Senior Project Reflection

(1) Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your 2-Hour Presentation and/or your senior project? Why?

Being able to share the information that I have learn makes me proud because I was able to demonstrate to other the importance of my topic. I am really happy because my peers were actually paying attention through my presentation. I felt proud how my presentation end up everyone contributed to help me. 

(2) Questions to Consider

a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your 2-Hour Presentation (self-assessment)?

  The assessment that I would give myself would be a P.  

          

I would give myself P. 

b.     What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project (self-assessment)?

Overall my senior project I think I deserve an AE because I worked hard the entire year. I ended up doing many hours to the community in order to get my senior project done, also I try so hard to get a good grade.  

(3) What worked for you in your senior project?

What worked for me was research checks, and my mentorship. I think that this was the things that help me through my senior project because by doing this I got the change to get a better understanding of my topic. Mentorship help me a lot because is a place where you can actually experience and see on what you are dedicating this entire year. 

(4) (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would have you done differently to improve your senior project if you could go back in time?

Something that I would have done differently to improve my senior project is to volunteer at a kindergarten classroom. I would like experience what a kindergarten classroom looks like and I think this would be helpful to see the difference between preschool to kindergarten and from kindergarten to 1 and 2 grade. 

(5) Finding Value

How has the senior project been helpful to you in your future endeavors?   Be specific and use examples. 

My senior project has helped me in my future endeavors by providing me with the skills to get along with a child. To be able to get other trust and communicate with others. When I started to volunteer at the center I didn't know how to start a conversation with a child, now I gain the skill to not just communicate with child but also with adults. For me this year has helped me to gain the communication skills with others. 

Senior Project Update

http://www.colorincolorado.org/families/school/helpyourkids

This Article helped me with my third and best answer. Is easy to understand and to follow, this article is for parent to know how to do things to provide a better future for their child education and successful life.

This book is one of my favorite source throughout the entire year because it had apply information about my answers, even though is a book for parents it helped me to get a better understanding of my answers. 

Senior Project Update

For my science experiment component, I did it at the preschool I volunteer in. Children needed to trace the alphabet and the words you see in the picture above. This helped me to get data from the children in order to know if preschool really helps the child with fine motor skills.

Senior Project Update

This video is the one that i'm showing for my 2 hr presentation. This will be my Sponge activity to show understanding of my topic.

Senior Project Update

Playing with the children at Cal Poly Pomona Children Center. 

Senior Project Update

This video is awesome, it explain very well my topic. 

Mentorship

 Literal 

Service Learning Log

Melissa Terrazas

Email: mterrazas@csupomona.edu

Phone: (909) 869-2284

Interpretive

     What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

•   The most important thing that I have gained from this experience is being able to gain trust not only from the children but also from teachers, staff, and parents. This is very important for me because if I wouldn’t gain the trust from these persons, I wouldn’t be able to make it through. I realize that earn trust from others is not easy, is earn by time and how you are with them.

   

Applied

     How has what you’ve done helped you to answer your EQ?  Please explain.

•  By volunteering there I was able to get a mentor, which helped me through my entire senior project. I also had the helped of others teachers, they were very helpful in any doubts I had. I did all my interviews with professional teachers that work there. Every question that I doubt with they helped me answer it. By interacting with the children I had the change to experience their reaction toward different activities. I paid a lot of attention to their reactions because while playing they are developing skills. By the help of my mentor and the teachers I arrive to my answers, which are by aiding in a child’s development of fine motor skills, by increasing a child’s social competence, and by providing resources to parents that will create lifelong habits at home.

Exit Interview Questions

(1) What is your essential question?  What is the best answer to your question and why?

• My essential question is “How can preschool best help a child to succeed in early elementary school?: My best answer is by providing resources to parents that will create lifelong habits at home. This is my best answer because parents have all the control of their children. When parents get involved in their child’s education they perform better at school. Also, this answer is most vital to my essential question because when parent participate at their child school they began to know the teacher well. parents who participate on school activities are more likely that they get involve in their child’s education.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

• I arrive to my best answer by my mentor, Aracelle. I asked her, "what is the most important resource for a child to succeed in early elementary school?"

