Blog 24 : Last Presentation Reflection

1. Positive Statement 
• What are you most proud of in your block presentation and/or senior project? Why?
• I'm most proud of my whole presentation. I had a mini panic attack in the morning but it went away with all the help I got. I believe I did very good because when I was presenting I could see that the students were paying attention, meaning that they were into my topic. I also noticed that the students had a lot of fun during my activities.   
2. Questions to Consider
• What assessment would you give yourself on your block presentation? Use the component contract to defend that assessment.  AE P AP CR NC
• I would give myself an P, because I did everything that was asked on the contract. I guess I went above and beyond with timing because I went over my 30 minute talking time and my presentation ran through almost the whole block.
• What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project? Use the component contract to defend that assessment. AE P AP CR NC
• For my overall senior project I would give myself an AE, because I learned a lot through out the school year. I learned about things that I never knew existed or things that are very important in a classroom. I had a lot of fun learning at my mentorship and I know that I'm planning on doing something with special needs kids in my future. 
3.  What worked for you in your senior project?
• A lot worked very well with my senior project. There was always a lot of things to research and my mentor and mentorship were very helpful and kind to me. The interviews that I took from the staff helped me a lot with my three answers and the students were the ones that helped me the most during my project. 
4. (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your senior project?
• If I had a time machine, I would like to find a closer mentorship. It was a struggle to go down to my mentorship everyday. I wished I could've found a closer school so it would be a lot easier for me to go to. I know there are some schools in the area but since I was already well known at my brother's school, I just decided to go there because it was the easiest route. 
5. Finding Value 
• How has the senior project been helpful to you in the future endeavors? Be specific and use examples. 
• Like I mentioned above, after going through the whole process of senior project I fell in love with the idea of helping those in need. It felt great to be able to help someone learn something. I felt like a role model when I would help the students do a worksheet and so with this is mind, I have decided to continue with working with special needs in my future. I plan on either becoming a nurse that specially works with special needs children, or perhaps become a social worker, or even just become a special education teacher. I hope my project also helped other realize that theres others out there would need or help. Although they are different it, that doesn't mean that they aren't capable of doing things that we can do. 

Blog 23 : Exit Interview Prep

Graduation Day is almost here(:

Content:

1. What is your essential question, and what are your answers?  What is your best answer and why?
• EQ : What techniques can an elementary special education teacher use to ensure that each child is learning?
• Three Answers : 
• The best technique an elementary special education teacher can use to ensure that each child is learning is making sure that the he / she knows each disability that each student has. 
• The best technique that an elementary special education teacher can use to ensure that each child is learning is to have one teacher design and teach the, but then to also have more teachers that tour the classroom, providing support by answering questions, re-explaining key concepts, and assisting with behavior management.
• The best technique to ensure that each child is learning is to have good communication / contact with the student's parent.
• Best Answer : The best technique that an elementary special education teacher can use to ensure that each child is learning is to have one teacher design and teach the, but then to also have more teachers that tour the classroom, providing support by answering questions, re-explaining key concepts, and assisting with behavior management.
• This is my best answer because I was able to notice this when at my mentorship. I noticed how important it was to have so many adults in one classroom. Each student has a different disability and so it can be hard for one teacher to teach a lot of students that all learn differently. So with more people in a classroom each student is getting the same and correct amount of attention that he or she needs.
2. What process did you take to arrive at this answer?
• The process that took me to arrive to this answer took a while. I began to notice my answers when I would go to my mentorship. I began to notice that, the above, was my best answer because the teachers were always there to help and without them the students would be all over the place and wouldn't be learning. But since I was able to be one of those teachers that helps the students, I grew to notice that without me there the student wouldn't have learned anything, but since I was he did get to learn and understand the lesson.  
3. What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?
• At first I had a problem going to my mentorship. Since my mentorship is a school the students would leave at three o'clock. By the time my ride came and picked me up from school, and drove me all the way down to San Bernardino, the students would be ready to go home and so I wasn't able to be with them for very long. I resolved this problem by finally getting my license and car. Now I'm able to leave right after school and I get to spend time with the students. 
4. What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?
• One : Mentorship
• When I'm at my mentorship I get to do more hands- on things instead of reading it off of somewhere. Being with the students I can see how each student reacts to certain things and if I had a question or concern there was always another adult that I can ask and I would get the answer right away. I'm able to learn more from the students. 
• Two : Top 10 Resources for Special Education Teachers
• This website helped me a lot when it came to doing research. On this website I was able to find answers to any questions that I had. But since at first I didn't trust the cite I would ask the teacher the following day and it would always be very similar to the one I found on this website.
• However, my interviews with my mentor also helped me a lot with my answers. Since she has been working in special education for a really long time, I was able to trust and believe in her. Her responses to my questions were really reliable and she also gave me a lot of stories that she had with some students to give me an idea of whatever she was describing / teaching me. 

