Service Learning
I did my volunteering hours at a retirement home. I brought flowers to the rooms of the residents, helped with Bingo, helped with dinner, and sang songs with them. I worked with an elderly women who had autism. She loved to hear me sing and especially loved when I sang songs she remembered. I also worked with an elderly man who came to Bingo every night. He was an elderly man with down syndrome. He is in his early 70's which is pretty rare for those with down syndrome. His was not very severe but he needed more assistance than others. Whenever he won Bingo he always did his "victory dance". It was so funny.
Prior to volunteering, I had very little experience working with adults with disabilities and retirement homes made me slightly nervous. This was a way for me to overcome my fears, become more comfortable with the elderly, and become more confident in working with adults with disabilities. I feel like I gained that confidence and have been able to use concepts learned in class and apply it with the adults I was around. These concepts aren't just for the school setting.
My volunteer hours total was 7 hours. I enjoyed every minute and plan to volunteer again next semester.
Saturday, December 12, 2015
Lesson 12
This week we talked about behaviors in a classroom and what we can do to prevent and eventually change negative and disruptive behavior. The book has a good list of different behaviors that can occur and a list of things teachers can do. We were assigned one of these strategies as a table on Monday and my table had the strategy of teaching a concept in a way that relates to the child. If a child enjoys sports, use that to help them understand a math concept. The problem with this is that it is specific to each child's interest and would be hard to do for every student.
One of the things that really stuck with me this week was the ABC method of observing a behavior. We listed a few behaviors that could happen and came up with an antecedent and a consequence for that behavior. This method of observation really is beneficial. It can help teachers in a classroom but also helps parents in everyday situations with a child. I taught a parenting class Wednesday night after we had discussed this concept in class. I was able to answer some of their questions and help them by teaching them to use this observational method. One parent asked, how can I get my child to stop hitting? I told them to observe when the child hits, write down what happened before the hitting or what it was that caused the child to hit, and then come up with a consequence. Be consistent with that consequence and if it isn't working, change it and try something different. By observing and figuring out the cause of a behavior, it is easier to find a consequence that will be effective.
The parents found this to be a really beneficial way to help their child and were excited to try it.
I am so grateful for this class and the depth in which I have been learning things. We aren't just learning strategies and concepts, but we are learning how to properly apply them. Other classes haven't done that for me.
This week we talked about behaviors in a classroom and what we can do to prevent and eventually change negative and disruptive behavior. The book has a good list of different behaviors that can occur and a list of things teachers can do. We were assigned one of these strategies as a table on Monday and my table had the strategy of teaching a concept in a way that relates to the child. If a child enjoys sports, use that to help them understand a math concept. The problem with this is that it is specific to each child's interest and would be hard to do for every student.
One of the things that really stuck with me this week was the ABC method of observing a behavior. We listed a few behaviors that could happen and came up with an antecedent and a consequence for that behavior. This method of observation really is beneficial. It can help teachers in a classroom but also helps parents in everyday situations with a child. I taught a parenting class Wednesday night after we had discussed this concept in class. I was able to answer some of their questions and help them by teaching them to use this observational method. One parent asked, how can I get my child to stop hitting? I told them to observe when the child hits, write down what happened before the hitting or what it was that caused the child to hit, and then come up with a consequence. Be consistent with that consequence and if it isn't working, change it and try something different. By observing and figuring out the cause of a behavior, it is easier to find a consequence that will be effective.
The parents found this to be a really beneficial way to help their child and were excited to try it.
I am so grateful for this class and the depth in which I have been learning things. We aren't just learning strategies and concepts, but we are learning how to properly apply them. Other classes haven't done that for me.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Visual Impairment Simulation
I a going to be honest, I wasn't able to wear the masks for 4 hours each. I get migraines really bad and I got a migraine from each mask. The first mask was the blurry vision simulation which I lasted about an hour and a half before my migraine kicked in. The vision I had pretty much was the same as my vision without my glasses or contacts. It was SO frustrating. I kept squinting my eyes to look at what my teacher was writing on the board or to look at the powerpoint slides, which is probably what brought on the headache.
