Thursday, May 13, 2010
Final Artist Statement
I made a significant amount of progress on both my blog archive and final media presentation these past couple weeks. I’ve spent multiple days at Escuela Vieau working with the children in both the tutoring and craft areas while trying to produce quality pictures for my final presentation. It was difficult to take pictures while working with paper mache so all of my pictures were taken during my time tutoring or other crafts. I decided to work with the theme communication for the final project and capture exactly how Escuela Vieau and its students communicate. I took pictures during the after school program, playground time, family nights, and one neighborhood picture. I was trying to capture the well-roundedness of Escuela Vieau and I learned just how they offer their students a diverse, realistic portrayal of communication.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Final Project Idea
For my final project presentation, I am going to try to work around the theme of "communication" and all the different ways that people share ideas, relate and express themselves. I think this is an interesting theme to work with because of all the different opportunities I've had at Escuela Vieau and all of the different students I've worked with.
Journal Reflection 3
In the weeks since journal reflection two, I’ve helped with events, crafts, and homework at Escuela Vieau. First, I helped work the Easter Family Night in April where families spent an evening at the school doing a multitude of fun activities. There was face painting, Easter egg dying, free books, a book fair, pictures with the Easter Bunny and other interactive activities. I helped during the hours beforehand with the organization and set up for the Easter Family Night. I think we spent almost an hour making a soccer goal into the Easter Bunny picture backdrop by taping up either spring tablecloths or plastic backdrops over each other in layers. In the end it was quite successful and made a cute background for the family photos. Once the event began, I moved from my post as a face painter because I have no painting abilities and helped with the Easter egg dying station. I don’t even know approximately how many eggs I dyed because there were so many kids that the line was never-ending. It was a fun time and the kids really had a riot with it. The next two afternoons spent at Escuela Vieau were dedicated to paper mache projects. The children are making giant paper mache vases out of balloons and cardboard. It’s a cooperative project between the grade levels and each grade gets a turn to work on the vases and then switches to move onto other activities. It was really a challenge working with younger kids who didn’t understand the paper mache process and that more paper slopped on is not always better. I’ve learned that patience is really key when teaching children. This past week I helped a girl with math skills that I literally haven’t look at in years and patience was a major factor in getting through those problems as well.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Artist's Statement
Escuela Vieau was a great opportunity for many reasons. It was my first service learning experience and my first service program that bettered the community while working with children. I have done many hours of community service in high school, but nothing quite like this. I have never worked with the Boys & Girls Club or any experience similar since a Kid’s Night Out fundraiser sophomore year. Being a part of Escuela Vieau’s after school program was rewarding. I was able to educate young students through fun activities in the game room or projects like dying eggs. Every student I worked with at Escuela Vieau was inviting and friendly. Maria Espinosa told us at orientation that the students would be excited to see us, but I had my doubts. The kids were always so happy about the little things in life that it changed my outlook on my day to day life. What I consider ordinary, the children considered extraordinary. I left Escuela Vieau on some days feeling lighter about life.
On the other hand, the days that I didn’t leave feeling lighter, I left with a migraine. Thinking about Education as a potential major for my future was also greatly influenced by this service learning experience. I feel that this opportunity has shown me that I have neither the patience nor the tolerance for children and their presence. I could not handle a career dealing with children day in and day out. I love children in small doses.
Not only was Escuela Vieau my first service learning experience, but it was also one that taught me about different communities and cultures. Way back when we had orientation with Maria Espinosa, she stated that their lifestyle was tightly knit and full of loving expressions. This I found true. The children would seem comfortable enough to hug the service learning volunteers and talk to us about every topic of their lives. As long as you were friendly and outgoing, they would be too. Their values as a community were also apparent in the short time span I volunteered there. Family and religion were two main examples. Escuela Vieau put on a Family Easter Event for the surrounding community, providing events and fun activities for everyone. This is very different from my own experiences in public schooling. I do not think my hometown school would even be allowed to put on an Easter event because of the religious significance involved. Interacting with parents and the students at the Family Easter Event gave me more insight into the community. The children’s outgoing and trusting attitudes seemed to be handed down from their parents because the parents were just as friendly. It was a joy to work with the parents and the whole family.
I learned that my camera as a tool not only captured the moment, but holds onto that story for eternity. Escuela Vieau was a great opportunity that taught me about others as well as myself and the documentation through my photographs attest to this.
