Tutoring: A Male at Operation Sunshine

by Jaron Cox (sophomore)

When tutoring, you will only get out of it whatever you put into it. Last year I had the mindset that tutoring would not be fun, and because of that mindset most of my tutoring experience was boring. I am not sure if it was the facility or my outlook that made it that way, but it was probably mainly due to my expectations beforehand. If you go into tutoring thinking that it will be boring then more than likely it will be.

This year I decided that I would be a bit more optimistic when I went to tutor. I am currently tutoring at Operation Sunshine. I only know of two guys that are tutoring there, I am one and the other is TF Adam Daniels. The reason I even mention this is because Operation Sunshine is an ALL GIRLS after-school program for girls who live in a poverty-stricken area and they may not be getting all the educational help at home that they need. Because of the outlook that I decided to have when tutoring, I am actually enjoying tutoring this semester. I am having fun getting to know many of the kids.

I really respect the facilitator at Operation Sunshine. She is very nice, but at the same time, she does not put up with anyone’s mess. She makes sure that all of the girls have finished their homework before they get to play outside or in the game room. I go to help whoever needs help with homework and after they finish with their homework, I get to play with them.

At first a felt a little weird being the only male in the room, but I quickly got over my discomfort because I realized that I may be the only positive form of a male role model that these girls have in their lives. So, thinking of it that way, I do not mind playing dolls if that is what these girls want me to do with them. As long as I am making an impact in their lives then I do not mind being there for them however they need me.

Senior Seminars

by Tabitha Simpson (senior)

Senior year is a very exciting and nervous time. Knowing that you are nearing the end is exciting for everyone, but also knowing that in just a few months you will be walking into your own classroom can be a little scary. Senior Seminars are designed to conquer these fears and just as the rest of the Teaching Fellows/Maynard Scholars Program does, prepares seniors for that journey into the classroom.

The first Senior Seminar of this year focused on the legal aspects of teaching. For freshmen this is the farthest thing on the mind but as you near senior year it is an important topic that will most certain affect you as you enter your own classroom. The speaker informed the seniors of many legal issues that will face them in the next few years. Topics included: acceptable ways to touch students, legal responsibilities on field trips, and even questions that you do and do not have a legal obligation to answer during interviews. Many people tell too much in their interview that prevents them for landing their desired position. After the speaker spoke about the legal obligations of field trips, many seniors had a different opinion about them.

The speaker for the seminar in October focused on the topics of effective teaching and classroom management. Throughout his presentation the speaker moved throughout the room and was very energetic. He informed the seniors that be energetic and showing you love what you do is very important in the classroom. Showing you care about your job models excellent behaviors for your students. He also talked about being prepared for the students before they enter. It is easy to try to get the students next task together while they are working on their current one. The best thing,especially for first year teachers it to be organized and have everything you need for the day already done.

Year 2 in the Dorms

by Kaitlin Bunch (sophomore)

Dorm life is considered by many an essential part of the “College Experience.” Last year I stayed in Umstead Hall with all the other Teaching Fellow and Maynard Scholar freshmen here at East Carolina University. It was a very interesting experience. I had never stayed away from home so long and I had never roomed with someone I did not know. I was one of those kids that did not go to summer camp because I didn’t want to leave home, but once I got to know my roommate I really loved the experience.

This year I am staying in the dorms again. This time I live in an all-girls dorm with someone I went to high school with. This has been really different from last year. My mom told me that it would be difficult living with someone I knew really well and that has proved true in some ways. My roommate is a neat-freak and I am not, I am a night owl and my roommate is not, these are just two examples of things that cause small problems for us. I think that it has been a good learning experience for me. It has been really interesting seeing how two people living together that knew each other before can have more problems than two people living together who didn’t know each other. I am really glad we stayed in the dorms our first year with Teaching Fellows and Maynard Scholars. It was really great getting to know everyone and was a completely different experience than it has been for me this year. Being in the dorms has been a fun experience and I think that everyone should try it at least once.

How Craft Time with Operation Sunshine Prepared Me for Teaching High School Science

by Georganna Davis (senior)

(Editorial Note: This post is the first in an occasional series of reflections on the ECU TF/MS program written by current Senior II interns. These posts will highlight specific events, programs, etc. that our Fellows and Scholars currently doing their full-time student teaching have now found to be helpful. Look for more of these posts with the tag "reflection on TF/MS.")

While looking back on the past few years of dedication to the East Carolina Teaching Fellows, it is easy to think of many different instances where the Teaching Fellows Program has helped me to develop into the teacher I will be in just a few short months. From attending the helpful seminars to working with my peers in the Communications Committee to adventuring out on a few educational trips, there have been so many opportunities to grow as an educator that I would have not had otherwise. Surprisingly enough, one of my favorite memories was the twenty hours of required tutoring my sophomore year. I am almost embarrassed to say, from the first day I sat foot in the door somehow I knew this mandatory tutoring would be a waste of time. I want to teach high school, so there was no way tutoring these elementary students would prepare me for my future. Fortunately, however, I was wrong.

