Blog 11: Lesson 1 Reflection

1. What are you most proud of in your lesson, and why?

I am most proud of the fact that I was energetic during my presentation. Some of peers' presentations were not engaging due to the fact that they displayed a monotone voice or seem uninterested about their topic. I am proud that I was able to catch most of my audience's attention.  

2. What assessment would you give yourself on your lesson? Explain why you earned that grade using evidence from the component contract.

I would give myself a P on my lesson. I completed everything on the component contract but didn't really do anything to go "above and beyond." It went smoothly so the assessment I give myself is a P.

3. If you could go back, what would you change about your lesson?  How can you use that knowledge to give a better Lesson 2?

If I could go back, I would change my hook (circle time). Though I was proud of my hook and I enjoyed how it was interactive and grabbed the attention of my audience, it was a bit too long. I was hoping that it would be 2 minutes maximum. It ended up affecting me in the end because I was not able to go through each and every one of my points. From this knowledge, I can make sure that Lesson 2 is better by choosing a hook that will be shorter or if not, keeping an eye on the timer and cutting the hook short so that I will be able to present all of my information. 

Blog 10 - Interview 2 Reflection

1. Please explain how you are spending your mentorship time (Is it at a workplace or somewhere else?  Are you shadowing?  Are you able to do tasks that are meaningfully related to the topic?  If so, what?  Are there other people who are experts in the location?  Etc...)

From the few times that I have been able to go to mentorship, I usually shadow or help organize the classroom and clean up. I don't really get to spend a lot of time with the kids which is kind of disappointing, but hopefully, in time, I will. The tasks that I perform are related to my topic, but they're small tasks that are not nearly as important as working with the students. 

2.  How did you find your mentor?  How did you convince this person to help you?  

I was able to find my mentor through an IPoly student. Their mother is a preschool teacher. He told me that if I was interested in mentoring with her then I could simply ask. So I did. It didn't take much convincing. I explained my situation and she seemed happy to help me out, and happy to get some help around the classroom. 

3. How would you rate your comfort level with your mentor at this point in your relationship?  How does this relate to the time you've spent so far at mentorship/with this person?

On a scale of one to ten, I'd rate my comfort level as an eight (1 being the least comfortable and 10 being the most comfortable). My mentor is a very approachable and outgoing person, so I always felt comfortable around her. At the beginning I was a bit shy and awkward but as time went on, my level of comfort increased. This definitely makes the time I spend with my mentor a lot more enjoyable and a lot less awkward.   

4. What went well in this interview?  Why do you think so?  What do you still need to improve?  How do you know?  How will you go about it?
The fact that my mentor connected her answers to her most recent experiences. After answering a question, my mentor would usually tell me about an incident that relates to her answer. Not only is the information helpful for the senior project in general, but they also help me in making a decision. Is teaching the right path for me? If there's one thing I can improve on, it would be having more follow-up questions so that I can learn more and hear additional details. While listening over my interview, I found myself asking a lot of questions. In order to improve, I'll just have to listen extra carefully and not be afraid to ask more questions or butt into her answer. 

Interview Sound 

Interview Transcript

Blog 9 - Advisory Prep 3

1. State whether or not you currently have a mentor, and what the status of your interview is with that person (I have completed the interview, I have scheduled the interview, I have not scheduled the interview, etc). 

At this current state, I do have a mentor. I am looking into switching mentors due to scheduling and transportation issues, which my mentor is aware of. I have not completed the interview. I am hoping that I will be able to conduct it with my new mentor (if that happens by the time it's due). If worse comes to worse, I will complete the interview with my old/current mentor.

2. At this point, your research is probably guiding your studies toward more specific areas within your topic.  Name the area or two you find most promising and explain your reasons.   

After conducting research for these last couple of months, I have found some specific areas in my topic that interest me to pursue further. These include managing behavioral problems in students and how to become a successful preschool teacher (as in teaching students effectively and preparing them for kindergarten). I am interested in challenging behaviors because I want to learn how to deal with these things while doing mentorship and my future (as of now I am leaning towards teaching children). I feel like this would be a major problem in a classroom fool of toddlers or little kids so I want to know how that can best be handled. I am also captivated in how to become a successful preschool teacher because I want to make a difference in children's lives and prepare them for the years to come. As a possible future teacher, that will be my main goal. 

3. What kinds of sources do you think will help you in the next month to gain more research depth?  Where will you go to get them?