She respond, “children needs their legal guardian to succeed.” Children need the role model of their parents. When parents cares about their children education they are willing to find a teachers help and help them at home by providing different activities.  

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

• One of the problems that I faced was researching , for me was a problem when I didn't had a specific question. At the beginning I started to research on early childhood education many things appear but I wasn't getting to an specific point. When I finally had my final Essential Question it was easier for me to get the information needed. Having a question was more simple for me to research in order to get answers. Another trouble that I had, was my science experiment I had to test children with fine motor skills. For me, this became a trouble because it was hard to obtain more than 15 children to test. It was hard because everytime I go to volunteer they are in nap time and when they wake up, many parents comes to pick their child. I started to do this early because I knew that I was going to face this problem. Something that I did to resolved this problem was that I told my mentor and she helped me to talk with some of the parents, if they could wait a little longer. I explained to them and they did help me.

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

• My mentor, Aracelle was one of the most significant source that help me, because Mrs. Aracelle allowed me to interact with the children and to look at many different's aspects that the children learn. By providing different activities the children learn and develop many skills. One of the most important thing that she help me with was to gaining the child trust, this is very important in order for the child to be willing to participate with you. Mrs. Aracelle also help me to answer many specific questions I had. Another significant source would be Roni C.Leiderman, Ph.D. and Wendy S. Masi, Ph.D. “Let’s Play and Learn Together”. Although this book is for parent it contains a lot of information that the child's develops through play.  This book is very informative and easy to follow the steps.

(5) What is your product and why?

• My product is gaining the child’s trust. By gaining the children trust is much easier for a child to learn and this help to build relationship between the child and the teacher or the child and the provider. In the beginning of my mentorship for me was difficult to interact with the children because they didn’t want to talk to me. I tried to interact with them at many different times and they would feel secure and just ran away from me. By the time they knew me and is fun for them and I to play together. My independent component 2 I volunteer at an elementary school with 1st and 2nd graders. They also seem uncomfortable about me being around them. By the time they knew me and they interacted with me. When a child trust  you they began to build communication skills because they feel confident and secure about being around that person.

2014 Interview

1.  Who did you interview and what house are they in?

   Isabel Vasquez from North House

2.  What ideas do you have for your senior project and why?

         Elementary teacher is something that I am interested in, and I think this is what I like as a major.

3.  What do you plan to do for your summer 10 hour mentorship experience?

         I have been volunteering at the elementary that I went to; I would like to continue there because they know me well and I know the school well.

4.  What do you hope to see or expect to see in watching the 2013 2-hour presentations?

         I want to see examples of what senior project really is and to get ideas from it. I also want to experience something interesting and I hope to see good presentation that I can learn from.

5.  What questions do you have that I can answer about senior year or senior project (or what additional information did you tell them about senior year or senior project)?

   Does everyone have to have a different topic? Not really because if someone want a topic as yours, you are not going to be fighting for it. The teachers will work with you to create a different question from the other person. Is not going to be the same as you research there is a lot of information and many different ways to go through the topic.

Note the question and what you told them.

     
   I advise you to not be scared yes there is a lot of work but everyone can get it done. Something that I can tell you are to start early on everything is the best way to not be stressed. Find a good mentor that is willing to help you throughout the year.  

Final 3 Column Chart

3 Column Chart

Independent Component 2

• LITERAL
  
  
• (a) I, Perla Villapudua, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.
  
  
• (b) 
  • Volunteering at Golden spring k-8 school with Mrs. Morgan.                                                245 S. Ballena Dr.Diamond Bar, CA 91765 
    Phone: (909) 397-4596 
    
  
  
• (c) Provide a digital spreadsheet (aka log of the 30 hours)
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0As7bwGFFrkV-dDZCY05LNmJCTG02VTBNbmpFTnRHclE#gid=0     Under independent component 2 

(d) Explanation of what you completed.   

