Blog 17 - Interview 3 Reflection

Here is a picture of Mr. Yousef, the principal of Nogales High School.

Link to Interview #3 
Link to Interview #3 Transcription

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?
• While I was interviewing Mr. Yousef not only was I asking him questions but I was also paying attention to his body language and the tone of his voice. From those two things I could really tell that he was passionate about his job and that he also cared for the students. I think teaching can be a very rewarding job, but in order to be successful you must want to do your job in order to do it greatly. Mr. Yousef has been recognized by the Rowland Unified School District for his outstanding changes in the high school and I believe that was only possible because he wanted to do the job. I learned that in order to be good at something you must be passionate about it.
2. How has your approach to interviewing changed over the course of your senior project?
• At the beginning of the senior project I didn't see the interviews as something I could benefit from, and I thought it was a waste of time. After this interview I feel as if I had a better experience with talking to people and interacting because it is more personal that it seems. This interview has really opened my eyes as to what the interviews are really meant for.

Blog 16: Independent Component 2 Approval

1. Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.
• For my second independent component I plan to make a life size models of a newborn/toddler, adolescent, and teenage brain. These models will show the different areas of the brain as well as represent the changes that it goes through. At the very end I will use the models during my final presentation when I explain how different chemicals affect the brain as well as the different learning abilities that correspond with certain areas of the brain.
2. Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectations of showing 30 hours of evidence.
• In order to show 30 hours of evidence I will document my progress on the building by updating my blog with pictures with a small description of what has been done. Because the human brain is so unique and detailed there will be a lot of research that will go into how the brain functions as well as the different chemicals that are used to process and retain information.
3. Explain how this component will help you explore your topic in more depth.
• This will help me explore my topic more in depth because I will learn how the brain functions and the external factors that contribute to a students ability to retain information. High school students are notorious for their impulsive decisions and their inability to prioritize, this is because of the different changes that takes place in the brain. The creation of a human brain in different stages of its life will help me gain a greater understanding of how childhood has an effect adolescent learning. My topic is high school education but doesn't revolve much around curriculum but rather on how a teacher can ensure that students comprehend the material presented to them. A teacher must first understand how the brain changes and how hormones will change a students process of thinking, I will be able to understand this through the completion of this project. If this independent component is approved then it will further the research I have for my second answer to my essential question. 
4. Post a log in your Senior Project Hours link and label it "Independent Component 2" log.
• Done

Lesson Two Reflection

1. What are you most proud of in your lesson two presentation and why?

• I am most proud of my props they were aesthetically pleasing as well as my presentation because it had a lot of valuable information on it.

2.  (A)What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 2 Presentation and why?

• I would give myself a P on my presentation.

     (B) Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 2 component contract.

• My presentation skills were fine, my volume was appropriate and I was organized and ready to go. The research that was presented was well done and it gave justification for my answer. My activity gave the audience a greater understanding of themselves as well as how teachers have to accommodate for their students learning abilities.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 2?

• I had practiced my presentation at home and I had also created note cards but I didn't really use them. It was nice to have them for reassurance just in case. It has also helped that I has finished my presentation two days before and I had gotten all of the materials needed on time.

4. What didn't work? If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your lesson 2?

• I COULDN'T SEE THE STOPWATCH!!! If I could go back I would have brought my iPad and had the stop watch in front of me so that way I would be able to see the time without struggling. Making time was the hardest thing for me, not because I wasn't prepared, or I didn't have enough information, but because I couldn't see the stopwatch. In the beginning I had thought that i was going to go over time because of my activity but I was wrong because my perception of time was off. I would have also done the activity I had planned in the beginning because then the students would have had the opportunity to engage with each other.

5. What do you think you answer #2 is going to be?

• I think that my answer two #2 will be about the psychology of a class room and how it effects students learning as well as the emotional environment of a students life.

Blog 15: Independent Component 1

Below are the links the digital copies of the work I complete for my Independent Component.
Link to Independent Component Hours
Link to Lesson Plan
Link to Students Worksheet

Literal:

• "I, Perla Navarro, affirm that I completed my Independent Component which represents 33.5 hours of work."
• Contact Information:
• Monica Hidalgo 
• Cell: 626-290-5817
• For my independent component I created a lesson plan for a 10th grade World History class and I taught my lesson plan for one class for three periods. In order for this to be done I had to observe the class that I would be teaching and research extensively to prepare myself for the actual instruction of the material.

