Nakkula and Toshalis Post

Essential Vocabulary Words 

Cordial
Unburdened 
Theoretical Thinking
Impediment
Transform
Contributors
Development
Construction Identity 
Adolescence
Build  

 

Looking back, anyone who was considered an adult and contributed to my life I look back at as authors. Each one of these people has helped me shaped my life for the better, similar to Nakkula and Toshalis reading who argue that “we do not construct our life stories on our own." For instance, back in third grade when my teacher helped me move forward with my reading skills when she offered to tutor me after school. Or that time in middle school when my guidance counselor helped me reflect on school and life, I cannot forget the time, the school cafeteria lady told me to never give up on my dreams when I decided to try out for cheerleading tryouts back in freshman year of High School, or that other time when both my parents pushed me to do good in school. I will never forget the time I became a transfer student on my third week of senior year in High School and the guidance counselor and a group of students sat with me in a room during lunch and kept me company. That was really caring of them. Moreover, how can I forget the first person who I met on my senior year in High School, the vice principal. He basically did me a favor by asking what I was interested in doing. Once I told him singing has always caught my attention, he signed me up for the orchestra. There I was able to do school concerts, be part of events, become a soprano and perform with the group at graduation. This which I enjoyed a lot as the new student who transferred at the start of their senior year was wonderful and could not have been possible if my orchestra teacher gave me a spot in his class. Other people who influenced me in a positive way is my brother, for helping me with my homework and study and my guidance counselor for guiding me through graduation. My biggest support so far has been the guidance counselors because they have always helped me build and develop my education path every step of the way. From their collaborative and constructive criticism to plans, it has been wonderful. This is something that as a youth worker it relates, connects and contributes to because it leads, support and encourages youth in the field. It also helps students find themselves for who they truly are and lead them the right way.          

BLOG POST #4

                                                                      Be Color Brave
Looking back at the TED talk video, "Color blind or Color Brave," the spokes person emphasizes on the fact that the color of a person's skin has always been labeled as a race. The issue came across on Hobson's TED Talk video, when she mentioned how in reality the only race that should really matter, is the human race. The way a person looks, should never be the reason or the blame of the color of their skin. People should never be victimized because of it. The idea should never be based on where a person comes from or if they happened to look like a type of race or culture. This is recognize as discrimination and it is something that stops diversity from becoming a positive thing. The color of your skin and where you come from should never be the reason as to why you never got a job position or "achieving the highest level possible." The meaning behind color brave is to never leave a child behind and to always be the bigger person and change the views on these types of issues. Looking back, when I was younger this was a subject in school that was never addressed. Even though my school had a very strong diverse environment, students were always involved in school activities and even teachers all came from different cultures (not that it matters). Possibly during the school year, students bullied other students because of their accents or not having the ability to speak fully English. One time during lunch, a student was bullied because he knew little to no English. Kids happened to bully him and when he tried to talked, he would get mocked on because of he's strong accent and inability to speak English. Other times kids got bully because of their broken English. I never understood others stupidity or stood up, I was the shy kid. Other times people would bully one another for fun so it sorta made other students afraid to speak their minds or even do anything about it. This is where YIA, the organization comes in handy because it features a community where kids are allowed to speak their minds and share great thoughts. A community and a safe environment where leadership and change can happen. Sometimes schools lack on what is important, bullies, and that can be huge issue for schools because of where you come from, the color of your skin or  inability.

                      

Blog Post #2

How does "YIA" resonate with my own experiences as a youth worker? 

 "YIA," an organization designed to support and encourage the youth. It helps students and young adults become leaders and show their great potential. Moreover, this organization recognizes how important it is to challenge and provide students with the resource and attention that they need to move forward in life. Opinions matter, therefore it is important to count and listen to everyone's opinion which is what the organization for YIA does. "it's critical for young people to be at the center of change in every community," therefore the YIA organization created a place where young people are allowed to voice their opinions. 
  This relates to my experience as a Youth Worker because I get to involved around the younger crowd and participate as a mentor and a listener. Youth workers are there to help students and younger generation every step of the way. They are there to help them further their education and be active listeners to what they have to say, that way we can further provide help to their needs and help students and young people create their own paths with their own voices. For instance during school hours and after school hours. In a way, YIA explains how everyone voices do matter and how school systems are controlling and treating students as kids without having them express their opinion or give in to thoughts their opinions. Therefore the organization is their to provide an open space for students to let their voices be heard. 
  In the YIA article, "A world where youth hold the power" it states how "Each young person in my community represents some of the negative and some of the positive statistics surrounding our schools and neighborhoods." This quote relates to what a youth worker is all about because instead of labeling the bad, it focuses on a whole and what triggers the society of tomorrow.           

BLOG POST #1

Youth Work in an Educational Practice: Youth workers can be a great benefit to educational practice everywhere because as second teachers they are trained up to date with what goes on in school, the activities and ways that can help a student find his or her greater self. In a way, both youth workers and educators can relate to each other and connect in a sense that can be great beneficial through schools and curriculums, as well as reinforce and implement better ideas for the classroom.  

Youth Work in a Social Practice: This can go towards more of a case worker and fall under managing and other personal reasonings, such as students relationship, behavior, values and more. This can relate to several of the volunteering hours during schools that I've done in the past, where I had to mentor along with my classmates a group of students in Middle School. There we did ice breakers and became listeners to what the had to say. This helped as a social platform for many students and for us college students as well.    

Inequality and Work Towards Social Justice:  Over the years diversity has become to be something huge not just in schools, but around the world. As youth workers it is our job that in schools no child is left behind, therefore barriers should never be overlooked nor a person's culture. With this being said, being open minded and more acceptance of things to an instinct should be an important key factor. This way it can be more empowering in a way that can help understand others in a social setting.

Young People Getting Involved:  Whether young students find themselves in the classroom or sitting at the school cafeteria table after school, once they are involved, it can be a great way for them to express themselves and open their creativity to a whole new level. No matter if it's in the classroom or after school, it is a way for students to work on their personal growth and development of their school years and learning.  

Voice of the Youth: As Youth Workers, we influence in a way that can help students express themselves and we do so by letting them express themselves through the arts, maybe a hobby that they would like to do or simply listening to what they have to say because everyone is entitled to their opinions. Therefore because we worked we kids we are empowering them to do great things in life and be greater communicators so that they can be the voice of tomorrow.

Youth Work is a Welfare Practice: While Youth workers work to find problems around their community and schools, youth workers are there to promote the good and spread positivity. They make sure to coordinate programs as well as run them and possibly advocate issues that students might be facing which is always a good thing because that way it can get them aware of things as well as target the problem and help overcome it.

Youth Work working with Young People "Holistically":  As youth workers, we are not there to label or target audiences. They work to focus and define problems that students are being faced and therefore the work is mostly focused on the social justice policy which we go back to on practice #3. Because there may be different problems and issues being faced with students, it is important to look at it as a whole and not as just one.  

About Me

Hobbies : Pokemon Go