• For this independent component I wanted to see the difference between preschool and early elementary school. Since my essential question is how preschool best can help a child to succeed in early elementary school? For me it was really good to see both sides. With the help of Mrs. Ortega, I started to volunteer at Golden Spring K-8 School. Since Mrs. Ortega knows Mrs. Morgan (elementary teacher) for me was easier to get to know her. At first I felt lost because I didn’t talk to her that much and the students would stare at me, but after I started to volunteer more they became to know me. What I did, it was mostly helping Mrs. Morgan to correct assignments, test, cut, or glue. It was fun to do because I could see how these children do. Mrs. Morgan class was fun because she teaches first and second grades together; it was interesting to see both sides and how each grade is different and how they react. While I graded assignment I always pay attention to the students. First graders were less responsible that second grades, I could see the difference between each grade. Sometimes Mrs. Morgan put me to help the second graders, this helped me to actually interact with them and see what their responses were. Mrs. Morgan and the students developed trust on me.

INTERPRETIVE 
Defend your work and explain how the significant parts of your component and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.   Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work. 

·         In order to gain the trust of the student and the teacher, I needed to volunteer more and more. I volunteer Tuesdays and Thursdays, for my spring vacations I spend the whole week volunteering. In this week I did many hours, and in this week I actually became a new member for these students.  Since I didn’t volunteer everyday Mrs. Morgan always had me something to do, if not she will find something.   

Students being responsible and cleaning their classroom before they leave home.

Every time I volunteer I had to wear a visitor pass.

 First graders activities!

I helped gluing the pictures and the stories.

Parents helped their first graders to create their future career and these ones were one of my favorites.

Hair salon the front and what is inside. Isn't it cute.

                                                                                     

This one is the zoo, I love this one it has lots of animals and is very creative.

Second graders Activities!

   

They made caterpillars that grow REAL grass it was so fun to see; I was surprise to see this.  I help to set them up for open house.

APPLIED
How did the component help you answer your EQ or support one or more of your answers.  Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped.

·         This component helped me answer my Essential Question because help me to see if the children actually succeed with the answers I created. To generate a child to be successful is by aiding in a child's development of fine motor skills, by increasing a child's social competence, and by providing resources to parents that will create lifelong learning habits at home.  This component showed me that children in early elementary school have and are still building more development on fine motor skills.  Also, it showed me that they are very social with each other and the teacher makes sure that every student has the opportunity to speak. Sometimes Mrs. Morgan put me to staple some letter for parents, in order to let them know that they need to do certain thing in order to help the child. I notice that they are really successful from being preschoolers into early elementary. Now they are getting more prepare to continue into a hard level, and parents as well they are receiving letters from the teacher in order for them to participate and help their student to succeed.

Blog 20: Three Column Chart

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B87bwGFFrkV-MjNuTkNxR3BwQms/edit 


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0As7bwGFFrkV-dEpBbFVFRzlxbjdSYXpkaG9vbzhsX1E#gid=0

Senior Project and ESLRs

Content:
1.  What ESLRs have you excelled in most in your senior project?

• The ESLR that I have excelled most is Effective Learner. 

2. Please explain why you think yo have excelled this ESLRs.

• I became to be responsible by getting my own information. My topic requires a lot of learning in order to help others. Is not easy to teach children in order to do so, it requires a lot of learning on many different things. In order for me to learn, I now volunteer almost everyday and work with the children, ask questions, and find information on my topic. Finally, I always complete my senior project homework on time such as blogs, research check's, doing service hours, and independent component.  

3. Provide evidence from your senior project to support your claim.(evidence is a photo of something you are doing, photo of something you made, etc).

2-Hour Meeting Answer #3

1.  What is your essential question?

•  How can preschool best help a child to succeed in early elementary school? 

2.  What is your third answer to your essential question (write your third answer in a complete sentence)?

• My third answer to my essential question is the development of cognitive skills, this will help them in early elementary school. 

3.  What are three details to support or justify your third answer (details are examples or facts)? 

• If a child doesn't develop cognitive skill, will have distractions and will not be focused through the class. 
• Will have memory problems either-one long-term memory or short-term memory. 
• A child will have difficult in logic and reasoning: The ability to reason, form concepts, and solve problems using unfamiliar information or novel procedures. Auditory Processing: The ability to analyze, blend, and segment sounds. Visual Processing: the ability to perceived, analyze, and think in visual images. Processing Speed: The ability to perform simple or complex tasks quickly.      

4.  What source helped you prove this answer is justified for your essential question?

• Source 77, because it was an article explaining all the process that cognitive skills focus on and what is being develop.                