Note to Self : Be prepared with evidence and specific examples to support any response. It is also significant to cite sources as you explain. Please be advised.  The senior team will not conduct any exit interview in which the student has not turned in a passing notebook count and completed this blog.  In addition, you are expected to dress as you would for a job interview.

Blog 22 : Independent Component 2

Content:  

LITERAL

• (a) Include this statement: “I, PAULINE MIRAMONTES, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 46 hours of work.”
• (b) Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component.
• My mentorship and mentor helped me complete this independent component. 

• (c) Update your Independent Component 2 Log (which should be under your Senior Project Hours link)
• Up on Senior Project Hours link. 

• (d) Explain what you completed.    
• What I did for this independent component was help in creating the Anderson Special Olympics. I helped with coming up ideas for obstacles, I over looked students practice the Olympic oath, and I helped set up and take down anything that was set up during the Olympics. I also helped students complete the obstacles!

• (e) Defend your work and explain the component's significance and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work. Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.   
• The component shows more than 30 hours of work because at some points I was working with the students and seeing how they do certain things. I also helped with brainstorming and setting up and I was also one of the adults to help the students do obstacles that they couldn't do on their own. There were a couple of days where I didn't spend my whole time working on the Olympics and so I went and helped to any classroom that they needed help in.
• Photos down below for evidence. 

• (f) How did the component help you answer your EQ? Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped.
• This component helped answer my EQ because I saw how each student did things and how the change in atmosphere can change the way of thinking. Each disability is different and seeing how the students do things with other students is always different. Some students did better outside than doing things inside a classroom. Others were just too tired and didn't want to participate. Even the students who were handicapped had games and obstacles to do, and thats always fun to see them get happy that they can participate too. 

• (e) Evidence! 
• In the pictures the adults with the black t-shirts were the ones in charge and the students were the ones with the green t-shirts. 

This is the classroom and students that I was assigned to. These were the students that I had helped if they needed any help with any obstacles. 

First Game! 4x4 Relay! Each classroom raced with another classroom in a relay race. 

In this picture we waited for the rest of the school to come out before giving out the schedule of the day and any announcements. 

Second Game! Ball Pass! The students had to pass balls from the front of the line to the end of the line and then pass them all back again. 

Seventh and Final Game! Obstacle Course! The adults had set up an obstacle course inside the gym and had the students go thru it. However, most students needed help in this and so adults were assigned to section to help the students pass by.  

After doing the Olympic Oath, a representative from each classroom was sent to do the torch relay. 

First Game! 4x4 Relay! The students in wheelchairs being pushed to win the relays.  

Third Game! Yoga/ Stretch/ Cool Down! This section the students were told to do "yoga" stretches. As you can tell in this picture not all students participate.  

Fourth Game! Soccer Hurdles! The students had to walk over tubes that got taller each time. In this picture I'm holding onto my brother as he walks over the tubes.  

Fifth Game! Soccer! Again I'm kicking the soccer ball back and forth with my brother before the other students came. 

Celebration Ceremony! In this picture, is the class and I standing in front of the school as other volunteers pass out the medals. 

Sixth Game! Ball Toss! The students were to throw the ball into a net and were to take a step back every time they made it. 