I feel as though research articles and books will best help me gain more in depth knowledge and research. The internet is always available so I can get articles from there and maybe e-books as well. As for books in general, I will most likely get them at the Cal Poly Library or even my local library if they hold books that pertain to my topic. 

4. Write down a possible EQ.  Please don't worry about wording other than ensuring that it provides the option for multiple correct answers.  At this point, the senior team is most interested in understanding your thought process.

What is the most effective way in which a preschool teacher can manage problematic behavior in his/her students?
How can a preschool teacher best prepare his/her students for kindergarten?

Blog 8: Independent Component 1 Proposal

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

For my 30 hours, I plan on serving more volunteer hours. This includes, but is not limited to, reading to the children, helping them with activities, gathering and cleaning up materials, interacting with the children during playtime, and generally being involved and having a presence in the classroom. 
  
2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

To show that I have done my 30 hours of work, I plan to keep a log of my hours. This log will be similar to my senior project hours log. It will show what day I volunteered, how many hours I volunteered, and what made up my experience that day. I would have liked to show pictures of myself helping out in the classroom, but for confidentiality and liability reasons, I am not allowed  to do so. So I will just be documenting about what I did throughout the day.

3.  Explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

More mentorship hours will help me explore my topic more in depth because I'll be completing some of the teacher's duties, therefore getting a feel for what it's like to teach preschool. Having such a constant presence will hopefully help me think of more possible research to look for and help me finally decide on an essential question. 

4.  Update your Senior Project Hours log.

Done! There's basically nothing there though because I am still trying to find a new mentor that is closer to where I live :( I'm hoping to volunteer at the children's center at CalPoly but the only problem is that I have to be 18. I plan on speaking to someone there this week about working a way around that rule. There is also another center a few blocks away from my home and I plan on visiting tomorrow. Hopefully all goes well and I can soon add more hours to my log! 

Blog 7 - Second Interview Preparation

1.  Who is your mentor and where do they work?  If their workplace does not reflect their expertise, what makes them an expert?

As of right now, my mentor is Ady Hernandez. She works as a preschool teacher at Canyon Early Learning Center in Monrovia. Besides by working in the field, I see her as an expert because of her B.A. in Early Childhood Development and because of the amount of time, hard work, and love she puts into her job. 

I am not entirely sure if I will be interviewing her for this assignment. I am currently looking for a new mentor due to troubles with scheduling and transportation.

2.  What five questions will you ask them about their background?

For this interview, I will be asking the following questions:

1. Which school(s) did you attend to obtain your degree? What are some challenges that
    you faced while trying to earn that degree?
2. What made you decide to teach in a preschool classroom? Was there ever a
    point in which you would have liked to pursue something else?
3. What are some career goals that you have as an educator? 
4. How do you define being a successful preschool teacher?
5. In your opinion, what is most rewarding about being a preschool teacher? 

Advisory Prep

1. What has worked well for you concerning senior project this year?  What has made it a positive experience for you? 

Regarding senior project, finding research and research checks in general have worked best for me. There's plenty of information out there, especially because there are so many subtopics within. Finding research hasn't been a challenge for me, at least not yet. There are a great deal of articles, books, and journals available to me, so looking for research is a breeze. While writing Cornell notes and reading through research, certain questions arise that help guide me through the next research check. 

2. What are you finding difficult concerning senior project?  How can you adapt to make that portion work better for you?  How might the senior team help?

I'm finding mentorship the most difficult aspect of senior project. My mentor works in Monrovia, and finding the means to get there has proven quite difficult. My parents both have work and my brother attends school so no one is available to drive me. I'm trying to find a school close to the area in which I live that will let me complete mentorship there. If that fails, then I will begin to look for schools close to IPoly. If the senior team happens to know someone who works in a preschool close to West Covina or IPoly and would be willing to take me in, well, that would be really great. 

Me because I can't go to mentorship 

Blog 5 - Interview 1 Reflection

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?  Is there anything I would do differently for other interviews?

One of the most important pieces of information that I learned from this interview was that if you want to teach pre-school, you really have to love the job. If you don't enjoy spending time with children or you want a high paying job, the field is not for you. It's a ton on work. You may only spend a few hours with the kids, but a lot happens in those few. You play with them, teach them, attend their needs, and communicate with parents. So much is done in so little time, and the paycheck doesn't match the hard work that teachers put into it. If there's no passion, there is no point. 

