A Hope in the Unseen

I chose to read A Hope in the Unseen. It is a look into the life of Cedric Jennings as he struggles to beat the odds and succeed and be accepted in an inner-city Washington, DC public school to go on to an Ivy League school. He continually has to overcome obstacles in his life where he and his mother fight to survive with little money and in the middle of a home surrounded by drugs and violence. I thought it would be interesting to read because it is so opposite what I grew up with. Here being an Honor student is something to be proud of, but in the case of Cedric, many fear being acknowledged as one for fear of abuse, both verbal and physical. It’s a completely different environment and situation that I have a hard time grasping. It’s something I know happens, but it’s easier to be in a bubble here in Iowa where I grew up than to actually think about it. It’s definitely an eye-opener to what can and does sometimes happen in schools such as his, where there is little hope for many of the students due to their situations and surroundings.

So far I am not quite halfway through reading the book. Cedric is currently studying and preparing in any way possible for the SAT and waiting to hear back from MIT about their summer scholarship program. I’m anxious to keep reading to see what happens with MIT and his process of applying to college. I’m amazed at his determination and dedication to his schooling in an attempt to overcome his situation and make a new life for himself.

Telling Me About Myself: MBTI

It always amazes me reading through my report how much it really says about who I am. It pretty much hits me right on the head. I am ISFJ, but the clarity of those preferences varies. I am just barely over the line to be an introvert, but over the past year I have noticed I’ve become more comfortable in more situations being extroverted. As I think about it, it’s still more with people I know well, but I’m more relaxed in groups of new people than I used to be. That was one of my goals becoming a peer mentor and it’s worked.

I have a moderate preference for sensing and that fits me well. I am a very hands-on learner and so I try to make the most of that fact when I am in class and in everyday life. I am very traditional and like when there’s routine, but I’ve been working on my adaptability to change. My preference for feeling is in the clear zone. As I said in class I try to avoid conflict at all costs. I always try to find the best solutions to make everyone, if not happy at least comfortable with decisions. My best example is at home with my roommates. Having a dirty house stresses me out, but instead of saying anything I just go ahead and clean it so I don’t have to worry about it anymore and maybe they’ll get the hint… I definitely don’t seek it out by any means, but when I ‘m faced with it I’ll run at it head-on. It’s funny how alike my mom and I are on this preference…

I have a moderate preference for judging, so I like to plan. Spring break last year, my roommate and I planned everything from the hotel to what food we were taking for what meals by the end of January. We’re going on a weekend trip this October and we’ve been planning it since the week before school started. I like to have stuff planned out. At the same time though I like a little variation in my schedule to break it up. I’ve done a lot more this year already on the fly. I’m already swamped with schoolwork so I try to make time for myself to have fun, but it’s almost more fun when it’s not planned for. I definitely try to at the very least get started and a ways through the project or assignment I’m working on or it will bother me the entire time I’m gone, but it’s kept me from getting really bogged down and stressed out about being stretched to my limits like I am sometimes. If anything, my judging preference has probably gotten less clear and gone more toward the perceiving type, at least my systematic and scheduled sub-types have.

I think it will always amaze me at the accuracy of this test. A lot of people are skeptical of it, but reading through it and having me described to myself is really fun. My preferences vary day to day and by situation, but that’s normal. They probably will still more as I get older, just as they have since I’ve been a freshman. It just kind of depends on what experiences I go through and am shaped from.

14 Things I Learned on a Ranch...

1) 5 bulls can go 20 different directions
2) a horse is only as good as its rider
3) having patience pays off
4) hurry to get the gates!
5) (when driving) drive in the clear, don't clear the way
there are several (better) ways to say the same thing (in reference to cursing)
6) a starving calf isn't stealing milk, it's trying to stay alive
7) the days may be full and long but the week(s) goes fast without enough time in it
8) listen the first time and ask questions; it's better to ask and do it right than to do it wrong and have to redo it
9) scrapes, bumps and bruises (often of unknown origin) come with the job
10) when riding, keep your hips under you and your feet and legs in front of you
11) when you think you've had enough water to drink, drink some more
12) indian pants: ones that sneak up on you
13) part indian: when you follow single file on horseback
14) lingo differences between Iowa and Nebraska:
-Nebraska has trucks/freight liners and pickups
-Iowa has semis and trucks (pickup trucks) ;)

Ice Breakers

Class Tuesday we did a lot to start thinking about our co-leader pairs and our recitation sections next fall. Our question to start off the day was "what is one skill that you will bring to your peer mentor pair and one skill you want to develop during your time as a peer mentor?" It was good to stop and think about. To my pair next fall I will be able to bring my past mentor experience and my organizational skills. What I would like to develop is to learn more about more students outside of my own section.

