From: Sharon Wie
Submit: Post Message
Date: 04 Oct 1996
Time: 17:24:54
This Psychology Learning and Technology course relates to many of my interests. I enjoy working with children and plan to pursue a career centering around them. I believe working with the Spanish/English bilingual children at Barrios Unidos will strengthen my experience and knowledge about young children. I have previously worked with a diverse group of special education pre-kindergarteners, fourth graders, and fifth graders in a formal classroom setting. I have also choreographed and taught Jr. High cheer squads, peer mediated ninth graders, and worked as a camp counselor for 10th grade Human Relation camps. Barrios Unidos will definetly be a different experience because of its target ethnic group and informal enviroment. The practicum will provide for me an opportunity to encourage youngsters on the same "level". I do not play a teacher role where they must follow my directions. Our time together will be a collaborative effort of learning and fun. This type of interaction will enable me to bond with my children at Barrios Unidos in a "friend" fashion. There will be as much to learn from them as they will learn from me. The mandatory fieldnotes will be of great use at the present and future to me and the other classmates. It will be very helpful in class discussion and sharing ideas. We will be able to track our first day with our last. Most likely, there will be significant changes and improvements. We will also be able to see our relationship with the kids grow. The goal of this class seems to be to help the children at Barrios Unidos succeed in life by teaching computer skills, emphasizing social skills, assisting academic areas, and by being role models. One goal of my own in Developmental Psychology is to improve the learning atmosphere for children. Working at Barrios Unidos will help me in possible further research.