Something that I would do differently for other interviews is act more confident. I was so nervous for this interview that I didn't really talk much. All I did was ask questions and a few follow up ones. It was so bad that I'd lose my train of thought and stumble on my words. I was reading straight from a paper and I still messed it up! I'd really love to be more involved. I'd love for the interview to sound more like an engaging conversation instead of something forced. 

2. Did I get additional resources and contacts?  What is the most useful?  Why?

I kind of got additional resources from this interview. One of my interviewees suggested that I talk to a Montessori pre-school teacher. She didn't give me any sort of contact, just a generalization. She also recommended talking with other pre-school teachers in the school/district. I'd have to say that her first suggestion is most useful. By speaking with a Montessori pre-school teacher, my perspective of the field would change and my knowledge would be further increased. Everything about Montessori style teaching is different from regular public school teaching. It's neither good or bad, but I can definitely learn from it. By observing two different sides, I can attain a bigger understanding of my topic that will eventually help me when it comes to my presentation in May.  

3. What makes my interviewee qualified to help me? 

My interviewees are qualified to help my in my senior project due to their knowledge and experience. They both have a B.A. in Early Childhood Development and have been teaching for years. They know that teaching pre-school is hard work and that they're not being payed what they deserve, yet, they still come to work every day looking forward to what's in store. They are passionate and they are persevering. What more could you ask for from a pre-school teacher?

SoundCloud Link: https://soundcloud.com/kimramos56-890275310/interview-1

Blog 4 - House Advisory Prep 1

          As I work through my senior project this year, there are a few goals I hope to achieve while doing so. These include learning how to manage my time and gaining knowledge, as well as experience in the teaching field. 
          Senior year is a busy year. I always have that fear in the back of my mind telling me that I will not be fit to do this. With ASB, SAT, college applications, plus an ongoing mentorship, I'm always feeling that my best won't be good enough. There are so many things going on that I feel one responsibility might take over another and leave me to disregard certain tasks. So hopefully overtime I will develop better time management skills that will not only help me this year, but also for the years to come. I don't want to stay up for hours on end, I want to able to relax and go to sleep knowing that I have fulfilled the responsibilities I currently hold. 
          Through my mentorship, I hope to gain the experience and knowledge that'll help me in my future as an adult. Teaching pre-school is something that I would very much love to do after college. Volunteering at a pre-school will give me a head start on that and prepare me for the job that is to come (if I still love it by the end of the year). Not only do the hours look good on a college application, they'll also look great on a job application in the field of early childhood education. I will have the knowledge and experience that'll separate me from other applicants which gives me a better opportunity to pursue what I love. 

Blog 3 - First Interview Preparation

1. Who do you plan to interview? Why?

For my first interview, I plan on talking to one of two people. I am currently trying to decide whether to interview my mentor or one of her co-workers. I want to interview my mentor because not only is she an expert in the topic, but I feel as if having this interview would help me connect with her even more. A good relationship between one and his or her mentor is an important thing to have. It can spark potential jobs or connections and allows for a more easygoing environment between the two people. I do not have this type of relationship yet and this would give me a great chance to obtain it. But because the second interview is required to be with my mentor, I do not want to interview the same person twice. By reaching out to others I can get a more broad view of my topic and see it from various perspectives. This is why I would also like to interview one of my mentor's co-workers. I was given the chance to work with her as part of my summer mentorship and we've gotten along pretty well so far. I would love to hear her opinions on the topic of teaching pre-school and hopefully gain something more when speaking with her than I would with my mentor. 

2. Five questions will be assigned to all seniors to ask. What additional questions do you plan to ask?

What made you decide to go into this field? Have you always wanted to study this?
What are some experiences that you've had that highlight what it's like to be a pre-school teacher?
In what ways have you grown and improved upon your profession?
How big of an impact does a pre-school teacher have on his or her students?
How do you handle working with student who is acting out or particularly reserved?

Blog 2 - Summer Mentorship

1. List the contact name, phone number, and organization of the person with whom you volunteered.

Ady Hernandez 

(626) 383-9084

Canyon Early Learning Center

2. What qualified this person as an expert in your topic choice?

Ady holds Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and is currently working on earning her Master's and eventually her Ph.D. She is continuously attending different trainings and conferences to help her grow professionally as a pre-school teacher. Ady also puts a great amount of focus and attention to her students and even their parents. She is the kind of teacher who enjoys what she does and looks forward to her job and working with the kids. 