We got to play ice breaker games too. They can be really important to build community within your sections and they're a good way for you and your students to get to know each other. Some of them are more suited for extroverts, like the scream game we did with Zach, but they can still be a lot of fun for everyone. And something to keep in mind, ice breakers don't just have to be for the beginning of the semester. They can be for any time and make great fillers and just something fun to do when it's more of a dull day.

We also found out who our mentor pairs are. I'm so excited to be partners with Greg. I think it's gonna be a blast! And Anthony is in my sister section again, so we're both excited about that. :) I think all the pairings turned out really well and Allie, Silas and Debra did a great job working it all out. It's too bad that there were some scheduling problems, but I'm sure it'll all work out. I can't wait to find out for sure tomorrow in class! (again...) ;)

Fun Times... :)

So class yesterday was so much fun! I love scavenger hunts! :) It was really good to go around campus to find the Personal Counseling, Career Counseling, and Career Services, Theilen Health Center, the Study Abroad Center and the Financial Aid Office. Those places are important ones that every student should know, but even by the end of their first year, many incoming students don't. Knowing what those services are and where they're located is important for next year when we have our recitations and incoming students. You never know when you'll be faced with a situation where one will be needed. Being able to walk our students there if they need to and physically show them where it's at can make a bigger impact too. I always remember something better when I go there rather than just being told where it's at.

Well, sorry this blog is going to be a little short. Class was awesome and filming after went really good too. The script really came together and I can't wait to see it when it's done. I can't wait 'til Sunday for the retreat and more filming after! I hope the weather turns out to be nicer than the forecast is saying! Even if it's not we'll have fun though. :)

Have a great (and safe) VEISHEA all! :)

Goals vs. Wishes

Tuesday night Zach and Karen did a great job presenting the topic of goal-setting. They opened up the night with the quote "a goal not written down is only a wish." It's so true. I make goals for myself all the time but I find if I don't write it down for myself to see or at the very least tell someone about it who can hold me accountable to it, it's really easy to forget about it and have it not happen.

Tuesday night in class Zach and Karen did a great job of introducing the topic of goal-setting. In the chapter it laid out two forms of goal-setting techniques. The SMART goal probably most of us have heard of or done before. They are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-limited. To me, these goals are more short-term, very specific. They don't allow for a lot of leeway because they spell out exactly what needs to happen when and why.

The second goal-setting method is the Four M's. This includes motivation, make comments, modify environment, and monitor actions. To me, a goal in this setting would be more suited to long-term goals. It's basically a map to get to the ultimate end point and SMART goals can be made inside each step of the way through the process.

In class we were to make our own goals for our next year in the Hixson program, our college education, and our lives after college. I chose to use the SMART goal technique to make all of mine for the fact that it's a little easier to lay out. For this next year I want to learn the names of the students in my section withing 2 weeks and the names of the students in our sister section as well as at least 20 other students in the large group lecture by the end of the semester.

Last year I knew my students and a handful of others. I could recognize faces of those students in our sister section, but I could only maybe name one. Knowing the names of our students is so important in the relationships that we're trying to build. I know from my own classes that if the professor/TA knows my name, I feel like I'm not just another face in the crowd and that I'm important enough for them to know me. It's a simple thing that I can pass on and work with for my upcoming students in the fall and do better with this year.

Goals are important in that they give us something to strive and work towards. The sense of accomplishment that goes seeing it get done is a great feeling as well. We need to continually work to show our students in the fall that goal-setting is important but not only in lecture or by word of mouth. Just like so many other topics covered this past semester, it is sometimes best shown by example, making the greatest impression.




--Sorry this is a little late. I guess the autodraft wasn't working last night and it all went away when I went to submit it. I figured it'd be better to calm down a little before I worked on the new post in its stead. See you all tonight and tomorrow! :)

Who Knew?...