During the sophomore year every Teaching Fellow and Maynard Scholar is required to tutor ten hours each semester at and assigned after school program for a total of twenty hours at the end of the year. I was assigned to Operation Sunshine, an after school facility for at-risk female elementary students. The first semester, Fellows and Scholars report to the site to help with homework, play with the kids, prepare snacks, and generally get comfortable with their placement. During the second semester Fellows and Scholars are required to get together in small groups and plan a service learning project. My coworkers and I looked around for a project that we felt would capture our student’s attention, as well as help them learn the importance of serving others, and of course fit into our busy schedules. We collaborated together and with the students and decided to make a construction paper quilt to hang in a near by rest home. The intentions of this project were three-fold; we wanted to introduce the students to something new, allow for creativity for the students, and serve the community. We began by teaching a brief lesson plan on the history of quilts and the way they are made. Next we allowed each student to decorate a piece of construction paper with paint. Then, we used yarn to “sew” the paper together to make the quilt. Finally, we dropped it off at a near by rest home for decoration.

The project was a huge success. I was able to collaborate with some great future educators, get some experience managing students, be creative, and help out the community - not to mention create an interdisciplinary lesson plan mixing history and art.

Building Hope In the Lives of our Future Leaders

by LaAdah Miles (junior)

I am a junior Teaching Fellow and employee at Building Hope Community Life Center located in Greenville, NC. I have been apart of this non-profit community organization for three years. This after school program furnishes a positive Christian environment for at risk children in the community. The ages of the children range from first grade to eleventh grade. Building Hope is a well-kept secret in Greenville, but through our recent partnership with ECU we hope to gain the publicity and support needed to continue our longevity.

We have much to be proud about as we have started two new programs to give boys and girls alternatives to spending their extra time in the streets that bring about negativity. We have an all boys program by the name of 300 MOS (Men of Standard) and WOW ( Women of Worship). MOS is a men's project that challenges young males to become "real" men. They have weekend retreats, conduct clean up service activities, a flag football team in the fall, and have movie and dinner nights to talk about the bible and get guidance on hardships in life and school. The WOW had our first kick off November 11, 2008. WOW hosted an Integrity pageant where the girls were able to show off their confidence and talent through praise dance, choir, and decorations. The WOW vision is that we educate young girls on the importance of loving their selves and leaning on the Lord, not the world, for understanding. We hope that the young girls are able to minister to other young girls as we one day hope to open the door to the community for more WOW members. Although the MOS has been around longer than WOW, we are proud of the milestones made and give all the glory and honor to God.

Building Hope has an open door and would love to see as many new faces willing to help our youth in whatever way your heart desires. I teach a fifth grade class and it seems they get more homework each day. I need the help. If your afternoons seem too demanding we have another program called Standing in the Gap. This program starts from eight in the morning until two in the afternoon as a normal school day would function. This program gives suspended students an alternative to missing out on important school work and encourages constructive time spent while out of the class. This program gives BHCLC a chance to minister and help them see the error of their ways through problem solving skills. These are the children we try to reach most. Their troubles seem too much for them to bare. We just give them as much love and support while in our care. I challenge you to serve your community by getting involved the way i have and play a small, but influential part in changing the lives of our future leaders.

Visit our website at http://bhclc.org/home if you are interested in knowing more. Below is the contact information for BHCLC if you would just like to come and see how a regular day is at BHCLC.

Building Hope Community Life Center
309 West 9th Street P.O.Box 4237
Greenville, NC 27836
(252) 757-1840 Email: info@bhclc.org

BB&T Teacher Leadership Academy

by Krystle Wiggins (senior)

Last semester I was completing my Senior 1 internship, and during this time I was invited to participate in the BB&T Teacher Leadership Academy. This consisted of a series of four seminars that took place on Monday afternoons for an hour and a half. At the seminars we had a variety of speakers to motivate and teach us the importance of becoming teacher leaders within our classroom, school, community, and region. They stressed the importance of furthering our knowledge and going for those masters and doctorate degrees. It was explained that as teachers we must always look for new and better ways to teach children, and improve our teaching skills. We heard from a principal, two teachers, and a college professor all telling us their stories of how they got where they are today, and how they feel that they are teacher leaders. During the last seminar there was a banquet held in honor of us putting forth the time and effort to attend this leadership academy and further our knowledge. We had a very nice meal, heard from a fantastic speaker, and were awarded with medallions for us to wear at our graduation. I highly recommend this academy for anyone that is completing their Senior 1 internship.

Junior Tutoring: Music Ed

by Anthony Hingley (junior)

As with the spring semester of the freshman year and the whole sophomore year, junior Teaching Fellows and Maynard Scholars tutor one hour a week. For your junior year, you are placed according to your preferences for grade level and subject area. You are encouraged to select the grade level and subject area you want to teach when you graduate. As a Music Education major, I asked to be placed with a middle school band program, which is what I would like to teach.

When I arrived at my school to tutor, I discovered that the class was all percussion (students playing drums, bells, cymbals, etc.). I was glad to know that there was one student in the class who was a tuba player like myself but could not be in the class designated for brass players. It was decided that for an hour a week, I would basically give this student private lessons. I would come to the school, and as soon as class started, this student and I would head to the hallway where we would proceed to work on the concert music, scales, and all the fundamentals of playing tuba. This experience has been very good for me, and I feel that it is helping me to grow as a teacher as well as a musician.