New Class, New Mentor

I'd like this post to be more of an update instead of my usual segment "Monthly Favorites". I decided to volunteer with different grade levels to observe every aspect of teaching. I'm now volunteering in two 3rd grade classes on Thursdays, and in a 6th grade class on Fridays. My new mentor is Mr. Harper. I've only volunteered a couple of times with these new classrooms, but I already see one very important thing... They all have a different, but effective approach to communication. Communication is one of my essential question answers so I was glad to see that it really does have a huge impact on the students when a teachers communicates appropriately and thoroughly. Hopefully next month I will continue with my "Monthly Favorites" will updated information relating to my new volunteering schedule.

EQ

Content

1. I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.

An essential question must:

• Provide a framework for studies (It calls for breadth and depth of research, Is not a yes/no question)
• Take a stance (It allows you to argue some point, Cannot be a recitation of facts or a list)
•  Format (It is specific, The wording makes sense)

2.  Review the following EQs and

• Tell us if each meets the rule of three.
• Tell why they do or don't.

 a.  What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?
Yes because it's specific and the most important factor can be debateable. The eq itself is not biased in any way, and it's worded easily to comprehend.

 b.  What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?
No because the structure and wording seems very broad and a bit confusing.

 c.  What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?
Yes, its extremely specific as well as clearly formatted. 

 d.  How can an anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?
No because that's kind of an open ended question. I think there could be different answers to that depending on who you talk to. it's not really specific.

3. What is the most significant factor in insuring the independence of a special ed student by the age of five?

Title: Lesson 1 Reflection

1. Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your Lesson 1 Presentation and why?

• I liked the way I did my hook activity interactively so it engaged the classroom as well as teaching them something as ool as sign language. 

2. Questions to Consider
       a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 1 Presentation (self-assessment)?

       AE     

       b.     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 1 component contract.

• I believe I deserve an AE because my presentation was creative and I covered all of the information in a very smooth manner. I felt I had good interactions and I think I did a good job being in front of the class and holding their attention. I also did everything required including stating my sources.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 1?

• Definitely the sign language which was my hook activity.

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

• I might've been a bit repetitive so I guess I would just be specific about what i'm covering in order to not repeat information.

October favorites !

So today instead of naming products that are useful within the special ed preschool classroom, I'll be naming my absolute October favorites. My students (not technically mine, but you know what I mean) October artwork. We sat down during "craft hour" and made our own pumpkins. Craft hour is an opportunity for the kids to have fun and learn a new creative outlet for expressing themselves. I couldn't be more proud of their pumpkins.

Blog 8 - Research and Working EQ

1.  What is your working EQ?

What are the best ways to help preschool special ed students become independent by the age of 5?

2.  What is a possible answer to your working EQ? Please write the answer in thesis format. 

EQ:What are the best ways to help preschool special ed students become independent by the age of 5?

• To teach them effective ways to communicate with others
• To teach them a good foundation regarding communication skills as well as social and academic skills

3.  What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ?

I found a series called "Topics in Down Syndrome" and "Topics in Autism" that has answered any, and every question I've had so far regarding my topic.

4.  Who is your mentor, or where are you doing mentorship, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?

My mentor is Mrs. Blanca, at San Jose Elementary School and it directly helps my topic because I am volunteering in a special ed Preschool class and interacting with the children the whole time.

Independent Component 1 Approval

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

   I will continue to volunteer in the classroom with the children and help them participate in class activities such as reading, coloring, singing, and playing. I will shadow Teacher Blanca and assist her with the children.

2. Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

   I will continue to do mentorship hours to cover my thirty hours of independent component so i'd still be keeping track of all my hours on my log and my mentor could be able to verify my hours.

3.And explain what you will be doing to explore your topic further in depth.

    I will be able to work with a different child for 15 minutes every day I volunteer, so i'm planning on doing worksheets and one on one activities and keep record of his or her improvement as well as observe the way they communicate. This is very important to my topic because Communication is one of my answers to my eq.

4. Update your senior project hours log.

   Updated

September Favorites

1. My absolute favorite thing this month is definitely 

The Brown Bear Book by: Bill Martin Jr. / Eric Carle

2. My second favorite thing is the song

"Bean Bag Dance" by: The Learning Station

It helps the children get active and have fun, while learning how to listen carefully to the directions being sung to them and participating according to those directions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OwaLcMYmHg

Second Interview Preperation

1. My mentor is Mrs. Blanca and she works at San Jose Elementary School within the Pomona Unified School District.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0816847,-117.7493647,3a,75y,307.78h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sFEj1Dh0VTsmCrCm8LYNZiw!2e0!6m1!1e1?hl=en

1. What college did you attend?
2. Why did you chose to teach special education?
3. How did teaching special ed. affect your life?
4. When did you know you wanted to choose this career path?
5. what is your best advice for chasing after a dream or a goal as a student?
   

