Event #2 Open House

November 8, 2014 was when the open house event took pace. It took place in the Murray center and to be honest this was my first time ever going. I had never gone or been to an open house in my life before. For me I thought there was a lot of people and it looked pretty full and great but then while talking to the other youth development members, they told me that this was not as packed as other years and that baffled me. But there was definately a lot going on, we had tours and different lectures on the different programs ric offer. Even I was able to to speak about Youth development in one of the lectures which was awesome. This helped me to practice my elevator speech and the fact that we had practiced it a few weeks before really did help. I was able to draw what i needed to talk about and the important points and facts i felt were really needed to exaplain our program.

At first we had a small space on the table that was shared with education. At first it felt pretty crowded, there were so many of us and there really wasn't enough space, but once we got out own table I felt as if things had changed and we were able to be out there. I also felt that because we had our table many people seemed interested, because they wanted to know what youth development is all about and what we did. It was create trying to recruit people and telling them about our amazing program. There were so many booths out there and we definitely did our best in trying to get people to learn more about youth development. I felt that out of all the programs out there Youth development and Biology were two groups that really had a good presence in the room.

Event #1 Civilizations of Mesoamerica

The civilizations of Mesoamerica was a small event, where we started with a dialogue on what we knew of the different Mesoamerican civilizations that had existed. I realized
I didn't really know much about the different civilizations that existed, I just new of the 3 major civilazations which were the Mayan's, the Incas and the Aztecs. After the dialogue we had professor David Espinosa (this link gives you more information of the professor what he does and who he is) talk to us about the different cultures, there way of religion, the food they grew, how they survived and the different customs that had existed in each of the civilizations he had mention. They had a few things in common like the fact that each civilization worshiped a different animal. Because each animal represented different things. They all also had their own system or writing and reading. They also believed in hierarchy, where the king was their leader.
But each civilization had there differences like the Toltecs liked to shaped the heads of their leaders from birth so that the leaders looked different from everyone else.Some believed more in power, others belived more in what the lands could produce. Each had their own way of living and exsiting, although some civilizations were stronger than others, they all lived among each other.
 here is more information if interested. (this link gives more in dept explanation.)

Through this event it helped me think about today and how each of the civilizations that used to exist are similar to the way today's world is. some countries believe differently than others, yet we all work together and we learn from each other. we have a different way of running things, or believing in things but we all exist in this world and each country somehow finds a way to make things work. This makes me think about today and working with all of those different cultural boundaries, we each come from different places and are used to doing things in a different way, the things is to learn from each other and grow.  We need to learn as much as we can because as a youth worker i will be put in situations were i will be working with youth from different ages, cultural backgrounds and have different beliefs than I do. So I need to take the time to learn of these different cultural beliefs and backgrounds to lean to work with them and be able to help them in everything that they need.
This also reminded me of an article I read a while back about working with different cultures.

Btw sorry i really didn't take pictures of the actual event, i forgot while i was there.


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RK Resilient Kids

After watching the video on Resilient Kids I thought about how amazing it would be to have that. As a student myself with all of life's curves and the stress that we have to face, a few moments of 5 minutes to be able t calm down and relax really does help.
During the day we end up going through HIGHS and L
                                                                                         O
                                                                                            W
                                                                                                S

But we go through so much that we end up rowdy and struggling, going through all types of emotions and feelings during the day. Sometimes we just need to vent, other times we needs ways, techniques or even the tools to help us be able to R E L A X.
To take a b r e a t h e r and just let it      go.

This also helps me connect on how we were talking about cultural boundaries, how giving a chance to talk about what we are going through can help. In being able to dialogue about it we are releasing stress and being able to calm down can also help us in being able to relax and Focus.

RW Video - Working across different cultural boundaries

After seeing the RW video it made me think about my education and how I never really had a good schooling experience. from middle school to high school i can honestly say only two teachers had really affected me and inspired me to do better. The majority of the teachers that I had were teachers you could bribe for good grades or they spiked their drinks so they didn't have to really deal with us. Other teachers were deported or switched in the beginning or middle of the year so we had to get new teachers and try to accommodate to the change. It made school seem pointless at the time and I thought that everything i was learning really wasn't going to help me. My school in general just wasn't helpful, they didn't help me with getting into college, fafsa, or the steps i needed. I felt very lost trying to get help and finding my way out. I am the first generation in my family to be able to graduate high school, my family was happy with that i didn't have to go to college if i didn't want to, so there really wasn't that expectation. But I CHOOSE to come to college and try to get  better education.

