Senior Topic Finalized

         So , I have not come to a concrete conclusion as to what exactly my senior topic is going to be. I know I wanted a mentorship and senior topic where I could work with children. So originally I was going to choose 1st grade teacher, however as I started to do research and read the articles I gathered which were mostly about early literacy. So how children think, comprehend and basically how their minds "cope" with the information given to them. I found this interesting so I might do something like how children (youths) learn and understand how to read, write and the other basics. I learned that if a child is frequently absent during 1st grade a lot that they are more limey to drop out of school in the later years. I asked this question specifically in my interview with Ms. De La Pena. She responded that this was correct because in the 1st grade is where most or all of the children learn the basics or " foundation" that their later skills will be developed on and if they miss a critical part then they won't comprehend  something later in their life in school. Then they will drop out of school because they were not fully equipped with the necessary tools to succeed in their later school years.

Blog #4: Interview Preparation

1. Who do you plan to interview? Why?

Well, I have already had my interview with my mentor- Ms. De La Pena. I asked questions of why she became a teacher and asked her question using the information I got from my first three articles. I interviewed her just because she is my mentor and she could help guide me to the right people and help me by giving me tips on what I may want to ask other interviewers. She answered a lot of my questions with a good length of explanation and that was really good- for me.

2. You have to ask 5 questions. 

Since I have already done my interview I asked her:

Why did you become a teacher? 

Did you want to pursue something else or did you know you wanted to be a teacher?

In a article I recently read, the article stated that "good praise" is bad? Did you think that this is true?

Do you think that there are teachers who just have a "natural born" ability or do they learn how to run a classroom?

Do you think there is such thing as good teachers? Bad teachers? Why?
Are children who are absent a lot in 1st grade more likely to drop out of school later on? Why? How did you know this or find out?
Where did you get your teaching credentials? Why that school and not another one?

Blog 3: Education with Children (1st grade) and Semester 1 ESLR Goals

Topic: Education with Children (1st grade)

I-poly Citizen:   I plan form new friendships with my peers that I may have never talked to. I would like to show that I am part the 2014 class by participating in senior ASB captivities and helping out with the committees. I would like to involve myself more with the whole senior class by participating in activities such a PowderPuff to bond.

Effective Leaner:  I hope to ask for help when I know I need it before hand if I am struggling with a concept or don't understand a project component. I hope to be able to help my peers if they want it when I am sure of my understanding of the concept they are struggling with.

Effective User of Technology: Technology has been an important part throughout my years at I-Poly, so I hope I am good with it but if I don't understand something I hope I can ask someone who can help me better understand it. I hope that with my knowledge of technology I can get better research , more specific research for me to be able to use throughout the year on my components.

Effective Communicator:  When working with children who are 1st graders , I think who have to be able to communicate well with them for them to understand you.  I hope my communication skills get better throughout the year because I may need improvement in being a more effective communicator. I hope my peers will be able to help me so that I can be a more effective communicator than I was in the beginning of the year.

Summer Mentorship Component

Literal:

1. 41 hours-  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Auz9cIzNVSjXdFZiU0Jab041TGt1QVlCblRqR2I2Q2c&usp=sharing
2.  Ms. De La Pena  (1st Grade Teacher) - E. Cortez Mathematics and Science Magnet School

        E-mail:  valeria.delapena@pusd.org   (She teaches so it is more effective to reach her through email.)

Questions raised because of internship:

1.  How can one be an effective teacher and maintain the children's attention?
2.  How can one maintain the children's attention while making sure that they are still learning the necessary materials/education?
3.  How can the skills attained from teaching students and maintaining their attention transfer into other jobs?

 

Interpretive:

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

   I gained from this experience how much work and effort teachers put into welcoming new first graders into their new classrooms while making sure that they are comfortable and will not cry. 

I also realized that children do lose their focus so as a teacher you have to maintain the concept interesting and have activities so they do have hands on experience instead of just listening. As well you have to make sure that the children get i tune with a routine so as the year progresses you can have a set schedule that they can follow. 

Applied:

1. How did what you did help you choose a topic?

   I have done all of my volunteer hours at Cortez so far. I have known Ms. De La Pena  since I was in 8th grade because I was picked to be her T.A. to help the children doing arts and crafts.I do enjoy working with children especially the first graders because they are attentive and are actively participating in the classroom. I have understood with volunteering as much as I have with Ms. De La Pena that for the student to be prepared in the end of the year to go on to second grade that the children need to have a good teacher who can effectively teach all of the necessary materials while keeping the children interested through hands on activities. Volunteering with Ms. D La Pena I have become use to how a first grade classroom is run , that I think was what made me choose having Ms. De La Pena as a possible mentor. I think the topic that I will choose will either be how to be a good 1st grade teacher or how a teacher can effectively maintain the children's attention on what they have to learn.