Week 15

From my internship in the First Year Residential Experience program, working as a "FYRE Fellow", I gained things that will benefit me for the rest of my life. I learned lessons that can only be learned if you're actually living among the first year residents and experiencing their first year residential experiences along with them throughout the semester. I learned to live under circumstances where you are in charge of numerous freshman who are away from home for the first time. I developed and grew tremendously from this experience while meeting many different people along the way from various backgrounds and locations nationwide. Some of the skills I gained were learning to advise, counsel, tutor, and mentor these first year residents beyond what I thought I was capable of. I feel that this was a positive experience. At first I felt that this was going to be very difficult. For this type of intership, I had to step outside of my comfort zone a bit and become more open and engaging with these first year residents. I found it necessary to do this because they came to me in various circumstances with personal problems, stories, or things they were dealing with when they just needed someone to vent to. Simply put, I was the go-to guy for them. I was the person that they looked to for feedback, kind of like a big brother. Looking at the big picture, I feel that this affected me in a positive way. I hope that the First Year Residential Experience program has positively affected other residents in the way that it has affected me.

Week 13

In the First Year Residential Program I believe there could be many changes to significantly improve the program. The position that I am working in requires leadership, guidance, and communication with first year residents. In regards to that, the first improvement I would make in our program is our communication working with our community assistants on campus in regards to helping these first year residents. When we are selected we are placed in a residential community in the same building with a community assistant. There is not much communication with these community assistants so that would be the first change. I also believe that placing us right next to a community assistant in a residential community could benefit the program by working as a team. Looking back at various problem solving strategies I have came across during my college years there are a few that come to mind that could benefit the First Year Residential Program. I would use icebreakers to help first year residents get to know each other early in the year so that they can network and start building lasting friendships and bonds amongst each other. When you are placed in a residential community all first year residents have their wall up. A second strategy I could use to help them break through that wall is having them participate in some type of athletic event. Whether that event is competitive or recreational I believe it is a good way to break the ice. A third strategy is assisting them in forming study groups. This way they would not only get to know each other but it would put them in a position of improving their academics which is ideal. If I created a plan where I could benefit the first year resident to help them make the transition from high school to college life at Arizona State University I would want to schedule one on one meetings with each and every one of them monthly. I can remember when I was a freshman. I was at a new school with no friends, no connections, and no mentor to look up to but I could have really benefited from one. If I was able to meet with my residents once per month I could assist them academically, socially, and mentally to feel more comfortable in their living community and in the classroom.

Week 12

This week I interviewed Mary, who I shadowed last week. When interviewing her, I asked questions about what I saw while shadowing her and to learn more about her teaching position. These are the questions I asked Mary and her responses:
1)After whom do you model your work behavior?
Mary: I model my work behavior after seasoned teachers who were, in a way, my mentors.

2)How has your education helped you with your job?
Mary: My Bachelor's degree gave me the background education I needed to qualify as a certified elementary school teacher. My continuing education keeps me current in technology, teaching English language learners, and advances in the field of education, including teaching students with disorders.

3)What are some challenges you face at work?
Mary: Some challenges I face are classroom overcrowding, teaching students whose primary language is not english, and addressing individual's needs.

4)What do you feel can help you become a more effective teacher?
Mary: In a perfect world we would have enough money in the budget so that every classroom has a teacher's aid. It would also be helpful if continuing education was free for teachers.

5)Is there someone you looked up to during your first months of teaching?
Mary: Yes, my partner teacher had been teaching for many years and she was an expert at class management.

6) What advice would you give to someone who is considering becoming a teacher?
Mary: My advice would be to get as much volunteer time as differnet types of classroom settings to be sure this is really what you want to do. You must be passionate about this profession in order to really benefit the students.

7) What is your ideal teaching environment?
Mary: Ideally, my classroom size would be between 15-20 students so I could give each more individual attention. I would have a large, bright classroom and a computer for each child. A supportive principal who communicates well is also important. It is always nice to be part of supportive and friendly faculty.