Thinking about all these things makes me think about how i am going to have to help teach, reach, inspire, connect, and help students as well. A lot of amazing points were brought in the video things about culture, and learning differences, teacher student relationships. As a youth worker I want to help inspire kids. help them to enjoy what they to, and maybe they will feel motivated to learn. If we strive to help them, and give them some merit they will probably strive to do better. But sometimes our language or the way we put ourselves out there may affect the way the student sees you. I though about how youth in action does "bug-in/out" thats an awesome way for teachers to find out whats going on with their students. What is happening and what they need to know. it gives them and insight to the childs life and what they are going through instead of assuming. We as future works need to try and stay away from assuming and find out directly, ask questions, see how their day went, ask if there is anything we can help them with. 

Students want some relativity with what their learning, so take certain examples of Rosa Parks and Abraham lincoln, find new ways to teach it and connect it to them. I love how they talked about taking rosa parks and showing how she was an activist before and relating that to how it can be used today. Its the same with learning about Abraham Lincoln maybe take the Gettisburg Adress and have the students try to relate by having to write their own letter in a hard moment. How would they try to cheers others and give the light of hope in though time. When we take time to relate it to our lives, then we begint o see how useful this can be, the amazing changes these people did and how they can inspire us to change and be better. 

Ri Comic con

I got to go to RI comic con and it was a blast this past weekend. So happy my costume was done in time. It took a lot of work and very little sleep to get it done but it was all worth it at the end to hear all the comments and how much people appreciated my work!!!

Im so proud and now that the con is over i can finally have some good sleep, which my body was longing for.

Nakkula - identity context

As I have said before I'm taking child development right now so i feel as if I understand what is being talked about.
Ericksons 8 stages of development gives you a bit of an insight on how humans develop from the time their born until death. When going through all the stages one applies them to themselves to see where they are and some feel as if they understand Ericksons stages because we have already gone through some. Although I feel like each stage can be mixed or change its very helpful in
understanding students and adolescents. Its good to know of these different stages because this way we know how to help the child that we are working with. We have some idea of what to do and maybe guide them.

The four identity status, helps us to feel and understand how many of us have felt many times. youth especially adolescents face this. They are not sure who they want to be, or what they want to be, they struggle with reality and making choice. This is not all students but we have all been there in that spot and moment in which we question whether or not we were meant to be where we are. Some of us still struggle to feel happy with who we are. and that's part of life. But these are the things we are going to face. We are going to meet teens and adolescents who stubble with accepting who they are and feeling comfortable. and we will be here to guide them and help them. We need to help direct them so that they don't feel as lost and can accept and be happy with who they are.

After reading all of this and thinking about I feel as if Bruce wayne aka Batman is stuck somewhere in intimacy and isolation and generatively vs stagnation. I feel like he is stuck there because he always have to fight himself on whether or not he wants to be Batman. He has intimacy issues because of the whole batman persona. Not only because of batman but because of everything he has gone though in life. He fights with the whole idea of generatively vs stagnation. He is bruce wayne he  a bachelor and he is supposed to be this guys whom is supposed to know his business, is smart and a playboy. But in all actuality he loves solitude and he is the kind of person who likes to be challenged. I also feel as if he doesn't have identity achievement because he hasn't accepted who he is, he struggles with choice of staying batman or letting him go and living a 'normal' life. He hasn't accepted it or embraced it he just lives with it. 

Nakkula - The construction of Adolecense

I really liked this article and found it quite interesting. I am taking child development right now so the Zone of proximal development and scaffolding is quite fresh for me. I really like how Nakkulat gave a more in depth view of ZPD and Scaffolding. This article made me think about my own relationships with my professors, counselors and many from many others. It also made me think about a conversation we had in ALLIED today about being able to communicate to teachers how your feeling and what your going through. Many of us have that attitude of ill just suck it up. SO we try to balance everything, we struggle and then if we fail we try to explain whats going on but it could be too late because while you had the opportunity you didn't do it and so the teacher could've assumed you just weren't trying your hardest. I know it seems like we need to be brave and we want to be strong but its not a weakness to tell others how you are feeling and what you are going through.