Grading Criteria 

• Log on a digital spreadsheet under Senior Project Hours
• Evidence of 30 hours of work 
• Blog explaining and defending significance of component

Blog 21 : Interview 4 Reflection

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?  
• The most important thing that I learned from the interview was how the behaviors can affect the students' way of thinking and the way they learn. Also I learned how the teachers really try hard to make sure that each child is learning and to have lots of patience because each student learns differently and at different paces. 
2. How will what I learned affect my final lesson?
• The information that I learned will affect my final lesson because the information that I got from my mentor would really help when explaining my first and second answer. 

Blog 20 : Fourth Interview Questions

1. Who do you plan to interview? What is this person's area of expertise?
• I plan on interviewing my mentor, Jenna Baumann. She's an expert because she has worked with special needs children for many years. She has been my brother's teacher for the last two years and the improvement in him is astonishing. Therefore, I knew Mrs. Jenna would be a great person for my interview four, because of the impact she has on her students. I also love my interviews with her because she gives me so much information and I learn a lot from her. 
2. Post 20 open-ended questions you want to ask an expert in the field concerning your senior project. Your focus should be finding answers to your EQ.
1. How is a decision made about a child's eligibility for special education?
2. What happens if a child is not eligible for services?
3. What should parents do before a IEP meeting?
4. Can a child's IEP be changed?
5. How do I know if a classroom can accommodate a student with special needs?
6. How do you regularly assess the progress of the students?
7. What are schools legally required to do when it comes to special education programs?
8. How do you teach and encourage socially acceptable behavior from the students? 
9. Are there any suggestions you made that implemented in the special education field?
10. How do you manage a very disruptive student?
11. How do you collaborate general education teachers to benefit the students?
12. What special education strategies and techniques have you used to help with the students?
13. What methods do you use to encourage students to explore learning opportunities?
14. How do you motivate the students to persevere with challenging assignments and tasks?
15. How do you teach and encourage socially acceptable behavior from the students? 
16. What role do advocates play in implementing special education programs?
17. How have you encouraged parental involvement in student learning?
18. Should students with special needs be mainstreamed as far as possible?
19. How do you stay current with special education best practices?
20. How have you managed to keep up with the paperwork required of a special education teacher?
21. How have you ensured that each student receives the right type of support?
22. Can a student's placement in a special education program be challenged?

*Note*The interview itself is not due until Friday, April 15th to turnitin.com. However, we want to give you as much time as possible, so we are asking you to complete the blog now. Remember that in addition to turning in the interview to turnitin.com, you also need to turn in the verification sheet to your House teacher and post an audio excerpt of no less than 5 minutes on your senior project blog.

Blog 19 : Third Answer

• EQ 
• What techniques can an elementary special education teacher use to ensure that each child is learning?
• Answer #3 (Write in a complete sentence like a thesis statement)*
• The best technique an elementary special education teacher can use to ensure that each child is learning is making sure that the he / she knows each disability that each student has. 
• 3 details to support the answer
• If a student has difficulty learning by listening then the teacher should teach difficult vocabulary before the lesson, provide study guides / worksheets, teach them by making the student use their imagination, and provide written and oral directions. 
• If a student has difficulty expressing him or herself then the teacher should teach with graphs, photos, or other alternate forms of information sharing. Also the teachers should wait for the student to answer questions themselves instead of calling them out, provide classroom rules, and give them plenty of time to think and reflect about the lesson. 
• If a student has difficulty reading and writing then the teacher should help the student learn by accepting visuals reports, not provide long writing assignments, and allow more oral responses. Also give them the opportunity of using true or false, matching, or multiple choice worksheets, and teach the students directly and not with just worksheets. 
• Main key is to be very patient and be willing to give lots of time to a lesson and to each student to respond in their own way, rather it takes five minutes or three days.  
• The research source(s) to support your details and answer
• http://www.readingrockets.org/article/how-adapt-your-teaching-strategies-student-needs
• http://www.educationoasis.com/resources/Articles/adapting_materials.htm
• http://www.ldonline.org/article/370/
• http://education.msu.edu/te/secondary/pdf/Designing-Lessons-for-Diverse-Learners.pdf
• Concluding Sentence
• I picked this as one of my answers because it is very important that every teacher knows what type of disability he or she is about to deal with. Each disability is different and each needs different kinds of attention and ways to teach. If a teacher doesn't know how to take care of a disability then the student wouldn't be learning and then the whole teaching process is pointless. 

