Event #2

I attended Acceptance day to talk about our major to in coming freshmen. Trying to let them know that youth and development is and option and how great it actually is. I thought that I did well explaining our major. I told them my experience and how it ended up being such a better fit for myself. I did observe that a lot of parents were trying to direct their children's attention away from us because they don't know what are major is yet. They only saw the bigger majors but I hope that one day we will be the major with that line of people.

Event #1

I attended a conference before the semester started. I learned about working with the youth with behavior and tools on how to interact or handle these children. I loved this convention and thought that it was great. I learned so much about how to talk to students with behavior and also how we need to open our eyes! Their might be a lot going on in there lives and we need to stop and notice and think about why the child might be acting out. Another tool that I learned was to be care on the way we ask questions. Try to ask questions with no room for a yes or no answer. These are just some of the things that I learned I defiantly recommend for people to attend this event if possible.

Final Intership Project !

THE NUTCRACKER !!


That's right for my internship project I got to help and work along side with the director and the manager putting on the famous ballet the Nutcracker. It was a great experience to learn the behind the scenes. I have been in lots of nutcrackers starting off as an angel and ending at getting to be in snow and even having a solo in the party scene as a doll. So I have went through the performing and rehearsing process many times before but never the behind the scenes of costumes, props, casting, music, and leading rehearsal. It is so much time and work. I have learned so much and I loved working with the children they are so cute and get so excited!
I have done everything that could be thought of for the show. I will defiantly use what I have learned in the future. Especially the parts where I worked with the youth and there families. I think having those experiences are the most important ones to have because I will now have a better understanding and also more confidence on working with parents and there children. I think that is the make or break to working with the youth because you want to build professional relationships in the field it makes for a better environment and a better work place. To see some photos from the nutcracker that I helped put together click on the link below


The Nutcracker


Carolyn Dutra Dance Studio


If the link doesn't work go to www.Carolyndutradancestudio.com

Event # 2

For the second event I attended Open house for in coming freshman in 2014. There I go to talk about my major and try to help out other students that could potentially fall into the same position as me. Where I was an education major but just wasn't fitting in. And now I am part of a family. And I am glad that we were able to show these students that we actually are a family and that we are not just a major where you come in and end up hating your job. I find that in what we are doing in our major you will defiantly know if it is the right fit for you.
       At this event we had matching shirts, candy, and music. I mean who wouldn't want to join. We looked like so much fun and instead of a teacher The actual Students in the program represented it I think that is Awesome !



                                                 

Event #1

For event one me and a couple of other students when to a presentation for youth and development. It was in Horace Mann in one of the meeting rooms. This meeting was about youth and development and how it is located around the world. The place we got to talk about was Israel and our presenter was also from Israel herself. She is a youth and development work and instructor at there at the college her name was Osnat Nisanov. It was kind of funny because at first she didn't even look like she was from Israel. Then when she stood up and introduced herself I knew she was are speaker. She spoke very broken English but I could kind of make out what she was saying. 

                                                     

                  She talked about youth and development in her country and I found it very interesting. The idea of youth development is pretty much the same but the way that there students learn it compared to the way that we are learning it is completely different. My understanding is that we at Rhode Island College Learn about youth and development and take classes for youth and development and even take class the will just improve our skills that much more. We learn as much as we can to prepare our self for the field. In Israel they do the opposite. They Do the field work before and class after. Talking about what they did in there field work and their experiences. I find it kind of interesting and I wonder what system works better. I could tell by a couple of Osnat Nisanov peers that came with her that they like there system better. 
                     However what I enjoyed most about this presentation was that she had her students write little essays about what they have been doing in the field and why they love it. It was great to hear and even see pictures of them enjoying their work. Seeing this made me really realize that this is where I should be ! 

                        

'Looking'

Teachers, their sole per pose is to teacher children and teens the basic knowledge. Some of the teachers today struggle with running a classroom. We want the kids to learn but times are changing and children are getting more difficult to teach. We have more special needs kids, and more children of race and as teacher we need to teach in such a way that we get a response from all. We need to explore our students and understand what teaching methods best fit them. For most in what Corinne McKamey has wrote about in her article 'Uncovering and managing unconscious ways of 'looking'' teachers need to be more invited and not just sitting at their desk and listen to their teacher talk to them. The classroom needs to be more engaging and exciting for all. As for student teacher relationship that needs to become more of a bond where the teacher is trusted and therefore the student making sure that whom ever the student or teacher is isn't crossing that line and becoming best friends. Youth and Action has talked about this many times and one of their staff members seems to become a mast at from what I have observed in class. 