Poverty Awareness Week
"Making Poverty History"
-Scott M. Lacy, PhD; Exec. Director, African Sky

I went to the lecture given by Dr. Lacy with Chelsee and it was really interesting. He started off the night by asking everyone in the audience, "why are you here?" We pondered and the answer he gave that I thought was true was that to some level we all care about the matter of poverty and want to become more aware of it. Fighting poverty is the biggest social movement in the world.

Millennium Development Goals were developed to create an end to (extreme) world poverty within our lifetime. Some dollar values were shown on the screen as to what would be spent by 2015...
-halving poverty and hunger $20 billion
-universal primary education $ 9 billion
-gender equality in education $ 3 billion
-halving HIV/AIDS $10 billion
=$42 billion total
This really isn't that much to spend based on the next value he gave us. Can you believe that $1.3 trillion is spent on the global military per year? It just boggles my mind! $42 billion in the next few years isn't hardly anything in comparison and just think about the potential impact it would have... An interesting point was made that I'd really never thought about before as well. Third world countries are really the majority of the world. Because of the fortune we're blessed to have here, it makes it that much more important to share it with others. We need to be careful though because even the best of intentions can lead to misfortune.

Often development can lead to underdevelopment. What works for us here in our society may not necessarily work for others. It can lead to pockets of development, but some are being left behind still. An example he gave was introducing cotton as a cash crop in southern Africa. It worked for the first few years but then the soil became depleted. Other crops that had previously been grown hadn't been grown to allow for the cotton but then couldn't grow with the poor soil. Productivity was lost and the nation was actually made more dependent rather than independent.

Dr.Lacy spent several years in the Peace Corps. and doing other work over in Mali. He learned three important lessons that he shared with us. We need to...
1)Endure cycles of debt
2)Follow the momentum
3)Learn to take
The first has to do with no matter what you do for others, you will always get something out of it making you in debt to them, but you need to learn to deal with it. It was from this that he established the nonprofit organization African Sky. The second is as it sounds. Take something you have and build on it, and if an opportunity presents itself make the most of it. In the case of the last one it's for the self esteem of the host, to learn humility yourself, and to gain perspective and establish priorities.

To wrap up the presentation Dr.Lacy left us with a couple thoughts to ponder. To make poverty history, it can't be all about us. What we consume others aren't able to. It's just another way to think about how fortunate we are here in the U.S.

Teaching and Learning

In class Tuesday we started out by defining facilitation. The book defined it as meaning to make something happen or to make it easier. To add to that, we all came up with organizing/structuring, teaching, giving a head start to a topic or activity, and leading. Next we made our own definitions of the meanings of Realness, Acceptance, and Understanding. I think these three components are essential in the classroom so that we are real with our students, don't show favoritism toward any one, and so we can utilize what we know of different learning styles to best suit our students and make the biggest impact.

We all know that most Freshmen don't perform to their full potential their first semester for a whole list of reasons as we came up with in class. Some of these include time management, accountability and responsibility, diversity of staff and students, class size and different teaching styles. I know I had a little trouble with all these and then some. But I think if we can relate to them our experiences, it makes the transition easier. They can now have someone, an upperclassman, to relate to and it will turn out fine. It's just a matter of knowing the best way to relate and share our experiences with our students so that they will hear them and maybe even learn from what we've gone through. Another thing with these challenges is that when our students are faced with them, we need to know how to help them overcome them. But once again, it all goes back to communication.

Everyone has different learning styles and understanding this and using it to our advantage will really help with how our classes turn out. If we can incorporate more than one teaching style we will be able to reach more students and cater to more learning styles. We need to be able to read our students to see what works versus what doesn't so that we are able to get the message of what we are teaching across to them most effectively. It takes time to get the hang of and we'll never be perfect or be able to make everyone completely happy, but by mixing it up and using different styles we can make it more enjoyable for everyone.

the Power of a Story

Sorry I haven't posted this before now, but better late than never I guess...

At ISCORE I attended the "Danger of the Single Story." We watched a video that I thought was really great and brought out the points well. First the single story was defined. It is one perception of of something based on an impression and naivete. It's not knowing or acknowledging the entire truth forming stereotypes, and if people are shown that as only one thing over and over, that's what it becomes. The power of a story depends on how the story is told. They most often emphasize differences rather than equalities. The speaker in the video said "when we reject the single story we regain a kind of paradise." People are made up of many stories, not single ones, and even though they can break and destroy, they can also build up and repair.