On the other hand, the days that I didn’t leave feeling lighter, I left with a migraine. Thinking about Education as a potential major for my future was also greatly influenced by this service learning experience. I feel that this opportunity has shown me that I have neither the patience nor the tolerance for children and their presence. I could not handle a career dealing with children day in and day out. I love children in small doses.
Not only was Escuela Vieau my first service learning experience, but it was also one that taught me about different communities and cultures. Way back when we had orientation with Maria Espinosa, she stated that their lifestyle was tightly knit and full of loving expressions. This I found true. The children would seem comfortable enough to hug the service learning volunteers and talk to us about every topic of their lives. As long as you were friendly and outgoing, they would be too. Their values as a community were also apparent in the short time span I volunteered there. Family and religion were two main examples. Escuela Vieau put on a Family Easter Event for the surrounding community, providing events and fun activities for everyone. This is very different from my own experiences in public schooling. I do not think my hometown school would even be allowed to put on an Easter event because of the religious significance involved. Interacting with parents and the students at the Family Easter Event gave me more insight into the community. The children’s outgoing and trusting attitudes seemed to be handed down from their parents because the parents were just as friendly. It was a joy to work with the parents and the whole family.
I learned that my camera as a tool not only captured the moment, but holds onto that story for eternity. Escuela Vieau was a great opportunity that taught me about others as well as myself and the documentation through my photographs attest to this.
Service Learning Reflection 2
Escuela Vieau has been a fun service learning experience so far. The last two times I was a helper in the game room playing with the students. In the game room I interacted with two groups of students both times. With the first, we played foosball which was the all time favorite game, it never got old. But for me, I could use some variety, so I switched it up and also played with the Jenga kids. In these groups of kids, I met a variety of personalities and backgrounds.
I met the cutest little boy who was ecstatic because he was going to a Black Eyed Peas concert right after the after school program. Luckily, next day school was canceled as well. This concert was his rich cousin’s birthday party. He was turning 11. I can’t fathom going to a concert for my 11th birthday party. The next week he told me tons of stories all about it. His enthusiasm for music made my day.
Besides being a game room helper, my most recent visit was spent outside in the beautiful spring air. This was the first nice day that the students had the option of going outside and playing. Of course they picked it. The kids ran around the jungle gym, playing tag, or stayed on the black top playing soccer. It was freshening to get to move around outside in the sunshine.
I met the cutest little boy who was ecstatic because he was going to a Black Eyed Peas concert right after the after school program. Luckily, next day school was canceled as well. This concert was his rich cousin’s birthday party. He was turning 11. I can’t fathom going to a concert for my 11th birthday party. The next week he told me tons of stories all about it. His enthusiasm for music made my day.
Besides being a game room helper, my most recent visit was spent outside in the beautiful spring air. This was the first nice day that the students had the option of going outside and playing. Of course they picked it. The kids ran around the jungle gym, playing tag, or stayed on the black top playing soccer. It was freshening to get to move around outside in the sunshine.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Service Learning Reflection 1
Unfortunately, I have not been able to make it to Escuela Vieau yet. This past Tuesday I was sick and figured I would keep my germs to myself instead of spreading them to the children. I hope that I will be able to spend some time there tomorrow for Fun Friday. Yesenia said game day was a great time to put in some hours. Overall, Yesenia and the staff have been very inviting and caring so I feel welcomed on this project. I cannot wait to meet the children and see exactly where this experience will take me.
I might have to rearrange my schedule with Escuela Vieau because my service learning component for Environmental Science is also on Tuesdays and not as flexible as this one. I am going to have a difficult time getting across the city on a bus in less than an hour in between my service learning jobs. I will attempt it this coming Tuesday and then plan from there.
Right now, I am assigned to tutor and afterwards play in the game room. My only concern about Escuela Vieau and the final project is exactly how we are going to know which students need parent permission slips so that we can take pictures or film with them if we are not working with the same students each time.
I might have to rearrange my schedule with Escuela Vieau because my service learning component for Environmental Science is also on Tuesdays and not as flexible as this one. I am going to have a difficult time getting across the city on a bus in less than an hour in between my service learning jobs. I will attempt it this coming Tuesday and then plan from there.
Right now, I am assigned to tutor and afterwards play in the game room. My only concern about Escuela Vieau and the final project is exactly how we are going to know which students need parent permission slips so that we can take pictures or film with them if we are not working with the same students each time.
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