Blog 9: Lesson 1 Reflection

1. Positive Statement
What are you most proud of in your Lesson 1 Presentation and why?
I am most proud of the way I was able to engage my audience with my hook and the way I managed to connect it to my own experience. I feel like what gets an audience interested in what you have to say is if you connect whatever story, or information, you may have and make it your own; make it relatable.

2. Questions to Consider
     a. What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 1 Presentation (self-
         assessment)?
         P/AP  
     
     b. Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 1 component
         contract.
         I think I deserve this grade because I know I probably missed out on some key factors in
         regards to application of research by referencing specific examples in the justification and
         foundation row, but I overall think I did fine when talking about my resources and
         mentorship/interview. For the "P" consideration though, I know I met the required time, was
         prepared on time, had one required prop, my introduction did include audience interaction, I
         cleaned up afterwards, and turned in my lesson plan at the required time.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 1?
I think what worked for me in my Lesson 1 was that I was prepared and had a clear idea of what I wanted to say about what I have discovered and learned so far, via my mentorship experience and my research. I also think that bringing a personal visual also helped because it belongs to me, making it a little more relatable as opposed to if I would've brought a random child's work.

4. (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 1?

To improve my lesson I probably would have talked more about what exactly child development is and how it truly affects child education. I feel like I was a little too worried about making time that I may not have said everything I would have liked to about the different stages in development and how it correlates with the education process, or how there are certain stages when an educator has to focus on helping a child develop and enhance specific skills.

October Extra Post

Independent Component

For my lesson plan on Monday, or Tuesday, I was planing on having "memory" books to explain my hook activity a little further. So I was going to bring my little book from when I went to preschool and then compare it to one from my kids, but I realized they don't have one! -gasp- It is the one thing I have kept from preschool and something I constantly look back at and smile.

My cover page with my school and year!

My karaoke choices certainly have changed :)

My little 's' is trying to fly away! How cute :)

So here's my new mission-if I choose to accept it, which I do.
Children don't remember much from their preschool years and it's really nice to have a little token of that time in one's life, so I am taking it upon myself to give back to my kids by making them their own personal memory books.
This is my new mission while doing my independent component this semester and I plan to post little pictures of my mission's progress. Here's to hoping for the best! :)

Blog 8: Research and Working EQ

1. What is your working EQ?
What are the most important skills a child can develop to have an impact on the way they excel academically?

2. What is a possible answer to your working EQ? Please write the answer in thesis format.
EQ: What are the most important skills a child can develop to have an impact on the way they excel academically? 

• Children, and their educators, should focus on developing their motor skills . 
• Social and interaction skills should be stressed at an early age as they both intertwine later in life both academically and personally. 
• Cognitive control, although rarely taught, is an important skill for success in school and life, that if not introduced at an early age can hurt children later in life.
• Educators must also be aware of the certain stages a child goes through and how to address them, as at these stages certain skills should be focused on more than others. 

3. What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ?
The most important source I have found most helpful in helping me think of a working EQ is a scholarly journal by Adele Diamond, titled Preschool Program Improves Cognitive Control, it talks about a crucial factor in a child's life and that if it's missed it can affect a child later. This got me thinking about all the other skills necessary for a child to develop in order to do well in school and when they should develop them.

4. Who is your mentor, or where are you doing mentorship, and how does what your doing relate to your working EQ?
My mentor is MS. Chami and she works at Montessori Academy of Chino. By going to her classroom and interacting with the kids it relates and helps me answer my working EQ in the way that I get to see them being taught essential skills that will help them in future academic endeavors. They are being taught to work hands-on and how to interact with others around them -which improves their social skills-. I feel like my mentorship does a good job of knowing at what stage a child might be at and then helping them work on skills that need fine tuning, which I am now being introduced to and apart of by going, helping them do their worksheets, or just being a support for them and sitting there while they work.

Blog 7: Independent Component 1 Approval

What is it? Independent Component 1 is an opportunity for you to add a dimension of creativity and/or an additional outlet for research. The goal of the component is for you to explore your topic in more depth with this component. 

