LAST DAY ~ LAST POST

Today was my last day with my mentee.  It was bitter sweet.  We read and then played and experimented with magnents.  We then played soccor with the class.  When I told her that today was my last day, she seemed really bummed and said she wanted me to stay, she almost broke my heart.  I would love to stay, but it doesn't work out with my schedule.  I will definitely miss seeing her weekly and reading and laughing with her.  Working with BLAST was a great opprotunity and experience and I am glad I had such an amazing mentee to get to know!! 

My Mentee

I forgot to mention that the students and leaders this week were all very good this week.  No one talked about my mentee like she had a bad attitude, but I am still keeping my eyes and ears open.  I think a reason for this is because the leader they had the week the my mentee got into a bit of trouble was different then this weeks.  Sophia, the leader, is very rigid.  That is not bad, but this week when the class was told that Sophia would be back next week, my mentee was really bummed.  She does not like Sophia, and I've got to say I do not either, and I'm an adult.  I know that the class needs someone strong, but not the way the Sophia is.  I have literally never seen the class as loud and contentious then I did the week Sophia was there.  Oddly enough, I am the only adult who seems to feel that way.  The other mentors think she is good, but me and the kids are dreading her return...(of course I did not vocalize that though!)

May 2

So my mentee was there this week.  She was waiting for me and was ready to read our book.  She did not have any homework due to STAR testing for the next two weeks.  So we read for a way, taking turns and laughing.  After that we decided to work with another mentor and her mentee to make bracelets.  It was fun to work with my mentee on a craft.  We then played soccer and after worked on out bracelets more.  I finished my bracelets faster and so I read to her.  She kept begging me to stay a little longer, so I did for about 15 minutes.  I like to be with her.  She mentioned she liked the bracelet I made so I think I will give it to her on our last meeting, which is next week! 

April 23

This week for my internship my mentee was absent.  I was dissapointed because I was excited to read with her and to observe how other kids in the class and other leaders treated her.  Instead, I worked with another student.  We had a good time reading and playing battleship.  It's come to the point in my internship where I am really getting to know the students in the class and really getting to know my mentee.  I actually enjoy going.  I hope that next week I will be able to spend time with my mentee and see if there is a need for me to address that leaders at the school.

April 21

This week I had a good time with my mentee.  I had not been able to see her for 2 weeks, and I found that I actually missed her.  Each time I am there we work on reading, this week I happen to see a book there that I had read when I was her age.  I think the book is Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Clearly.  We took turn s reading the book and we had a really great time.  We were cracking up, because the kid writing the letters to Mr. Henshaw is really sarcasti and funny.  Anyway, we had a good time reading and laughing.  I was really excited when she asked if I was here for a couple more weeks so we could finish the book together.  What was cool was it seemed like we finally clicked! 

Something that has been bothering me for a few weeks is the way people refer to my mentee.  Before I had even met her, the leaders and other mentors warned me of her attitude and how out of control she can be.  I have yet to see this girl they warned me about.  The girl I mentor is great and funny.  There are times that she gets a little agitated, but from what I have seen, it is when she feels that the leaders are being unjust.  To be honest, I do not blame her, sometimes I am just as annoyed with the leaders as she gets.  Often I can curb her, and so she won't speak out.  Thei where I get to the part that annoys me.  Every kid in the class, and each leader I meet expects her to have an attitude.  Its like because they expect trouble she gives it, or because they expect it that is all they see.  It makes me sad, and defensive of her.  I do see that, what I see is a classroom full of kids who act out, kids with tons of attitude.  What I see is my mentee not being allowed to change.  I want to find a way to chage this perception.  In my family there is a story of my uncle, who, when he was young, would get into trouble.  He would pull all the food off the shelves, could climb up anything and get into anything.  He would hide and watch his family frantically look for him.  Because of this, his parents and family would tell his stories to others.  They called him "John John the Adam Bomb," and thus they created what they did not want.  My Grandma, when she figured out what they were doing, decided to stop.  She and my Grandpa began talking about John in positive ways, telling good stories about him, stopped calling hims "John John the Adam Bomb" and by doing this helped change the kid John had become.  It is the same story with mentee.  If I can show that I expect a great kid, with great attitude, and do so in a postive mannar, then maybe I can help shape her.  But, I need the leaders to got on board with me, meaning I think I need to talk with them.  I, and the leaders, need to be the change we want to see in my mentee.