After the video we had to think about some things that make up the stories of our own lives. We were given a poem and another but with blanks so we could fill in the spots with our own words to make a story. (I can make copies of what we were handed out if anyone wants it. Just let me know.) Mine went like this...

I am from farms, from Chevy trucks, and John Deere tractors.
I am from the hay barns, black dirt of the fields, and cool cut grass.
I am from the corn, the pastures.
I am from hunting and gardening, from Chainsaw and Daisy and Clayton Lintz.
I am from the opposite side of favoritism, and loving care-giving of Grandma Lintz.
I am from Catholics and Lutherans.
I am from Iowa, Germany, fresh beef, and home-grown garden veggies.

I never did take the time to finish the last couple lines but in just filling it out this far I realized how many different stories make me up and how many more I could put in their place too.


John Carlos was the keynote speaker over lunch. For a little background if you didn't already know, he is a bronze medalist for the US Olympic track team from 1968 and is most remembered for his "Silent Protest" against racism and economic oppression. He and his teammate Tommy Smith both raised a black-gloved fist during the National Anthem during the victory ceremony after winning 1st and 3rd in the 200 meters.

One of the very first things out of Mr. Carlos's mouth was his acknowledgment that he was brought to where he is today by God. He had a vision when he was 8 years old of a championship; not about the medal, but the significance of what it meant for the black culture. He said black history is needed. Not only are they deprived of it, but children today are deprived of it. We need diversity to equal out culture and to remember!

He talked about segregation. It's based not only on skin color, but on ignorance. He really made the point that it is our duty to promote equality. We're all representing the same thing and those who fall for racism are "broken." The "troublemakers" are those who work to fix and change it like John Brown, Martin Luther King Jr., Ghandi, Rosa Parks, and the list goes on... We need to stand for those who can't/won't stand for themselves.

Mr. Carlos "paid his dues" to tell about who he was and through track and field he had a voice. He said "our country is broke and we as a society need to fix it!" It's a necessity to step up when everyone else is jumping off. He made mention of the Olympic boycott being along those lines. It was like a ripple effect (like when you drop a rock in a pond) through the world. I was a nonviolent act to make a statement.

To wrap it all up, Mr. Carlos made some final comments. "We all live and die, but it's what we do between those times that makes us who we are and what gets accomplished." "God dictates where you're going to be; we just have to be ready." And, "To make a difference, know yourself; get in touch with the man in the mirror."

Communication is like Pictionary

First of all, I need to apologize again to Chels, Brandon, Silas and Allie. I lost track of time at work making me late. I’m usually more aware but I slipped up. Using myself as an example for your recitations next fall, after class just pull your student aside and see what was going on to make them late and reinforce the importance of responsibility and being on time. Sorry again and I’ll do my best to not let it happen again!

Moving on, class Tuesday was all about communication. We started out with a Twitter exercise were prompts were given and we were all to respond to them via Twitter. It honestly isn’t my preferred method of communication, but I can see its usefulness for some using the streaming chat method between faculty to exchange several thoughts and ideas in a short amount of time over a distance. I like scrolling through the news posts too, just for a short idea of what’s going on since I don’t take the time to read about it otherwise. But overall I don’t think I’ll ever be big on it myself. Just a personal preference…

The second part of class was led by Chelsea and Brandon. I really liked the quote they chose that said “the single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” It really sums up what I think happens a lot of the time. What we try to relay information to others but what makes sense in our mind may not to the other person. When we go away thinking everything is understood by everyone without room for questions, problems often arise. We just need to make sure we always leave room for questions and encourage them from our students in the fall and even from others in our everyday lives. People aren’t mind-readers, no matter how much it would sometimes be helpful, and that’s something we need to keep in mind as well.

I prefer to communicate face-to-face with most people. It leaves less room for misinterpretation most times I think. I am more formal with professors than friends, out of respect for their position and for the fact that it’s sometimes easier to be comfortable with someone I know well and talk to on a regular basis. I text a lot more now, but for long conversations I would rather just talk on the phone or in person. I think the more convenient the form of communication is, the easier it is to misinterpret information using it. It’s something I try to keep in mind when I use them.

The Telephone Pictionary game is always a good one to demonstrate how easily communication can be misinterpreted and lacking. It’s more of an extreme version than sometimes I think, but it really relays the point well. No one is perfect in how they relay or interpret information; it’s never done the same way between different people.

