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The Gender-Specific article really caught my attention.  It provided a clear understanding that I may be biased. Previously working only with young men, I believed that boys communicated better than young girls. After reading the articles I identified ways to improve communication, primarily with young ladies, as a mentor while still providing balance and boundaries. I am excited to utilize the tools presented.

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I enjoyed reading both of the articles. In the gender role I took away not to be expect the girls to open up too soon. I have notice that as the years progress some girls are more open then they were the year before.  For the 21 step article: I like the ideas about group work: that will definitely come in handy as the get older: college and in their professional career with working with different groups of people. I appreciate the option for a peace place which allows one to regroup if they are having a rough day or tough time at the moment. Allowing them to removed themselves and gathered their emotions and then be able to return to the group.

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These articles were so perfect as it relates to the teaching world and the mentoring world. First the article about gender specific clarified the relationships between women mentors and girls. They like to know that they can connect with you and that you are relatable in some way. They get comfortable around you easier, but they are also watching and paying attention to every little detail and everything that you do as a mentor. Therefore, it is vitally important to be a role model and an example of excellence and demonstrate to the girls that they can trust you and follow in your footsteps because you are great example that is worth following. It is also important to connect with your students and/or mentees because knowing that you as their teacher or mentor are there for them emotionally allows them to open up and be more vulnerable. Most times children especially once they are older begin to have a "wall" up that does not allow them to open up and to outwardly show feelings. However, where you are emotionally available to the students, they realize that you are someone that they can trust and you are there to help them through whatever they are facing they are capable or opening up and trusting others, because as a teacher/mentor, I was emotionally available for them.

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I love the idea of really getting into the comfort- emotional space of the youth. I think often their true feelings can be shut down or neglated because we try to compare their "childish" issue to an adult issue but the two are not the same. I really feel like kids have things to say and they should be offered a safe space to get out what they are feeling without being judged or feeling minimum. One thing I've recently started doing with my daughter is similar to "two truths & a lie" where at the end of the day, normally night time I ask her to tell me two things that made her happy today and one thing she would like to pray about. I just believe that keepi

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Both articles helped to realize that in order to reach children we must deal with the things they are going through first. We must do temperature checks and genuinely be there for the children we serve. Open that door to connect and learn about them first, while building upon their strengths while also strengthening their areas that need growth. Setting the tone for community is important. We want children to feel like they are welcomed and that each thing they are going through matters. The magic unfolds when we build a community of empathy.

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One similar theme that both articles had in common were examples of investing in and nurturing young people’s emotional well-being.  For example, in the article on integrating social learning throughout the day, examples like ‘nurturing a culture of kindness’ and ‘creating a peace place’ were methods allowing children check into with their own emotions - the positive and negative ones. In the article about gender-specific mentoring, its was emphasized that girls form bonds through sharing in intimacy and interpersonal connections. Nurturing and tapping into communication methods that are meaningful and emotion-based is beneficial for connecting with young girls. Both articles confirmed that the emotional element of relationship building is just as important as other aspects.

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As I read Integrating the 21 Steps of Social Emotional Learning one thing that stuck out to me was the checking in/checking out. I think that it is very important that we greet children with warm welcomes and smiles as well as with the closing of the day. We don't always know a child's home situation so I believe that having a good start to their morning is important. I think it builds confidence in them, relationship building, and a sense of support.

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I found both articles to be informative and interesting. As a teacher, I especially appreciated the article on ways to incorporate social-emotional learning. Although the ideas were presented for the classroom, many of these ideas are things already occurring in our mentoring program and meetings. While I found the article about gender-specific mentoring informative, I did have a few points to make regarding the article. The article pointed out the typical differences between boys and girls and while this can be proven through research, I think it is also important to avoid the stereotypes that follow girls based on general behaviors. It is important to know how girls develop typically, but it is also important to note that not every girl will match the "textbook" girl described in the article. Some girls may need the movement often attributed to boys or be less inclined to delve into their emotions than "typical" girls. As mentors, we should pay close attention to the INDIVIDUAL girls we work with in order to best meet each of their needs.

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I learned that one has to be strategic with how to approach both girls and boys when mentoring. It was interesting to learn how delicate a gender-specific approach is and how a mentor's approach is conducive to a successful interaction with the mentees. I have always been the type of person to try to "fix" someone's problems, especially if he/she confides in me. However, the article opened my eyes to the fact that trying to "fix" a mentee's problems isn't the best approach. Yet, strategic storytelling and sharing my own personal experiences that involved arriving to a solution to a problem is more meaningful. I enjoyed reading the 21 ways that teachers can integrate social/emotional learning in the classroom. These approaches appear to be successful in classrooms, and definitely in a mentoring setting.

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I thing the articles confirmed for me is the importance of treating children as individuals in addition to taking into account their gender. Children regardless of gender will react different so it is important for forge relationships and be intentional about understanding the children and taking time out to observe them through emotional and social actions and cues. The article "21 ways to integrate ..." gives details points on how this can be accomplished.

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I found the communication methods for boys versus girls to be interesting. I actually had thought boys communicate better than girls, well at least per my experience in mentoring. However, I see the statistics overrule my theory. Both articles confirm for me why I have committed to mentoring young girls and boys. There are so many obstacles in life that can diminish young ones adaptability and socialization skills that they sometimes are not taught in the home. Being able to teach the mentees the importance of controlling ones emotions and  ways to accept being different in any way is a proud moment for me having overcome depression when I was a little girl after experiencing abuse and anxiety because I was bigger than most of my peers amongst other issues I faced. I would like to suggest we share the highlights in the articles in a way the mentees could understand at their level and have them ask questions.

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Personally, I could relate a lot to the Gender-Specific article. It was eye opening to read that there are studies that show the ways in how gender can play a role in the ways our brains develop. For me, this article shows that girls are typically harder on themselves academically, physically, and socially which can cause self-esteem issues. I think especially in the day and age we live in, self-esteem goes beyond these realms. Social media is a huge tool in many people's day to day lives, whether it's used for work purposes or as a social platform. Children are starting to use these accounts at earlier ages, causing self esteem issues they may not recognize, or even depression. It is crucial for us to empower these girls and to reiterate how important it is to be the best version of themselves, as opposed to comparing yourselves to others. I think activities focused on their own skills and talents will help with self-esteem issues in addition to positive affirmations.

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Both articles were very informative. Introducing new words to say really stood out to me in the 21 ways teachers can integrate social-emotional learning article. Teaching positive words can help the girls develop positive conversations and positive thoughts. We all know that when we change our thinking we are able to move mountains. Reading affirmations daily can set the tone of the day for each girl. If they start with a positive mind, they will end with one.

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After reading both articles, I've further learned the importance of encouraging independence in children, especially girls. Because of how I was raised, I've always been a huge proponent of teaching independence but the article sowed me how important it is specifically in girls. Teaching girls how to solve their own problems helps them to foster a self confidence that will serve their lives forever. It's an imperative skill that they can use in all aspects of their lives; personal, professional, emotional, educational, etc.

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I never knew that the evidence supports that girls exhibit more assets in mentoring programs. This is a bonus for our mentoring program because we work with girls. I also notice that goal setting is a recurring theme . I would like to see us do some evaluations where the girls set goals for themselves, and we assess if they met their goals toward the end. I would like to learn how to effectively execute that.