I lasted only a half hour with the macular degeneration simulation mask. My headache got really bad really fast. I tried to go the grocery store (my roommate drove) and was able to get through that and check out but my headache got so intense I had to take it off and sleep for a few hours.
The other two masks I lasted about an hour before the headaches. It was such a hard assignment for me to accomplish. When I get a migraine I get an aura usually in my right eye and if I don't quickly take medication, get to a dark room, and sleep, I will completely lose vision in my right eye until I sleep it off. The pain is so intense that putting my head on a pillow hurts. I accomplished as much of the simulations as I could.
The fact that I got a headache every time makes me feel so inspired by those who have permanent vision impairments. It must get so frustrating and annoying. I love my eyes and I love looking at things around me. I love to people watch and observe the world around me. I love looking at nature. I can't imagine my life without my vision. This assignment made me so much more grateful for the simple blessing of being able to see. I am so blessed to have all five senses working.
I a going to be honest, I wasn't able to wear the masks for 4 hours each. I get migraines really bad and I got a migraine from each mask. The first mask was the blurry vision simulation which I lasted about an hour and a half before my migraine kicked in. The vision I had pretty much was the same as my vision without my glasses or contacts. It was SO frustrating. I kept squinting my eyes to look at what my teacher was writing on the board or to look at the powerpoint slides, which is probably what brought on the headache.
I lasted only a half hour with the macular degeneration simulation mask. My headache got really bad really fast. I tried to go the grocery store (my roommate drove) and was able to get through that and check out but my headache got so intense I had to take it off and sleep for a few hours.
The other two masks I lasted about an hour before the headaches. It was such a hard assignment for me to accomplish. When I get a migraine I get an aura usually in my right eye and if I don't quickly take medication, get to a dark room, and sleep, I will completely lose vision in my right eye until I sleep it off. The pain is so intense that putting my head on a pillow hurts. I accomplished as much of the simulations as I could.
The fact that I got a headache every time makes me feel so inspired by those who have permanent vision impairments. It must get so frustrating and annoying. I love my eyes and I love looking at things around me. I love to people watch and observe the world around me. I love looking at nature. I can't imagine my life without my vision. This assignment made me so much more grateful for the simple blessing of being able to see. I am so blessed to have all five senses working.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Lesson 9
This week my favorite moment and also the one that helped me learn the most was our day of teaching other students. We were to choose one skill as a group and decide what teaching strategies we were going to use to teach that skill to another group in ten minutes. We came up with a pre-assessment as well as a post-assessment. My group taught fishtail braiding. There was one girl who, during the pre-assessment, we found out already knew how to do the braid. We decided to have one teacher go to the side with her and teach her a more difficult braid, the waterfall braid. Those who were still learning to fishtail braid stayed with another teacher while two students assisted as models. It was a great experience learning how to make accommodations and work well with other teachers. The skill we were taught was cake decorating and how to apply fondant. It was so cool! We warmed up the fondant in our hands by kneading it and then rolled it out and placed on the little cake. We smoothed out the fondant and creased it on the edges. This group did a great assessment of our knowledge. There are six steps they taught us for applying fondant. Our pre and post assessments were to write down the six steps. It was amazing that by the end, we knew each step.
We also learned about traumatic brain injuries as well as orthopedic impairments. The two girls did great at explaining what they were and having us participate in activities that helped us understand and apply what they were teaching us. Everything we learned really made me stop and think about how hard it can be for those who have these impairments. Life gets a little more difficult and many modifications and accommodations have to made in classrooms for these students. A teacher has to think of every little thing.
This week overall really opened my eyes to strategies needed when teaching. I learned how valuable sincere and caring teachers are for all students but especially special needs students. We need more teachers who are willing to go above and beyond for their students and truly meet their needs.