I hope it will work, I'll keep you guys updated :)

April 14

This weeks class discussion was sad but interesting.  I found it surprising how it has only been in the past 40-50 years where we have seen women being helped and protected and recieving rights.  What made it surprising was the fact that it has been going on for forever.  The clip we watched about the women who has been in jail for 25 years, was really sad to watch.  It was surprising to see the number of women how have been incarcerated due to reasons related to self defense.  I wonder if that is just really hard to prove.  I think there is room for much more improvement and greater rights for abused women.

I did not have BLAST this week because my cite was on spring break.

April 7

This weeks discussion in class were really interesting and controversial.  The reading we did in class on Wednesday was particularly interesting to me.  This document was the proposal made by the Native Americans, petitioning to have Kennewick Man returned to them.  He explained about the beliefs that he and his people believe in and how the government has violating their beliefs as well as the laws protecting Native American traditions and culture.  Although there were many parts about his reasoning that I thought were less then persuasive, nevertheless he made me think.  I thought about the things I believe in based on religion, and I thought about how I would feel to be constantly disregarded like the Native Americans are.  I took a moment to reevaluate myself and how tolerant I was of other religions.  It was a good exercise and helped to recognize that there are many religions, cultures and beliefs out there, that should be respected.

Week 3-5

I really have enjoyed being a mentor through BLAST.  I look forward to seeing my mentee each week, and am excited to learn something new about her.  She is fun, energetic and enjoys creating drama, she cracks me up.  I like where I am interning, the kids a relatively respectful and the leaders allow the kids to be kids.  Something that has caught my attention, is how the surveys I take via America Learns, are not really tailored to what I am doing with my metee.  The cite and organization that I work with is very structured and planned.  We spend the first hour working on homework and academic learning and then the second hour is spent outside playing games with the class, as a whole.  There is not a lot of free time, and the surveys I take ask me questions about the types and lesson plans and strategies I use to help my mentee.  The reality of it is the cite does not allow time for me to really teach.  Also, my student is not really struggling with her homework, I correct words she mispronounces but that is it.  It seems to me that the surveys I take are a bit out of touch with the amount of freedom I am allowed, to actually teach, as a mentor.

Week 2 of Internship

This week I met my mentee.  I actually had a good time being there on Monday.  We worked on homework for a bit, and then she read me scary stories. :)  Afterwards the class played soccer, and I got to play too.  The time went by fast and I had fun with my munchkin.  I was thinking about the BLAST orientation that I attended, and they really stressed how the kids we were going to interact with were low income and have been abused on some account, whether mentally, verbally ect.  I was really nervous to meet my mentee, because I was expecting to be tested by her, and that I would have trouble connecting.  They also made it seem like these kids were damaged.  As far as I could tell, my mentee is just like any other 5th grader. (and I know many!)  I was somehow expecting a kids suffering. The BLAST reps really paint a beak picture.  I found that this is not the case.  My mentee seemed fine.  I suppose they were preparing us, but they made it seem so dramatic.  Anyway, I think I am really going to enjoy spending time with my mentee.  Also, the class seemed in better control.  I can attribute this to a different leader and the fact that the kids were able to exert their energy.  Last week it had been raining and the kids had been coupe up.  This week was better.

Internship Day 1

I had my first day of mentoring on Monday.  I was really nervous but excited.  Unfortunately, my assigned mentee was not there, I was however paired with another girl.  These two hours were really interesting for me.  What I found most interesting was the way the after school program was run.  My classroom was being supervised by a 22 year old guy, and the class was out of control.  I was shocked, the entire time, by the amount of disorder, and the lack of control this adult had.  The class included 4th and 5th graders, and I recognize that fifteen children ages nine to eleven is not easy.  However, they can be worked with, I have done so with success on many accounts.  If I were to characterize the class, I would say that the children were in charge.  Actually, it took a lot of effort for me not to intervene.  Outside of this fact, I was impressed by how the kids were rather attentive to one another.  There were many different types of children in this group, yet they all accepted one another.

