Discovering dynamics in my mentorship

Social Conscience: Working in a first grade classroom at Spout Springs Elementary has shown me the importance in education. These early years of school are where students receive their foundation for the rest of their life. If taught right, both in academics and in morals, these students could strive to be the next Bill Gates, Oprah, or MLK J.R. Early childhood education can greatly cause a future improvement in the world.

Community: Community goes right along with Social Conscience. Education is an extremely active member of the community, for every child goes to a school of some sort. Learning the right things in school can cause the current children to grow up and make a huge impact on their community and the world.

My essential question

EQ: Distinguish how an early childhood teacher can impact the rest of a child's life at such an early age.

1. Why did you select this as your essential question?  I selected my essential question simply because I know students lives are deeply impacted at a young age. I would like to know exactly how a kindergarten or first grade teacher would help shape their lives.
2. What excites you most about finding the answer to this essential question? What excites me most about finding the answer to my EQ is the stories and personal memories of how early teachers shape people. This topic can bring up the impact with education, or with positive or negative life decisions children may make in the future, and it's very interesting to me.
3. Do you feel that this question accurately reflects a desire/need that you have to find out more about this topic? I feel that this question reflects a desire to find out more about this topic. I always strive to positively impact anyone I associate with, and I would like to see how this topic correlates with my personal goals.

Reflection of October

In the past month, I have learned and experienced a lot at my mentorship. Every Wednesday, the students went to career clusters and experienced an hour and fifteen minutes of a possible career of your choice. I went with Mrs. Smallwood to "Kids In the Kitchen", where students learned about food substitution and healthy eating, and also got to make food of their own! Every other day in the classroom, I have had a ton of chances to be hands on with the kids. I personally have been working with the same few children daily, to enhance their phonics and reading skills. It has taught me patience, and tricks to improve my teaching abilities.
Last year, I took a class called Intro to Early Childhood Education. Out of all my high school classes, this class probably helped me the most with my internship. In that class, we learned all about the standards of teaching, the making of lesson plans, and even then we were hands on by going to the elementary school every other Wednesday. That class provided more of an inside look on the big picture of teaching, rather than just being in the classroom every day. We also got a glimpse on special education, which opened up my curiosity for all the different areas I will have to choose to teach.

Plagiarism

1) how would you define plagiarism?

• I would define plagiarism as stealing someone else's work or ideas.

2) Do you think it's important? Why or why not?

• Yes  I think preventing plagiarism is very important. You should be writing about what YOU think and your ideas, not using someone else's. 

3) When can you imagine high school or college students struggling with plagiarism?

• I could see students struggling with plagiarism when they have an assignment or essay based on something they don't know very well. When researching things about the subject, it's often hard to change the views to meet how you feel vs how the writer of the article/ other essay felt. 

Learning Revolutions

After reviewing the speech made by Ken Robinson about the case of personalized learning, we were told to reflect on the following questions:
1. What would you pursue or study if you had unlimited time and resources? I believe even though I would have unlimited time and resources, i would still pursue the career in Early Childhood education. That's where my heart lies, and I can't think of anything I would want to do more.
2.Which has more influence, aptitude or attitude, and why? I believe aptitude and attitude come hand in hand. You can't have a strong positive attitude in something you can't properly achieve, no matter how hard you try. For example, a positive attitude in me wanting to be a singer wouldn't get me far in the case that my aptitude to do so is not very high.
3. Do you think that our current grading system needs to be abolished? What alternative do you recommend? I do believe the current grading system should be abolished. It's unfair to the student population. I believe grading should be based on the individuals level in education. It should definitely be on a more personal level rather than giving the same test to everyone, no matter what their level of knowledge.
4. Some of the HMP class goals are: to help students develop time management skills, foster a sense of independence and accountability, and real life problem solving. This class requires a lot of student motivation since you are not meeting with a teacher on a daily basis. What areas of improvement or areas of personal growth has this class brought to your attention? Honors mentorship has definitely brought many areas of personal growth to my attention. One big one is time management, due to having a bunch of time on my hands and the choice on how to spend that time, whether it be wisely or to be foolish. This class has helped me to make better, responsible decisions with my time. Another thing it has brought to my attention is my communication skills. Working in a classroom with a bunch of six year olds definitely doesn't give me the chance to be shy and quiet, but rather to speak up and make decisions. It has improved my maturity and self motivation as well.

