Reflections - How are they different?

When writing your application reflections, how do you keep from being redundant from one reflection to the next? The answer is...by keeping your focus!

Reflection 1 – PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO (answered for all competencies): Describe how the professional development activities submitted for this competency helped you meet the identified indicators and why you believe they were the best approach to learning.

• This reflection should focus on the activities you submitted to demonstrate achievement of the various indicators in each competency. Why did you choose them?


• How did the activities you chose support your learning and professional development relative to the indicators? For example, did you learn new information or have old ideas validated? If so, describe them.


• Why were the activities you chose the best approach to learning? For example, was mentoring a good choice because of its interactive nature and the ability to develop interpersonal skills more fully?


• Did you discover that something wasn't very meaningful for you? Was there something to be learned form that discovery?

Reflection 2 – PRACTICE CHANGES (answered for the 3 competencies of your choice): How has your practice changed as a result of meeting this competency?

Now that you've engaged in all the activities discussed previously, how has that translated in terms of your practice? What did you start doing differently or start emphasizing more? For example, do you find you are now more conscious of certain cultural issues with clients? Do you consistently implement a new evaluation or intervention methods? Do you engage families in ways you never did before? Are you able to articulate with greater confidence to others the value of OT and what you’re doing?

Reflection 3 – CLIENT OUTCOMES (answered for same 3 competencies as #2): Describe how the practice changes you have identified above have influenced your client outcomes.

Continuing with the examples above, now that you are more conscious of cultural issues, do you find that you encounter less resistance form clients? Has implementation of new interventions resulted in a change in the type of outcomes you see? Are you able to be more effective programmatically because you are advocating for services with greater confidence and more evidence to support your position?

Take your time to reflect carefully on each section and how it relates to the rest of the information you are submitting as part of the application. And remember, 300 – 750 words go faster than you think…this blog entry is 410 words!

Maria Elena E. Louch, AOTA Professional Development Program Manager