I also loved how it made think about how even teachers and counselors and even principles can still growing and learning and developing. Its hard to believe because we see them as older than us more experienced than us and they know everything. But Just as we learn from them sometimes they too can learn from us. This is something that I hope to take with me wherever I go. May we learn to talk to them and ask them "is everything alright?" even a check-in now and then wouldn't hurt. Just like students should try and communicate what they are going through teachers should also try to seem like they want to help and seem openly available. I honestly hope I can perform this, sometimes over years we tend to forget and sometimes it can be hard to break old habits but This was so insightful for me and it helps shape and mold us all.

Egg drop

So today we did an egg drop exercise and they made us connect it to real life issues. Of whether or not it is about ability vs. acessibility 

Honestly its a little bit of both but I do think it should be more about accessibility , I know that certain neighborhoods communities and other cities do better than others and some don't need it. But i rather we have access to all the things we need thank have ti fight of figure ways to do it. Its not our fault that we weren't born into wealth and all the knowledge in the world. There are all types of reason why people can't get medicaid, healthcare, good paying jobs, transportation and so on. But we shouldn't always HAVE to struggle just because we get the short end of the stick. I think the institute needs a lot of changing, we need to rethink about to make certain programs accessible for others, and a decent living wage for everyone. Ways to help people get out of trouble. It was like what we were talking about wage, the minimum wage is not enough not even to have your own apartment, thats not possible. I know people who have to work 2 or 3 jobs because they need to pay for rent, car insurance, utilities, transportation.Whether you have kids or not the minimum wage is just not enough to get by. so yea i understand when we say then lets go get a better job and some do, but if they can't because they don't have a GED or for whatever reason. Why can't we just raise minimum wage?? or as dr. Bogad say get surgery instead of just putting band-aids on it?

Here is a Video on something i watched years ago about raising the minimum wage. I think about how we talk about sometimes taking that leap of faith, and isn't that what rosa parks did? isn't that what Angelina Grimke, Sarah Moore Grimke, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucretia Mott did when they fought for women's rights? There are many more examples out there where people just took a leap of faith and fought for what was needed to happen. I know its hard to talk about because today that would mean not going to work for a day to stand for a strike and that scares people cuz of the paycheck situation or getting fired but then how will ever to make change? This is just a thought of mine I'm not perfect either it just makes me think, we just can't keep getting band aids and i feel like over the years more and more people get comfortable easily with the idea of just having a band aid. But if we don't start talking about it now or trying to make a difference about it, then were just going to stay in the same situation that were in.  

Ullucci Pathologizing the Poor...

In reading the article I felt like one of the main big points that Ulluci makes is that poverty can't just be identified with one thing. There are all types of factors that come into play when talking about poverty. It can be because of work, the community, not being able to find a job etc. There are so many reasons and facts that come to play when talking about poverty. So we reach this point where some teachers don't see the point in trying to teach some students, or they classify them as lazy, or blame it on their parents and so on... but Ullucci wants to change that, he wants to change the way we see poverty and break barrios that separates the "them" from the "us."

Poverty matters because it effects the way a child is able to learn or shows what the child already knows. Many children who come from some type of poverty have struggles at home and like Ullucci says there are different reasons while the child is where they are in life. Maybe no medicare to get a therapist for their child, healthcare, to take their children o their doctor, some parents work one of two jobs and don't really have time to teach their children, there are language barriers. 

So even in a youth development space it can impact, some children desire to learn but don't have the support or the drive to go forward. Other times its the resources that are needed for them to go on. So even youth development were going to face children and youth who are struggling with poverty, some will need help in understanding and having some guidance and its good for us to be that support. To help out and to be able to connect them to some resources. 

