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Mentor Hours: 12.15 hours
Module certificates: 24 hours

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1 Hour

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This week I conducted the Live Zoom lesson. The child I worked with is 12 months old  At first we were going to work with play dough but we transitioned into working with slime instead. We made slime and talked about our five senses. throughout the session I informed mom the benefits of working with slime on how it helps children think critically and create connections in the brain. Furthermore, Ezekiel did an amazing job, his attention span in the activity was one that my mentor teacher noticed was longer than any other session. Not only did the child have fun but mom had fun playing with the child too.

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Conducting the live zoom lesson I did not feel nervous, I have learned to understand that the ones who are nervous are the students. Therefore, in order to establish a connection with the child I need to feel secure and prepared with the lesson. At first the child did not want to touch the slime, his face of confusion was too cute but once he saw his mother playing with the slime he felt encouraged to try it once more. I learned that asking the mom questions I can get a feel of how familiar the child is feeling stuff with sensory tools. For instance, slime may be difficult to do everyday but it can be incorporated with nutrition. Including fruits and vegetables the child works with fine motor skills, sensory skills, and receives a healthy nutrition. Overall I felt as if the lesson went great and I did not feel after that I missed any parts. I really enjoyed how engaged I can have a child through zoom and learned that in my future teachings it is okay to go off the lesson plan in order to keep the child's attention. After viewing my mentor teacher conduct these lesson I feel competent in conducting lessons alongside with her.

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This week the students had social. During social the students are observed playing and parents working with the students. Though it is virtual and all students from different classes are added into one each teacher helps every child and encourages each parent to provide their children with different materials. I observed the students roam freely around their home, and parents would follow with their phones pointing at them. While some students were engaged with the activity of play other students were not. Teachers would encourage them to re-center their child but if they were not willing too it was okay.

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Documentation of Mentor Hours

Made first contact with mentor. I emailed my mentor, thanking her for her time and consideration. She emailed me back with her phone number and decided to communicate via text for the upcoming weeks.

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After 3 tries, the parent was finally able to connect with the mentor teacher. Given that everything is virtually it does make it more difficult for parents to dedicate time of their day for their Childs teaching when they as well have other children. In todays observation, I observed the child using blocks. By doing so the mentor teach asked questions such as what color, what shape, and what size the block is.

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My mentor teacher is a home based teacher for early head start meaning that a lot of her students are infant and are learning basic skills such as tummy time. However, I am thankful that my teacher always tries to get me involved in all sort of ages to be introduced to the different teaching styles for each age. I reflected that these lessons are not so much aimed for the child but more for the parent to help the child. Furthermore, I learned that one needs to be flexible, at times the toddler may not want to work anymore, and if the child does not want to work it is best to acknowledge, accept, and have the child say goodbye and all done. This way we do not force a child or create a traumatic experience for the child. I plan to use this information in my future teachings in not worrying if the lesson was not done, but much rather take focus that the child is expressing that they are not set for learning material at that moment. It is always okay to go back and try again at a different time.

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This week my mentor teacher was having parent conferences with families. She informed me what she discusses with parents which include individuals plans for the child and progress they have seen. We discussed about my lesson plan and she gave me a great idea to do something that involves hands on.

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Though I did not observe a lesson with a student there are more things than just working with the students. Especially when it is home based the families are involved tremendously. I plan to use this as a personal understanding that creating lesson plans isn't a person job. It should include the families in order for them to feel welcome and best help their child in their home.

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This week I conducted the live zoom meeting. I believe it went great. The child was engaged and we sang "Old Macdonald"

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This meeting was with an older child a little over a year old. We reviewed farm animals. As the teacher showed visuals the child would imitate the animal sounds as well sing "ee I eee I oo." What I learned and can use for my future practice was that the child best pays attention in a spot like his high chair. He recognizes that it is his spot for him to focus and learn. Establishing a spot for them to use as a learning center can help in the future if we continue virtual learning if not it can be used as the learning spot to do their homework. Furthermore, I learned that using visuals allows children to stay focused but rather than using fake images like cartoon ones it is best to use real life images. With the real life images they are able to make the connection and relate to objects they see in person. Furthermore, child is referred with a specialist and mother informed struggles that she faces. Mentor teacher did an amazing job reassuring the mom she is doing an amazing job and different strategies she can use. Recognizing that sometimes children are unready to learn it is okay to reschedule and try again later. The purpose of this is to show the children they are respected and recognition of feelings.