This whole topic made me thing of two teachers in my life that have done exactly what Corinne McKamey would see as a good educator. First is was my forth grade teacher and he was the best. He would turn our lessons into fun educational games and we all wanted to play. Spelling bee basketball was my favorite and face-off with multiplication tables. Face-off went as far as playing other classes and ours always won! Even against the sixth graders. We were so proud and it got us so motivated as a whole class. The other teacher was my senior year english teacher. Everyone loved her she was fun and exciting as well. And our lessons always had an activity. One that  can remember was when we were reading hamlet the whole class had a part and we all had to stand up and act it out. And eventual after writing a paper on it we got to go to New York city and see it on broadway with Jude Law as hamlet! It was great but not only was this teacher fun she was so helpful and you could go to her for anything. We always had students from other classrooms coming in to get help from her for their senior projects I was just lucky enough to have her and man with out her I don't think I would have graduated high school. 

Being an extra ordinary teacher is super important in the world that we live in today. It is always changing and teacher need to know that they as well need to change with the world. Everyone learns differently and some need a caring teacher and some need that tuff love teacher. But it is up to the teacher to find out what child needs what. 

This video is a little long but so great !!! It is about a teacher and he is amazing !! 

Get Involved !

In reading Kohn's article it made me think a lot about my CEP Class that I took a couple of semesters ago. And at once point we were disscussing how parents and or guardians should never say no to a child. The reason being that we as caretakers need to explain our reasoning of no. I completely agree that we should never say just no. We also talked about how caretakers should all in all not say no at all because it is sending negativity toward the child. We should instead say things like "kyle we shouldn't talk that way about each other because we can hurt there feelings" Vs "No Kyle don't say that". When we use the word no with no explanation we are not teaching the child the difference between right and wrong even though it seems like we are.
In this article Kohn also talks about middle and lower class children and the after school programs that they attend. I think it is very important for children of these families to attend as their life is not the  easiest and they should not have to deal with their parents struggles. But I also think that parents should be more involved when they are sending their children to an after school program. It is important for them to know what is going on with their children. What are they doing there, do they like it, and what are they getting out of their time there. All thing parents or guardians should keep in mind. A parent caring about their child is the best thing for their child even if they need to for get about all the hard ships they are going through. Sometime's we need to put that away for our child !

Context Mapping

What is Context mapping ? I was even asking myself this question. Context Mapping is when we try to understand the environment in which the behavior under study takes place. We map out what we do, where we are, and who we make contact with.
 I have made my own context mapping to view click on the link below

Megan's Context Mapping


In this weeks reading we were asked to find out what Mitch asks Julian to do. Mitch asks Julian to do a couple of things.
He first asks him to "list the various spaces and relationships he must negotiate each day."
Mitch then asks him to "write down each of those spaces and people."
The third thing he asks him to write down is "what each of those spaces and people expect of him."
Last Mitch asks him to "pay attention to how he feels and note when he feels safe and anxious and or uneasy."

See page 27 Nakkula Chapter 2


We were also asked to list 4 different identities and describe them

1. Foreclosed Identity : is one in which and individual has committed to a life direction or way of being without exploring it carefully and without experimenting with alternatives. A foreclosed identity is one that is either thrust upon a person or simply accepted with little reflection
2. Diffuse Identity : is a state in which there has been little exploration or active consideration of a particular identity and no psychological commitment to one.
3. Identity Moratorium : This is a developmental state in which one actively explores roles and beliefs, and relationships, but refrains from making a commitment.
4. Achieved Identity : the individual has successfully integrated his ego-identity needs from the past, within the present, and into the future and can therefore display a certain level of self-acceptance and ego strength across changing context

These Identities are listed pages 28-38 Nakkula Chapter 2

Speechless

                           Youth.... We may be little but our voices are very big. Student today need someone to talk to weather it be a friend, teacher, and or parent. I feel like they sometimes don't think that they can. They feel that there thoughts either don't matter or are a disappointment. Student's need to know that what they say and do does matter and that we care. It is funny that we had this assignment this week as I just heard a sad story about a girl who is the nicest girl and would do anything for anyone and some of her classmates found out that she was cutting herself. You would have never known. These students brought it to the attention of and adult who knows how to really listen to her students as she has been working with children all of her life. She decided to talk with this girl and try to help her. The girl said she didn't know why she was cutting herself but that she had put an end to it but the teacher said to her that she still needed to tell her parents. The girl said she didn't know if she could. When the teacher asked why she said that she felt like she had disappointed her parents as she also didn't want them to feel responsible because it wasn't their fault. Children need to feel comfortable in any situation. They need a voice, and they need to know that they are heard ! I went to the Youth Media Project
                             Website and one of the videos that I saw caught my ears. If you listen to these children talk they talk about how small they feel and that being small makes them feel like an underdog. Children need to know that there words do matter! And in the video someone say that the youth maybe small but that it is a gift. I love that !

Below is the video that i just talked about

After looking through the Youth Media Project

I found another Website called Youth Speaks. It is a great organization that created poetry slams which they call brave new voices. Their mission statement is 

"Youth Speaks creates safe spaces that empower the next generation of leaders, self-defined artists, and visionary activists through written and oral literacies. We challenge youth to find, develop, publicly present, and apply their voices as creators of societal change. Our vision is to shift the perception of youth by combating illiteracy, alienation, and silence, creating a global movement of brave new voices bringing the noise from the margins to the core."