What we should have taken from this class is that there are several forms of communication and for our classes next fall we need to figure out what form our students respond to best or if several forms will be needed. We need to encourage questions and don’t treat any as a stupid question. We were all in their position at one time. And when presenting a new topic, even if we don’t necessarily like it, we should be excited about it for them, or at the least act like it. Our enthusiasm will transfer over to them more than you would think.

Teen Moms and Religion

Class Tuesday we went over the importance of cultural sensitivity. We were asked the question "what strategies do we use to help ourselves with cultural diversity?" We went around and there were a wide variety of answers. Some of the ones mentioned more often were patience, communication/asking questions to learn, and suspending judgment. Some other strategies mentioned in the book were acknowledging each individual, recognizing language barriers, consistency, respect, and showing empathy. Each are important in building and maintaining relationships with others, and even to build a cohesive community within our sections and throughout campus.

Cory and Jenna had us participate in an activity where we were each "tagged" something different. It was to represent how diverse people could be, not only by culture, but by things not easily recognized or seen by others. We had to go around and talk to others to deduce what made us different from a "normal" person basing it off comments and reactions. I was a teen mother. I think the activity could have been a little more realistic in that most of the time we don't see some characteristics in people, like being a teen mom, that would cause us to judge them or treat them differently than ourselves. Most times it's caused by looking or sounding different.

The tags were still really good though because it made the impression that diversity really isn't just about appearance. It's everything different between people that make us unique from where and how we grew up to religion to skin color. But these differences in us are what make us unique and should be encouraged and cherished. I don't think we should look for differences from ourselves in people we meet but rather look for similarities and be open to and willing to learn about all the rest. Suspending judgment and asking questions is what I try to do, but I struggle with it many times as I know others do too. I just need to make more of an effort to be careful of what I say and how I phrase things so I don't take the risk of hurting someone else.

I don't believe we can ever put ourselves in another's shoes for the fact that we will never know what all is incorporated with them. But we can stop to think about how we would feel if the situation were reversed and we were the one's being judged, or shown limited patience, or whatever it is. Being sensitive to diversity is a leaned trait that we all need to work on. Wherever we go in life we will always be met with diversity in one way or another. It's better that we learn about it now so we know how to handle it and make the most of it later in life. (I mean, what better time to become comfortable with it when we have so much on campus?)

Have a good one and see you all in class Tuesday! :)

Valuable Values

Class Tuesday was very insightful in many ways. Amy and Rachel started off with a quote from Jesse Jackson that said "don't look down on someone unless you are helping them up." I though that it fit so well, not only with the topic that night of values, but also with what we're doing as peer mentors. It's our duty to help others when they need it and not judge anyone or look down on them. Who's to say that we'll never be or have been in a similar position at some point in our lives? It's just another form of reinforcement to think about how we present ourselves to others in what we do.

The question of who has been a role model in our life and what values they possess was a good one to make us think, well me at least. I chose my mom as one of my biggest role models. She has so many values that she reflects all the time, some being adaptability, service and purpose, but the most notable ones I think would be responsibility, dependability and balance. She's been a single mom to us four kids for the last 11 years now, but she has always and still does make time to go to our events, help us out when we need it, and even take time for herself all while holding a full-time job position an hour drive from home and with us living on a small farm. I honestly think the ability to have that balance in her life is very admirable. I strive to find a good balance between schooling, work and play but it really proves to be difficult at times, especially when it comes time for tests. It's something I need to continually work on so I can help my students to find a balance in their lives as well.

With four children and being a single parent my mom is very responsible and dependable. She knows what's going on when and carries through with her word. Those traits she has also worked to instill in us four kids not only by telling us but by example. It's something I've watched all my life and I try to live mine in the same way. I try to lead by example and make an effort to be responsible with my actions and decisions, and also be dependable by following through with my word when I give it.

The class activity where we went to different corners depending on our weakest or strongest values. It showed a lot about who we were to the rest of our class but I think it also showed a lot about who we were to ourselves. I had to really think about a few of the values to see which was my strongest or weakest and then determine why that was. Some reasons I didn't really want to hear from myself, but it provided an opportunity to see and make improvement in myself. We don't have to be strong in all parts I don't think, because that's where we can help each other out. Where someone is weak, another may be strong, but we should all strive to better ourselves in each values at the same time to provide the best example we can for our students and each other.