College Search Survey

After taking a survey over the career field I'm studying on Collegesearch.com, I found out plenty of information about colleges to pursue my dream in becoming a teacher. With the degree field I'm studying, I began to look at three schools:

1. University of South Carolina. Located in Columbia, SC. www.sc.edu
2. University of North Georgia. Located in Dahlonega, GA. www.northgeorgia.edu
3. Liberty University. Located in Lynchburg, Virginia. www.liberty.edu/

Some Criteria for a quality program of study includes a good Early Childhood Education program. Being that I want to be a teacher in Kindergarten or first grade, I need a top notch program that will help me to become the best teacher I can be. The three best universities for ECE include Arizona State University, the University of Central Florida, and the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities. For a quality ranking and education program, A medium sized school not TOO far from home would be ideal. Somewhere in the East or only a couple states away would be preferable, but staying in Georgia would also work. The school would also need to be either affordable, or give the chance of funding and financial aid. 
After researching and going on ngcf.org, I found several potential scholarships that will apply to me when I graduate:

1. Tommy Aaron/ Charlie Aaron Foundation Scholarship
2. Otis Spunkmeyer Scholarship (DECA)
3. The National Beta Club Scholarships

Growing Leaders

After reading a post off of Tim Elmore's blog, Growing Leaders, I realized the importance in not only first impressions, but keeping that impression throughtout your intern experience. People say first impressions are everything, but what do they matter if you completely change the way you act a week after you get the job or internship? Tim Elmore told a story of a friend of his who had a bad experience with six college students doing an internship for him. After recieving the internship, the students quickly went back to their immature, college behavior, causing Tim's friend to want to end the internship a month after it began. Tim gave his friend advice, telling him to tell the interns that "An internship is a 12 week interview. It is a stimulation the job you will have one day." Doing so makes them realize that they are being observed, while observing their future career. After telling the interns that, they completely turned around and "had great work ethic, great passion for their jobs, and great hunger to grow as emerging leaders." When I finished reading this inspiring article, I felt compelled to make a change in my own internship experience, to focus on growing in to the responsible, initiative leader I know I can be. While in my mentorship, some concrete things I can do to to make sure I have a good impression all year long include being punctual, energetic, and eager to learn from my mentor.The thing I found to be most relevant in the blog is that the internship is not available to just blow off, it's there to help us learn and grow into the leaders we were called to be.

Tim Elmore's blog: http://growingleaders.com/blog/

The Problem with Money

In America, some people say money is what makes the world go round, while others say its what corrupts the world, but what's the true deciding factor? I believe it is the person who holds the money that makes the decision based on how wisely they use what they have, and it seems that that is also what Dave Ramsey, a personal money management expert, also thinks. In his book, The Total Money Makeover, he shares some facts about the credit card debt, interest rates, and the industry itself. If the total American consumer debt is more than 2.7 trillion dollars, I would not agree with the thought that money problems are only for the poor. It seems that every family is dealing with having to borrow money to pay back someone else they borrowed from. It's all a vicious cycle that needs to come to an end, But how do we end it? Dave Ramsey seems to have the answer. "We do not break the bad habit of debt through earning more money, but rather we break any habit by replacing it with a better one." This quote basically says that making more money won't get you out of debt. The way to get out is all about the choices you make in spending whatever money you have. It's all about saving, and not spending on things that are not a necessity. Because of economic situations I have seen from family and friends families around me, I believe I have seen what not to do, and what to do with my finances in the future. I am grasping the fact that you need to set and live by your priorities and boundaries. After starting my first job last February, I have started good habits (such as putting half of my paycheck into savings) that I will set in stone to live by as an adult. Money factors into my future career path as a teacher in early childhood education. Originally I wanted to be a preschool teacher until I researched and realized that an elementary school teacher had a higher salary. Since they both were around the same path, I chose the one with the higher pay because it would be more beneficial. I don't think money SHOULD be a major consideration, but more that it HAS to be. It would be ideal to do exactly what you WANT to do, but sometimes we have to do what we HAVE to do in order to live a healthy, debt free life. It's all about balancing the profit you'll get and doing what you love to do. Working as an anesthesiologist would be great because of the high income, but I wouldn't enjoy it for I have no interest in the health care path.

Ethics

Ethics- a word many use without knowing the true meaning. What is the actual definition of ethics? According to dictionary.com, ethics are moral principles that govern a person's or group's behavior. But I believe the word has a much deeper meaning than any definition can describe. From the ages of 4-10, the average person establishes their ethical beliefs based on what they hear and see from people around them. The ethics made as a child more times than not lay a foundation for the rest of their life. They come from people such as siblings, parents, or any person who may have an impact on their life. Unlike morals, ethics are made by other people. Morals, on the other hand, are all about yourself. They both are about deciding what is right and wrong, but morals are from the individual themself, and ethics are from an external source. I do not believe one person is more ethical than the other. Everyone's ethics are based off of the same principles. There is a vague idea of what is truly right and wrong for everyone. For example, we all know that murder and theft is bad. Although some may have stronger opinions for certain subjects than others, it doesn't make them more or less ethical. Training to be a teacher in Early Childcare, I know there will be many times there will be ethical dilemmas. If a student I am helping has a different idea on ethics than me, I will have to respect them and move on rather than starting a disagreement. Or in the future when I may be a teacher, there may be things in the teaching standards that don't agree with my ethical beliefs that I will have to teach anyways. It's all about being calm and respectful towards others, and a lot of times just sucking it up and doing what you have to do.