Week 11

Since I am working as a peer mentor in the first year residential experience at Arizona State University and there is no one in the same position working as a paid employee I chose to shadow a 7th grade junior high teacher at a private school. My concentrations are in Sociology and Communications and I am very interested in getting my MA in elementary education. I shadowed Mary, a 7th grade teacher at Ss Simon and Jude School in Phoenix. Her day started with opening her classroom at 7:30 a.m. Immediately the questions started. Her seventh grade homeroom students wanted to know if they could still turn in lunch menus, sign up for summer baseball, redo their writing assignments, go to the restroom, call home for forgotten lunches, get a drink of water, and if she had a nice weekend. She easily got them settled and took roll. Then she taught Literature to her homeroom class. They listened to "Merlin and the Dragon" on audio through the Smart Board and discussion followed. She then assigned homework - comprehension questions about the story in their textbooks. No bell was rung but 50 minutes after class started it ended. Mary said goodbye to her first class and welcomed her second class. Second period students were also 7th grade Literature students so this class went just like the first. At 9:35, all 7th and 8th grade students got a 10 minute recess break to play basketball, jump rope, or just hang out. Mary's responsibility at recess was to keep an eye on all students playing on the playground. She had to reprimand one student for deliberately pushing another during a game. She gave him a lunch detention. Another teacher blew a whistle and the students grabbed their books and ran to their next class. Mary's 3rd period class was 8th grade Literature. They were working on various reader's theater skits in small groups. Mary made her way from group to group and coached them on the best way to deliver their "routine." 50 minutes passed very quickly and the next 8th grade class arrived. Mary settled them by counting backwards from five. By the time she got to five, they were silent. This technique was used in all her classes. Mary's teaching day ends at 11:25 at which time the junior high students go to lunch. After lunch, Mary has time to prepare her lessons for the next day and to grade papers and enter grades in her computer. Sometimes she is called on to substitute teach during this time or to direct readers/plays. At 2:30, Mary is responsible for her homeroom packing up and leaving in an orderly fashion. She must give them any notes/flyers that are going home. After school, Mary has parking lot duty for 15 minutes to ensure that students get to their cars safely. I am glad that I shadowed her because I learned that you really have to have a passion for teaching. It takes alot of energy and patience. Mary works very hard but she has been teaching for 20 years and she loves it.

Week 9

Joseph John Palazzolo

Campus:
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85281

jpalazzo@asu.edu
Permanent:
7202 N 15th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85021
602-989-2788
illinoiselite@yahoo.com
QUALIFICATIONS:
-Self-starter with excellent work ethic
-Versatile, multi-task oriented, positive, dependable, enthusiastic
-Well developed skills in decision making & verbal/written communication
-Strong interpersonal skills: courteous, tactful, and professional
-Team player
-Active member of Arizona State intramural program

EDUCATION:
Current Courses:
BIS401
BIS402
SOC483
DCI494: Residential Paraprofessional Internship

Expected Graduation Date: May 2009

Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ)-Spring 2007-Present
Majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies
with an emphasis on Communications and Sociology

Chandler-Gilbert Community College (Chandler, AZ)-Graduated 2006
Associate of Arts Degree


JOB EXPERIENCE:

Arizona State University-August 15th-Present
First Year Residential Experience Paraprofessional Intern (FYRE)

Value-Tek Cleanroom Supply Company- March 2007-August 2007
Shipped/Received thousands of orders internationally using Starship/skilled in the use is MS Word/MS Excel/MS Money/MSPowerpoint(Webmaster)

Ss Simon & Jude Grammar School-October 2006-March 2007
Assistant Coach - 8th Grade Boy’s Basketball Team

Abercrombie and Fitch-ongoing
Greet customers while representing the Abercrombie and Fitch clothing style. This is a seasonal occupation and I am called upon when needed


CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT & RELEVANT ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES:
Arizona State University Intramural Program
Basketball: 2007, 2008, 2009
Flag Football: 2007
Softball: 2008

Chandler-Gilbert Community College Basketball Team
-Member of men’s basketball team
-Ranked as #4 rebounder in the ACCAC(Arizona Community College Conference)
-Ranked as #1 on team in field goal percentage
- Ranked #1 on team in 3-point field goal percentage
-Ranked #2 in points per game

Washington High School
-Honor Roll (3.2 GPA)
-Varsity Men’s Basketball Team
-All-State Honorable Mention (Desert Valley Region)

Week 7

My applied study experience relates to both of my concentrations in sociology and communications. Each day I am living among different groups of people where effective communication is vital. In the future I hope to work at a job that I am passionate about. I find what I am doing now very rewarding and hope to continue using the skills I am learning in my future endeavors. The experience I have gained so far could will be used for the rest of my life. I would rather not work at my current site in the future but would love to branch out on my own and use the skills I have learned to pursue my entrepreneurial aspirations. One aspect of my present position is that I am on call 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. As much as I love my job, the constant social interaction can be exhausting. Skills that I am learning would be problem solving, effective group communication, organzing groups, event planning, counseling, mentoring, coaching, anger management for first year residents, and team building. My favorite part of my job has been event planning. It is a great aspect that helps the first year residents connect and build a social circle of friends. Yes, I would definitely consider working in an educational setting. I had the opportunity to student teach in a 3rd grade special education class with students of all learning levels. I found this experience to be very rewarding and would be open for another opportunity to teach at the grammar school level. As an ex-college basketball player I have entertained the idea of getting my master's degree in education to teach and coach one day. I have enjoyed this experience thus far and I know it will be a stepping stone to my future.