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In this weeks meeting, I learned that we can not rush the process. With that being said, if a child is not responsive or engaged to the activity there is no point to begin and go through it. Because then there learning experience feels like an obligation rather than it being fun for the child. We learned that this child works best in a high chair. I plan to use this concept in the future by identifying when a child is feeling engaged and have different mechanisms tools that can help engage a child. In a classroom setting I am aware that there are rocking chairs that help the child sit still. As well using fidget toys, though they may be occupied using that, they are still involved and engaged in the lesson.

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This meeting was one on one with Ezekiel & Karen. This is my third time observing this class. Child is about 11 months old. During the Webex meeting I was able to identify the different challengers there can be during a virtual visit. Primarily being the internet; however, teacher showed parent what to do incase it cuts off. The child was very reactive to the songs that we sang during the meeting. Though he still has little coordination with his hands; child did participate singing the itsy bits spider, wheels on the bus, and head shoulders knees and toes. During the meeting I observed that the child was familiar to the voice of the teacher and showed interest throughout the meeting. Parent disclosed information on progress of child. During this meeting I noticed many developmental measures such as social emotional an example of social emotional was that he would laugh whenever we made the song faster. Then I noticed physical development and an example of physical development was that the child would try to stand up, and move his arms. Furthermore I noticed language development, and an example of language development was his way to repeat the song.

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In this meeting I learned how to engage students and attract their interest. In my lesson plan I was debating whether to show a video or simply sing the song. And now looking back I reflect that it is best using just the audio and showing the students different images and movements. This way it Is not like they are just watching a video but they are engaged to someone that looks like them. Using realistic images provides students to bridge the connection of fantasy to real. I plan to use this in a classroom environment by avoid using cartoon images but present realistic images to the children.

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Mentor teacher invited me to a social group. During this meeting I observed many students from the class and the children had to present their form of play. I really enjoyed this meeting because the children ranged from different ages; but, they were able to present the learning material of recognizing body parts. For instance, an older child sang "head shoulder knees and toes" and pointed to the corresponding body part. Moreover, a young child expressed body parts through the song baby shark and used her hands as her main body part. This lesson really fascinated me in the fact that the objective was achieved from each age group.

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I have never joined a social before and I learned on how to encourage parents to engage their students with an activity. Each child have different interest and strategies of play. Therefore, I learned that if we guide parents to allow their child to explore we allow them to be engaged in learning and develop curiosity and initiative. I plan to use this in my lesson plan by allowing the child to be curious of the sounds by later presenting the image. This concept provided me insight on understanding that children learn best through play. We cannot expect students to copy, memorize, and present the information as they are not learning the fundamental knowledge of how it occurs or why.

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During this Meeting I got the chance to view a live zoom session with one student of 6 months old. I was able to self reflect on the different strategies that were provided to the parent as well what to do in different circumstances. For instance, the student had fallen asleep and my mentor teacher continued the lesson with the parent so that she can do it with the child. The objective of the lesson was physical development and recognition of body parts and movements.

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The purpose of working with the students is to achieve different goals that are established. For instance this child is 6 months old so I learned that their is a framework and standards they use to achieve these goals. furthermore, I enjoyed that though the child was asleep, teacher still helped the parent learn the concept and its purpose to work with the child. This not only helps the child grow and develop, but creates a relationship between parent and teacher to best develop goals together to help the child.