3. List three questions for further exploration now that you've completed your summer hours.    

How much time goes into making lesson plans and how does a teacher come up with the plan?

How do you handle a child who is throwing a tantrum or having other behavioral problems?

How do school budget cuts affect teachers and students? How do you overcome these problems? 

4. What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

The most important thing I learned from my experience is that when you're a pre-school teacher, cooperation is key. Since there is a morning class and an afternoon class, teachers will have to share a classroom. One teacher will have the room for the first half of the day and the other for the second half of the day. At first, I thought this wasn't a big deal, but after speaking with my mentor, I learned that some teachers can be extremely hard to deal with. Teachers who share classrooms are partners, and sometimes, partners can be difficult to get along with. Maybe they want the crayons on the left side of the room and you want them on the right. Partners have to make a big effort into cooperating and compromising so that everything is best for them and their students. Luckily, my mentor's partner this year is extremely easygoing and they have no problem getting along (so far). But she has told me stories wherein her past partners will not take no for an answer and are not willing to share their space. And I thought pre-schoolers having trouble sharing their toys was bad...

5. What is your senior project topic going to be?  How did mentorship help you make your decision?  Please explain.

I am going to continue having teaching pre-school as my senior project topic. I found myself enjoying mentorship this summer and I would really like to see what's in store for their new school year. I can see myself having a good time and learning a lot by continuing to volunteer at Canyon Early Learning Center. The people that I met there seemed really fun yet professional and were all very welcoming to me. I feel like the school is a good fit for me and that I will discover if teaching pre-school is the path I want to take in the near future. 

Blog 1 – Senior Final Lesson/Interview Reflection

1.  What three lessons were most helpful for you to see, and why?

Three of most helpful lessons that I was able to see were Film Directing, Teaching Elementary, and Pediatrics. The Film Directing presentation was an excellent representation of how to go above and beyond in a senior presentation. The PowerPoint was very well put together and the presenter was extremely enthusiastic about his topic. These three elements taught me how to have an excellent presentation. The Teaching Kindergarten presentation was helpful as well because it is relatively similar to the topic I would like to pursue this coming year. I was able to see how the presenter spent her year in her mentorship and learn about her experiences. If I end up choosing Teaching Preschool as my topic, the steps I would have to take would be a bit easier since I know what I will have to go through and how they will go. Pediatrics was helpful to me in a different way than the others. This presentation, in my opinion, was not the best. It seemed as if the presenter's answers for her essential question did not fit, which threw off the whole presentation. This teaches me that I will have to be careful when choosing answers to my essential question and explaining them.

2. List one thing that you learned about the senior project in interviews that will help you get off to a good start?

During the senior project interviews, I learned that prior to the 1 hour senior presentations, there are two other presentations, a 10 minute one and a 30 minute one. I have been dreading the dreadful hour of presenting to come due to the fear I have of not making time. But now that I know that the two other presentations are there to help lend some sort of help and practice, I am off to a good start because I am less stressed and fearful for the upcoming school year and project.

3. What topic(s) are you considering, and why?

The topic I am considering is teaching pre-school. I am interested in this topic for two reasons. I enjoy teaching people things. It makes me feel like I have a sense of purpose and I take pleasure in being able to help someone out. I also like being around little kids. Being with such playful and imaginative people makes me feel like a kid again. I forget about my worries and enjoy living in the present. Living in that sort of way is much more enjoyable than living with stress and worries. 

4. What EQ do you think might be interesting to consider in guiding a project like this? (Please don't worry about any sort of formula...we want this question to come from your genuine interest).

To guide a project like this, I am thinking of the possible EQs:

What is the most effective way to prepare a pre-schooler for an elementary education?

and 

What is the most effective way to ensure a successful school year?

5. What are some ideas you have about finding summer mentorship?

I have a couple ideas on how I'll go about finding summer mentorship. I've been in contact with a good friend from my elementary and middle school whose mother happens to be a pre-school teacher. If she agreed to mentor me, I would provide my service hours in the beginning of August, the beginning of the school year for that school. Another friend of mine also has a parent who is a pre-school teacher. If my friend's parent agreed to be my mentor, then I'd go in for mentorship from the start of summer vacation up till the end of June, when the school year ends in her school. I might even perhaps go in for mentorship in both of the schools, as I will gain 2 experiences rather than one.