We've MADE IT !!!!!

I want to give everyone in this Internship class a great big round of applause. We are half done with the Intern and 1 quarter left before we are completely finished. This quarter was a lot of work and a lot of new information  learned. I've learned what to expect from quality child care, to inclusion in a classroom. Everyone seemed to have had fun and learned a great deal from their host teacher. I enjoyed my host teacher also. She had many fun and exciting ways to grasp her students attention with literacy. I've noticed that many of you enjoyed her "mystery reader" segment. It was a great treat!! I want wish you all good luck with your careers and I hope that you can make a difference in the lives of children in some way. 
I want to take the time to thank Professor Sisie Puntil-Wilcek for being very helpful, patient, knowledgeable and insightful. I truly believe that any other teacher wouldn't be so understanding as you were. This was my second time taking your class and I'm happy that I had the opportunity in having a class on campus with you. Thank you!!!

Observation Module 4

During the time I observed in the classroom, I was luckily to see the class having a mystery reader that day. The teacher gathered the children to the rug and told them that they had a mystery reader. The children were getting excited looking around the room to see who was there as the guest. The teacher reviewed with them what a mystery reader was. Some of the children answered, "when you don't know who it is". The teacher introduced one of the students aunt that came to visit. The aunt was able to choose any book she liked to read to the students. As the students aunt was reading the book she asked a few questions regarding the book. She spoke softly and made sure she answered almost every questions the children asked. After the book was read the student was able to take a picture with her aunt holding the book. The teacher would then print out the pictures and add them to the wall of "Mystery Reader".

I was able to speak with aunt about being a mystery reader. She said that the child's mom told her about the class having mystery readers in the class and that anyone was able to stop by at any time to read any book, it didn't matter how long or short. She decided to come up to the school to show her niece the importance of reading. She wanted to share with her something special as reading, not only to her but to her classmates also.  The aunt said that her niece like reading at home and she taught today was a good day to come up.

I asked the teacher how did she come up with the Mystery Reader? She said that a few years ago she had parents that wanted to come in and read but it was hard to schedule times and days for them to do so. While thinking of ways for family members to come up to read at anytime when she taught about being a mystery reader. She first had to explain to the students what mystery was. It was a great way to invite families to come up to read on their time. They are able to pick a book to read that's more comfortable to them.  As the years went by the wall of mystery reader has grown. She display all the pictures for everyone to see and it even encourage other members to come and read. Many of the children fuss at their family members to come and become a mystery reader.

The lucky student enjoyed hearing her aunt read a story in the classroom that day. She couldn't stop smiling. I also enjoyed the mystery reader that day. I beginning to see why we stick around the classroom for a few hours each model. Have I not came in that day I would have missed out on one activity that I can't wait to share with my own classroom one day.

Module 3

Now that I have a better understanding of what my advocacy plan will be I had to rename it to literacy.
For the last 2 weeks I observed the classroom having many things in and around it that deals with literacy. I noticed that before the children go to centers they must write out a plan. This plan consist of them thinking about where they would like to work and what they're going to do while in there. I also noticed that they do message time. This is a time when the teacher write on the board and the children are to read the daily message. She shows the children how to read from left to write. She pick students to come and circle sight words or letters they may know.  I asked her do the children do any independent reading in the class? She said before breakfast while the children are arriving they have book crates that they pick and choose their own book to read. The reading is around 10-15 minutes. It allows the students to come in and get settled and for her to prepare breakfast. I asked, how often do they write? She said, beside the morning sign in the students must sign their name if they want a turn at the computers. She also stated that they were having trouble with a messy bathroom and now the students must sign their name on the list for her to keep track of who was last. She stated that the children love signing their name on the list. They are able to not only read their names but their friends name as well. There was the normal seeing of books throughout the centers, word wall and labeling of things in the class.

