Initially for my capstone I was going to do a project based on drugs because of the death of my father in 2016. I couldn’t find a way to get hours and I couldn’t quite find where I was heading with my project so I decided to change it. As a little girl I have always loved working with little kids and playing pretend as if I was a teacher. I want to become a teacher so I knew it would have been the perfect first step into my career and I’d have a heart to work with little kids. I went to Kinsella Magnet to help a kindergarten teacher perform centers in her class. During the time I went the students were split into different groups with different subjects and tasks they had to finish for the week. I would sit at different tables with them and help them on their assignments and if the students were on the rug I would read them a book.
Through this project I have learned that children use their imagination and it’s a big part of their learning process. They know how to interact with others through seeing their surroundings and going based off of the way people treat others around them. I have also learned that I have the patience to work with children. When I first went into my project I didn’t think I would have had the patience to work with kids, but I was wrong. Working with this class I have learned how to deal with the tantrums, the needs, and the way they process things. I understood that they are still young and require a lot of patience when working with them. Thankful I have learned how to be patient with children.
There was a time where I couldn't believe what happened and why it happened. My men-tee that I have been working with all year had gotten into an altercation with another littler girl and it had gotten her in real trouble. I tried my best to stop her from getting into things like this because I didn't want her to turn out like I did in middle school. I felt as if I failed at leading her in the right path and teaching her the right things. I knew from this point on I needed to do more and show her more to make sure these things didn't happen again.
Working with my men-tee A throughout the year I have seen myself through her. I have noticed that a lot that she has struggled with was a lot that I went through myself. She comes from a tough home and she isn’t the type of girl who makes friends easy. I saw so many things that I knew I could help her change before it was too late. Her attitude and the way she spoke was literally me and I knew I needed to stop it before it got worse. I helped Angelica learn to ignore what others have to say, I’ve taught her how to put all the extras aside when it came to school, and I thought her that she will not always have people who like her but she couldn’t give them the reaction they wanted. A has grown so much over this past year and I think I kept her from going down the path I did in the 8th grade for her well being
My project was a complete success. I have learned so much and grew into such a independent open minded young women. My project made me come out of my comfort zone and open up to learning new things. I have learned that I need to be open minded.
When I got injured because of cheer I missed a couple days of going to see the kids. I had appointments after so it was a little while until I was able to go again. When I returned the kids were very happy and they had a surprise for me that I had no idea was coming. They gave me a hug card that said “Get Well Soon” on the back. In the inside of the card each student cut out a paper heart and wrote me a note that they wanted to say to me. A lot of them said they loved me and thank you for helping them and that really stood with me. This made such a big impact on me because I didn’t really know how big of an impact I was to them and their ways of learning but I have really been something they loved and appreciated. They made me realize that I was doing my job and I was doing everything I went there to do. It was the highlight of everything and something that I will always stick with for when I become a teacher and have a class of my own.
It felt amazing to serve my community. To know that I made an impact on these kids lives and I have helped them made me know that I was doing something good. I was doing my job as a good citizen and giving my time to others who needed it and benefited from it.
It was very challenging for me when it came to understanding not everyone learns at the same pace. I’ve experienced a lot of times where there were a couple of students weren’t as fast to in certain areas than others but they had others places that they were better in than others. It was hard at first working with a group and seeing the struggles they had. If I could change one thing to make it easier to focus on other students more would to break the groups down and focus on at least about two or three at a time.
My capstone has taught me that I still have a lot to learn and understand before I am ready to become a teacher. I have learned that I will grow an emotional attachment to my students and I will have to learn to get over that and learn to overcome it.
Through this project I have learned that children use their imagination and it’s a big part of their learning process. They know how to interact with others through seeing their surroundings and going based off of the way people treat others around them. I have also learned that I have the patience to work with children. When I first went into my project I didn’t think I would have had the patience to work with kids, but I was wrong. Working with this class I have learned how to deal with the tantrums, the needs, and the way they process things. I understood that they are still young and require a lot of patience when working with them. Thankful I have learned how to be patient with children.
There was a time where I couldn't believe what happened and why it happened. My men-tee that I have been working with all year had gotten into an altercation with another littler girl and it had gotten her in real trouble. I tried my best to stop her from getting into things like this because I didn't want her to turn out like I did in middle school. I felt as if I failed at leading her in the right path and teaching her the right things. I knew from this point on I needed to do more and show her more to make sure these things didn't happen again.
Working with my men-tee A throughout the year I have seen myself through her. I have noticed that a lot that she has struggled with was a lot that I went through myself. She comes from a tough home and she isn’t the type of girl who makes friends easy. I saw so many things that I knew I could help her change before it was too late. Her attitude and the way she spoke was literally me and I knew I needed to stop it before it got worse. I helped Angelica learn to ignore what others have to say, I’ve taught her how to put all the extras aside when it came to school, and I thought her that she will not always have people who like her but she couldn’t give them the reaction they wanted. A has grown so much over this past year and I think I kept her from going down the path I did in the 8th grade for her well being
My project was a complete success. I have learned so much and grew into such a independent open minded young women. My project made me come out of my comfort zone and open up to learning new things. I have learned that I need to be open minded.
When I got injured because of cheer I missed a couple days of going to see the kids. I had appointments after so it was a little while until I was able to go again. When I returned the kids were very happy and they had a surprise for me that I had no idea was coming. They gave me a hug card that said “Get Well Soon” on the back. In the inside of the card each student cut out a paper heart and wrote me a note that they wanted to say to me. A lot of them said they loved me and thank you for helping them and that really stood with me. This made such a big impact on me because I didn’t really know how big of an impact I was to them and their ways of learning but I have really been something they loved and appreciated. They made me realize that I was doing my job and I was doing everything I went there to do. It was the highlight of everything and something that I will always stick with for when I become a teacher and have a class of my own.
It felt amazing to serve my community. To know that I made an impact on these kids lives and I have helped them made me know that I was doing something good. I was doing my job as a good citizen and giving my time to others who needed it and benefited from it.
It was very challenging for me when it came to understanding not everyone learns at the same pace. I’ve experienced a lot of times where there were a couple of students weren’t as fast to in certain areas than others but they had others places that they were better in than others. It was hard at first working with a group and seeing the struggles they had. If I could change one thing to make it easier to focus on other students more would to break the groups down and focus on at least about two or three at a time.
My capstone has taught me that I still have a lot to learn and understand before I am ready to become a teacher. I have learned that I will grow an emotional attachment to my students and I will have to learn to get over that and learn to overcome it.