I am interested to see how the weeks will unfold, and I am still waiting and anticipating meeting my mentee.  I think I am going to learn a lot, about myself, the way I think and I think I will learn about myself as a teacher.

February 25

The Montgomery Bus Boycott! This boycott is fascinating.  I took Afro-American History with Dabel last semester, so I got to study this event in greater detail.  Dabel, talked about this in class, but it still floors me that the story of Rosa Parks that I learned in elementary is so far from the truth.  Learning the real story behind Parks inspired me to take a poll with my familty.  I asked my eleven year old sister who Rosa Park was, and why she did what she did.  She answered "she stood up for her rights, because she knew what they were doingt was wrong!"  At this point my eighteen year old sister interjected "No! your wrong, she was tired, she had a long day a work and did not want to get up because she had groceries."  I was floored, I had learned the same story when I was young, and in eight years, the story had changed.  This makes me wonder how much more of what we believe is true will be changed in another eight years, or when my children are growing up.  History is FUN!

A note about my internship...I start Monday with my mentee, I am really excited!

February 20 (Week 4)

This weeks discussion on peace movements  was really interesting.  I knew that there has always been conspiracy theories, and skepticism towards the government.  I, however, had never heard these types of theories for WWII and America's involvement.  I had always learned that because of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Americans unanimously desired to go to war.  I had not heard of read that groups blamed FDR for not only causing the attack, but provoking it.  Accusing him for knowing ahead of time that the attack was coming, and not warning Americans.  I thought that the discussion was also very intriguing.  War is a sensitive topic.  I thought the video clips were especially interesting.  They made me think, and rethink the reasons for war.  Watching how the soldiers in America are trained surprised me, but I see the reasons behind such training.  Peace movements have their place in America and I think are vitally important as an opposition to the governmental reasons for war.

February 11

This week I attended an orientation for BLAST.  It was very informative and really interesting.  Thus far, what I like about BLAST is that although they are fun, sarcastic, and open, they run a tight ship.  They put their hearts and souls into this program, and they are extremely organized.  I am getting really excited to do this.  I know that it will not be easy, but I'm really excited to have this experience.  Something that surprised me from the orientation, is the lengths BLAST goes to keep people safe.  They are extremely protective of their BLAST kids, and legally they try to keep us safe too.  They did a couple activities with us to get us thinking about the experiences that we will have and the kind of mentor we want to be.  I'm excited for this experience and to help and learn from my mentor!

A note about class this week: I found these communitarian societies very interesting.  The leaders caught my attention.  It made me think about the type of person they have to be.  They have to be so sure of themselves, in order to have a following.  Also, how smart and extreme these men were.  I think you have to be extreme to start a new society with new rules and social norms.

February 2

This week, and last, we discussed in class what it takes for a movement to be considered a social movement.  Through these discussions, the reading, and the microtheme discussion I was surprised to discover how few of the movements are considered social movements.  Before the start of the semester I could not have been able to define what a social movement was.  Now I can, and it is increasingly interesting to me how many movements are out there and how many do not qualify as a social movement.  It seems to me that where most of the movements falter are in their WUNC displays.  In the research I did and through the discussion on Wednesday, it appears that most movements lack one, if not multiple, of the WUNC categories; worthiness, unity, numbers and commitment.  What I noticed is that for many of the movements discussed, it was hard to define some of the categories, because the movements were inconsistent and on a more personal basis, rather than on a public, political level.  I find that intriguing!

A Bit About Me!

 Hometown:

I grew up in Hacienda Heights.  It is a unincorporated portion of Los Angeles County.  I enjoyed growing up here.  The streets were quiet and it was safe to play outside, which I did all the time. 

Facts about your family:

I love this question!  I am the fourth child of eight.  I have three elder brothers and four younger sisters.  I have three sister-in-laws.  My parents have been married for thirty years and still really happy.  I am an Aunt, to two nieces a nephew and two on the way, and I love it! 

Why CSULB:

I chose Cal State Long Beach for two reasons.  First, I was accepted and Long beach attracted me.  Secondly, the location would allow me to car pool into Long beach with my Father (every penny counts).

What do you want to do when I graduate from the university? 

I would love to teach High School History.  My dream is to return to my alma mater and teach and coach volleyball and/or track.