One challenge I noticed while in the classroom is witnessing the teacher sending home books with book logs for the parents to read to their child and record how much their child enjoyed the book, the problem I seen was that some of the children either didn't bring a book back or no one read to them. I can see it being a problem getting the parents involved in activities outside of the home. We all know a successful outcome of a child's learning is if they can receive the same learning at home. So, with that, I'm wondering if their other strategies the teacher can come up with to better get the parents more involve in their child's work?

Observation Module 2

• During my two weeks of observing and interacting with the teacher and assistant in the Pre-K class I notice how they were trying to engage with the parents the importance of literacy. In my paper I'm focusing on how to help promote literacy at home. I seen the teacher and assistant meeting together about fun ways to get parents involved in literacy at home. They came up with the reading log. It allows the students to pick a book and once they are read to they were to color in how they felt about the book. The feeling range from a happy face (like it), a straight face (it was o.k) or sad face (didn't like it). The teacher spoke with the parents about the library and enforced how important it was for them to sign off on it every night in order for the students to receive a new book. The parents and students were into it. When some of the students returned the log the assistant had a conversation with them about how they enjoyed reading the books. She briefly discussed what parts they like/disliked about the books. As the days were going by some of the children who didn't get their log sign was feeling upset because they wasn't able to get a new book. The assistant was kind in telling them how it was their responsibly to make sure that the book was being read and the parent signing off on it. 

• I learned that if you make reading fun and exciting that the children will like to read. Also, if you explain to the parents the significance of reading to their child they are willing to do the additional readings. I noticed that the parents too were getting into the readings telling the teacher how much they liked a particular book. One challenge I see is having those engaging conversation to parents that don't come to school. There are some parents who only show their faces when they register their kids in the beginning of the year. I would like to advocate how classrooms can get some incentives for those parents who take the necessary steps in furthering their child's literacy. Also, how to encourage parents to get more involve int their children's education. Maybe see more programs in school that help parents to build the gap of literacy through school and home.

Interview

I had the pleasure of interviewing two teachers. Jonnia is a master Pre-K teacher for 12 years. She's been in this school for 9 of those starting in the infant toddler program. The other teacher Jamela is a displaced teacher that came from a school which was a turnaround school. She has been a Kindergarten teacher for 4 years. They both had some interesting views of the POVERTY that affect our kids today.

• Insights gained from your interviews regarding current advocacy efforts and needs in your area of interest within the field of early childhood

       I learned that many of teachers advocate everyday for their students. They both name some of the same issues that affect young children in poverty. When Jamela talked about her students at the displaced school I learned that many of her students didn't know how to hold a pencil correctly or that they didn't know their names. Many of them only knew nick-names that family and friends called them. I learned that Jonnia thought that the lack of access to quality education and community resources also played a big part in the impact of Early Childhood. 

I also learned that when dealing with poverty it's not just what's happening around the neighborhood or the home but also the resources that the schools lack. Jamela stated that her other school they didn't have proper books, materials or anything that make a school run. She established after school for the children, leapfrog club, and differentiate instructions that's dedicated for each level. 

 

• How these interviews may have influenced your decision about which area of interest and topics to choose for your research paper

I knew that poverty played a big roll in how students learn and grow but I didn't think about the outcome of what happens when a school lack resources. I would like to look deeper into all the effects that a student has when not only living in poverty but what happens when their education is a product of that too. 

• Which area of interest you are thinking of focusing on for your paper as well as the related three specific topics

   I'm looking to look focusing on Poverty in a Early Childhood setting.  The related topic would be the children's environment, school, and health and outside resources (to help the cause). I believe that they all interrelated. I think if you deal with students with not enough resources in E.C maybe teachers in 3-8 wouldn't have to do as much. Starting at the beginning to help the build a stronger foundation. 

• Questions you have for your colleagues related to your area of interest and/or three topics

Beside the reason I included above are there any other factors that may be related to poverty in E.C?

Have you ever advocated for a cause? and if so where did you start to get your message heard?

Do you think children are products of their environment?

Hello!!!