Blog #1:  My Workplace: Tuesday Oct 11th

    My work place is at Winton Middle School where large variety of students attend. it is a mid-sized school so I feel like it's benvolently coozy to work at. It is located in Hayward California on the corner of West Winton St and Soto Rd. There are four different buildings in the the school, one main building, one two-story portable with an elevator in the center located at the back of the school next to the P.E field, and two smaller sized buildings on the far right next to the over pass for detention and ELD (English Language Developement) students. Many people work there as teachers, ELL specialist, security, principle, vise-principle, etc. I'm unsure who has or don't have college degrees but I do know two or three of them do have atleast two year college degrees. My workplace serve to keep track of all ELD students and organize their files. As well As, call and remind parents of meetings and tutor ELD students if needed. What supports me at my work place is my creativity, supportive character, and focus. I'm also asked to write songs or rhymes to help teachers better support students in the area they need most improvement. There isn't anything in my workplace too difficult for me to do.

Blog #2: My Mentor: Tuesday Oct 18th

    My mentor's name is Mrs. Flamenco and she is a pecialist of the ELL at Winton Middle School. There day is mostly organize, file, tutor, computer, and calling work. When lunch arrives, she has yard duty so we would spend lunch watching over the students of Winton. She recieved this job out of promotion. She started out as a Language Arts teacher and History Teacher, then progressed to being an ELD Teacher, and finally became an ELL specialist. She has been teaching the English Language for so long, she became someone who, in a way, perfected in transforming a native speaker who is foriegn to the English Language.

Blog #3: My Role: Tuesday Oct 25th

My role as an ELL Specialist Assistant, I am to support in filing, organizing, yard duty, etc. Basically like her right hand partner in everything she does. Today I completed filing, labeling, calling parents, and delivery to other staff members. It may sound a little but this was a lot of work however, I had done this before with this same mentor for two years so it seems easy and short for myself. This however wasn't my regular day. it's like walking under the rain, while it's snowing and traffic is on the streets and sidewalk, while having to wait for a crime scene to clear for hours to get to your home. Even at lunch it was like work, babysitting tons of kids all around.

Blog #4: Project Brainstorm: Tuesday Nov 1st

What I am thinking of doing for my WLE project is to present an average number of people that learn and/or masters the english language in America by presenting graphs and numbers accross the U.S. The idea came to time when I thought about what my mentor deals with. She mostly deals with English Language Learners (ELL), so why not identify the number of people that can master the language mostly spoken in America. I'm excited to do this project for the next several weeks because I always wanted to show that immagrants can study and learn just the same as U.S. citizens can. Going over several documents about immagration made me realize that many Americans feel that they can not do what Americans can do. What I'm going to need is the numbers of immagrants, English learners, total number of immagrants of the year 2010. Then I can begin my project.

Blog #5 Progress on my WLE Project, part 1: Tuesday Nov 8th

Today, at my WLE, I learned that being able to muliti-task is a very useful "tool" to have. This allows you to complete multiple tasks that a person needs completed like a student at school. if the student has a major project, the student would probably not only work on the project, but on other homework assignments due the next day as well. In regards of my WLE project, it is a debate between tutoring middle school kids, or working between a multi-purpose room and transition into working in a library. being able to work in multiple different habitats might just be my WLE projects. So far, I can see how my project will come together and seems like half of the project can build itself.

Blog #6: Leadership Skills: Tuesday Nov 15th

The leadership skill I believe I'm focusing on the most is thinking critically. In my WLE, the assignments require a strong, undivided focus in order to do things right or close to right. With each assignment follows the next like a chain. At my WLE, we laminated half sheets, if the sheets are to close together it will be extremely difficult to cut. Followed by cutting the half sheet's perimeter, without cutting the actual sheet. Basically cutting the laminated plastic that sticks out, not to close nor to far. Followed by flatening the sheet and then place them into groups for other class rooms. By the end, deliver the sets of half sheets to each teacher. I'm using this leadership well because my focus helps me laminate, cut, flat, and deliver not only quikly, but neatly as well. Allowing me to complete more than a few tasks at hand. However, there are times where my mind tends to wonder, and I need to grow out of it, or I might just make a mistake that can curropt the whole chain. My mentor uses a leadership skill that no one knows much about. That is called multitasking, but when you think of it, multitasking does, in a way, fall under complete projects effectively. She makes calls, type letters for parents (English and Spanish), and attend to others as well. Just so she can get her job done and wont have to worry about it the next day, like emailing or making a dozen more phone calls than the number she already has to do for the next day. To mainly avoid the work load from stacking.

Blog #7: What I learned, Reflection: Tuesday Nov 22nd

I discovered that I can adapt to last minute changes whether if its in environment or plans. I don’t let things change the way I am suppose to work. Also, I’m capable of always having a back up plan when anything goes wrong. challenges I faced in my WLE experience was having a poor mentor who fails to communicate effectively. This was a major challenge because I was beginning to fall behind on my hours, however I overcame the issue by moving on and finding a new internship as soon as I could and recover the hours I missed by going multiple times a week instead of just one. I also learned that one thing wont end your life if you can handle it wisely, and patiently. The life lesson I gained from this experience is if your already ready, then you wont have to get ready. Always have a back up plan, stay calm and move on to the next if the first does not go well, and don’t give up. During my experience, I was always thinking of ways that will make the job easier to do without rushing or making mistakes. Therefore, moving on to the next thing on the to do list. There was not a major change on others work style. I was treated like another staff member. I was not a distraction to anyone around. I made a positive change in my mentors work life for I assist and shorten the work load. I never had any specific beliefs about my mentors job for I never knew it existed. Although, through this experience I developed a stronger organization and discipline in my own character. In other words I feel like I can be stricter than what I already can be. If someone were to ask me why is an ELL Specialist is important, I would say they keep track of an English Learner’s process of the English Language Development. Using what they know, they place the student in classes that can support them better in mastering the English Language. What I learn from my mentors job, I can apply to my future simply by keeping track of my development as a growing student in college and growing employee at work. to help make better choices to guide myself to a less clutter future.

Blog #8: Professionalism: Tuesday Nov 29th

In order to find my WLE and get hired, I had to dress appropriately, call ahead and set up a meeting, arrive early to the meeting ready to go, use professional language, no slang, use manners, turn off phones and Ipods, have a resume, and lastly be calm and patient. The most effective way of looking for a job and getting hired is by never giving up and keep at it until it’s there in your hands. As a result of my WLE, I think being a professional or a responsible adult in the work world means to be on top of your things, have patience, and when you need help don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Blog #9: Life at my WLE: Tuesday Dec 6th

Today I help finished packing up the remaining belongings of my mentor, and I also took pictures of my work site. I then sat down with my mentor and began working on the final mentor grade sheet and had lunch. I later attended one meeting which was pretty confusing for me and then went home to work on my WLE project.  improved as an intern by gaining skills as well as improve certain skills of being a professional
. What makes my workplace great is the bond and cooperation that goes on at the school. When you first walk in, its like you've been there for years and everyone knows who you are. Like a home away from home.

Blog #10: The End: Tuesday Dec 13th

My final thoughts about WLE are just tha, working isn't a new experience for me. I've worked for nearly all my life and its never that easy. However, working in a whole new environment such as an office or with kids, shows that thousands of jobs are available to us. It just depends on where we want to be. working at Winton made me feel comfortable working in an office
. Interesting to see how the workload builds and fade.
I feel like a regular employee at an office
 and I always have something to do even when I think I don’t. At least I know what to look for now.