Self-Evaluation/Integrative Essay

This is one of the required components of every Portfolio. To date, the Self-Evaluation or Integrative Essay (it still goes by both names) has never been properly discussed, let alone clarified. This most subjective part of your work is often the most difficult, involving as it does a lot of critical thinking about you, your goals, your work, and your world. All of these are woven together in your life and in your Portfolio; this is where you write about that. In writing your Integrative Essay, remember to use your LEARNING PLAN (section A.2)as a foundation, both for a look at what your largest goals were at the start of your work, and also for a look at the CRITERIA that you specified then to be the basis for evaluating your work (see section A.2.h).

From the Student Handbook:


The integrative essay is a more personal reflection upon the meaning of 
the semester's experiences.  It contains a self-evaluation of both the 
student's intellectual and personal growth.  "What did I do this 
semester?" is a key question, not in terms of summarizing the learning 
experience but in a deeper sense: What did I do that made a significant 
difference in my life?  What did I attempt to do and where did I succeed 
or fail?  In what areas have I developed and nurtured strengths, and in 
what am I weak and in need of growth?  

The integrative essay goes on to ask other key questions: How have I 
grown intellectually?  What have I learned that I did not know before, 
both experientially and in terms of formal knowledge?  How have I 
matured personally, including my ability to get along with others and 
understand other cultures and life situations?  In what ways is my 
understanding of how the world works more sophisticated than it was, 
and what do I have yet to learn?  What practical skills have I acquired 
over the course of the semester?  What new insights into myself have I 
acquired?  Has this semester helped clarify my future plans and goals?  
In what ways was it significant to me?  How has Friends World helped me 
in my course of study and on my life's way?  Where am I going now, 
towards what new experiences, and why?  How will my next semester's or 
next year's learning contribute to my development?

Workshop Discussion Sparks

Inspired and Creative

This is a great place to use some of the ideas from the INTEGRATION section (C.5), particularly with respect to bridging the "gap" from semester to semester, and Center to Center.

Rigorous Training

AAAAAGGGHHHH!

There is not much written guidance to be had on this topic. If you possibly can, talk with other students about how they have done it in the past.

See Also

INTEGRATION IN WRITING (C.5)
LEARNING PLAN: EVALUATION CRITERIA (A.2.h)
LEARNING PLAN: GOALS STATEMENT (A.2.a)
EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION (C.1)
ADVISORS AND ADVISING (I.3)

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