Blog #9 - Life at my WLE.
Today I did my project. I helped the kids build the drums I've been planning on them making for a really long time, and they turned out really nice. Everyone liked them. I also played with kids and helped them tie their shoes, unpack their lunches, and I cleaned a lot. I've improved as an intern because I have learned to realize when I need to step into a situation to help, and when someone needs help with something. I feel like I don't need to be asked for help anymore because I know when to step in, and I can see it's made the people I work with a lot happier. Working with the people at my workplace makes it a great place to work. They always are positive and nice, and the kids aren't extremely wild like I expected them to be. I feel like I've made friends with almost everyone there, and the people there make working there an overall pleasant experience.
Blog #8 - Professionalism.
In order to get hired at my WLE, I had to go talk to the office manager and convince her I should have an internship there. The most effective way to look for a job and get hired is to go talk to the people who are the heads of the place you work at, and to make a good impression. Making a good impression will make you look like you can be professional and know what you're doing and will get you a better chance of being hired. As a result of my WLE, I think being a professional or a responsible adult means that they're on top of their tasks and know how to accomplish challenges while being mature, organized, and calm. A real professional never flips out; they carry themselves in a sophisticated manner, and they get the things they need to get done done.
Blog #7 - What I Learned, Reflection.
So far, being at my WLE has made me realize how much I enjoy working with others. I enjoy working with people and collaborating, and doing things for people. Some challenges I faced were doing things I didn't want to do, but I got over it by just doing it and realizing that my future job, no matter where it is, is not always going to be fun and I'm not always going to like what I have to do. That is also one of the life lessons I learned. My creativity was put to use because I used something I'm passionate about to show kids they can do something amazing with just a few materials. I used art and music to show kids how to make an instrument and it's something that they were shocked and happy with. My WLE effected the kids I worked with because it helped them learn they can do amazing things with just a few materials and make something out of nothing, and that they hold the power to make anything they want. What I now believe that I didn't believe before, is that it takes a lot of work to take care of kids. I always thought preschool teachers had it easy and they never really had to teach anything, but they do; and they also have to take care of multiple people at one time, which is something Elementary-High School teachers don't have to do. A specific skill I learned was simpler ways to do things; like cutting out a bunch of things at once. I learned a lot of different ways to complete tasks simpler and that I can conquer any task I'm ever assigned if I try and cooperate. If I was ever asked what I did at my WLE, I would say I took care of kids and taught them something about themselves; that they can make something out of nothing and can make beautiful things (like instruments). The fact that I learned I can accomplish the tasks I am assigned if I cooperate and the epiphany I had that I'm not always going to enjoy these tasks will affect the choices I make in the future by helping me become a more cooperative person.
Blog #6 - Leadership Skills.
The leadership skill I'm using the most is Think Critically, because I constantly have to change my states of mind to accomplish different tasks and think of ways to multitask and take care of kids. I also have to help kids solve problems; and think of what to do when they have a bloody nose, when they get hurt, ect. I also have to Communicate Powerfully because I constantly have to help kids and generally look out for their well being and sometimes that involves persuading them to listen to me. I think I am using these skills well because I haven't had any problems using either of them when it comes to accomplishing tasks or looking out for kids. I think I could improve by focusing on Thinking Critically more to help make some of the tasks I do simpler. These two leadership skills help me do my work because I use Think Critically to accomplish tasks and help fix small problems at my WLE, and I use Communicate Powerfully to persuade kids into listening to me sometimes when they're upset or about to get hurt or need to follow directions. My mentor uses Collaborate productively the most because she works with other teachers and children constantly, and working with both groups of people help her get the things they all need to get done completed.
Blog #5 - Progress on my WLE Part 1.
At my WLE today, I sang songs with kids, played with them, went and got the supplies the teachers needed back and forth from the supply room, helped injured kids, helped them tie their shoes and overall took care of them. Regarding my WLE, my mentor announced to me I'll be doing my project way earlier than I had planned. She wants me to do it next Tuesday. That somewhat worried me, so we talked about ideas I could have for making instruments (like what type) since that was something concerning me. After the conversation I feel a lot better about the time and I feel I can be prepared. So far, I've accomplished the 2 different instruments I'm going to be using for my project; a cardboard guitar and a rattle.
Blog #4 - Project Brainstorm.
So far for my WLE project, I think I'm going to do something with music. I've noticed that the kids I work with always sing songs and listen to music, however they never are hands-on with it; they don't play instruments or learn how to create music. I was thinking that I could have a unique way for making instruments figured out, and bring it to the kid's classroom and let them pick which one (out of around 3 different instruments) they want to build. It would be an in-class project they would work on. I came up with the idea of music through one of the teachers I work with who said "we never do anything with music" and I started to notice she was right; and since I've played about 4 different instruments and have made music/lyrics in the past, I think that music is something really important that should be included in every child's life. Also, today, my main mentor and I were brainstorming about what we could do project-wise; since before I wanted to do a show full of instruments the kids made for the parents. My mentor, Maria, thought this would take too much time and wouldn't be able to be completed. She did like the idea of making instruments, however. I'm excited to do this project because I think the children will see music in a whole new perspective, and hopefully some kids will realize how much they really do love music. I'm hoping that this music project will help them learn a little bit more about themselves, even at such a young age; maybe they hate making music, or building, or love music and want to be a singer or a famous drummer in a band (or something along those lines or about themselves in general). For now, all I need to figure out is a unique way to make 3 different instruments and the materials I'll need to build them.
Blog #3 - My Role.
My main responsibility was to take care of kids in general. For example, I helped them wash their hands after they did a painting project (which explains the picture) and helped them unpack their lunch and overall just looked out for their general well being. I had a main title as a "teacher" and all the kids refer to me as "teacher Nikki." Other tasks I completed was organizing a bunch of boxes of borders that they use for decorations and I got to know the kids better. A regular day is sitting down in the morning, and then going out to play. Then everyone goes inside to have a snack, and do an activity that teaches them something. After, they go out and play. Then they come back in and have lunch, and play for about 15 more minutes. Then they take a 2 hour nap, wake up and go play until their parents come home.
Blog # 2b - My Mentor.
My second mentor's name is Gail. She teaches preschool. Her typical week is singing songs, playing with kids, creating/managing activities, helping kids fall asleep during nap time, helping them unpack lunch and more. I'm pretty sure Gail has always been interested in kids because she's really sweet and cares a lot about all of her students, and that's what probably made her want to go into the child education field.
Blog # 2a - My Mentor.
My mentor's name is Maria, and she works in the office. She is the assistant director of the entire campus. Her typical day is enrolling students, preparing snacks, answering the phones, and sometimes further discipline that can't be dealt with in a classroom. I don't exactly know what made her interested in this field.
Blog #1 - My Workplace.
My workplace is called Woodroe Woods and it is a school that teaches PreK-2nd grade. It is a small business. Only about 20 people work there. My WLE employs teachers who know how to work with kids. I don't know for sure if the people there have college degrees, but I'm assuming they do because they teach and I don't think Woodroe Woods would hire people without degrees. My workplace serves young children by teaching them basic things before they go to an elementary school or enter 3rd grade. The strengths of my workplace is that they always have something to do for the kids and they always have an organized schedule set up. They also have activities that interest kids, and the kids seem to have fun the way they learn. A weakness my workplace has is that they aren't always as patient with the children than they should be.
