Comments by Karyn Fernandez

I think it would be beneficial for students to be able to interact with students from all over on a more educational platform.

Sat, 13 Aug 2022 15:04:11 -0400

Mindfulness Journal

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 15:32:45 -0400

I enjoyed writing about a small little moment in my day that brought me enough joy for the whole day. I wasn't worried about making it sound articulate. It was just a nice way to live through the moment again.

Adding your voice is always pushing your boundaries. It was fun to add on different kinds of media to help your doc stand out and be more engaging.

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 15:10:36 -0400

Listening

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 14:56:25 -0400

Working in hospitality you have to be able to listen. Whether it's with coworkers, customers, or bosses to ensure you all are trying to reach the same solution. When being around kids you listen, pause, paraphrase, and probe them to teach them to also listen with understanding and empathy.

Draw on the resources of others

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 14:35:23 -0400

When writing the description of a child you are not only considering the relationship between you and the child but all the relationships they have created. We have to consider how some people know just the right things to say or do for the student and come together to contribute to the common goal.

It might be beneficial for EJ to be able to pass out classwork material and collect it to give him some break time right before and after the task

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 14:27:44 -0400

Maybe partnering Gaby up with another English Language learner so they can discuss topics in their native language will make both parties feel more comfortable and more eager to particpate.

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 14:24:45 -0400

Speech and actions match

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 16:10:30 -0400

What people say they will do and what they actually do can be two different things. It's enough to tell children to be kind, we have to show them how they can express their kindness through action.

Identifying as a reader

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 14:29:11 -0400

In school, I hated my English classes. I did not enjoy reading the texts assigned or writing essays about the most boring books in the world. However, as I've gotten older I have read many books, and written tons of letters, and poems about the things in life I find joy in. Sure it's not anything scholarly but being able to enjoy it while doing it makes me want to become better and do it more.

When I am going to use this in real life?!

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 14:11:12 -0400

Many times students don't feel the need to learn things they are never going to use or think they are never going to use. When we provide the class with real-life scenarios to solve we can help students relate to it.

Knowing what works and what doesn't

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 12:15:32 -0400

When writing the description of a child I had to look back at some of the strategies that have and have not been beneficial. This is so that we can build on the strategies that worked and not waste time or energy on the ones that didn't. I want to reflect on the things that make a child uneasy or overwhelmed and see what adjustments can i make to help conquer those feelings.

When going through the descriptive review I was definitely making some interconnections to some strategies involving special needs students.

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 22:47:48 -0400

Also, I'm wondering how teachers feel about the protocol. Teachers who have and have not been able to apply them in their classroom.

I definetly agree with you. I know many people who felt like school wasn't challenging or engaging enough and some felt it wasn't even worth the time or energy.

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 22:32:35 -0400

I've taken more than a handful of education classes and this is the first time I've heard about it. Well, I guess in theory I have learned something like it in a special education course. I'm kind of shocked that it was never mentioned.

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 22:23:07 -0400

I wonder if any middle/high school has been able to provide this kind of individualized narrative instead of report cards.

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 22:19:44 -0400

Bad behavior doesn't mean a bad kid. Most of the time bad behavior is a sign of an unmet need. I can imagine we all know some teachers from our past or present that could have used this protocol.

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 22:14:40 -0400

IEP

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 22:04:48 -0400

When learning about the IEP's we were told to focus on the child strengths and how we can use that to help support the student.

The protocol is used to help who?

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 22:02:14 -0400

It appears to me also that the protocol is for a child who needs extra social, behavioral, academic, physical support. Which i think mainly still holds true but after discussing with peers it seems to be able to benefit all students at some point. This is because when you are able to provide the kind of support a student needs you may find that it also helps others.

Inclusive schools

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 21:54:36 -0400

When reading over the protocol it reminds me a lot of the inclusion of students with special needs. This is because when getting to know your student better you have to take into consideration social, emotional, and or physical needs. When you understand these needs you can make the necessary adjustments so that every student can succeed. For students with special needs you take into consideration those same needs.

Multiple perspectives

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 10:41:39 -0400

Maybe a teacher is unaware of a teaching style that another teacher has implemented that works better for the student or has worked for students with the same characteristics. Maybe the teacher is interpreting the child actions in the wrong way. When working with colleagues, and parent a collaborative effort is going to give you the best information to help the child better meet thier academic, social, emotional needs.

Knowing the whole child

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 14:38:59 -0400

I think when reading the protocol it seems a bit intensive because of all the little details in the description of the child. However, as an educator you should be getting to know your students on a deeper level and be able to have a mental note on many of the questions you could ask. Also, other participants involved with the child can contribute some responses. Maybe a student doesn't necessarily gravite to you but knows staff or another teacher that share the same interests and gravitated towards them.

