Pursuing A Summer Food Program At Ball State University

I am currently employed through Academic Systems at Ball State University in North Quad. I am administrative staff and perform office tasks, work on Banner and other computer programs, and complete small projects such as taking inventory of classrooms. I have been in this position since the fall 2013. In the summers, I work at the Summer Food Program at the YWCA in Van Wert, Ohio. I am a mentor for 4 and 5 year olds and plan activities and lessons while lending support, care, and guidance to the children. I worked there in the summers of 2014 and 2015 and plan to return this summer. Also, I have tutored a junior high student in algebra for two summers.

Other Information

1. What are your career goals?

One of my career goals is to work in

I enjoy finishing tasks and being productive. I find satisfaction in being skilled and proficient in whatever work I am given. I also greatly enjoy people and getting to know them personally. I think that understanding the individual and their motivations, strengths, and weaknesses will enable me to better serve them, whether that is as a speech-language pathologist, tutor, leader, or friend. One of the biggest challenges that I can foresee is with presenting information to a bigger audience. I thrive in the one-on-one or small group setting. I like to be personable and create deeper and more fruitful conversation in smaller settings. I am not as skilled or comfortable with talking or instructing large groups. However, I have found that I can be efficient as a presenter if I am confident in my knowledge of the information that I am

I am sure that not every student is eager and excited about needing help. It is possible that their parents strongly encouraged them to receive tutoring and they may feel embarrassed or reluctant about receiving tutoring. This may affect their willingness to cooperate and their dedication to the tutoring. In this situation, it is important to make them feel comfortable and reassure them that the services are a great resource and it is wise to take advantage of them. Also, tutors and graduate assistants must be aware of the language and cultural differences among the students. Another consideration is the student’s expectations with seeking assistance. For example, if he/she is expecting to have the answers given to them, then it would be appropriate to provide them with a better understanding of what is expected of them in the tutoring relationship.

5. What professional knowledge or experience do you hope to gain from your work at the Learning Center? I hope to gain a better understanding on how to relate and interact with individuals of different ethnicities and backgrounds. As a future speech-language pathologist, I will come in contact with a variety of people and families, all with different priorities and ways of thinking. I hope that this experience grows my appreciation for every type of personality, ethnicity, and individual and provide better insight on how to present