learning in a web development Bootcamp course?
I would say for a least a couple of reasons. Firstly to make sure that us students are more attractive to employers as many places have a focus on making sure their employees are the right fit for them. And knowing how to navigate working in teams and with a diverse range of people is a strong skill to have.
Secondly I would say because as we will be spending a lot of time with each other in the bootcamp, that its beneficial to make the best learning environment possible. This way everyone has better chance to flourish and walk away with a positive experience. It will also help limit confrontations and personality clashes.
Does the time you spent studying core learning here feel like a waste of time? Should you have just used that time to practise programming instead? Justify your answer.
On one level it was just nice to be able to focus on something other than learning coding. As I was producing blog posts and seeing this output of work, in a way it actually made me feel more productive.
The core work also allowed us to get a ‘sneak-peek’ of who we were going to study with, their values, their approaches, sense of humour even. So that way when we do finally come together in bootcamp we won’t all be complete strangers in some sense.
Lastly, I wouldn’t think of it as a waste of time as it’s put all of us on a similar mindset of how to approach the course and has given us all access to the same skills and tactics.