Seat assignments

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 13:58:52 -0400

Even if a classroom doesnt have seat assignments typically students like to sit in the same seat. I was observing a classroom where this boy was sitting and a girl came and asked him why are you even sitting here I don't want you sitting here. The boy doesn't look at her but says because I can and then ignores her after she continues. The girl then asks the people around her and makes a bigger scene of the issue. The teacher looks over and ignores the issue. The teacher after class tells me shes always causing a scene and it wasn't even worth it to acknowledge her. I felt bad for the boy who had to sit next to her and felt that by not acknowledging the girl it was worse for both parties.

Take a walk

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 13:48:41 -0400

I once observed a teacher allow a student to just go take a walk mid lesson. When I asked why he told him the student always makes a scene in his other classes and allowing him to take a walk he comes back calmer, focused, and has better behavior. He said the other teachers make it worse when they scold him and spend most of thier period trying to correct his behavior.

A better understanding of your students

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 16:14:29 -0400

The first thing that comes to mind when going through this protocol is Holistic teaching. Understanding the whole student to be able to provide them with tools and strategies they can use to empower their learning. The protocol gives parents, teachers, and others the opportunity to share their perspectives on the student to work together to strengthen the student's abilities.

Shift and see multiple points of view

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 22:29:06 -0400

Being open to other pathways of learning, thinking, and problem solving is a key to being able to reach all kinds of learners or people in general. Tolerating confusion and ambiguity because there might be other solutions that maybe have a bumpy start but a better finish.

Struggle with empathizing

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 20:36:22 -0400

I have caught myself a few times listening and responding with sympathy instead of empathy. When I do that and look back it feels like I made it worse.

"No one perspective is THE right perspective"

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 20:16:40 -0400

Keeping an open mind when listening is important and taking time to process what a person is saying before responding. I think it is a good idea to talk to people outside of your usual perspective to get a different perspective and sometimes it can strengthen your own.

There is no right road to success

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 17:00:03 -0400

Though I also struggled with persistence when finishing my degree 4years ago I am glad that I didn't give up. I took a really long break and attempted a different career path and gained valuable skills and experiences that have better prepared me to be successful in the career that I was meant for.

Children mirror your actions

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 16:40:18 -0400

My nephew is at a very impressionable age and likes to ask a million questions a day. He loves to get down in dirty with nature and the bugs but the minute I run away from a bug he acts like he's scared too. If he asks 10 questions in a row and someone tells him to stop he gets shy and hides away. This is how we limit children or students and turn them off from learning. We have to show them we too are compelled, enthusiastic, and passionate about learning.

In school, I was always so uninterested in history. I thought it was the worst subject and a waste of time.

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 16:47:40 -0400

As I've gotten older I realize I ask myself or others questions about culture and history. They probably did teach me in school but I didn't care for it so it didn't stick. Obviously, there is a lot I could have truly learned if I wasn't so uninterested. Jody Passanisi shares some twenty-first-century tools to help engage students. https://www.google.com/books/edition/History_Class_Revisited/ZSYRDAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1

Listening is a skill

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 16:02:36 -0400

When you work in the hospitality industry listening is a must. I've worked with and served people from all around the world and I've never had a customer I couldn't help. Even if there wasn't a solution to a problem customers who felt heard and appreciated felt like they had a solution. Many times acknowledging the little things that people would normally brush off their shoulders mean a lot to customers and demonstrates that you really are listening.

As you grow up your parents are always warning you about things they did to make sure you don't make the same mistakes but we almost never listen.

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 16:34:47 -0400

I think about all the times my mom had told me about some of the things our family and friends have gone through. They had faced some hardships and made some mistakes. I heard it but did I really listen? I didn't because if I did I wouldn't have made the same mistakes. As they say, you live and you learn, but how many generations need to learn the same thing over and over?

The post that I commented on was about an inmate who turned his life around because of one teacher who cared to help. Also, the people who gave him the chance to prove and show them he deserved it.

Sat, 09 Jul 2022 14:40:49 -0400

As I mentioned in my comment on the post my partner is always having conversations with inmates and it's pretty 50/50 between listening and talking but he gets to really know more about the people he has to care for. Body language, facial expressions, and eye movements are something he always has to place close attention to because sometimes what people are saying and doing are two different things.

I am empathetic about your article Prison Education Saved My Life and Stopped an Environmental Cycle of Incarceration because my partner works as a correctional officer.

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 16:59:37 -0400

Though inmates are not in this specific jail long, because it's where they await their trials he does have lots of time to talk and listen to the inmates and hear their struggles and events that led up to their incarceration. Most of the time it is the environment and not the person themselves that has set them on the wrong path. Hopefully through my career and his we can both help students or inmates get on the right path. Thank you for your writing and sharing this piece.

Before executing any kind of plan whether it's a week trip, day trip, or a trip to the store I'm always thinking about how I can ensure everything goes smoothly. I reflect on past obstacles or inconveniences that I can avoid in the present and future.

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 16:08:10 -0400

The choices for my cover photo were both travel-related and finding the beauty in nature. Exploring new places and exploring new things is a good way for me to keep the excitement in life.

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 15:49:03 -0400