My Internship |
February 2nd
What I think went well from my internship project is that my mentor and I successfully prepared all the students to do their interviews. We got through interview day and I feel like the final product (digital timeline of interviews) is turning out well. I don't know what I could do differently, because technical difficulties are pretty much unavoidable, but if I could be in two places at once, then I would try to do a better job of making sure all the recordings were working and to support the interviews. What stands out to me is that the class did really well in stepping up to the plate to do something they weren't comfortable with. My mentor and I put a lot of work in and the class really came through and did their best with this project.
February 1st
I would tell future interns that they should make sure to get an internship somewhere they think they'll enjoy. Also make sure to get that internship in time. Some skills a future intern should have are responsibility, confidence, and the ability to work hard. Responsibility is important because you are expected to act as an adult in the workplace and you need to be in charge of yourself, doing what you know you need to do. Confidence is important because as you are learning and taking on new jobs you need to believe in yourself that you can do the task at hand. And of course, working hard is important as an intern so you can achieve and learn as much as possible.
January 31st
My internship has pushed me to think about my future because I can see what being a teacher would be like. I have not thought much about what specific colleges I am interested in, but I do know that I want to pursue a path in education. Because of my internship, I can see myself as a teacher and I want to take the steps needed in college to get there.
January 30th - Last Week of Internship
What I am most thankful for in my internship is that I have been experiencing something new and fun which I am learning a lot from. I have gained a new appreciation for teachers, it really takes a lot of work and isn't easy. I am thankful for my mentor and the class for being a joy to be around, and for teaching me and giving me opportunities.
January 26th
I would like to develop my responsibility and leadership skills like my mentor has. Those skills would help me in my life and future career. My view of life has changed in that I am thinking more seriously about what I want to do in the future. I think that I would really like to pursue a career as a teacher. I feel like I would really love that as my job and that I could happily put a lot of work into it.
January 25th
My iPOL isn't finished yet, but attached is what I have so far. I will be using it as a guide for what I plan to say. I will talk about each bullet point in detail, and have some notes to help me with that.
During my internship, I have developed an appreciation for how hard it is to plan a project and exhibition. I now understand why exhibitions and projects don't always go smoothly because they are not easy to plan! Projects sort of flow and change as they are worked on, so plans have to change too, often last minute. No wonder my teachers always get so frazzled near exhibition!
I contribute at my internship by helping out with whatever my mentor or the students may need at the time. I do some simple tasks like making copies, writing and drawing posters, and things that keep the classroom (somewhat) in order. I also grade work, answer questions, help one on one with math, reading, writing, etc. I go around the class and help keep them on task and answer their questions. I moderated book club discussions, made handouts for their project, and so on. I could go into great detail talking about every single thing I do but I'll save it for my iPOL.
During my internship, I have developed an appreciation for how hard it is to plan a project and exhibition. I now understand why exhibitions and projects don't always go smoothly because they are not easy to plan! Projects sort of flow and change as they are worked on, so plans have to change too, often last minute. No wonder my teachers always get so frazzled near exhibition!
I contribute at my internship by helping out with whatever my mentor or the students may need at the time. I do some simple tasks like making copies, writing and drawing posters, and things that keep the classroom (somewhat) in order. I also grade work, answer questions, help one on one with math, reading, writing, etc. I go around the class and help keep them on task and answer their questions. I moderated book club discussions, made handouts for their project, and so on. I could go into great detail talking about every single thing I do but I'll save it for my iPOL.
ipol.pptx | |
File Size: | 529 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
January 24th
Communication and self advocacy are important because they open up opportunities to utilize my skills and to learn new ones. Communication, though not one of my strong points, is very important, especially in collaboration. It is necessary to communicate well to get ideas and plans into action. I am learning this through all of the work and collaboration I am doing for my project this week. It takes a lot of planning and effort, and everyone needs to be on the same page for everything to go smoothly.
January 23rd - Beginning of 4th Week
This week is crunch time for my internship project. This Thursday is "Interview Day" where the students will each interview a family member or friend about how San Diego is significant to them for the Stories of San Diego project. I will be supporting them during the interviews on Thursday, and helping with the recording process. Today I made an interview prep and tips handout to help them prepare, and I'm almost done with another handout for this project. I have also helped plan for "Interview Day" over the past couple of weeks, but right now is when all the planning is being taking into action. By the end of this week, I should have all my project work done.
January 20th
My internship, while it is a school, is pretty different from school for me. In general, the whole experience is completely new to me and doesn't have much in common with my normal routine at school, other than the time frame and location. In a given week at school, I go to my classes, take notes, work on homework or projects, and so on. At my internship, I help the students one on one with math, reading or writing, I supervise group work, or just help students wherever I'm needed to keep them on task or supported. I also do things like making copies, writing and drawing posters, etc. I'm also making some handouts to help prepare them for their project. I think a big difference between my internship and school is what I'm learning. At school, I learn school subjects, but at my internship I learn life and working skills, and gain experience. I am getting a chance to really see what being a teacher is like which is helpful for me to decide what I want my career to be.