To get your idea approved now, please answer the following questions: 

1. Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.
For my thirty hours I plan to just spend more time with my mentor, in her classroom. I chose to do this because I feel like in order to really learn how early childhood education affects a child is by actually observing them in the classroom.
So, I plan on going on Wednesdays, in addition to already going on Mondays, and really interacting with the children by helping them with their work.

2. Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence. 
To show evidence of the work I will be doing with the kids I will post pictures on my blog of work they do, which includes; crafts, worksheets, drawings, etc. However, I'm not sure if I am allowed to take pictures of myself with the children, but I'll be sure to ask the Director and my mentor for permission.

3. Explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.
As I mentioned before, my topic is Early Childhood Education, and I think to know how my topic really affects the kids I have to actually see it taking place. So by adding more hours with my mentor, I feel like that's the best way to gain knowledge and experience it first hand. By spending more time interacting with the kids I'll really learn how having an education early on helps them personally.

4. Update your Senior Project Hours log.
Senior Project Hours Log.

September Extra Post

Pinterest is a-ma-zing!

I've been using Pinterest for a while now but for personal reasons, that is until I found all the lovely resources and ideas I can use at my mentorship! My mentor, Ms. Chami, has an assistant, Ms. Mary, who helps her in the classroom and usually comes up with all the fun craft ideas. However, I've been looking through Pinterest lately and I found some great ideas that I hope to add to their already colorful classroom. 

I would love to add these to the top of the windows in the classroom to create a more inviting environment.

Adding color to a room really brightens things up, especially for a child who is a visual learner. The bright colors, I think, makes it feel more open and fun.

I think that for a child it's very important to show them how they are doing, having a visual up to remind them where they're at can perhaps keep them on track of being productive. I also love the colors!

I've also discovered some great, well at least I think they are fun, crafts we can do with the kids to enhance/improve their motor skills, through a fellow blogger on blogspot.com who happens to be a Kindergarten teacher. She has various templates of activities and worksheets I know I can bring up with my mentor, and Ms. Mary, and perhaps use them the next time I go to help out. Pinterest is an incredible website that I know I will continue using for future ideas. 

Here is a link to my board.

Blog 6: Second Interview Preparation

The purpose of this second interview is to justify your mentor as an expert in the field. Thus, you will be asking them at least 5 questions about their background and/or the background of the organization or company where they work.

1. Who is your mentor and where do they work?
 My mentor is Ms. Chami and she works at the Montessori Academy of Chino.

2. What five questions will you ask them about their background?
I plan to ask her the following questions:

• What made you decide to become a preschool/transitional kindergarten teacher? Why not pick one over the other?
• Have you worked at other schools? If so, what are some differences in the schools?
• What does the "Montessori Method" mean to you?
• What kind of education did you have? How do you think it affected your life?
• As a parent, what kind of education do you want your children to have? Why?

Blog 5: Mentorship and Research Reflection

1. Mentorship question: Describe your experience on how you found your mentorship? If you haven't found one yet, describe your experience so far in the search for a mentor.
Finding my mentorship was...interesting. I wanted to do my mentorship at a cosmetology school, and everything was good to go but then at the last minute it didn't work out with my would be mentor. When I was starting to sort of panic, I thought I'd give teaching a try, so I contacted my middle school teacher but she was too busy and our school hours were totally different, so that wasn't possible. My mom then told me of a family friend who worked at a daycare, and I thought that I should give it a try, I mean I've always loved kids and I know I want to follow a career path where I end up helping them in some way. So I went down to the daycare, talked to the director and she said she'd love to have me helping out; the first couple of weeks I didn't do much, I was at the front office making copies, filing papers, and answering phone calls but then I was allowed to go into a classroom, with supervision, and I ended up really liking it. Next Monday, I will be officially starting my mentorship for the year alongside my mentor.

2. Research question: What has been your most important article you have read so far and why?
The most important article that I have found is on Early Childhood Education and it is from the US Department of Education. I find it very important because within the article there are other links to specific programs, studies, handbooks, etc., and I know I will go back and explore the links to help me on my senior project.