My internship project was embedding a science activity that was at the same time engaging and educational to all the sites of Children's Paradise. My partner and I designed a instructional flyer using our High Tech skills to turn it into an infographic using the website Pikto-Chart. We also created an Inventory/check- out list that would be kept at the front desk of all the centers to make it creative and kid friendly. The very last thing we had to do was present it at a meeting of all the mentor teachers of all the sites teaching them how to use it and explaining what we created. I think what I truly enjoyed about this project was to really put our creative skills to practice, but most importantly, see the kids actually playing with them. It was really nice to see our work being used and the kids to enjoy the activity.
In the buttons below, you can see all the products we created. How did you make a meaningful contribution to your workplace?
I am proud of the amount of work and effort I've invested so far. I think what I am most proud of is being able to help my mentor and help with all that is in her plate. I had such a fun experience, and everything, every single task was worth working hard for. Being able to help my mentor and other teachers and staff was truly a great experience. I know that we often helped the front office of the schools and we helped with most tasks. I have to give credit to my mentor for allowing me to get to do a little bit of everything to widen my perspective and knowledge in this field. We heard a lot of comments of the staff and other teachers asking us if we could come more often or they would say something along the lines of "I need to get myself an intern too!". Those type of comments made me feel and reassured me that my hard work was noticed and I should keep it up. I was able to help with filing, taking care of the kids, helping the teachers get meaningful feedback in many components of their teaching, we got to help with a lot! I am so glad that there was work, because it kept us busy and entertained, since our minds were craving work to learn. I was happy to hear that they asked us when we were going to come back again. How was your work as an intern meaningful to your education? This internship was very meaningful to my education. I had such a memorable experience and I can only say good things! I was really lucky to have Jessica as my mentor because she was not only in one place, which made it actually really fun and enjoyable. I got to learn so much about so many things. Not only did I learn about the world of early education but I got to learn about management and about laws and so much more! I could go on and on about the things that I learned. But I gained so many skills that I know I can definitely apply to any career that I chose to pursue. I got to learn so much about communication, relationship building, team work and balance--plus workplace etiquette. Not only did I learn academic skills but also moral! we got to dive really into empathy and creating welcoming and safe spaces for others. That really stuck to me, just like all the rest of the skills I acquired. I know that these are essential everywhere. What new appreciations did you develop while working as an intern? Why? There are not enough words to ever describe how much this internship has completely shifted my whole perspective on Education. I am so much more appreciative of the work that my teachers and the school staff does for u s every single day. I am amazed at how hard they work and how much they do everyday to get up and be ready to teach and learn with us. I think that because we were in the management side of the early education, I got to see the teachers do behind the scenes work. Everyday I only see from my student-in-the-classroom perspective. But through this experience I have been able to see the teachers outside preparing and from an outsider-in-the-classroom point of view. I have learned so much about how much planning and intentionality there is behind every single class. Through this internship, I have also been able to see how lucky I am to be at a school like High Tech High. It has really opened my eyes to a whole new world. What qualities or characteristics did you see in the people around you that you want to develop in yourself? Why? There are so many characteristics in the people that I see everyday in my internship that I am truly amazed at and hope to acquire and practice quickly. I think what I am greatly astonished by is the accountability and communication in the workplace--something super essential. I think that everyone in management, especially my mentor, are a great examples of this. My mentor focused on coaching the teachers, which allows the teachers to feel safe and comfortable to communicate with their coach about their concerns and questions. My mentor took the time to listen and hear them out, but the most amazing thing was that not only did she listen, she provided help, answers, resources, AND even more help, even if it was personal. It felt so genuine and so helpful. I know that if I was new, or not, in the workplace, I would love to be able to communicate with my co-workers and people in management and address problems in the workspace and be provided with resources. I also saw a lot of accountability. My mentor would always check in to see on the goals that the teachers set for the semesters or year. It was really inspiring to see how my mentor encouraged them and gave them good spirits to keep working towards those goals. Not just support regarding work, but also emotionally. There are way too many characteristics. However, I thought that communication was the one that resonated with me the most. The importance of communication and how big of an impact it has on any workplace or field. I saw that exercised here quite often, and I've been taking lots of notes on it.
About the organization
About this career
Today was my first day interning at Children’s Paradise, under the Quality Assurance Department. It was definitely something that I’ve never done before, but it was very interesting. My mentor is very relationship oriented, which is a major part of her job, and it definitely gave us a glimpse of what we will be working with for the rest of the month. The workplace really varies since it will not be just one location, but it’s very friendly and cute, I must say. It’s very welcoming, the people are very kind and inviting. I definitely met a lot of people already! Which I think is super awesome, especially for being my first day. A lot of what I was able to observe was mainly coaching and getting to know the staff and the space. But it’s something that I never really thought of! For a while I figured that the staff just consisted of teachers and directors, but there’s actually so much that happens behind the scenes, like what my mentor does. Assuring that the quality of work of the staff is something that I never knew happened, but now that I am witnessing it, I notice how big of an impact it actually has on the staff. It’s really great to see the benefits of it and the great connections that are being made through it. I think that has really caught my attention overall! I am very excited to learn how that actually develops in the classroom and the atmosphere that the staff shares altogether. I really am curious about how that is later applied in the classroom.
Where are you going?
I will be interning at Children's Paradise Preschool. Who is your mentor and what do they do? My mentor is Jessica Cardozo, and she is a Quality Assurance Manager. Describe your project and daily responsabilities. I will be getting familiar with teacher coaching and counseling while overseeing the quality of all Children Paradise's campuses. What are you excited about? I am really excited to learn about how quality is measured in different schools and how that improves the schools themselves and just getting to know the education field more in depth. How has this experience made you consider your college path that will ultimately lead to your career?
This internship, this experience has definitely made me think so much about the future and the career I want to pursue. I still want to pursue a career in STEM, especially in engineering, and this experience definitely made me love it more and increased my passion for it. Not only did I really learn so many things about Civil Engineering in specific, but also how the engineering community connects altogether. I am amazed at how much there is to it but how I was also able to see it and get a taste of it through my internship. It made me realize that this path, or this field, does require a wide skill set and it requires you to be a problem solver. I am still not sure if I want to pursue a career in civil engineering but I was able to see engineering in another perspective that I would totally consider for my future and ultimate path. I really hope to keep all that I learned and apply it in future similar experiences. I have gained a different and valuable appreciation for the people who work in this field, I truly respect them and the work they do. This was definitely an eye opening experience and has made me want to really know what type of engineering I hope to pursue. I am very grateful for this internship as I have learned so many things that I am so sure I will never forget. I could totally see myself in a similar job to this and I really enjoyed my time there. I was able to get a real and full experience and I hope to continue learning more. |
Paola ToledoHere are updates about internship journey and experience.
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