- What are your
goals for this project? What do you hope to learn and/or achieve? Why
does your project personally matter to you?
- What is your
background in your chosen field? How did you become interested in it?
Tell stories.
- What are your
first day impressions? Describe the physical environment of where you
work. Be specific in stating the feeling of the work environment, the
room(s) you work in, places you go, etc.
- Describe an hour
of your work in detail, step by step.
- Describe the type
of institution, or organization for which you are working. Explain what
takes place to an outsider?
- Describe the person
with whom you've worked most closely so far. What role does he or she
fill? What is his or her relationship with you? What at work seems to
make this person happy or upset?
- How do you assess
your project so far? What do you like best? What do you like least?
What is frustrating? What have you done about it?
- What problems
are you encountering? Or, if you have no problems, explain why the project
is going so well and what's exciting about it.
- Describe your
relationship with one person with whom you are working. How, specifically,
do you share or split up the work? Is the relationship mutually satisfactory?
Why or why not? If you are working alone, describe what it is like to
be focused on a single project alone for all those hours? Reflect on
the maturity necessary to work at something you care about, alone.
- What types of
personal qualities does one need to succeed at a project like yours?
Which ones are essential and which simply helpful? Why? Which of these
qualities do you aspire to?
- Describe someone
you've encountered who is an expert or extremely knowledgeable in your
field. What is this person like? What did it feel like to talk to him
or her? Describe the conversation.
- If you were speaking
to a eighth grade class about your project, how would you describe it?
- Are you finding
it easy or hard to maintain non-project commitments such as the senior
class play (summer school, work), etc.? Is it a good break from the
project or does it "get in the way?"
- Describe your
relationship with your sponsor. How much interaction do you have, and
how is that time spent? Does your sponsor treat you like an employee,
a teenager, a colleague?
- Brag. What do
you feel you've accomplished in this project? Explain. Write in detail
about something you've felt you have done well to date.
- Be honest. What
do you think is your biggest weakness as a person working independently
on your project? Write in detail about an experience you feel you've
failed at or would like to have done better.
- Is your project
different from school? Why or why not? Which "world" do you
prefer and why?
- What would your
sponsor say about the job you are doing up to this point? Why would
he or she say it? Consider what your sponsor would say as a "mid-project
evaluation." Would a co-worker of yours (other than your sponsor)
make the same or different comments?
- How have fellow
seniors experiences compared to yours?
- Time to pat yourself
on the back. What has gone well? Tell a story about yourself working
at your project showing yourself to greatest advantage (but be truthful).
- What education
and/or credentials does one need in order to be in a major position
in the firm, institution, company, etc. you are working at? For example,
what type of degree, how much schooling, how much experience? Would
you choose this as a possible career based on these requirements?
- Do an overall
assessment of your own progress thus far. How are you doing? Have your
goals changed from your first entry? Why or why not? How are your feelings
now different from your first impressions?
- Write a lecture
you would give to experts, showing you as an expert too.
- Write a review
or evaluation of something you have read that relates to your project.
How is your thinking similar or different from the author of the piece?
- Looking critically
at your firm, school, institution, what changes would you advise to
make it a more efficient, more valuable, more interesting place? If
you were the boss, what would you change or keep the same?
- Think long and
hard about a presentation that will be fun and engaging for your peers.
Describe what you might do. Reflect on any concerns you have about your
presentation.
- What skills have
you learned? What attitudes of yours have changed or new attitudes formed
due to this experience?
- Go back to that
eighth grade class. Advise them about whether they should consider doing
something like you are doing for Senior Options when they attend high
school.
- Reflect on you,
your project, your relationship with your mentor, the Senior Options
experience. Final thoughts. What do you want to tell your mentor?
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