Imani Williams Capstone
The main reason behind doing this project is because of how open my heart is to any and everyone. I consider myself to be a great listener and a leader. Considering the fact that I grew up in a household where I was the youngest; I've always wanted to know how it felt to have a younger sibling. With this being said, I have always been attached to having like a big sister relationship with young people that I encounter with. In certain conversations that I have with younger children, I started to realize that they open up to me which makes me feel very special and trustworthy. Having a love for listening to other people and giving the best advice I possibly can is why I decided to mentor/ teach younger girls for my senior project. Twice a week I traveled to West Philadelphia Achievement Charter Elementary School and met up with my mentor. We came up with different topics and activities for the girls each time we met. I had the opportunity to teach and work with each girl individually. Being with these young girls has taught me a little bit about myself and others each time I attended. Patience is definitely the key to success when working with younger children because children around that age can get distracted very easily. This experience with these 5th grade girls shaped and formed my mindset which made me a better me and just appreciating the small things in life considering the fact that these girls have been through a lot.
Capstone Bibliography
Rodriguez, Havidan. “Mentoring Best Practices.” A Handbook, Dec. 1968,
<https://www.albany.edu/academics/mentoring.best.practices.chapter3.shtml
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When I first reviewed this source I automatically thought this one would be perfect for the mentoring aspect of my capstone. Knowing the steps of achieving that great mentor role puts me in a position of of actually being a good mentor. On this website, I see some steps I can take if I ever got stuck or needed assistance on what to do next. Being knowledgeable about new steps that you're taking is always useful. If I didn't like how I handled the group discussion one day, I can always refer back to this website to guide me. I also learned the importance of having a great relationship with the students you are mentoring so there can be a form of trust. This source definitely applies to me considering the fact Im mentoring.
Sparks , Sara. Growth Mindset. 11 Sept. 2013
<https://www.ttacjmu.org/assets/files/resource/307/growth_mindset.pdf>
This source talks about growth mindsets and how children began to learn certain things and how they process information. It is important to know this because they are in the stage where they do need guidance and help and if a adult or someone older doesn't realize that then they get frustrated which can cause a bigger problem. This source points out that all students are different and something that is easy to one person may not be too eat for another. This is also important to know while dealing with 5th graders because as I began to get into asking questions and being more involved I h e to take into consideration that all of the girls may not be as comfortable as another. This source has helped me realized that no one thinks exactly the same.
Admin. Group Discussion Skills . 7 June 2011, www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/group-discussion-skills.
This source talks about the importance of group discussions and how beneficial they can be. There's always a line that you don't want to cross when dealing with speaking out loud to a group. Meaning not judging or offending anyone else in the process of speaking.The article separates the different categories of handling one's emotions. There is multiple kinds of discussions a person can have such as making decisions to solving a problem. I think this is an important aspect of my project because as a 5th grader you began to experience different things such as bullying or peer pressure. Me as a mentor and empowering this girl, it is important for me to know how to help and how to bring it in.
Daley, Suzanne. “Little Girls Lose Their Self-Esteem Way to Adolescence, Study Finds.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Jan. 1991, www.nytimes.com/1991/01/09/education/little-girls-lose-their-self-esteem-way-to-adolescence-study-finds.html.
One topic in my discussion is about self esteem and confidence. I thought it would be important to touch on this topic because it's about that age girls start to talk about one another or they start to become insecure. This source explains how young girls lose their self esteem at just a young age. Study shows that females deal with being less confident more than men because of hormones and stuff they experience. This is why I think it's important to have this discussion with younger girls to inform and remind them about how beautiful they are no matter what. Some days there will be times where you feel insecure but don't let that change anything about yourself.
movieclips. “Waiting to Exhale (3/5) Movie CLIP - Ladies Night (1995) HD.” YouTube, YouTube, 15 Oct. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUO9-h182d4.
This source is a movie Waiting to Exhale is a good source to represent how girls can come together to stay together and build each other up. This movie is mainly about challenges that these women have been through but with the help of each other they got through. This movie is a great source because of the fact that this prove the point of my capstone. One of the main goals is to build up their confidence and for them to build up each others confidence and self esteem. I want them to understand that their will be struggles in their lives but they will get through it.
Findley, Jennifer, et al. “What to Expect When Teaching 5th Graders.” Teaching to Inspire with Jennifer Findley, 22 July 2017, teachingtoinspire.com/2016/06/expect-teaching-5th-graders.html.
This source is going to be helpful because it is a guide to thinking how a 5th grader acts and interacts with one other. Using this source helps me get into the mind of a 11 year old. It is expressed that they are very talkative and exciting about learning. This is good in the sense that we are discussing different topics and unique ideas so I do want them to be excited about being there and wanted to talk. It is just about when we are calming down and wrapping everything up and how to bring it in.
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=HkWRAgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=mentoring+students&ots=43DMBa0Pt_&sig=7xHqZ0hjRPrDZaANHCAbxSqvM9c#v=onepage&q=mentoring%20students&f=false
This source showed me the importance of mentoring and talking to each other. Transitioning from different ages and as you get older you start to experience things like liking boys and getting your period (puberty). It's good to have someone to talk to when it's not your parents or a teacher. When it is someone else that is around our age but older it can feel good to get off your chest without having to worry about your parents being in your business. It's good to have other people to talk to. This information holds the valable reasons of why mentoring is important and can help not only younger people but anyone.
“Five Essential Tips for Teaching Very Young Children English.” Five Essential Tips for Teaching Very Young Children English | British Council, www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/five-essential-tips-teaching-very-young-children-english.
This source is a source that gives tips on how to educate young children without making it boring or lecturing them. Letting them know that there is a purpose on why I'm doing what I'm doing and that it will greatly help them. I found this source from google scholar and searching how to work with younger get when learning and paying attention. This source will guide me to talking to the 5th graders in a way that they will understand. In other words, breaking down the words I may use into a better understanding that they can use and understand.
McKeown, Marie. “How to Engage Children and Keep Their Attention: Tips for Parents and Educators.” WeHaveKids, WeHaveKids, 19 Apr. 2016, wehavekids.com/parenting/how-to-engage-children.
This source explains how to keep children's attention and involved in conversation. It is important for me to know this because sometimes things can get out of hand and they can start to talk to one another and get off task. This website helps because it helps me make a decision on what I need to do in order to get them back on track and pay attention. Considering the fact children want to have fun when learning I understand that things will get a little off task. It is important for me to know how to handle that without getting upset and mad at them.
Strauss, Valerie. “Why Strong Afterschool Programs Matter.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 15 Dec. 2011, www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/why-strong-afterschool-programs-matter/2011/12/14/gIQAvtUpuO_blog.html?utm_term=.71706aad84a1.
This source explains why it is good to have an after school program and how it can help a young mind mature and just have fun instead of being in trouble. Taking the minds and stress off of young ones is important so they can grow up and know what they like so they can keep themselves busy when in a stressful situation. It is important for kids to grow up being involved in positive things. It is proven that an active mind is a great mind to have especially when young.
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