I personally was raised in poverty, I had all kinds of problems, I was the first born child, and my mom had recently moved from honduras to america so she didn't know a lick of English. My dad was Born in NY but raised in Puerto Rico until he was 18. So he knew a bit of both languages, but he never finished high school so he struggled with words, spelling and writing. my dad worked in a jewelry company called style craft and my mom found little jobs here and there. Although my mother graduated in Honduras and even had a minor degree in secretary it wasn't worth much here because of the language barrier. on top of all that my parents were pastors so they barely had time to sit with their children and teach them or help them learn. My dad was always on the run helping other families and members of the church who were in need. The majority of my childhood i spent having to figure out a lot on my own and helping my mom and dad by translating a lot of the school informations and papers that they sent home. on top of that there was a time where my mom used to do packaging and ticketing at home, with jewelry and key chains and my brothers and I would help her. So we would be up until late helping her get a box finished so we could have some money. That's why we were tired for school and sometimes didn't finish our homework. Because my parents couldn't find adequate childcare my brothers and I were always sent to a grandmothers house and uncles house and by the age of 13 i was taking care of my brothers at home. Then my younger brother was diagnosed with dyslexia, we didn't have the proper resources or knew where to get help or it was a struggle teaching my brother how to reach. and because both of my parents struggled reading and writing in english they used to make me sit down and help him. So his help was whats considered second hand because not even i knew that much. There was so much that i wish I knew while growing up, things like taking time to know schools and which one to go to, things like help with college, and finding help. but I somehow managed to make it, I am happy for the few teachers and people in my life who had made a reasonable impact in my life and help me. They tried to connect me to certain resources and help me go on in life. My local library had helped me millions of times and if they knew something could be for my benefit they would tell me about it. I was tutored in the library, when I had difficulty with certain subjects. 

I know this is long and sorry for rambling but I felt like this article really resonated with me, Im latina and from poverty. There were times i didn't think I would make, even in college I almost gave up, until I met certain advisor's, and professors who didn't want to give up on me. They helped me find the resources i needed to come back and finish school and honestly I'm grateful for that. I can honestly say that a teacher who cares and tried to take time to teach you really does impact someone. You don't know how many times I thought i wasn't going to make it and some teacher heard me out and tried to help me out as best as they could. Those are the people that help me move forward every day because they had hope in me and saw someone who was worth while. Someone who could hopefully in the future rise above the situation she was in and Im thankful for it. 

I think if i stay in the city of providence and work in  this community i may be working with an urban

area? but i still feel like it will be mixed with a little bit of everything from urban, to suburban, white, latino, LGBTQ and so on. Because even here in the city of providence there is a mix of all kinds of children. Me from personal experience being in New urban arts we got to wok with all types of children, so I feel like it will be a mix. Poverty can affect you development in being able to learn and being able to have the desire to continue on. But if we as youth workers, and youth development graduates can take time to help out, hear them out, try to connect them to resources. These young men, women and children won't feel so alone. They will supported and know that at least someone cares and has their back. and when you take time to help them with homework, help them try to understand a concept, they carry that with them wherever they go.

Primary supports-group #2- Costello 2001

             Costello -Primary Supports

"A second human service sector includes organizations that provide a primary source of support by extending what schools and families offer. Primary supports offer a wide variety of cultural, athletic, social and recreational opportunities." 







Costello talked about the ways in which organizations are an extra help from what schools and family offer. It gives children an opportunity to grow, learn and feel safe. Its a chance to do something different and to find out others things that children can like. "Opportunities to engage in constructive activities, to explore new interests, to master skills in safe surroundings, and to enjoy the company of respectful and caring peers and adults." 

Costello gives the history of a few organizations that weren't just help from what schools and family offered but were also another amazing way for young adults and youth to feel involve, interact, grow and learn. He talks about organizations such as YMCA, YWCA, 4-H, and Boy scouts. These 4 organizations are 4 longest run organizations in the U.S. some starting around the late 18th century and others early 19th century. These clubs have a flexibility in the way they run things and engage students. "However, the education, training and experience of many staff in this sector are limited; they often lack the skills to create opportunities that fully involve youth."