Week 2: Perfectly Polished

Last Friday, the Honors Mentorship students took a trip to Gainesville for a "Perfectly Polished" meeting, held by ms. Lassiter, to help prepare us in being professional in the business world. One thing she stressed on that was important was handshakes. Before going to this seminar, I always thought that right when you meet someone, you reach your hand out and give them a firm handshake, but she went way beyond my knowledge. I learned that you introduce yourself before shaking hands, and to also make eye contact with the person while doing it. She also mentioned that giving too firm of a handshake could be a bad thing, and taught the students how to give proper ones. Another thing she coached us on was proper introductions. Ms. Lassiter explained how using the persons name around three times in one introduction shows that you think that person is important to you. She gave us great tips on what to say, and when to say it. Not only did she teach us how to introduce ourselves, she taught on how to introduce others. She showed us to always mention the more important person first. Before I went to the meeting, I never would have even thought of that.. One other thing she shared was about what to do with your hands while speaking with someone. Having your hands down by your side shows you are confident, not hiding anything, and is completely open to hearing what the other is saying. Until this seminar, I never realized that what you did with your hands actually showed things about you. "Perfectly Polished" trained me to be professional in so many ways, and I can't wait to use my new knowledge from it in my every day life.

Week 2: Dare to Dream

This year, I will be studying  what it's like to be a teacher in Early Childhood Education by going to Spout Springs Elementary School. By participating in the Honors Mentorship Program, I will gain knowledge and experience about the career I am pursuing, To ensure I get the most from my experience, I will be as involved as I can to teach and help the children in the classroom. I have also been getting to the school at 7:25 rather than 8:25 to have more time to learn and grow each day. By being involved with this amazing opportunity, I will be preparing myself for what it will be like in the real world as a teacher. It will show me both the negative and positive aspects of the career, and will prepare me on how to handle situations down the road more effectively. When I go to seek a job in this career, it will benefit me because it will give me knowledge and a better understanding of the field.

Mission Statement

My mission in life is to make a positive impact on at least one person a day. I will be encouraging and compassionate towards everyone around me. I will be the best friend I can be to any and all of my friends. I will show respect and appreciation to my parents, teachers, mentors, managers, and any other elder. I will be a diligent, responsible, and a very hard worker with everything I do. I will stand tall and be confident in accomplishing all of my goals to work towards success in my future. I will do anything I can to strive to be the best I can be.

Week one: Getting to know your mentor

After reading about getting to know my mentor and listening to the podcast about first impressions, I learned a lot about how important it is to make a powerful first impression. As both documents mentioned, there are four "P's" that are essential to make a good impression: being POSITIVE, dressing PROFESSIONALLY, being PUNCTUAL, and to come PREPARED. The first ten seconds you have with your mentor will establish what they think of you. If you show up and don't have a smile on your face, you're slouching, and not eager to talk to them, they will automatically assume that you don't want to be there. That's why it is so important to show you have a positive attitude by showing superior body language, to greet them warmly with a firm handshake while looking them in the eye, and to have good conversation starters in mind. Eye contact, your posture, and your attitude are some of the main keys to a good impression. The second way to make an exceptional impression is to dress professionally. Make sure that you speak louder than your accessories and that your outfit and hair present you in a way that will make you look qualified for the internship. If you wear too much make up or jewelry, your mentor will be focusing on your outfit rather than your personality. Another way to look polished when meeting your mentor is to be punctual. If you show up ten minutes late, or even a minute late, they will probably assume that you don't care. It will come off that you are more worried about yourself than the internship, which is not a good way to start off. Make sure to get there on time, or even ten minutes early to show that you are excited and ready to start. The final tip is to come prepared. Before meeting your mentor, make sure to research the career you will be working with. Come up with conversation starters to have with your mentor, as well as answers to questions they may have for you. One of the worst things you could do is show up somewhere without having any prior knowledge about it. Before you leave your house, make sure you have everything you need to prevent having to get something or to even borrow something from the mentor. Other things mentioned in the documents that I thought were important was to "talk 20%, listen 80%". You will be going to your internship to learn and follow in your mentors footsteps. If you are the one talking and interrupting, you will not be learning very much. Make sure that you do take initiative and start conversations with your mentor, but to control it and listen when you need to. One more thing that I believed was crucial to making a good impression is to attach yourself to the right people. If you are hanging around the people at the job that gossip and start problems, you will come across as immature and irresponsible. If some type of drama were to arise after you were associating yourself with those kinds of people, you may be "guilty by association" and people may assume you started the problems. That's why it's best to connect with people who will represent your maturity and who you are. Your first impression will determine what your mentor will think of you, which is why it is so important to make the best impression you can.