5.  What do you plan to study next and why?

•  I plan to continue my study of answer 3 by doing a lot more research on the developmental process of cognitive skills, because I currently do not have much research on that. I would also plan to continue studying my answer 3 by using my independent component 2 to give me an in depth answers on cognitive skills. 

Fourth Interview Questions

1. How can preschool help a child to succeed in early elementary school?
2.What would happen if a child doesn't develop fine motor skills before entering elementary school?
3.What are social skills?
4.Why are social skills important for preschool to learn?
5.What would happen if a child is not social before entering elementary?
6.How preschool helps a child develop social skills?
7.What are cognitive skills?
8.Why is it important for a child to develop cognitive skills?
9.What would happen if a child doesn't develop cognitive skills?
10.Why is important for a child to develop language skills?
11.Is it social skills the same as language skills? What is the difference?
12.What skills they develop through play?
13.What is the best way to help a child who struggles with social, cognitive, and fine motor skills?
14.What is the most important thing, a child should know to succeed in early elementary school?
15.What activities can help to develop cognitive skills?
16.How can parents help their children to become successful in the early years of elementary school?
17.Is it true that their self esteem goes down when they are not social?Why?
18.How all this skills would affect them in their future?
19.What does the teacher do when a child doesn't want to participate?
20.What is the best way to not hurt a child, feelings and encouraging them to participate?
21.Is it true that they will become stressful when they go to elementary school not knowing hot to handle their pencil?Why?

2-Hour Meeting Answer #2

1.  What is your essential question?

              How can preschool help a child to succeed in early elementary school?

2.  What is your second answer to your essential question (write your second answer in a complete sentence)?

My second answer to my essential question is the development of social skills in preschool will help them in the early years of elementary school.   

3.  What are three details to support or justify your second answer (details are examples or facts)?

·         Children who don’t interact with others will have a hard time in early elementary school, by feeling insecure, being scared, not talking, not participating, and not having friends.

·         First of all the child needs to be confident with themselves, if this is an issue they are more likely to be lonely and hating everyone. If the child doesn’t cooperate, is going to be hard to be in groups with others or participate with others. Communication is important, if the child doesn’t express himself his idea, feelings, and knowledge would not be heard and this child would have a hard time in the early years of elementary school.

·         When a child enters into elementary and they are not social with others they become to get frustrated and suddenly their self-esteem goes down, wanting them to not like school. Also they do poorly on their assignments and test. 

4.  What source helped you prove this answer is justified for your essential question?

             Source 68, because it was an article on how social skills are really important through the entire life. Also it has some examples of what to see if a child is not developing social skills and how to help them.

5.  What do you plan to study next with your second answer and why? 

            I plan to continue my study of answer 2 by doing a lot more research on development of social skills in preschoolers, because I currently do not have much research on that. I would also plan to continue studying my answer 2 by using my IC 2 to give me an in depth answers on social skills and why they are important.

Independent Component 2 Plan Approval

1. Write a description of what you plan on doing for your independent study component.
            Since I didn't have the chance on getting a college course, I decide to look for a training video that will help me with my project. Also I want to contact the Pomona Unified School District to know if I can contact an specialist on early childhood development.

2. Describe in detail how you think your plan will meet the 30 hours work requirement? 
            I think that I will meet the 30 hours because I hope that the video training help me with couple of hours because I want like a course but in a video that shows me what to learn. Also if I get to contact someone in the feel, teacher specialist on childhood development I think I would spend much time with her/him. 

3. How does your independent study component relate to your working EQ? 
           This relate to my Essential Question because I want to find a video that will teach me some answers for my EQ. For example i would like to hear some of the skills that they develop and why they are important. Also how to work with children and the techniques on teaching. With the specialist I will learn more because i'm going to be able to see and ask questions. I think that it will help me the best because the specialist job is to understand the learning process of the children. 

Independent Component 1

LITERAL

(a)  I, Perla Villapudua, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.

