Learning and Growing Pt.3 (Junior Year)

https://psychcentral.com/lib/growth-and-change-through-the-college-years/

The article linked above describes many ways that college students grow during all of the situations and challenges they face when they are away from home. Everyone wants to continue to better themselves and I think we all can relate to things Rita Landino talks about in the article Growth and Changes Through the College Years. Personally, I have learned a lot since my freshman year of college, not just educationally but emotionally and spiritually. There are still so many experiences waiting for me and things I still don’t know or  mastered. In this post I want to get real and just talk about what my college experiences have taught me and things I wish I knew before college and even now.

What I've Learned

• Sometimes you think you know who you are but you really don't. In college you might learn new things about yourself everyday.
•  Time management is crucial to success.
• Procrastination will only hurt you in the long run, so don't form that habit.
• Planning out your days makes for a better, more productive day.
• It's okay to take time to yourself to recharge and reorganize your priorities.
• Confide in those you trust because many people have either gone through what you are going through or can be a great listener.
• Stressing shows that you care about your education and future, but it is important to relax and still do fun things for yourself from time to time.

What I wish I Knew 

•  I wish I knew where I'll be in about 2 years.
•  I wish I knew about the challenges and hardships the College of Education at PVAMU was enduring in my freshman year of college.
• I wish I knew where my teaching degree will take me in the future.
• I wish I knew what challenges lie ahead.
• I wish I knew how to speak my mind and be more open and outgoing. 
• I wish I knew who will have a impact on me and my future.
• I wish I knew what to expect in the near future.

                                                 

Review of EC-6 Degree Plan

https://catalog.pvamu.edu/academicprogramsanddegreeplans/whitlowergreencollegeofeducation/#collegerequirementstext

The link above provides all the information about the College of Education that a student would need to know. I think many of the students have never even seen this part of the website and I think professors should start stressing that students get familiar with this page. The only thing I think they should include through that link is a prospective timeline of when to complete each of those courses and all the requirements necessary to become a certified teacher, as that is everyone's ultimate goal. I was admitted into the college of education for the spring of my sophomore year. I have not started any of my CUIN courses, but I plan to start them in Fall 2020. I have really enjoyed all the Generalist EC-6 Major Requirement classes I've taken: ECED 3003, ECED 4013 and ECED 3013 I am in currently. In most of those courses we did real activities that we would use in our classroom like lesson plans, taking ideas from Pinterest, and creating presentations. The "Other Requirement" courses have been the most challenging for me because they have required me to think back to those skills and information I learned when I was in elementary, middle and high school. A class I really enjoyed from those requirements was Structures of Number Systems. The teacher was very helpful, and really took her time to explain everything super in depth. Overall, I think the classes we are required to take are necessary to our success and align with education degree plans at other universities.

Interview with Fellow PVAMU Education Major- Lauryn Davis

Lauryn Davis, Junior, Education Major

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education-k-12/reports/2019/08/14/473197/elevating-student-voice-education/ 

Being an education major at PVAMU isn't always the easiest of things, we are often faced with challenges that can be fixable or avoided altogether. The article above explains how students should have a voice regarding their Education. At a university it is easy to be lost and unheard because your professors have tons of students and it is so much bigger than an elementary school classroom. We are supposed to be preparing for our futures which are closer than ever, but we are suffering and falling behind because of things that aren't really in our control. If you read the article it shows ways students can reach those who are in charge and who decide how we will receive our education. The College of Education should want to hear our feedback and our concerns, ultimately that may help them improve their policies and be able to reach their students better. I've decided to interview a fellow education major here at PVAMU to hear some of her thoughts and feelings on the education department.

1. What do you think is the biggest thing the College of Education needs to improve on? The biggest thing the College of Education needs to improve is their communication skills. Nothing is ever explained correctly or clearly when students ask questions. There should be a set guideline with dates and times explaining each event occurring over the school year.
2. Who have been your favorite professors in the College of Education, and why? I have not encountered a professor I would consider as my favorite.
3. What are some of the difficulties you've faced so far being a junior in college?  The biggest challenge for me these last two years of college has been time management. I struggle with getting my homework done at the correct time and not waiting until the last minute.

The Harsh Reality and Future of Going to Public School in America

                    

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sandy-hook-promise-school-supplies-ad_n_5d82113de4b070d468c48971 

I’m sure many of you have seen the commercial about using your school supplies as protection in a school shooting created by the non-profit organization Sandy Hook Promise. If you have not seen the commercial, please click the link above. The article and the commercial really raise awareness to the fact that this has become a reality and a fear in our American public schools, it is crucial for everyone to watch it for themselves. It is sad to say that as a future educator this might be something I will encounter and will definitely have to prepare myself and my students for. When thinking of the job description for a teacher, you wouldn’t normally think of “proper use of firearms/gun training, or self-defense.” No, we did not originally sign up for those type of hardships, but it is something that we may now have to normalize and consider. Should teachers be allowed to carry guns? That’s a whole different discussion for another post. Once again, this commercial and this article is just meant to display what goes on in school, and sadly what students may be thinking about in 2019 when going back to school. It is obviously something scary and something that kids shouldn’t have to deal with. Tragedies like that shouldn’t be happening anywhere let alone in schools, but it is reality! As a future educator I vow to put my students first, not only in their educational needs but also by protecting them. When I was younger, school was a whole realm of endless possibilities, fun and creativity. It was something I looked forward to everyday, but I never imagined it could turn into a place where student’s futures could end so abruptly.

Pros and Cons of Group Assignments

          

https://www.society19.com/10-tips-survive-group-project

I guess last week was the week of assigning group projects. I had two chapter presentations due.The first was for Health/Motor/Physical development (ECED3013) and the second was for Introduction to Exceptional Children (SPED3003). Like most things, one group turned out great and the other not so much. Realistically, especially when the professor assigns the groups, or they're chosen at random there may be more difficulties. It's hard when you don't know the people in your group well enough to know how they work and what type of people they are. Those 10 tips written by Francis Martinez should be common sense to college students or considered group project etiquette, but many people don't think the same and often there are issues. This article may give student's different ways to approach their next group assignment. As college students we understand life gets in the way and people miss classes, some people don't like to take initiative and some take too much authority, we have those who are lazy and those who just don't care, but how hard is it to meet each other in the middle? I like everything done a certain way (correctly and putting forth effort), I like to get started on work right away, I'm authoritative but also willing to let other people take the lead, and I find it difficult to speak up if someone isn't contributing. I would rather receive my own grade and be responsible for just my work, but sometimes in group projects you must pull someone else's weight. We all have different opinions on group projects, so here's a list of my pros and cons on the topic.

Pros 

•  work is divided
•  don't have to present by yourself
•  interesting/new ideas and perspectives
•  develop strong communication skills  

Cons

• unequal participation
• conflict
• time consuming
• having to rely on others
• grades may not be earned by everyone/freeriders
• different personalities
• communication/conflicting schedules 

How do you feel about group assignments?