Foundations Reflection

Three New Learnings About Myself and My Ego

I've learned that I can achieve better results through collaboration. By working together, we can overcome our limitations and leverage our individual abilities. While I prefer to plan and be prepared, I've realized that, beyond that, we need the ability to embrace uncertainty and adapt. I've realized that when faced with challenges, I tend to question my ability to cope, but in truth, I'm much more resilient than I initially believed.I noticed that my ego sometimes makes me reluctant to ask for help.Rather, it's a strength that allows me to learn faster and achieve better results.

The role of values, empathy, and self-awareness in learning and programming

Values, empathy, and self-awareness play a crucial role in programming and beyond. As the saying goes, sharing is caring—not just when it comes to material things, but also ideas. Being kind and empathetic to others, understanding their strengths and limitations, and offering encouragement can create a more supportive and empowering environment.Values guide our actions and decisions, influencing how we approach problem-solving and teamwork. When working in a team, collaboration is essential. Self-awareness helps us managing emotions and adapting to challenges. Fostering better communication and teamwork. Together, these values enable us to understand and support one another, ultimately leading to stronger, more effective learning and programming experiences.

The Most Surprising Aspect of Human Skills Learning

The most surprising aspect is that technical competency alone is not enough to succeed as a programmer. Beyond coding skills, strong human skills—such as communication, empathy, and self-awareness—play a crucial role. Effective communication fosters the exchange of ideas, strengthens collaboration, and helps in understanding others. Additionally, being aware of our own emotions and those of others is essential for managing relationships and working effectively in a team.

The most challenging aspects of the Human Skills learning

• Reflection & Self-Expression: Summarizing my thoughts in a clear, concise, and engaging way was challenging. Sharing personal experiences or thoughts in a way that felt presentable took extra effort.
• Fast-Paced Learning Environment with a One-Year-Old Baby: Even though I had good family support to look after my baby, it was still challenging. Sometimes, I questioned whether this was the right time to do this—if not now, then when? I couldn't find a perfect time, but I believe I did my best to cover everything at least once. During difficult moments, I reminded myself that I'm not the first person to pursue something while caring for a baby. I want to dedicate my time to both studying and being near my baby, and I am doing my best to balance both.So far, I believe I have been successful in my journey.
• Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone: Initiating a conversation,openly sharing reflections and experiences may feel uncomfortable or even intimidating at times. However, once I started, I was able to work through it and strive for a good result.

Why do you think we, a programming school, are spending so much time focusing on Human Skills learning in a web development Bootcamp course?

Successful developers do more than just write code—they communicate, collaborate, and adapt. The ability to express ideas clearly and articulate problems and solutions is essential for teamwork. Web development is not a solo effort; working effectively with other developers, designers, and team leads is crucial.

Tech employers don't just seek top grades or perfect code. They value individuals who contribute positively to team culture. Strong problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and adaptability help developers navigate the fast-paced evolution of technology.

Building great applications requires understanding user needs. Great applications are built with users in mind. Developers must think like both testers and clients, ensuring clarity in communication and creating user-friendly experiences. Effective collaboration and idea-sharing enable teams to innovate and produce better products.Strong human skills—like active listening, empathy, and adaptability—help bridge the gap between technology and real-world needs.

Mastering human skills alongside technical skills makes developers more effective, adaptable, and valuable in the industry.

Does the time you spent studying Human Skills learning here feel like a waste of time? Should you have just used that time to practice programming instead?

Not at all, The time I spent to studying human skills learning here, never felt like a waste of time. Technical skills alone are not enough for a programmer. Writing clean, efficient code is essential, However being able to communicate, collaborate, and adapt is what truly sets a great developer apart. The life of a developer is not an isolated one, they need to attend daily stand-up meetings, discuss project concepts, address challenges, and collaborate with team leaders, co-developers, testers, clients, and end users. Effective communication is key to handling all these interactions. It's not a one way process.

A developer must be able to articulate ideas clearly, express thoughts effectively, and understand other's perspectives.I believe that, these skills enhances teamwork, problem-solving and overall project success.