After reading Costello's article it made me think about the after school programs I've been to like NUA (New Urban Arts) How they allowed us to explore every aspect of art, from drawing, to sewing, to photography. They gave us the opportunity to explore the arts and even create our own pieces. We learn to put a fair price on our pieces to be able to sell them and be able to acquire some money as an extra resource. It felt good to know that a piece of art that you made could be sold and can help keep a program going. Not only have I've been in an after school program but as I mentioned before, I've started one. I was the president of an anime club for about 3 years. I held it at a local library and even though I didn't think about the things that I did, I just did them because I liked it and I just wanted a place where I could share my passion and enjoy what I do. I realize that I was teaching things without realizing it. We did things like get together to talk about fundraising projects, we needed to think of ways to fund some money for the club in order to do other activities and buy certain materials, even plan trips. We managed to come up with activities and fundraising events that eventually acquired us to buy our own T.v. to watch the anime, supplies to draw and create manga, and even some money to plan our trip to anime boston. Although I was president everyone was allowed to voice their opinions, to speak and to give ideas. I think that part of the reason, among others as to why it did so well. now that I look back it feels amazing to know there were certain skills the club help teach to other students.

Costello also talked about professionalism and the role that an adult has in the organization. He states the pros and cons of having an adult, who treat youth as equals and listen to ideas and are supportive, Vs adults who just teach and do their jobs.
he states: "Though paid staff and volunteers may have professional certification or affilia- tion in fields related to their work with youth, adults in these programs often have no identified professional roles."Both ideas of having about the adults role to me have their ups and downs but honestly it makes me think about Youth in action, Nua,and  even youth development. I feel that even though there are adult figures, they help us a lot. I see them more as mentors and have more respect for them because, they treat me as an equal they listen to me but yet they also voice their opinions and ideas and even  guide us along the way . So I feel like if organizations were to have a similar balance I don't feel like the 'power' that adults have would be lost. To me its about giving and receiving and if they give us some responsibilities and some freedom then it really can work out. The adults will be allowing the students to learn, and they would be there to guide them. 

Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants

In the article Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants I felt that I agreed with the idea that we need to find new ways to bring in our students into learning. Finding ways to teach through a video game. I think I would consider myself a Digital Immigrant because even though I was introduced to things like the super nintendo, gameboy and the first flip phone, I was always late when it came to gaining the items. Even our first computer that my family bought was pretty late. But I applied myself in learning more about the digital world. I know in some areas I am totally tech savvy and could help someone else, like the basics of Facebook and the internet. But when it comes to the newer social media sites and games that are beginning to come out I feel a little lost and i tend to feel like i have much more new material to learn and cover. It doesn't mean I'm not willing to learn because I am willing. Its just that if I don't really see the use in learning it then I won't make the time for it. Technology is a big part of my life, I have a cell phone, I play video games, I have facebook and these are the items I use to connect to other people and to do whatever I have to do.

I think that its a great idea to be able to try and incorporate learning in a "digital" way. Like using a video game to teach certain concepts, things like math or even geography. Especially now living in the generation that we live in every child around the age of 10 or maybe even younger has some type of electronic. from a feel phone to a video game. So children and even the newer generations are requiring and asking for newer materials and ways to have the materials be taught to them. I did find it amazing how (Prensky 2001) talked about how some subjects will remain important to learn but how some of it like (Euclidean geometry) will be less important and like greek and latin might need to be taken out. Things that I couldn't help make me remember how certain students from youth in action were talking about why we need to learn certain subjects and why is beneficial to us. They wondered if some of the materials that we learn in school will come in handy when going out into the real world and using them in every day practices like their first job or at home.

I also think that the school should rethink what is important and what should be taught. Because I think there are many people who agree that certain subjects just shouldn't be taught anymore. In Wesch (2007) video the machine is us/using us, I was reminded of my first experience in using the web and how over the years that has changed. I once saw a video on youtube called Teens react to 90's internet reminded me on how much times have change, the electronics and all electronics we were probably used to growing up. But over the years we help shaped and change the internet as Wesch(2007) suggests, we are the internet and all the information we put into it. We have the ability to change things, rewrite information, add new information. All the items that appear on the internet today is part of all of us, our likes, our interests our hobbies, we have shared them with others and over the years others have adapted them, added them and changed them, so they've grown. Now we should find new ways to use that information, to teach the newer generations and to be able to still teach but keep the children interested. I have seen first hand how a child can learn when you try to teach them using their tools.