If you could choose one personal object that represents you, what would it be? 

The object that best represents me is probably my car.  I say that because there are characteristics about my car the represent my own personality and character traits.  I drive a Jeep, and I think that a Jeep represents that fact that I am well rounded.  Like me a Jeep is classy, sporty, smart and fun.  Another telling characteristic of my car is the licenses plate.  It declares, “I’d rather be playing volleyball!”  I really enjoy sports, I participated in volleyball and track in High School and still love to play.  Also, my car holds my scriptures (my Bible, and my Book of Mormon).  This represents the importance of my beliefs, and how they affect all the aspects of my life.  My car also has a radio.  I love music.  I can play the piano and the flute and I like to listen to most music.

Who are your heroes? 

This a hard one, I have so many.  My parents are definitely my heroes.  They are an example to me of how people, spouses, parents, friends, leaders and believers should be.  They are givers, servers, funny and hard working.  They posses the qualities I desire to have when I reach their age.  My other two heroes are my Dad’s parents (my Mormor and Papa).  These two are about the most perfect people I know.  I have tailored my life, and continue to do so, so I can enjoy the life they live now.  They are living proof of what choosing righteously can offer.  They have six children, 33 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren.  Each of these smaller units are living after their examples.  Mormor and Papa are the model of who and how I want to be when I am in the golden years of life.

If you could travel to one spot anywhere in the world, where would you want to visit? 

This answer may shock some, but after my last answer I think it should make sense.  If I could go anywhere in the world, the one place I would choose would be sitting in my Mormor and Papa’s home.  Listening to my large family, sharing in laughter, talk and stories, is where I find the greatest peace.

What are your Current favorite books?  What books would you recommend to someone you just met? 

Currently, I have two favorite books, Love Comes Softly and Love's Enduring Promise.  These a fictional stories about a farming family who live in a small town on the frontier of America.  The story has offered me greater understanding of the lives these people led at this time.  A book I would recommend to someone I just met would be The Scarlet Pimpernel.  This story has something for everyone; action, mystery, a touch of love and adventure.

What pushes your buttons? What are your pet peeves? 

One of my pet peeves is when I here adults use the word “mines”, as is “Hey, that’s mines!”  The sound of the word makes me cringe.  It sounds extremely uneducated.

What music are you listening to currently? 

My music is always changing.  Sometimes I listen to Broadway music, other times it is Disney music, pop, and oldies.  The style I can never break from, however, is country, I was raise on it and there is nothing better.

Favorite colors?

All colors a beautiful in their own right, but there some I am drawn to.  I really like peach colors, along with deep reds, like burgundy.  I also think that lavender, is really soft and elegant.

Favorite Website?

I enjoy visiting Yahoo to get the latest news on celebrities, random stories, and the occasional political news.  I visit Facebook frequently, but I am not a poster.  I go on Facebook more to see what my friends are up to.  I also visit Netflix often, I get to learn of movies I never knew existed

Favorite foods?

My Mother is a great cook!  She makes this Swedish dish called Beef Stroganoff, and I love it!  She also makes the best cinnamon rolls I have ever had, and a killer roast beef dip sandwich with soup, so amazing!  I also love the pastrami dip sandwich from The Hat.  The spinach dip that the resturant Mimi’s has, is the best there is. 

All-time favorite movies? 

I have a couple all-time favorite movies.  I really enjoy watching old movies.  My list of top five movies would include An Affair to Remember,  You’ve Got Mail, The Music Man, the original version with Shirley Jones and Robert Preston.  Also on the list is Singing in the Rain and The Sound of Music.  I love musicals!

Favorite artists? 

I have a few, Garth Brooks, is amazing and I love Reba McEntire.  Barbra Streisand is also a favorite, she is timeless and I never get tired of her voice.

Favorite free-time activities? 

I find a lot of joy play the piano.  It is really soothing and it is a great stress reliever.  There is really nothing like sitting down at the piano and knowing that your could play just about anything with in reach.  I like to read.  Above all, I enjoy spending time with my family.

Why did you enroll in this course?

I enrolled in this class because my plans to take history 499 fell threw and I needed more units.  Also, the class had intrigued my last semesters and since I had the room in my schedule I thought a good fit.