This week my favorite moment and also the one that helped me learn the most was our day of teaching other students. We were to choose one skill as a group and decide what teaching strategies we were going to use to teach that skill to another group in ten minutes. We came up with a pre-assessment as well as a post-assessment. My group taught fishtail braiding. There was one girl who, during the pre-assessment, we found out already knew how to do the braid. We decided to have one teacher go to the side with her and teach her a more difficult braid, the waterfall braid. Those who were still learning to fishtail braid stayed with another teacher while two students assisted as models. It was a great experience learning how to make accommodations and work well with other teachers. The skill we were taught was cake decorating and how to apply fondant. It was so cool! We warmed up the fondant in our hands by kneading it and then rolled it out and placed on the little cake. We smoothed out the fondant and creased it on the edges. This group did a great assessment of our knowledge. There are six steps they taught us for applying fondant. Our pre and post assessments were to write down the six steps. It was amazing that by the end, we knew each step.
We also learned about traumatic brain injuries as well as orthopedic impairments. The two girls did great at explaining what they were and having us participate in activities that helped us understand and apply what they were teaching us. Everything we learned really made me stop and think about how hard it can be for those who have these impairments. Life gets a little more difficult and many modifications and accommodations have to made in classrooms for these students. A teacher has to think of every little thing.
This week overall really opened my eyes to strategies needed when teaching. I learned how valuable sincere and caring teachers are for all students but especially special needs students. We need more teachers who are willing to go above and beyond for their students and truly meet their needs.
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Lesson 10
This week was test week, so it was a high stress week. We did a great review in class on Monday. I was surprised by how much I had retained a remembered. The review really helped me to pinpoint my strengths and realize what I really still needed to study. That was definitely what helped me learn the most this week. I reviewed all of the class powerpoints multiple times to help review and study.
Wenesday we didn't have class so I stayed in the library for a few hours studying for the test. I also studied Tuesday and Thursday for hours at a time. Friday I took the test. I actually went in around 11:45, thinking that would be plenty of time before class, but when I came out to go to class it was 1:20. The test had a lot of reading to go with some of the questions and I think that is why it took me longer. I also kept getting certain court cases confused with other ones. I didn't do very well on the test but I also knew I had been gone from class a lot so this would probably be my worst test score.
In the reading for this week we learned how to help students be independent learners. It was a great chapter because many of the strategies they discuss are things I myself can work on and become better at. They had different strategies for problem solving skills in math, which is my worst subject. Some of the strategies actually made a lot of sense and I wrote them down for future reference.
Overall, this week was filled with studying and more studying.
One thing I want to point is how much I am able to connect what I am learning in this class to students I work with at the elementary school. A couple of students do have ADHD and quite a few of them have some kind of learning disability. I have been able to take some of the techniques and strategies from the INCLUDE model to help students get their homework done. It may not be a classroom setting, but the INCLUDE model helps me be able to stop and think what I can do to help a specific child with their learning disability. For example, one child is incredibly good at math but struggles with writing and spelling. One of his favorite things to do is build with legos. So, we started incorporating legos into his spelling homework. He builds the letters with legos and we spell out the words. Then he is able to look at the word he built and write it out. He has improved so much in just a few weeks! ]
It is so exciting to see a student progress. My future plans aren't to be a school teacher, but I can't wait to see the progress in my therapy students.
This week was test week, so it was a high stress week. We did a great review in class on Monday. I was surprised by how much I had retained a remembered. The review really helped me to pinpoint my strengths and realize what I really still needed to study. That was definitely what helped me learn the most this week. I reviewed all of the class powerpoints multiple times to help review and study.