Im a sunday school teacher and the children I teach always want to be on their iPads, their Ds and all their little electronic devices. So when i used to teach them bible stories the old fashion way, writing and drawing certain things on the board, they found it uninteresting and they were bored. once i started bring my iPad and started teaching them by using the bible kids app, they seemed more prone to learn and they remembered what they learned. Because they see it as playing a game then just sitting in class listening to someone talk. That's why I feel like i agree with Prensky and feel that we need to find new ways to incorporate some of the 'old' teaching and adding some of the 'new' technology that exists today.

 

A world where youth hold power- thoughts

Reading this article I am amazed at all the information. I felt like I resonated with some of the students and even staff. This article really opened my eyes and helped to understand certain points that I didn't think of. Things like allowing debates to happen because sometimes it really does help us and critique us in a good way. Always finding a way to impact what you feel strongly about, helping others and helping your community to thrive.  I can sometimes be a shy person and sometimes I do have ideas but I don't  voice them out loud because I always felt shut down. Like my responses weren't good enough, or maybe people would never listen to me. So it feels good to know that it's ok to do that and that it's also ok if things don't always go your way but as long as tried and got your idea out there. Maybe talking about and flat least trying to talk about could lead to new ideas and conversations. It can even direct the group into doing something different. You never know unless you try and at least try to let your voice be heard. But it's also good to remember that it's not only all about your ideas but of everyone around you, so that we can all work together and move forward. To me It honestly feels good to know, that as a youth leader and even president of an anime club I was definitely doing some of these methods with the students. We always discussed and talked about how to better our clubs, I even liked to throw Ideas and let them speak their mind. But other ideas where new and I did learn a few new things that I hope to bring to the table when the opportunity arises again. As a teen in my high school and even at home I had always felt like I had no voice. Whether it was about religion, hobbies, ideas or throughts I always felt like there is no point in speaking out loud, no one was going to take me seriously. I feel like I agree with the article in which students and teacher should work together to devise new ways to learn, inspire, connect and think.  It helps us to reflect and create a better ideas and a better world. By trying to listen to each other it helps us to see all of our ideas and points of views, it gives us a better understanding of one another and helps us to work together for a common goal.

Pieces of Mishy

About ME

          Hello everyone!
       
         My name is Michell Rivera But I preferred to be called Mishy. Although my name in spanish is the same as "Michelle" in English. Many of my friends, peers and professors have had difficulty pronouncing my name, since it was spelled the way it sounds in spanish. Which is "Mi-chell." Anyways I am Hispanic, born here in the U.S. but my father is from puerto Rico and My mother is from Honduras. I am the first born, eldest daughter of my family. I read and write English and Spanish and currently I am learning Japanese. I have two younger brothers, so were a small family of 5. I am considered a 3rd generation Apostolic Christian. Mr grandfather was a pastor and my father is now the pastor at the church we are currently in. I Have tons if hobbies and things I like to do, so I won't go into too much detail but hopefully by the end of the year you will get to know a little more about the things i like to do.  I am the first of my family to be graduating from college hopefully in the fall of next year. I have switched majors 3 times, I started with education but hit a big bump, then i switched over to social work and still felt out of place and finally when i heard of youth development i felt like "That's it! That's exactly where I feel I fit in!" Now I'm working on finishing the few courses I have left so i can graduate and hopefully start a cool non-profit after school program regarding anime and comics.

As for being part of youth development I am really happy that I am here. I have always enjoyed working with adolecents or teens. My ages usually range but I feel like I can work with kids from the ages of 12 to maybe 18. I have worked with teens since I was the youth leader at my church around the age of 14 up until I was 23. I now work in seven hills and take of my cousin who has cerebral palsy for about 6 years now and he himself is now a teenager. I was was president and ran an Anime club at my local library for about three years, we did stuff from going to anime and comic conventions to drawing and creating manga.  So I have a passion for sharing and getting to know teens. I feel like I can connect with them and work ways to understand each other. I feel that I reach out so much to teens because I know how hard it is to be their age, they are still figuring out, who they are and what they want to do with their life. And I would really like to be one of those people who inspires them to continue on and to help them anyway I can. I want to help reach out, connect and encourage youth of the beauty around them.

Can't wait to get to know everyone else and i wish everyone the best in this semester!