Blog 18 : Answer 2

Are We Done Yet With Senior Project?

1. What is your EQ?
• What techniques can an elementary special education teacher use to ensure that each child is learning?
2.  What is your first answer? (In complete thesis statement format)
• The best technique that an elementary special education teacher can use to ensure that each child is learning is to have one teacher design and teach the, but then to also have more teachers that tour the classroom, providing support by answering questions, re-explaining key concepts, and assisting with behavior management.
3. What is your second answer? (In complete thesis statement format)
• The best technique to ensure that each child is learning is to have good communication / contact with the student's parent.
4.  List three reasons your answer is true with a real-world application for each.
• Without talking to the student's parents the parents wouldn't know what is going on with their child at school.
• At my mentorship we had a class party and each student brought in something except for one student, because the parent didn't know we were having a party. 
• Sending out updated classroom handouts to parents. 
• Each parent should know how the classroom, that their child, is in is going. There should be updated schedule and important dates so the parents are up to date with everything that is happening.
•  My classroom sends out a handout to the parents every Monday to let the parent know what is going to happen in the class that week. 
• Talking to the Parents face-to-face. Conference meetings
• Each parent should come and speak with the teacher at least once a week. Each student have different needs and because of this each student needs different type of care. 
• Student in my class has a teacher aid with him 24/7 and at the end of the day the aid writes down what the student did throughout the day. The parent should always read what the aid said because the parents should help their child at home too when the teachers aren't around to help.
• Parents should know how to take care and help their children when they are at home so the student won't forget what they are learning and keep the same behavior at home and school. 
5. What printed sources best supports your answer?
• http://www.specialeducationguide.com/pre-k-12/the-parent-teacher-partnership/making-a-smooth-transition-to-school/
• http://www.specialeducationguide.com/pre-k-12/the-parent-teacher-partnership/where-to-turn-when-you-have-concerns/
• http://www.specialeducationguide.com/pre-k-12/the-parent-teacher-partnership/consistency-between-the-classroom-and-home/
• http://theparentacademy.dadeschools.net/pdfs/Effective_Communication.pdf
• http://center.serve.org/tt/Comm_SpecialNeeds.pdf
6. What other source supports your answer?
• Another source that really helps my answer is my mentorship. I see a lot of interaction with the parents and teachers. I'm also one of the people who create the week schedule, prints them out, and makes sure each student has one in his or her backpack. 
7. Tie this together with a concluding thought.
• This answer is an important to my EQ because without communication between a teacher and parent there is no way the student is doing better with his or her need. The student shouldn't be learning just at school, the learning should continue at home or else the student will only behave at school and not home. There should always be repetition so the student understands a concept and it can only work if the parents repeat the concept at home too. 

*note to self*

On Friday, 2/26 for Advisory, you will be presenting what you have from this blog.  The presentation is more like a share-out and should not last longer than 2 minutes. You don't need a visual, and you should not read what you have written. 

Blog 17 : Interview 3 Reflection

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?  
• The most important thing I learned from my interview, was a possible answer to my EQ. My interviewer gave me a possible answer and also gave me lots of background information so I can do more research and have more information to support the answer. 
2. How has your approach to interviewing changed over the course of your senior project?
• My approach to interviewing has changed a lot. I feel a lot more confident when it comes to interviewing anyone. It has also become a lot easier for me to come up with follow up questions, and it has also helped me in my other classes, such as in Yearbook. In Yearbook we do lots of interviews in order to create a story, and now I can say that I'm a lot more confident and feel comfortable with giving interviews. (I still feel nervous when getting interviewed though, especially for a job)