January 19th
I think a personal limitation I have overcome during my internship is my shyness and introversion. Over these few weeks, I feel like I am now comfortable with the kids, and it's not draining my energy to be around them all day. In fact, they are really fun and it makes me happy to see them every day. When I walk in before school and see the students that are in my class, they say hi to me and it just puts a smile on my face. I am more confident in my ability to go around helping them and being in charge, though I think I can continue to improve with this as my internship goes on.
January 18th
My biggest challenge at my internship would probably have to be trying to get the kids to be on task or behave. I am pretty soft spoken but I am working on it. I think it's hard because I am used to only taking care of a few kids at a time when I babysit, and there is no rush. I can take my time to get through to them to cooperate. However, in a classroom environment, that doesn't really work. You have to be more commanding so they cooperate quickly and aren't slowing the whole class down. This is something I need to try and do better.
January 17th - Beginning of 3rd Week
Today I looked at and commented on Udeema, McKenna, and Jazzy's internship blogs. I found it interesting how we all are doing very different things, and we all are enjoying it and are learning and growing because of this experience. Udeema is exploring her different interests through her internship by working in biology. McKenna is learning that she actually enjoys greeting and making (some) conversation with customers in the book shop. Jazzy seems like she's made for the work environment she is in, getting to research and write more. We are already almost halfway through our internships and I hope that we can continue to improve ourselves through the rest of it like we have been so far.
January 13th
My role at my internship is developing by being given more responsibilities. At this point I am more comfortable with what I'm doing. I am able to be more proactive and do things or help kids when I see that I need to. My role is also developing with the work I am doing for my internship project.
January 12th
There is a lot of social interaction at my internship. Teachers eat lunch together, have frequent meetings, and collaborate. My mentor works with another fourth grade teacher occasionally to plan lessons and projects. However, the teachers can be somewhat isolated if they are working/prepping in their classroom alone, though generally, there is a very friendly, social atmosphere in the workplace which reflects on the kids positively.
January 11th
My internship project will be helping the students with their project of interviewing people for oral history. I am working with the planning and logistics of this project and I will guide them through the process of interviewing by teaching them interviewing etiquette and helping them record the interview. This will benefit the class by helping them learn and to complete their project. I can document my project with pictures of the interviews and of the work I will do to prep for the interviews.
January 10th
The children and families in our community benefit from the work we do at my internship. By educating children, we are preparing them for a bright future with many opportunities. We prepare them to keep progressing through school. We do this by teaching them a variety of skills and subjects to help them become competent, contributing members of society.
January 9th - Beginning of Second Week
Today I met with Tasi Paulson, the art teacher at HTeX. She started out volunteering for the art program at her children's elementary school. She taught art there, and trained other parents to help teach too, expanding and developing that school's art program. She heard about the job opening for an art teacher at HTeX, applied and got the job. She then got a degree in visual arts at UCSD and has continued teaching since then.
January 6th
What has surprised me during my first week of internship is that it is much more fun than I expected. Though it requires a lot of energy and attention, the kids are just so much fun to be around. The students are very friendly, kind, and energetic. Even grading homework and doing simple tasks around the class is enjoyable. It is a completely unique, new experience that I am loving.
January 5th
High Tech High Explorer Elementary's mission statement is to "develop critical thinkers who are caring, confident and lifelong learners in a diverse community that is sensitive to the needs of each child." They achieve this by creating a respectful environment and promoting problem solving skills as a community. They make sure to give help to the kids who need it. Engaged learning is facilitated by a using a combination of individual work, collaboration in small groups, and learning together as a class, as well as allowing them time to move around. The subjects they learn are also rotated frequently to keep them engaged.
January 4th - First Day of Internship
My mentor is Christine Kuhl. She has attended Loyola and San Marcos University. She has been a teacher for 17 years and has worked at High Tech High Explorer Elementary for 9 years. She is married with two young children, and loves teaching because of the social and emotional focus, the freedom to teach her passion, and the great team of people she works with.
January 3rd
I'm hoping that I will learn a lot from my internship and that it will be enjoyable, my dream is that this will put me on the path to a future in working in education. It could prepare me for my life ahead and give me good experience. However, I'm afraid it will be difficult to make connections with the students. I'm excited and nervous but I think it will go well.
December 7th - Site Visit
Today I met with my mentor, Christine Kuhl, and discussed my internship and project with her. Her typical workday starts with giving the class morning work, then math, reading, and writing. Before and after school starts she makes plans and does prep for the next day. The school is structured by grade level, with an administrative team, resource team, after/before care team, and custodians. To be successful in her field, she reccommends having passion for learning and flexibility. You also need to understand that each child is different and you need to connect with them.
Some of the work I will do as an intern will be working with small groups of students, supporting their project work, answering questions, and assisting them individually whenever needed. I will also help put together a presentation of a project the class will do. I think a potential project could be teaching a lesson or documenting their project.
Some of the work I will do as an intern will be working with small groups of students, supporting their project work, answering questions, and assisting them individually whenever needed. I will also help put together a presentation of a project the class will do. I think a potential project could be teaching a lesson or documenting their project.