My Reflections on the Dream Camp
During the Spring break I got a chance to volunteer in the Dream Camp at George Vanier Elementary School. Volunteering in the dream camp was learning and an inspiring experience. In this camp I got an opportunity to work with student teachers from PDP elementary module. All the participating students from Grades K-7 seemed very happy and engaged in different activities. The students liked the kinesthetic activities the most. However, some of them enjoyed art and craft more. I found that the elementary school students are much higher in energy than high school students. However, it created problems in classroom management. The classroom management is way more challenging with elementary school students rather than high school students. The camp
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I was inspired (from the elementary student teachers) to know the amount of work they had to do along with teaching the content; like channelling students’ energy in the right direction, instilling moral values and taking care of their personal problems. For example, some needy students keenly waited for the breakfast and snacks to be served since they couldn’t bring food from home. I was sad to see this but felt happy to serve them at the same time. There was a student with special needs in my group for which my fellow student teachers organized more activities of his interest. For example, he liked painting, arts and crafts instead of playing games in the gym. It seemed to work very well until one afternoon while working in a group he had a meltdown and became violent. All the other students got scared of him. The resource person from the school (who already knew him) immediately jumped in and handled the situation. After this incident I became nervous. Since, I had planned a group activity, ‘ocean in a jar’ for the next day and was worried about his behaviour. Hence, I talked to him in person to find out more about his likes and dislikes. Then, I modified
A second paid opportunity I have had serving children has been working as summer camp counselor for the past three summers. Each summer since May 2013, Warren W. Willis United Methodist Summer Camp has provided me with the opportunity to mentor a wide variety of children ranging in ages from rising fourth grade to newly graduated high school seniors. Here I have taken on many roles of mentor, advocate, listener, friend, small group leader, activities facilitator, etc. Here I have interacted with children and adolescents of all backgrounds and cultures.
Seeing my student have an interest in history and how farmers treated animals, this little conversation we sparked, promoted him to look into the subject more and stay away from these products as a form of protest. Getting him to see that he does have an interest in school and that what he does matters for his future was my contribution to the world. For a kid who had all odds against him graduating realized his first semester of high school that he can change things for the good and be the first in his family to go to college. One day the success I helped breed one-on-one will take my students to become an important person, a person of value they did not see
I learned how to adapt to the individual needs of students to provide them the best education. Like students with a communication disorder, many of my students would shy away from activities or tasks because of obstacles. Through these experiences, I watched my students gain the confidence to participate in activities and excel in academics to become successful individuals. As a future Speech Language Pathologist, many qualities that I possess can be improved by furthering my education.
After numerous e-mails to each other, Mr. Bowe and I decided to schedule the interview in his classroom for Friday, October 9th. Analogous with the majority of those that enter the teaching profession, Mr. Bowe’s desire to better the lives of students began with a fundamental inspiration: his teachers. Teachers are, in one word, influential. A great teacher inspires their students to love learning.
Many of us have a role model we look up. A role model can be anybody, ranging from “famous” individuals, fictional characters, to “ordinary” people. One thing they do have in common is their influence on the lives of young people. In Carl T. Rowan’s “Unforgettable Miss Bessie” and Mike Rose’s “I Just Wanna Be Average,” both authors illustrate that role models are around us and they come in the form of an educator. Teachers are said to be second in line after parents when it comes to influencing young people.
“The behavior of difficult-to-manage students can be improved through providing interesting lessons on topics of personal relevance that permit active involvement and lead to competencies students consider important” (Charles & Senter, 2005, p. 131). This statement summarizes perfectly the idea that when students are engaged and learning about topics that are meaningful to them, their world opens up and they begin to see a purpose in what they are doing. According to Trevor Muir, a teacher and author of The Epic Classroom, conflict can motivate students and develop a sense of curiosity (T. Muir, personal communication, February 20, 2018). When students are presented with a real world conflict, they become motivated to find a solution. Project-based
This improved my time management as well as communication skills as I needed to teach children in a manner they understood. I also had to use my initiative when things didn’t go to plan such as absent leaders and weather conditions. Mentoring is a key skill as I have coached girls in a netball league, mentored peers in literacy and led a Zumba class at school. This demonstrates my ability to adapt to new challenges and commitment to helping others. I also took part in rat dissection club which allowed me to explore the intricacy of the
The most character building experience in my life was when I joined the National Junior Honor Society in middle school. Engaging in NJHS has molded me into honing the attributes of leadership, citizenship, scholarship, service, and character. For instance, involving myself in community service like Relay For Life, not only aided me with the chance to assist my community but has helped me to develop citizenship and service. Furthermore, being in the organization has made me realize that I can assume the role of leadership and guide my fellow classmates by being a role model. Consequently, I became further aware of the importance of education and have been gradually becoming, increasingly studious.
I am able to relate to people and work hard to make the experience I am participating in rewarding for all individuals involved. Throughout my educational path, I have observed and participated in a variety of different areas involving caring for others. Each opportunity was unique and impacted me in different ways, making me the person I am today. Volunteering at a summer camp with children with muscular dystrophy taught me the importance of communicating with others and the value of patience. Interacting with patients in a hospital setting gave me the opportunity to distract patients and make their stay at the hospital more tolerable.
From all the diverse backgrounds, learning styles and needs in the program, there were many obstacles that I had to overcome to create a lesson that would
Throughout my high school career, I was forced into many situations where I was challenged to connect with my peers and serve as a role model for future students. Whether it be my involvement in the school marching band, or helping students in community tutoring sessions, I have always made it my goal to better the people around me through my own efforts. Throughout my high school career, I have put forth my best effort to connect with my peers, transform individuals, and make a difference in my community. Joining the school marching band at the beginning of my freshman year of high school was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
While in the first grade classroom, I was able to form a great relationship with my mentor teacher that allowed me to be very hands on with the students throughout the semester. Among many things, I learned how to run an educational circle and calendar time, worked with small groups of students to improve reading, provided practice spelling tests to students, assisted students in developing their writing abilities, and implemented the class’s behavior management plan. While I worked with the fifth grade
The integrity I possess and genuine character I have reveals my authentic positive outlook on life. I aspire to be the voice that encourages students to obtain a life changing education that will aid them in their journey. I desire to be a teacher that takes time out of my day to have meaningful minutes in a student’s life and to represent the picture of a positive role- model. I hope to leave a lasting impact by creating a caring atmosphere that allows students to express themselves, discover knowledge, and obtain their fullest potential confidently!
If I had never started tutoring kids in fifth grade then my appreciation for sharing my love for school academics wouldn’t gotten to where I am today. By providing tutoring assistance helped me understand that we all learn differently. I hope that all the students I tutored will continue to improve academically. While tutoring was challenging and required patience, it was a valuable rewarding experience.
Nevertheless, some of the kids can achieve great things as a result of the hard work and personal characteristics they develop in their life. Let’s focus on