Blog 16 : Independent Component 2 Approval

1. Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.
• What I plan on doing for my 30 hours is to teach my own lesson to the students. I had originally planned to do this for independent component one but there was a problem with me getting to my mentorship. I plan on doing a followup lesson from whatever the teacher is teaching and so I will need to get creative and come up with activities and ways to teach the students.  
2. Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.
• To meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence, I plan to take pictures of me teaching the students and the students working on the worksheets that I provide them. Also upload the worksheets that I create and perhaps upload a couple of pictures of the student's work. 
3. Explain how this component will help you explore your topic in more depth.
• This component will help with my topic because it will help me to see what technique is best way to teach and help the students. It will also help me to see how each student is learning differently and find more ways to help the students learn. It will prove to me how my answers really work and help me to find my last answers and figure out which is my best answer. 
4. Post a log in your Senior Project Hours link and label it "Independent Component 2" log.
• Done. 

Note to Self:
Please review the component contract in the senior project packet.   The Independent Component 2 is an opportunity for you to add a dimension of creativity and/or an additional outlet for research.  The goal of the component is for you to explore your answers in more depth.  On Friday, April 22, 2014, you will be turning in the following to your blog to prove completion of this component:

• Blog post answering specific questions posted by senior team
• Log of hours clearly delineated as Independent Component 2 on the senior project hours spreadsheet (with total number of hours included)
• Evidence of the 30 hours of work (e.g. transcript, essays, tests, art work, photographs) as digital artifacts   

Your answers to the questions should be supported with details and examples for the senior team to understand what you plan to do. Once we review your Blog Post 16, your house teacher will discuss with you the approval of your plan.  If it is approved, please start working on it.  If it is not approved, your house teacher will explain why. It is your job to address the concerns so you can get your component approved.  Additionally, any changes requested must be addressed to your house teacher well in advance of the completion date for full credit on the assignment.

Blog 15 : Independent Component 1

LITERAL

• (a) Write: “I, Pauline Miramontes, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 33 hours of work.”
• (b) Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component.
• My mentor and mentorship helped me complete my independent component. 
• (c) Update your hours in your Senior Project Hours link. Make sure it is clearly labeled with hours for individual sessions as well as total hours.
• Up on Senior Project Hours link.
• (d) Explain what you completed.    
• Since my first plan of independent component one didn't go as plan. I just did extra hours at my mentorship. 

INTERPRETIVE 

• Defend your work and explain its significance to your project and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work. Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.  
• What I did for my 30 hours was the same thing as what I did everyday at my mentorship. I helped with the students, made copies, helped around the school, and just offered my assistance to anyone who needed it. 



The classroom that I spend most of my time.



The rest of the students that I spend most of my time with. 



Some of the students that I watched over during an assembly.  



Students watching a movie celebrating it being Friday!

APPLIED

• How did the component help you understand the foundation of your topic better?  Please include specific examples to illustrate this. 
• This component helped me to understand the foundation of my topic because it gave me more time with the students. I believe that the students are more comfortable with me because they refer to me as a teacher.  I'm also the youngest within the staff and so I'm able to do more fun activities with the students because I don't get tired as quickly like others. Doing these extra hours made me feel more welcomed into the staff and I believe I'm well known around the school to the point where everyone is comfortable to ask me for any help that they may need.

Grading Criteria 

• Updated log in Senior Project Hours Link 
• Evidence of 30 hours of work 
• LIA submitted to blog

Lesson 2 Reflection

FOR NOW! ):

1. What are you most proud of in your Lesson 2 Presentation and why?
• What I'm most proud of in my lesson two presentation is the fact that I know my topic so well. My senior is very important to me because of my younger brother. Ever since my brother was born I was always so interested in why he was born the way he is, and how I can help him to make "life easier". 
2. What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 2 Presentation (self-assessment)?

               AE       P          AP       CR       NC

• I would give myself a P.

• Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 2 component contract.
• I personally believe that I did all the points on the contract in order to get a P. And so this is why I think I deserve a P! haha.