My Mission Statement (spring2011)

To encourage the growth of my students as individuals to aid in their transition to college and the beginnings of a successful college career.

To strive to crate a classroom environment where students are comfortable and bonds can be formed with my caring personality and knowledge gained from my class of students last fall.


I will...

-Listen to concerns and input and work to utilize those recommendations when applicable and if they're in the best interest of the class.

-While in class, put aside my personal issues to put the needs of the class first and form lessons to best suit my students.

-Treat everyone as equals to create a sense of solidarity in the classroom where no one is more important than another.

-Get to know each student as a person and promote their individuality and differences from myself and others.

-Be ready and willing to listen to any concerns or problems and provide input when asked for it as well as other resources where help may be found.

-Utilize the knowledge and experience I gained from last semester not only in my classroom but to assist my fellow peer mentors as well.

-Maintain an open mind and attitude so I might learn from my peers and students as I hope they can learn from me.


I look forward to the next couple semesters of new faces and learning experiences!

Personal Assessments

Our opening go-around question was really good I think. It told a lot about each of us, by us sharing a little of some thing that helped to shape who we turned out to be today. Many of our past experiences were similar and I think a lot of us could relate to them. My parents' divorce played a major role in who I am today. I grew u really fast thinking that I had to take care of my three younger siblings all the time. It really reinforced my tendency to want to "mother" others all the time and take control of situations.

It's really important to know what helped to shape who we are today so we can know who we are because if we don't know who we ourselves are, how are we to help our students figure out who they are? the quote by Jesse Jackson said "you can't teach what you don't know and you can't lead where you won't go." We have to be willing to look at ourselves and recognize who we are and what makes us who we are so we can help our students do the same.

The list of words we made about ourselves of descriptive words was a good thing too. It was a way to evaluate how we see ourselves with both strengths and weaknesses. How we see ourselves is important in how we portray ourselves and our students will pick up on that as well. It goes back to leading by example. If we know who we are ourselves and take the time to evaluate ourselves our students will be able to see that as well and be more likely to do the same.

Going through the self awareness assessment was interesting and even enlightening in a way. It made me stop and think about how aware I was of myself in each category. I saw both some obvious strengths and weaknesses based on what I focus on more/ care about more deeply in my life. My three weakest categories were intellectual, physical, and emotional. I tend to not have a certain set way to study and even though I don't, I find it's usually in a fairly similar fashion. I am comfortable with who I am, but I like predictability and routine, so I often refrain from taking taking chances unless I'm fairly certain of what the outcome will be. Change can throw me off, even though it may not be a whole lot. As for my physical awareness, I've never thought too much about what I eat or making an effort to exercise. I've always been active but in the last few years even that's become harder to maintain, but my eating habits have not gotten any better.

In the last couple months I've tried to make a better effort to eat healthier and exercise more. Now I just need to keep that up. I'm going to try harder to better adapt to changes and better understand how I study best and use that to my advantage.

Reflections

So first of all I want to apologize to everyone for Tuesday night. I wasn't feeling the best but I still should have done better at being excited about Nick's and my presentation of our topic. It's a lesson that I need to take to heart. Our students' attitudes towards the lessons we lead and the class in general most often greatly reflect how we go about the class that day ourselves. It goes back to the FISH philosophy; we need to check ourselves at the door and not bring in our problems or worries. It's about the students for that 50 minutes of the day (at least) and it really does make a difference. Just one of many things I need to work on still.

Deb and Joey did a great job presenting chapter 4. The skits were a great idea and worked really well. I personally don't enjoy doing them, but I really enjoy watching and learning from them, and adding input at the end if wanted as it was. It's a great way to learn, but it's not quite my type preference. ;) Well, the topics they chose to address with the skits I think are really important ones. We need to hold ourselves and each other accountable to what we say and do for our students and the program. Trust and relationships can't be built without a foundation, and that starts with making good by your word. People can really tell the difference if you really care or not, so it's important to constantly reevaluate your motives and how you present yourself.

