tPOLs provide an invaluable opportunity for PLP students to reflect on our year—celebrating our many accomplishments and envisioning our growth as learners in the year ahead. During this process, we present examples of our work, showcasing the knowledge we’ve gained through past projects, and making heartfelt declarations about the areas where we seek improvement. This year has been the most transformational and challenging time of my secondary school career, and no matter how hard I think about it, I don’t think I can boil my accomplishments down to a few assignments. Fortunately, my Vision, Mission, and Values (VMV) has already helped me in assessing this year’s projects, allowing me to identify the skills I’ve developed as well as ones that need improvement. So without further ado, here are the values that have guided me to the end of my grade 10 year.
Agency is the value that I have mastered the most. From the start of grade 8, I have always been able to take initiative in my learning, putting 100% of my effort into tasks, and empowering myself to drive my education forward. I have also grown this skill, like learning to seek out resources and support when needed, something grade 8 Izzy would never dream of doing. I’ve used agency in many projects, from my Maker Podcasts to my Change Maker film, putting 100% of what I have into them. I take pride in my agency and have realized how beneficial it is, not only in school but also in life.
Similar to the agency, Conduct, Ethics & Integrity are something else I have been placing it into my work with ease. I am someone who takes full responsibility for the task at hand and takes pride in creating authentic and original work. My Canadian Identity speech was a result of integrity, showcasing my own thoughts with writing and evidence to back it up. I have gotten better at limiting distractions at hand when working, and always treat everyone with kindness and respect. Although I am able to complete these 3 steps, I continue to strive towards improving these skills, as reflecting and growing is one of the most important aspects of being a successful learner.
Since the beginning of my journey in PLP, I have struggled with boundaries between academics and my personal life. I would take on more than I could handle because I thought it was the best option to show how good and hardworking I was as a student. It used to be so bad that I would break down from the stress I put on myself to succeed. Realizing that being a good student isn’t defined by how many tasks you take on, but by how you approach and manage them, helped me shift my mindset toward school. Out Happily Ever After project also helped me with maintaining healthy goals, and slowly, I have been working towards completing my goal of self-regulation. I still have a long way to go, but I am determined to keep improving this skill, and I will continue to do so into next year.
Grade 10 has taught me many insightful lessons. Embracing my VMV has helped foster confidence in my agency, ethical integrity, and self-regulation, enabling me to create authentic work while balancing academic commitments with personal well-being. With a positive mindset and a clear vision for my future, I am excited to tackle new challenges and continue my transformation as a learner. And while I know I am more than ready to move on to grade 11, I can’t help but be a bit frightened by what will await me in September. The jump between grades is massive, and frankly, makes me question how ready I am. But I have my friends, my knowledge, and newly improved skills by my side, as well as tools and experiences that can help me along the way, and right now, that’s as ready as I can be.