Professional Mentorship - Through my mentorship, I worked with Randee Halvorson. Ms. Randee is a Preschool teacher at Missouri Valley Montessori. I was able to go into her class and work with the children and observe. This experience allowed me to gain knowledge and understanding of how a preschool classroom is run. I love the individual nature of the Montessori method. I hope to some day learn more in depth the Montessori method and bring it into my classroom. Ms. Randee has beautiful classroom management skills and the kids participate willingly in each activity she plans.
Faculty Mentorship - I also had the great privilege of working with Mrs. Bassingthwaite. Through this experience, I was able to help Mrs. Bassingthwaite with a presentation for the Early Childhood Education Conference. We presented on the importance of Play in the classroom and helped teachers take home ready-made materials to use in their classroom. Mrs. Bassingthwaite has helped me through my three years of collage. Always helping me grow and become the person I am today. She helps me get into classrooms, write lesson plans, and gives me knowledge that isn't always found in the classroom. Through my many stops in her office, I have reaped the benefits of this mentorship experience and will be forever grateful for her guidance. |
University of Mary Day of Service - I have been able to participate in three service days for the University of Mary. My freshman year I volunteered for the Salvation Army and completed some indoor painting. My sophomore year I volunteered for PRIDE, and worked on building a playground for one of their houses. My junior year I volunteered with the Ronald McDonald House helping them with spring cleaning. All of these volunteer experiences have shown that when people come together, greatness can come from it.
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In the classroom - To be a great teacher, I believe it first takes a lot of love, experiences, and knowledge. I want to have the knowledge of different classrooms and the experiences of many classrooms before having my own classroom someday. With the help of my wonderful advisor, Mrs. Janet Bassingthwaite, I have been able to go into different classrooms each semester and volunteer my time. Over the past three years I have had the opportunity to work with...
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Therapeutic Riding for the Heart and Soul - Through my Cognitive-Language Practicum I was introduced to this program and its leader, Katie Oakland. This program, "seeks to improve the quality of life, both physically and emotionally of adults and children with disabilities, learning, speech, and behavioral challenges through the heart and soul of a horse." After my hours were complete, I continued to volunteer because I had fallen in love with it. The kids that come are some of the happiest children I have ever seen and they will always have a special place in my heart.
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Carrie's Kids - I was able to work with Carrie's Kids through the ELA program, "Carrie’s Kids believes that all children/teens are created with a purpose." During my freshman volunteer experience a group of us put on a Beauty Night. Girls were able to come and get their hair done, nails painted, color, or make bracelets. My sophomore experience a group of us collected Christmas gifts for Carrie's Kids. These gifts were then wrapped, and the children were able to pick out a gift for a friend or family member. These experiences made me aware that not everyone has the opportunities to get their hair cut, or pick out a gift for a family member.
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Camp Grassick - My junior volunteer experience involved raising money for Camp Grassick. This camp is for children and adults with special needs. It provides physical, occupational, speech, and reading therapy for the campers. Our goal was to raise money for the parents who cannot afford to send their child to this camp. We wanted to provide the opportunity to help families in need experience the beauty of Camp Grassick. We were able to raise the money through a Tumbler Sale and a Spaghetti Feed. The success of this project would not have been possible without all of us working together.
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