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This week I observed the lesson of Brown Bear. First the teacher started by welcoming the child and introducing what we were gonna do today. Fortunately the parent had the book at home and it was so amazing to see the child independently "read" the book and try expressing the different names. The teacher worked for almost 30 minutes with the child engaged with the story. Teacher connected the colors with items she had available and the child would connect the color with the page that presented the color.

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This week 2 parents cancelled on the days that worked best for both mentor and I. Mentor disclosed that sometimes this happened especially now because of virtual learning and other children being present that requires the attention from parent. However, we did discuss about upcoming lesson plan that needs to be established and ideas to incorporate with the child that was selected.

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I am so thankful for my mentor teacher. Though are lessons are conducted virtually my mentor teacher has helped guide me to different principles and ideas. I learned that to best work with the students I need to have a playful tone. Having them involved can be as simple as singing a song and clapping. This way students are encouraged to imitate my movements. I learned that though these children are young, they are still exploring. Exploring is a concept that students of young ages should present to later develop into building. During the building stage that is when they make connections of previous experiences.

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Teacher sang welcome song to child, acknowledged he has some blocks to work with. Teacher debriefed with mom to see what he has responded to. Teacher told mom that everything right now is being exposed and exploring as he places the blocks in his mouth. They continued working with blocks and guiding child to move blocks around.

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I really enjoyed how this child is one of the youngest I have worked with. Though he is not connecting yet, he is exploring. This showed me how even though it look like the child is playing with it, in reality he is exploring and trying to understand its touch and taste. I learned that expressing language we allow students to start making connections. As well I learned how to develop goals for students with parents. I enjoyed how this allows a relationship between parent and teacher to express concerns and ideas to help the child progress during evaluations. Connecting with parents allows the teacher know the child with more description especially since the child is an infant.

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In todays lesson I believed it was the most reactive response we got from any child. Perhaps it was the Childs interest to colors or he was in a good mood. I was able to learn how the teacher acknowledged that even though child did not react to her voice, the child would react with moms voice. By doing so we did not read the story but we asked the child find the green frog. And the child would search the book for something green. I learned that this way we express language and allow students to learn comprehension of text, interest in literacy, and develop fine motor skills by changing the page.

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During my first meeting with my mentor there were no children. We discussed over her influences to this career choice. Then we discussed the factors that interested me into choosing this path of my education. Furthermore, we discussed about her position at the Early Childhood Head Start and an overview of the setting, goals, and purpose. My mentor as well introduced to me her schedule when conducting a live zoom meeting with the children to prepare me for the first session.I introduced who I am and my goals, she provided me the path she took to become a teacher. As well we discussed on what made us choose the career that we are choosing. For instance, I informed her that I used to babysit children and that's how I was first introduced to ECS. Then she told me that she was a psychology major and had took one class of ECS and changed her whole path. I can definitely see how she builds relationship with the families because with myself it made me feel comfortable discuss about my career and my options.
Reflection: I really enjoyed that she was very welcoming and asked me questions in regards to what I am looking for. In regards to the class we discussed when to communicate again and she suggested that I stick with one family to really understand the process. Furthermore, we discussed about what I would like to do once I got my bachelors and she disclosed different websites I can look into. She gave me many resources and persona insight in regards to her experience.

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After rewatching the lesson recording I felt as if there were more things I could had added to engage the child and keep a longer attention period. Some ideas I got was presenting a visual image as well where the child can match the toy to the real image. As well I reflected that I could of added animal sounds. Realistic ones besides the ones I was implementing. I plan to use this reflection and conduct a trial zoom and record myself and see what other ideas I can get before presenting it to the child.

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Seeing students working with their parents makes me realize how important the parent teacher relationship needs to be. Sometimes there are students who are sick and it is easy for the parent to tell the teacher; this way they reschedule a session when the child is feeling best. I enjoy watching the home based program work directly with the parents and can be super beneficial in creating an anti bias dynamic even though it is all virtual. There are teachers of different ethnicities and per child it is great that the teachers can communicate with the child's family using their home language. Furthermore, involving their home language to the students makes a connection where the child can bond with the teacher.