Wenesday we didn't have class so I stayed in the library for a few hours studying for the test. I also studied Tuesday and Thursday for hours at a time. Friday I took the test. I actually went in around 11:45, thinking that would be plenty of time before class, but when I came out to go to class it was 1:20. The test had a lot of reading to go with some of the questions and I think that is why it took me longer. I also kept getting certain court cases confused with other ones. I didn't do very well on the test but I also knew I had been gone from class a lot so this would probably be my worst test score.
In the reading for this week we learned how to help students be independent learners. It was a great chapter because many of the strategies they discuss are things I myself can work on and become better at. They had different strategies for problem solving skills in math, which is my worst subject. Some of the strategies actually made a lot of sense and I wrote them down for future reference.
Overall, this week was filled with studying and more studying.
One thing I want to point is how much I am able to connect what I am learning in this class to students I work with at the elementary school. A couple of students do have ADHD and quite a few of them have some kind of learning disability. I have been able to take some of the techniques and strategies from the INCLUDE model to help students get their homework done. It may not be a classroom setting, but the INCLUDE model helps me be able to stop and think what I can do to help a specific child with their learning disability. For example, one child is incredibly good at math but struggles with writing and spelling. One of his favorite things to do is build with legos. So, we started incorporating legos into his spelling homework. He builds the letters with legos and we spell out the words. Then he is able to look at the word he built and write it out. He has improved so much in just a few weeks! ]
It is so exciting to see a student progress. My future plans aren't to be a school teacher, but I can't wait to see the progress in my therapy students.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Wheelchair Simulation
Ok. The previous simulations have been alright, but this one really did let me experience what it would be like to be in a wheelchair and how hard it is! I have been pretty sick the past few weeks so using a wheelchair and not having to walk seemed like a great convenience. Except that is really hard work and I was sweating and using muscles I was not used to having to use that much. I live near Broulims so going up a hill wasn't too hard to do since everything is up hill. I got myself to my class in the Clarke. I knew right where the elevator was so I went straight to it. Someone helped me by pushing me into the elevator and pushing the buttons. It was a very nice, simple gesture. After class I did try to go to the restroom, which was incredibly difficult. I have zero arm strength! I really need to work on getting stronger. Getting in and out was hard too because the bathrooms in the Clarke seem smaller than other bathrooms on campus. I kept getting stuck between the door while trying to go out. I then went to through the library, took the elevator to the 3rd floor, and made my way to the MC. Someone did push me to the MC, which was very nice. At the MC I decided to try and get food while in my chair. This proved to be very difficult. I had a hard time reaching for the food and holding it in my lap while continuing to wheel myself around. Luckily, I ran into a friend and he held my food for me and helped me pay. It really is the little things. The did go to the restroom one more time while in the MC. The rest of the time I just sat and did homework. I saw a lot of people I knew and got asked so many times, "Are you alright?" I hate having attention on me so this simulation was by far the hardest for me. I hated the stares and the questions. I feel so much sympathy and now empathy for those who are in wheelchairs everyday. I also feel inspired by them and recognize their courage now more than I ever did (not to mention I recognize their arm strength).
This simulation opened my eyes to the struggles that some people go through just to go from one place to another. I take so much for granted in my life. I have a prayer of gratitude in my heart for my legs that work and, even though I have been sick, my body is healthy enough to get me where I need to go.