Interpretive:

• There are three main parts to my IC. 
• The first part is the research. For this section of my IC I observed my mentor's classes to familiarize myself with the students so that they would get used to my presence. Not only did I observe her students but I also had to look up resources that would aid me int he creation of my lesson plans, this took more time that I had expected because I was unsatisfied with the rules that had to be followed when making a lesson plan. I had to read the section in the 10th grade world history book so that I could understand the content that was going to be taught to the students, then i also used outside sources so that I would gain  greater understanding of what the students would actually be learning. This area of my Independent component took up more than half of the time because of the amount of resources I had to find to best suit what I wanted to teach especially because I learned the material two years ago.
• The second part of my independent component consisted of the construction of the actually lesson plan and the worksheets that would be used in my teaching. It took me around 10 hours to complete this section because I had to redo what I had planned int beginning so that my mentor would be okay with the activity that the students were going to do. My mentor explained to me that teachers don't really make lesson plans unless they are going to be observed, instead they will just remember the content and the way that they want to represent the information.
• The final of my Independent Component was the instruction of my lesson plans. I taught on three different occasions to one class. This was by far the hardest part of my independent component. Because of this experience I don't think that I want to become a teacher. I dealt with a particular student who just made me doubt myself and it was a horrible experience that I wouldn't want to deal with on a daily basis. Even though I had a not so great experience this gave me hope for my final lesson. If I can teach 36 students on three different occasions then I can teach another class of 35 for an hour.

Applied:

• My essential question asks; What it the best method for a high school teacher to ensure that her students comprehend the material? My independent component helped me answer my essential question. Through the entire process I learned that the students are only as good as their teacher, if the teacher puts effort into their lessons then it will reflect int he work of the students. The students will understand what they are being taught if and only if the lesson plans are made so that every students unique learning abilities are accommodated.

Blog 14: Third Interview Preparation

For this interview you will prepare 10 open-ended questions that focus on your newly approved EQ (in fact, your first question can be your EQ.) Remember, all interviews must be done in person unless they are specifically approved by your house teacher. Additional, one person may be interviews a maximum of two times.

Just my uncle and I having a casual conversation.

My Essential Question: What method is best for a high school teacher to ensure that her students comprehend the material?

1. Who do you plan to interview? What is this person's area of expertise?
• For my third interview I plan on interviewing my uncle, Mr. Yousef Nasouf,  who is the principal at Nogales High School. 
2. Verify that you have called your interviewee to schedule and interview. What is the date and time of the interview?
• The date of my interview in January 21, 2016 at 2:00 p.m.
3. Phrase an open-ended  question that will help you find research resources that would help you answer your EQ.
• In order to find more answers to my essential question, (What method is best for a high school teacher to ensure that her students comprehend the material?) what types of research would your recommend I find?
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). 
• In order to expand upon my answers to my essential question what activities do you suggest I do?
5. Phrase two open-ended  questions that help you understands your interviewee's perspective on an aspect of your EQ.
• What influenced you decision on becoming a high school principal rather than an elementary one?
•  Every student has different learning capabilities, in what way do you think teachers can best accommodate their needs. 

Blog 13: 10 Hour Mentorship Check-In

This is the high school I am completing my mentorship at.

1. Where are you doing your mentor ship?
• I am currently completing my mentorship at Nogales High School located in La Puente.
2. Who is your contact? What makes this person an expert?
• I am working with Monica Hidalgo who has taught tenth and twelfth history as well as English. She has received her education from UC Irvine, UC San Diego, and Cal State Long Beach. Not only does she have a masters and bachelors degree in multiple subjects but Ms. Hidalgo also has half of her doctorate in U.S. History from UC Irvine. She has taught at the high school level for eight years, and she has the knowledge and experience I could benefit from.
3. How many hours have you done during the school year?
• I haven't completed any service hours this years because I have done them in the past but I just haven't turned in the community service forms. 
4. Succinctly summarize what you did , how well you and your mentor worked together, and how you plan to complete the remaining hours.  
• I have 24 hours left for the required hours and I plan to complete those hours the same as I have been doing so. In my mentorship I have graded papers, create lesson plans, teach three class periods, and help create a final exam for Ms. Hidalgo's sophomore history classes. My mentor and I have worked cohesively in ensuring that I have been gaining the popper knowledge necessary to become the best teacher possible. I don't think that our relationship has turned into a friendship because I don't think our relationship should be on that level. I see her as a person who I can approach if I have any question about what I need to do. We have worked well together and I have enjoyed my mentorship so far. 

Blog 12 - Holiday Project Update

This is the high school where I am currently completing my mentorship.

• It is important to consistently work on your senior project, whether its over break or we are in school. What did you do over the break with your senior project?

• Over break I didn't focus on much of my senior project because I had worked on it during Thanksgiving break, however I did work on describing the process of my senior project on my Independent Component Log. During my Thanksgiving break I had taught two classes at the high school where I am currently completely my mentorship at and I had finalized the lesson plans I had set up for the class during that week.

• What was the most important thing you learned from what you did, and why? What was the source of what you learned?

• The most important thing I had learned from the work I had done with my independent component was that I needed to be confident when approaching 30+ young adults. This was the most important thing I learned because this lesson can apply to all aspects of my life in the present and future.I learned that confidence most important from the students that I was teaching. 

• Your third interview will be a 10 question interview related to possible answers to your EQ. Who do you plan to talk to and why?

• I plan to talk to my uncle who is the principal of Nogales High School, he is accessible and has experience with students from grades 8-12. If he is unable to be interviewed then I plan to talk to a school psychologist, even though I don't know any, I should probably start contacting these people soon.