Week 5

The FYRE program utilizes several theories from both the Sociology and Communications concentrations. The theories that I will highlight are Emile Durkheim's sociological theories of dynamic density and collective conscience and the Communication Theories of Communicating through informational technology and interpersonal communications. Dynamic density is the theory that a large number of people in a given society can cause transformation in that society. According to Dirkheim, large numbers of people are not enough to induce change. A second factor must be in place. That important second factor is that there must be an increase in the interaction that takes place among most of the people that live in that society. As a FYRE Paraprofessional I have been able to witness this theory in person. One of my responsibilities is to increase the amount of interaction among the freshman in my dorm. By doing this there is an increase in change from isolated living to group living which is beneficial to the University in the rate of returning students. Durkheim also argued that many members of a group, a tribe, or a society are more knowledgeable, more powerful, and more productive than an individual. This is called collective conscience. In my residential community I strive to involve as many students as possible in group activities such as study groups, intramural sports, and events.

Week 4

Reviewing many meanings explaining the difference between a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach I have come to the conclusion that being multidisciplinary means many different branches are involved in the process of achieving your outcome. Interdisciplinary means that however many levels or branches are involved working together to achieve an outcome is the vision. In the First Year Residential Experience we take an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach. The reason I think we use both is simple. The interdisciplinary approach comes into play when performing our workshops. We have to go through alot of training to present an excellent workshop to students. In that sense we are rehearsing what we had already learned. We use a multidisciplinary approach by having to work with people of all ages. Our boss is a PhD student, our mentors are all Graduate students, and we are undergraduate students. We combine to make a small team of professionals who have the same goal which is to help first year residents enjoy their experience and want to return to Arizona State University the following semester. I believe our department is in a type of hierarchical position. A FYRE "Fellow" is hired as a undergraduate student, specifically a junior or senior student. Our mentors are graduate students, and post undergraduate graduation we have an option of remaining within the FYRE staff as a graduate student so there are many different positions of hierarchy. As I continue into graduate school I would love to stay with the FYRE program. Thus far I have developed some great friendships as I do my best at being a big brother to First Year Residents.

Hi! My name is Joey Palazzolo and I am a senior at Arizona State University. I am majoring in BIS with my two concentrations being Sociology and Communications. I became interested in Sociology when taking a Sociology of Work course at Arizona State University. I eventually took another and decided to make Sociology one of my two concentrations. I have always been interested in Communications whether it is Relational or Interpersonal. I may continue to pursue my MA in Communications through Arizona State. These two concentrations are reflective of my identity due to my outgoing personality and my ability to communicate with anyone on almost any subject that comes about. I have many friends not only local but global. My applied study will be at Arizona State University on the North Campus. I will be a FYRE Fellow. FYRE stands for First Year Residential Experience. I will work as a liaison between the first year residents living on campus and the university. This includes establishing and making connections to the ASU community, gaining affiliation and connections to other students across campus, utilizing academic support and co-curricular resources, increasing awareness of cultural and diversity issues and improving the overall management and wellness of each individual student. I will also be giving success workshops on test preparation in various residential halls across campus. At my site I hope to increase the knowledge of first year residents on where to go on campus to get involved and become more successful in school and life. So far I feel that I have accomplished the most important aspect which is getting myself known to the residents so that they feel comfortable enough to come to me with any questions or concerns. I would say that the responsibilities that I have taken for my internship are related to what I have been studying through communication. If there was no communication on my part for my internship there would be no progress. Being able to relate and blend in to an environment I might not be comfortable in relates to knowledge I have grasped from my Sociology and Communication courses of study. My future goals after graduation include continuing my education in a field of study that highly interests me. At this time I am still figuring out what field of study that is. I really enjoy the type of work I am doing for my internship and I would love to see where it goes because I could see myself working in a field similar to this since I love working with and helping others.

My URL

http://bis401experience.blogspot.com/