                                                                                    

                                                This organization is awesome I like how they give youth a chance to 

                           speak in a different way and I think that they are living up to their mission and making 

                                                                  a difference and giving the youth a voice ! 

We Want The Power !



I have just read and article on YIA ( Youth in Action ) And watched a video on a YIA documentary. Both of these discussions were so great and Powerful! The people and volunteers within these programs really want the best for the communities and the youth. They both share great moments about all these people coming together and working together in ways people today should be working. The YIA are all about pulling the youth generation together and making them united as a whole. I felt like the YIA was more focused on not only community but the children with in their communities. I also read that they would like to expand which I think is a great thing that I can only hope will happen. I think it is great that they teach kids and give them the support that they don't get in school because that is a big issue with schools today they fail to complete there task which in the end it preparing their students for the outside world.

YIA is all about the people and trying to make a voice for the youth. It seems as though the adults forget about us youth and we are the future! We are the main focus or at least we should be. This is where the documentary that I also watched comes into play. This program that they offered in Texas was a perfect way to help adults come together in a "Gathering" is what they called it to learn and build these foundations that we can start to build up our community and youth together. This gathering had lots of great information and they were building their own community of youth and development with in this gathering learning from on another. This is how it should be all the time in every school and afterschool program children learning from one another, " speaking their own opinion" as the YIA would say because that is how we learn from others experiences and them sharing their experiences with each other. This is why I love youth and development and I can see a bright future as we are moving in the right direction. We are come fully charged !


The Link to the documentary : Youth in Action Documentary

The Link to Youth in Action : http://www.youthinactionri.org/

YD

Friday while in Class we talked about Critical YD, Positive YD, and Risk, Resiliency, And Prevention. In doing this activity it has opened my eyes as to what area I really would like to focus on in the Youth and Development field . My area was risk, resiliency, and prevention and I totally thinks that this is my correct placement. I want to be able to help kids figure out what is right and wrong in the right way. Although I think that all the areas are intertwined with one another. I think that they all need each other to succeed. In a way they form the big team of youth and development !
Below is that activities that were completed in class

Blog Blog Blog !!

By blogging we are able to reflect on our own thoughts and values, and see how other people may differ with their own thoughts or opinions. Blogging enables us to write out our own experiences and express ourselves so that anyone is able to access and read about them. In having these documented experiences, ideas, or images we can see ourselves grow and develop throughout time.

Encouraging youth to blog provides these abilities. They can have these memories instilled, and as opposed to paper, it is something that is held in a concrete database that can be accessed for lengths of time. We want youth to be able to feel comfortable to express themselves and have these entries to look back on . It is easier for youth to use technology as a basis for writing down their thoughts, and allows more flexibility then a paper to show creativity and proof of knowledge on given topics.

The Digital Age

I read Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. This article is all about technology and who it has effected, those of us who have had it all around us since we were  born compared to those who grew up without it.  "Our children today are being socialized in a way that is vastly different from their parents." (Prensky) This quote is getting ready to explain how much differently children today communicate and hangout vs. how their parents use to communicate and hang out. For examples I know that when I am about to hangout with someone instead of beeping or getting out of the car and going to the door I will text them to let them know I am here.

Now if I am to do this every time how do I become friendly with their parents? I remember when I was little and technology was not to big but getting there I never went on the computer or my cell phone I use to call my friend on the phone and talk for hours I had to remember phone numbers and when we hung out it was playing on the street all day long. My mom and dad use to tell me their stories about how they use to be the same way. My little cousins now don't even bother and the one who is nine years old already has a cell phone at which she is on all the time. This quote relates to the text because it is what the text is based on natives being children and interments being parents as they are foran to this whole technology era.The text also goes more into the education side of technology and its effects on students who attend school. This article is based on the pros and cons of technology with in and educational environment. "Sure they have short attention spans - for the old ways of learning," says professor. (Pernsky) This quote is being more direct toward students in schools and how teachers are dealing with this technology age. Depending on the teacher if they are old or young will change their view on how they feel about technology. The older teachers feel that it is a waist of time and a big distraction and that it is not helping the minds of there students, also that it is making students not do home work or paying attention in class. Students today are more distracted with talking to their friends during class then listening to their teacher. Younger teachers on the other hand find technology to be helpful and easy when used properly. They too though have grown up around technology.  This quote goes back to relate to the text because it is talking about how the natives are effective in school and also how there are immigrants within their learning environment. Another quote to go along with this "As educators, we need to be thinking about how to teach both legacy and future content in the language of the digital natives." (Prensky) This quote is thinking from an educators point of view. It makes a good point in that educators need to remember that we are evolving and there is no stopping the technology. What we can do is try to learn it ourselves so that educators can keep up with there students. To keep their students attention span long enough they must become good with the technology. This quote relates because it says that teachers need to start teaching in the old and new to get a good balance.