1. What worked for you in your Lesson 2?
• I believed a lot worked well in my lesson. I liked how the class was interested into my activity and hook. That showed me that they were willing to participate.
2. What didn't work? If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 2?
• I think my speaking skills could've gone better. I would go back in time to change the way I talked because I got nervous and spoke to fast, and somewhat stuttered at some points.  
3. What do you think your answer #2 is going to be?
• I think my answer two will focus more on the behaviors that the children have and how the teachers can help and how the behaviors affect their ability to learn. 

Blog 14 : Third Interview Preparation

1. Who do you plan to interview?  What is this person's area of expertise?
• I plan to interview my mentor, Jenna Baumann. She has been teaching special education for plenty of years and has been rewarded a higher position in the school, vice principal, because of all the great work she has done for the school and students. 
2. Verify that you have called your interviewee to schedule an interview.  What is the date and time of the interview? 
• Friday, February 12, 2016 at 1:30 PM. 
3. Phrase an open-ended question that will help you find research resources that would help to answer the EQ.
• What is the technique that really captures the students attention and help them learn?
4. Phrase an open-ended question that will help you think about other useful activities you might do to help you answer the EQ (IC2, possible experts to talk to, etc).
• Who / What do you believe helped you learn the most about teaching special education?
5. Phrase two open-ended questions that help you to understand your interviewee's perspective on an aspect of your EQ. 
• What helps with the students focus on their work and keep them from keeping distracted?
• Do you believe that my EQ is a open ended question? Do you believe that I can get more than one answer for this question?
• Since my mentor is easy to talk to, it is quite easy to keep the conversation going. I'm also very close with her to the point where I feel comfortable to be straight up with her and ask what she thinks of my EQ. 

Note for me 

(The interview transcript  is due to turnitin.com with the 5-minute audio excerpt and entry to the blog on Friday, February 19th. In addition, you need to turn in the verification sheet to your house teacher)

Blog 13 : 10 Hour Mentorship Check-In

• Where are you doing your mentorship?

• I am doing my mentorship at Anderson Elementary School. 

• Who is your contact?  What makes this person an expert?

• My contact is my mentor, Jenna Baumann. She's an expert because she has worked with special needs children for many years. She has been my brother's teacher for the last two years and the improvement in him is astonishing. Therefore, I knew Mrs. Jenna would be a great mentor, because of the impact she has on her students. 

• How many  hours have you done during the school year? (Summer Mentorship Hours and Mentorship Hours should be reflected separately in your Senior Project Hours log located on the right hand side of your blog)

• I've done about 15 hours. I haven't updated on my mentorship log though. ):

• Succinctly summarize what you did, how well you and your mentor worked together, and how you plan to complete the remaining hours.

• I help with the students, make copies, clean, and just help whenever my mentor / school may need it. My comfort level is very strong with my mentor only because I would always volunteering before I actually asked her to become my mentor. We kinda already knew on another because of my brother. I plan on remaining my hours with the same school only because I'm already familiar with everyone in it and I also plan only finishing my hours with my brother when I work with him. 

Blog 12 : Holiday Project Update

• It is important to consistently work on your senior project, whether it is break or we are in school.  What did you do over the break with your senior project?
•  Over winter break I was unable to attend my mentorship because the school was off for winter break too. However, my little brother was assigned homework to do over his winter break, and I was the one to sit down with him for an hour each day helping to complete his homework. Also, since my brother has special needs I needed to use some of the techniques I learned from my mentorship in order for him to learn and finish the homework. 
• What was the most important thing you learned from what you did, and why?  What was the source of what you learned?
• I learned that each student learns differently. My brother can fully learn only with the technique of hand-over-hand. But others students learn by repetition or speech. The source that I learned was a possible answer for my EQ and I was able to notice when helping my brother do his homework.   
• Your third interview will be a 10 question interview related to possible answers for your EQ. Who do you plan to talk to and why?
• I plan to interview my mentor, Jenna, because in my previous interview she was able to provide me a lot of research. I also find her interview to be the most helpful from my research so far. With the information she gave me I was able to come up with my EQ, and therefore I feel like she would be the one to help me the most with my possible answers.