Ok. The previous simulations have been alright, but this one really did let me experience what it would be like to be in a wheelchair and how hard it is! I have been pretty sick the past few weeks so using a wheelchair and not having to walk seemed like a great convenience. Except that is really hard work and I was sweating and using muscles I was not used to having to use that much. I live near Broulims so going up a hill wasn't too hard to do since everything is up hill. I got myself to my class in the Clarke. I knew right where the elevator was so I went straight to it. Someone helped me by pushing me into the elevator and pushing the buttons. It was a very nice, simple gesture. After class I did try to go to the restroom, which was incredibly difficult. I have zero arm strength! I really need to work on getting stronger. Getting in and out was hard too because the bathrooms in the Clarke seem smaller than other bathrooms on campus. I kept getting stuck between the door while trying to go out. I then went to through the library, took the elevator to the 3rd floor, and made my way to the MC. Someone did push me to the MC, which was very nice. At the MC I decided to try and get food while in my chair. This proved to be very difficult. I had a hard time reaching for the food and holding it in my lap while continuing to wheel myself around. Luckily, I ran into a friend and he held my food for me and helped me pay. It really is the little things. The did go to the restroom one more time while in the MC. The rest of the time I just sat and did homework. I saw a lot of people I knew and got asked so many times, "Are you alright?" I hate having attention on me so this simulation was by far the hardest for me. I hated the stares and the questions. I feel so much sympathy and now empathy for those who are in wheelchairs everyday. I also feel inspired by them and recognize their courage now more than I ever did (not to mention I recognize their arm strength).
This simulation opened my eyes to the struggles that some people go through just to go from one place to another. I take so much for granted in my life. I have a prayer of gratitude in my heart for my legs that work and, even though I have been sick, my body is healthy enough to get me where I need to go.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Lesson 08
This week we had some hard conversations in class. This week we touched on neglect and abuse. I know it something that absolutely has to be brought to light and we need to be informed on the signs and what to do when we need to report abuse. There is this one girl who in class who talks a lot. This week she shared a story of an incident when she had to report abuse at the preschool here on campus. Luckily, it ended up being okay and abuse wasn't actually happening. I work at the after school at Kennedy Elementary and we have actually had cases of abuse and neglect. We have sent children home with extra food and a jacket from the lost and found because otherwise they wouldn't have dinner or a winter coat. It is so sad, but we need to be realistic in recognizing that abuse and neglect happen more often than we think.
This week we moved tables and got new classmates at the tables. I was a little sad because I missed out on a lot of classes with my old "tablemates". But the change really is so beneficial. I love learning from new people and getting their perspective on the things we are learning. It has been really great.
I am hoping I can help them as much as they help me.
One of the things that I really loved this week was the video about the elementary school in Nevada. It was so inspiring. I am so grateful for stories that this that instill hope in mankind. Some children really have hard lives and lack basic necessities at home. I found it it really inspiring to know that there is something we can do as educators to give them a better life and hope for their futures. I actually sent the link to the director of the after school program and we are looking into doing some of the things the principal did in the video.
I just want to make a difference for children who aren't as blessed as I have been. I have so much in my life and I have so much I can give to others. I want them to grow up in a world that is kind to them.
This week we had some hard conversations in class. This week we touched on neglect and abuse. I know it something that absolutely has to be brought to light and we need to be informed on the signs and what to do when we need to report abuse. There is this one girl who in class who talks a lot. This week she shared a story of an incident when she had to report abuse at the preschool here on campus. Luckily, it ended up being okay and abuse wasn't actually happening. I work at the after school at Kennedy Elementary and we have actually had cases of abuse and neglect. We have sent children home with extra food and a jacket from the lost and found because otherwise they wouldn't have dinner or a winter coat. It is so sad, but we need to be realistic in recognizing that abuse and neglect happen more often than we think.
This week we moved tables and got new classmates at the tables. I was a little sad because I missed out on a lot of classes with my old "tablemates". But the change really is so beneficial. I love learning from new people and getting their perspective on the things we are learning. It has been really great.
I am hoping I can help them as much as they help me.
One of the things that I really loved this week was the video about the elementary school in Nevada. It was so inspiring. I am so grateful for stories that this that instill hope in mankind. Some children really have hard lives and lack basic necessities at home. I found it it really inspiring to know that there is something we can do as educators to give them a better life and hope for their futures. I actually sent the link to the director of the after school program and we are looking into doing some of the things the principal did in the video.
I just want to make a difference for children who aren't as blessed as I have been. I have so much in my life and I have so much I can give to others. I want them to grow up in a world that is kind to them.
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