As for the party scenario, well I still have never been to a party so I don't see that as being a problem, (I know, I'm boring) but I think if it did happen it would be best to acknowledge the student but then remove myself completely from the situation. I'm of age, but our students won't be so it would probably be a good thing to remind them of the possible consequences of their actions. And I think Joey did a good job of putting Greg off in that last skit as well. It's a good thing to keep in mind that all 100 will be our students and it should remain just a student-mentor relationship, at the very least until the end of that first semester. I don't even want to imagine some of the problems that could potentially cause. But it really made for a humorous skit to watch. ;)

The beginning go-around question was good to make me think. By asking how we remembered our leaders our freshman year made me wonder how I'm now remembered by my students from last fall and how I want to be remembered by my incoming students next fall. It makes me think more about what I'm doing now and what I can do to better prepare; how I can work to make a difference in their experience here at ISU. Then later we were questioned as to why we're here. Why did I want to become a peer mentor? It was a great question and an important one. There were a lot of great answers and it's something that I try to think about myself often. Our motives will be reflected by how we present ourselves and the students will really pick up on them.

Once again, great job Deb and Joey and I can't wait for Tuesday for Anthony and Beth to present! :)

Tying it all Together

Since we didn't have class this week everyone should be experts on chapter 3: Defining Roles. Nick and I are still going to present it on Tuesday but I can't wait to hear more about what you all got out of it! To keep from going too much into what I got out of it I'll just do a brief overview of the material and one of the things that stuck out to me the most.

There are five main defining roles on what it means to be a peer mentor. These include, but aren't limited to, being a trusted friend, connecting link, learning coach, student advocate, and a peer leader. All of these roles are extremely important in building relationships with your students. I think that trust is one of the most important assets to build on though. It doesn't only go one way though; it's a two way street. To be trusted you first need to trust. Hold yourself accountable and don't go back on your word. At the same time you need to keep in mind to maintain boundaries. We aren't there to act as a parent or older sibling, but we are there to help them out if and when it's needed.

As a learning coach we can teach some basic skills for success, which can be crucial. We all know that college is much harder and a whole different ballgame than high school was, so by being there with our own experiences and learning strategies we've found have been useful to us, we can pave a little bit smoother road for their success as well.

At the Learning Community Mini Institute I attended the Underprepared vs. Underperforming Students seminar. I think that it ties in really well with our role as a learning coach. We need to take the time to get to know our students and be able to identify when they could possibly be running into trouble. It's much easier to correct potential problems when they are still small and not overwhelming. But with recognizing that, we need to be able to identify if it is a matter of being underprepared or if the student is underpreforming. Either can be costly to their education, but I think it's easier to help with the unpreparedness. That's where we can come in by relating our experiences and letting them know what works for us. Underperforming students we can talk to but ultimately it's their decision as to what they want to do and their own motivation to succeed.

I think one of the other most important roles is being a peer leader. In chapter 3 an analogy was given about how our own habits can affect our students. We are constantly being watched and our knowledge and experience are like the rail ties for the train of their success. David Coleman had an amazing presentation on this at ISLE too. A lot of it was about how we portray ourselves vs. who we really are. I think it's an excellent idea take a step back every once in a while to reevaluate ourselves and our weaknesses. What we do really can influence our students. We are their role models so we need to be that much more aware of how we want people to see us, but more, who we really want to be. Who we are is picked up on by others sometimes before we're even aware of it ourselves so it's important that we take that extra step to reassess what kind of impact we want to make and have our students, and everyone else we meet and come into contact with, know and remember us by.

I can't wait to see you all Tuesday to go over this more and hear your thoughts on it all! Have a great weekend and enjoy Superbowl Sunday, or at least the commercials. ;)

Personality Preferences

This week we got the results of our MBTI back. It's honestly not something I particularly look forward to doing since it's rather tedious to go through, but not gonna lie, the results packet we got back was really awesome! Sixteen pages of my personality type preferences and a bunch of further detail explaining it all. I can't get over just how accurate it is.

My personality type preference came out to be ISFJ which was the same as it was last year too. The clarity of my preferences were pretty similar to last year too. I'm just a slight introvert, moderate in both sensing and judging, and feeling is clear. But the overall clarity page isn't what I was interested in. Pages 5-8 were so neat to look at and read over because the broke the preferences down even further with explanations for them.