Blog 5: Mentorship Reflection

1. Mentorship question: I started volunteering with a special ed. class, my freshman year,at my old school, so I just asked the teacher I previously worked with if she could be my mentor, and she said yes.


2. Research Question: I honestly haven't found an article that has been extremely useful. Most of them say things i had known previously or they have information that only skims the surface of my topic. The most useful source I've had for my research so far has been the Topics in Down Syndrome  by:Libby Kumin

August Favorites

Hi guys! So we're at the end of August and I'm going to to write the first blog of my series 

"Monthly Favorites (classroom edition)"

1. My first favorite would definitely have to be our Song "A is for apple". This song helps the students get engaged in the classroom and shows us the progress their making with their pronunciation, level of understanding, and ABC's. 

2. I love our Dr. Suess collection. It's classic and the kids really enjoy seeing all the visuals and telling a story by the illustrations they see in the books.

3. Let's face it, one of the perks of working with children is we get to color. My last favorite for the month has to be the 64 pack of crayola crayons. The kids love it and with all the different colors, the students can expand their knowledge of colors and have fun at the same time.

Title: Blog 4: Interview Preparation

1. I plan on interviewing my mentor Mrs. Blanca, the preschool special ed teacher I do my hours with. Since My mentor has been teaching special for several year now, I feel she will give me very useful information as well as a point of view from a teaching perspective which is important to my topic.

2.     Q1: What do you feel are the most useful strategies in helping children with disabilities learn how to                       communicate with others?

        Q2: Why is it important for a teacher to know exactly what disability each student has?

        Q3: What are the main goals a teacher should have for their students throughout the year(s)?

        Q4: Why is it necessary to have more than one year of preschool for students with disabilities?

        Q5: Are there any special requirements the teachers have to have in order to teach younger students                     with disabilities rather than older students? If so, what are they?

Additional Question: 

What strategy do you find works best to help the children learn and memorize basic things such as their colors and numbers?

Blog 3: Topic Choice and Working EQ

1. Teaching Preschool Special Education

2. The question I feel helps focus my research is : What is special education?

Summer Mentorship Component

1. Mentorship

2. San Jose Elementary School (Teacher Blancas Special Ed Preschool Class) (909) 397-4670

3. A few questions That came to mind during my summer mentorship were if the students had to 

be recommended by a doctor to be in a special ed class, or could the children be placed there by 

a teacher's or parent's request? Also, does the schedule and curriculum that the children learn 

ever change?

4.The most important thing I gained from this experience is how to be patient with children, especially

those who aren't capable of doing things for themselves.

5. The Early Stages of Child Development is going to be my senior topic. Working with the special ed class 

made me realize that a student's foundation for learning is very important, especially in special ed.

Blog 1: 2-Hour Presentations

Blog 1: 2-Hour Presentations

1.  What presentations did you see?

• Ski Patrol - Jackie Boyd
• Basketball - Seriah Escobedo
• Goalkeeping - Sarah Solar
• BodyBuilding - Christian Velez
• Cal Poly Parking Trans. Services - Ana Landeros
• Yearbook - Stacy Peralta
• Coaching Soccer - Ronnie Martinez
• Warehouse Op. Management - Ari Cojin
• Hippotherapy - Clancy Raines
• Electrician - Cesar Lopez
• High school Basketball - Diego Delgado
• Teaching Middle School Math - Isabel Vasquez
• Dressage - Susie Davidson
• Educational Non-Profit Services - Adrian Gallegos
• Lending - David Lara

2.   What questions do you have that haven't been answered about the senior project? This can be about the senior project in general, any components or about a presentation topic you saw or what they said.  

• If I choose to do a topic about teaching, is it required for me to recreate a classroom scenario? 
• What do we base our activities off of?

3. What is the most important part of the senior project based on what you are seeing in the 2-hour presentations?

• The most important part of senior presentations, according to my observations, are staying on topic and being relevant to the EQ, as well as speaking for enough amount of time.

4. What topic are you considering doing and why?

• I'm considering doing Early Years of Special Education because I already volunteer with a Pre - K -3rd grade class, and it's what I want to major in as well.
  

5. What are you doing for your summer mentorship?

• I'm going to volunteer at the library for a summer long event called "Reading Buddies" where children who have a hard time reading get assigned to a volunteer, and are taught to read more fluently as well as expand their vocabulary.