The experiences listed below are various volunteer opportunities with which I have been involved. They have come about from teachers, groups, or classes. All of these experiences have helped form me into the person I am today.
Teaching Experiences
In the classroom - To be a great teacher, I believe it first takes a lot of love, experiences, and knowledge. I want to have the knowledge of different classrooms and the experiences of many classrooms before having my own classroom someday. With the help of my wonderful advisor, Mrs. Janet Bassingthwaite, I have been able to go into different classrooms each semester and volunteer my time. Over the past three years I have had the opportunity to work with...
- Cassandra Baker - St. Mary's preschool classroom.
- Aly Weigel - Lincoln Elementary kindergarten classroom.
- Mrs. Sheldon - Grimsrud Elementary fourth grade classroom.
- Cate Zebroski - Christ the King's Montessori Children's House (ages 3-6). (ECE Practicum)
- Ms. Randee - Missouri Valley Montessori's preschool classroom.
- Mrs. Satnan - Miller Elementary kindergarten classroom. (ECE Practicum)
- Sarah and Kristi - Little Einstein's toddler room. (ECE Practicum)
- Mrs. Barrett - Grimsrud Elementary third grade classroom.
- Mrs. Steiner - Centennial Elementary first grade classroom. (Block II Practicum)
March for Life - In the Spring of 2017, the University of Mary had the great honor of leading the March for Life in Washington, DC. I had the privilege of being a leader throughout this experience. I was in awe of the amount of teamwork displayed. Everyone worked so hard to make this trip memorable and successful for everyone involved. This experience showed me what true leadership looked like. It was the guided direction, trust in others, and the passion for the cause. I will forever remember this experience as one of great joy.
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ELA Mentorship Experience
Professional Mentorship - Through my mentorship, I worked with Randee Halvorson. Ms. Randee is a Preschool teacher at Missouri Valley Montessori. I was able to go into her class and work with the children and observe. This experience allowed me to gain knowledge and understanding of how a preschool classroom is run. I love the individual nature of the Montessori method. I hope to some day learn more in depth the Montessori method and bring it into my classroom. Ms. Randee has beautiful classroom management skills and the kids participate willingly in each activity she plans. Faculty Mentorship - I also had the great privilege of working with Mrs. Bassingthwaite. Through this experience, I was able to help Mrs. Bassingthwaite with a presentation for the Early Childhood Education Conference. We presented on the importance of Play in the classroom and helped teachers take home ready-made materials to use in their classroom. Mrs. Bassingthwaite has helped me through my four years of college; helping me grow and become the person I am today. She helps me get into classrooms, write lesson plans, and gives me knowledge that isn't always found in the classroom. Through my many stops in her office, I have reaped the benefits of this mentorship experience and will be forever grateful for her guidance. Click here to learn more about my Emerging Leaders Experience |
Therapeutic Riding for the Heart and Soul- Through my Cognitive-Language Practicum and Diversity Practicum I was introduced to this program and its leader, Katie Oakland. This program, "seeks to improve the quality of life, both physically and emotionally of adults and children with disabilities, learning, speech, and behavioral challenges through the heart and soul of a horse." After my hours were complete, I continued to volunteer because I had fallen in love with it. The kids that come are some of the happiest children I have ever seen and they will always have a special place in my heart.
Click to learn more about this organization or become involved |
University of Mary Day of Service - I have been able to participate in four service days for the University of Mary. My freshman year I volunteered for the Salvation Army and completed some indoor painting. My sophomore year I volunteered for PRIDE, and worked on building a playground for one of their houses. My junior year I volunteered with the Ronald McDonald House helping them with spring cleaning. My senior year I volunteered for St. Gabriel's Community Home and worked on removing plants from the patios. All of these volunteer experiences have shown that when people come together, greatness can come from it.
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SNDU - SNDU is the education group I belong to on campus. Through this group we have put on different events and volunteer opportunities. A couple of events included showing the movie, Most Likely to Succeed and a resume workshop. Our volunteer experience this year was helping with Light It Up Blue for Autism Awareness. Some of us were able to help with the set up of the event. This group has allowed me to learn about the education world.
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Faith Formation - For the past year I have volunteered my time helping with Faith Formation. My first year I helped at St. Anne's Catholic Church. Every Wednesday a friend and I gathered with a group of fourth graders. We talk about our faith and enjoy each others company. This year, I am assisting with Christ's the King's Catechism of the Good Shepherd program. These experiences have shown me how important it is to form the minds of our young people.
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Carrie's Kids - I was able to work with Carrie's Kids through the ELA program, "Carrie’s Kids believes that all children/teens are created with a purpose." During my freshman volunteer experience a group of us put on a Beauty Night. Girls were able to come and get their hair done, nails painted, color, or make bracelets. My sophomore experience a group of us collected Christmas gifts for Carrie's Kids. These gifts were then wrapped, and the children were able to pick out a gift for a friend or family member. These experiences made me aware that not everyone has the opportunities to get their hair cut, or pick out a gift for a family member. It reminded me to be grateful and thankful for the small things in life.
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Camp Grassick - My junior volunteer experience involved raising money for Camp Grassick. This camp is for children and adults with special needs. It provides physical, occupational, speech, and reading therapy for the campers. Our goal was to raise money for the parents who cannot afford to send their child to this camp. We wanted to provide the opportunity to help families in need experience the beauty of Camp Grassick. We were able to raise the money through a Tumbler Sale and a Spaghetti Feed. The success of this project would not have been possible without all of us working together.
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Diversity Experiences
Rome
I was fortunate enough to study abroad in Rome Spring Semester 2016. While abroad I took five courses: Grandeur of Rome, Ethics, Italian, Benedict Today and Tomorrow, and Art of Rome and Paris. I was immersed in the Italian culture and got a glimpse of many other cultures as I traveled to different countries. The relationships and bonds I made in Rome are still with me to this day and will be for many more years. The experiences I had while traveling have made me into the person I am today and will continue to effect me as a person, but also as a future teacher.
I was fortunate enough to study abroad in Rome Spring Semester 2016. While abroad I took five courses: Grandeur of Rome, Ethics, Italian, Benedict Today and Tomorrow, and Art of Rome and Paris. I was immersed in the Italian culture and got a glimpse of many other cultures as I traveled to different countries. The relationships and bonds I made in Rome are still with me to this day and will be for many more years. The experiences I had while traveling have made me into the person I am today and will continue to effect me as a person, but also as a future teacher.