I: I had a three out of the five facets in the midzone and one pretty far out-of -preference. Reading the explanations for them though, they made a lot of sense and described me really well. My personality changes from situation to situation depending on what's needed or how comfortable I am with it. I would much rather be in a quieter setting with fewer people but I can handle larger, louder settings as well. And it's just how I am to be open and expressive with people; how else can they get to know me quickly?
S: I had a couple of midzone facets in the sensing result too. I like to find new ways of doing things and like to understand things before I move on, but I do stick to common sense and what's familiar. I like to know what's going to happen, or at least a general idea.
F: My preference for feeling was by far my strongest. I tend to think about how actions will affect others and I end up playing peacemaker a lot of the time to find common ground and avoid conflicts. I try to see the good in things and not focus on the bad because it can bring down my mood and be noticed by others too.
J: Finally we get to the last preference, judging. I had one midzone facet (casual) and a slight in-preference but the other three were all very in-preference. I like to have a schedule and plan things out. Routine is good and I tend to be most comfortable when I have one of some sort. But even though I like to have a plan and things scheduled out, I always like to have wiggle room for a change of plans, or going to a movie, or whatever it is. I like to know what needs to be done and a general plan of what I'm going to do, but I don't like the feeling of being tied down with it all either.

It's really amazing how this test can tell me so much about myself. Most of it I don't really think about, it's just how it is. But it can really open your eyes to how much difference there can be between people with preferences, even within our class. It's something to keep in mind as we lead our recitations and even go about our daily lives. Everyone has his/her way of doing things and learning, and even though it can sometimes be challenging to find a way to accommodate everyone, it's fun to find it and see the results. Be open to suggestions and keep in mind that one way isn't always the only way or the best way.

Fears with Transition

In class Tuesday we went over chapter 2 in the Peer Mentor Companion. It was all about helping students make the transition to college. Josh and Greg led the class and I thought they did an excellent job of it. One of my favorite activities was actually the opening go-around. I thought the question they had for us to answer was perfect. We were all supposed to say two of our greatest fears about college and then if they had changed or not from when we were freshmen. It put us all on the same level and was a good way to realize that we’re not alone in our fears. Many of us share the same fears and sometimes it may have been the case as to where it could have once been our fear but we overcame it. I think it’s a great question, especially for incoming freshman because then they know that they’re not alone and it’s alright to question things and not be certain about everything right away. Knowledge comes with experience and your fears change as you grow.

The Skittles activity Josh and Greg did was really good too. It was a really good discussion tool for the entire class with the different questions for each color. It was a great time of reflection for us and as past mentors in some of our cases. We could reflect and relate what we went through with our students and how we should react to that when the time comes again.

With Silas and Allie we did some role playing with potential questions/ statements that students may have. Some were more difficult than others to handle and answer. The time of reflection at the end of it was good though too. We all had a chance give our input and relate our past experiences with our students. It’s really neat all the different perspectives that come up from all of us. As the year goes by it will be a great tool to utilize.

A time for relearning (wk 1)

Going through chapter one of the Peer Mentor Companion was interesting. It’s all about what a peer mentor is which is slightly humoring since we went through it last year too. It’s amazing the things I learned without realizing it and looking back on it all, how much I still don’t know or forgot.

Activity 1.2, the Mentoring Confidence Inventory, was really good to go through I think as well. I looked back at the answers I had put last year, beginning and end of the semester and it’s amazing what’s changed. My confidence levels in nearly every category went up. Between what I learned in class and actually going through the peer mentor experience I feel like I’m fairly confident with my role of being a peer mentor and I hope that I can have that show not only to my students in the fall, but also to all of my classmates, especially if this is their first time in the role.

Going back through the chapter a few things stuck out to me. There are some tips for being a more effective formal peer mentor. I really found all of them to be useful throughout the last year. By asking for help and sharing ideas we were able to create lesson plans that our students really enjoyed and it never failed that if someone was drawing a blank for an activity, someone else would have an idea that we could modify and build on. Having that network is really useful and I really encourage everyone to make the most of it; it’s what we’re all here for. The two on building a relationship with the students but also giving them space I think are very important too. The entire semester class it based on the relationships you form not only with your students, but also with your co-leader and other peer mentors. The students will pick up on it and the more comfortable you are with each other, the more comfortable they will be with you. But at the same time we need to remember to give them their space, even though it can be really hard sometimes. During the video project it was hard not to set up work times and what-not for the class, but by encouraging them to do it on their own, their creativity was able to be maximized without our specific influence. It was really fun to watch them all grow through doing that together.

I’m so excited to get to know everyone and I’m really looking forward to the next couple of semesters with you all! Hope you’re ready for some fun times! :)