(b) Ms. Aracelle    Email: aracelletan@csupomona.edu                                                                                          

(c) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0As7bwGFFrkV-dDZCY05LNmJCTG02VTBNbmpFTnRHclE#gid=0 

(d) I worked for 30 hours at the Cal Poly Children Center, is a good experience. I contributed by helping the teachers and also I became to know how a teacher works. It is a very fun but at the same time a difficult job. I say this because the purpose of my independent component was to know the feeling of being a teacher. As I was with the children I notice that it is difficult because not every child is the same, not every child listen, and you as the teacher needs to gain their attention and to trust you. When the children trust you is better because they feel confident to tell you what they feel or to talk to you. Is fun because children are cute and the world with children is the most fun place to be in.

      INTERPRETIVE

My independent component was fun but hard at the same time, at the beginning was fun because I just look what the teacher did and help her. I began to read to them and wanting to gain their trust. When I gain their trust I play with them and continued to help the teacher to create some activities for the children. I ask if I could do an activity by myself for the children, I thought it was going to be easy and fun. It was very easy to decide what the activity was going to be but it wasn't easy to handle them at first, but as I started to help them it was so fun that I felt the best teacher ever. Here are four of the ones that I like the most.

 

I wrote there first letter of their name and they supposed to do the little balls of tissue paper and they glue it on it. 

APPLIED

This helps me to understand my topic better because, as the teacher I actually notice how the children are actually learning, and what skills they are or have develop so far. I was most of the time with children of 3-4 years old; I also worked with 2 and 5 years old children. I saw the difference from each year level how they develop and learn different things.  Everyone is different and learns at their own pace, as a teacher you need to be very patient because not every child is the same and also each age level is different. This helps me to understand my topic better and to know what the children develop and learn.  For example I research on Early Childhood Development and I they develop social, language, cognitive, and motor skills. Also they become to learn the abc’s, numbers, colors, etc. I wanted to know if this was true and yes, it is because in the center the children actually learn is a really good place where a child should start. 

Senior Project Update

Top 3 Most Loved Schools for Early Childhood Education schools in California
Past Week
Last 30 Days

1. California State University-Fullerton
100%

2. San Diego State University
100%

3. Riverside Community College
100%

Senior Project Update

 

Children learn through play, during play time they become to share, communicate, and listen to each other. I learn that all children progress through a sequence of physical, cognitive, emotional growth and change. The goal of early childhood programs is to improve young children capacity to develop and learn. 

Senior Project Update

 

  

Children playing and learning how to share, also they are communicating to each other. I help them by asking them question about what they are playing, I also ask how many sides has the shape that  they are playing with, ask the color of it. That is the most fun and creative way that a children learn. 

Senior Project Update

 

      

The top picture is what I were when I volunteer in the pocket we always carry bandage, pen, and paper. The other picture shows the room where I work in and how you can see there is a very cool classroom where children spend most of their time. 

Blog 13: Rough Draft of 30 min. presentation

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0As7bwGFFrkV-dE84cDVNNXJvREZxbGhFWldpTUI0RkE&hl=en#gid=0 

Blog 12: Third Interview Questions

1. Why is preschool important?

2. How does preschool help children?

3. Why do you think preschool is the best way to prepare a child before going into elementary school?

4. What are the activities that preschool offer to prepare a children before going into elementary school?

5. Which skills are the most important that a child develops?

6. Why it is important that a child learn in their early years?

7. What is the difference between a community preschool than a private preschool?

8. How is a preschool more helpful than a day care?

9. How much time does a child need to be in preschool to be prepare for elementary?

10. Is there any proofs that shows that preschool does help children in elementary?

Blog 11: Mentorship 10 hours check

1. Where are you doing your mentorship?

•   I am doing my mentorship at Cal Poly Children's Center

2. Who is your contact?

•     Melissa Terrazas and Aracelle Tan

3. How many total hours have you done (total hours should be reflected in your mentorship log located on the right side blog like your WB)?

•   32 hours

4. Summarize the 10 hours of service you did.

•      For the 10 hours, I help in the center, the teacher show me how to be patient and work with children. I also help taking the dishes to the kitchen, as well when a teacher needs help with something that needs to be done I do it, ex: wash a pot, bring bleach with water, clean the tables, cut something etc. Most of the time I am with my mentor but sometimes they need me in another classroom because a teacher need to go to break and is hard for just one teacher. This is helping me because I am actually learning and working as a teacher. I gain almost every child trust and this is the most important thing.

5. Email your house teacher the name of your contact and their phone number.