Author: Petaaa

5_Petagaye Copeland U3 Writing Assignment (1)

Petagaye U3 Process Essay

 

Petagaye Copeland

2/10/2020

ENG 1121

Word Count:1008

My Discourse Community

When I first started working at Salvation Army Gains Sunset park, I noticed that there were children of different cultures mainly Hispanics and Mexicans so I did not really think that we would get along. I was more on the shy side when I first started the job but I realized all the children were nice to me and got to know me within my first week. Before I started to work at this after school I did not know where Sunset park was located or even how to get there. But I’m glad that I got the job because working at this after school has opened my eyes to learn about a lot of different cultures and having to work with people older than me. Not to mention, being the youngest staff member is my biggest obstacle that I face every day when I was introduced to my group (4^th-5^th graders) I realized this was not going to be an easy job in other words 4^th and 5^th graders are not easy to handle eventually the children got used to me which made my job much easier.

Salvation Army Gains is in Bush wick, Bed ford, Brownsville, Sunset Park, and Harlem each site runs its program different but under the same rules and regulations some after school sites even go up to middle school but at Sunset Park site goes from K-5. Our program is the smallest site but still, we have one of the best staff and get the best ratings when we get visits from DYCD (Department of Youth Community Development), which is great because that looks good for our site and we get more supplies and funding for our program I’ve learned a lot of things from working in this program for one is how to write a lesson plan, as a group leader each group has to write four in total Culture arts, STEM, Literacy, and Gym the groups are K-1st, 2nd-3rd, and 4^th-5^th its two group leaders per group and we have to write a lesson plan once a week so we can teach it to the children after they have completed their homework. Making the lesson plans can be difficult because there are guidelines that you have to follow also when I speak with the children they open up to me and they teach me how to be a better group leader because when I see them intrigued in the lesson that tells me I did a good job with the lesson.

My team and I communicate by meetings or we text in our workgroup chat, in meetings we talk about how the week went and what we have to look forward to for the upcoming weeks and for our group chat we discussion which child isn’t going to be picked up, when we have to work on holidays and when lesson plans are due and what group is missing what lesson. During work, we use a walkie talkie to ask each other for supplies when we need it when snacks have arrived and one person from each group has to pick it up, we let each other know when dinner is ready for the children when it is dismissal and a child is going home we just say their name on the walkie. In addition to, the way we communicate it is plenty of steps to become a group leader with Salvation Army Gains; you have to apply, get an interview, the director should call you back after your interview telling you got the job, need to get fingerprinted to see if your background check is clear, wait to be put on the payroll, lastly, you need to get clearance to start the job. Our main goal at my job is to make sure each child is well-taken care for each day also see to it that they are getting their homework done and correct every day, we value each child’s well being because some of the children have many obstacles to face at home but have to put on a brave face in school and in after school despite how it makes them feel they always have to stay positive. After schools are an impact to the community because kids need a place so that they can be themselves; with my after school program it’s free we provide pick up from the schools and bring the kids to the building where our after school program is being held and have the kids do their homework make sure they are feed and have a place where they are most comfortable. My staff and I also put our own money into providing for these kids just to make sure they had a good day that what matters to my community to know that my kids in my program are always safe for example, when we decide to throw parties for the kids the money comes out our pocket and not the funding from Salvation Army or when we need supplies for our lesson plans, so that makes us so close to the kids and make them want to be with us all the time and tell us what happens in their day which makes me feel good as a person and group leader.

As a final point, Salvation Army Gains program can be rough at times but if you work with the right people have a good relationship with the children the job will get better, being in an after school job with kids will prepare you for the teaching field and get used to being around kids and learning different traits and actions about each child you encounter to find that every child isn’t always happy the way they portrait it to be it is always something deeper I learned that from working with the children in my after school.

Work Cited

Cabral Estrella, Aleysha. Personal Interview. Feb 2020

Reyes. Bethany. Personal Interview. Feb 2020

Deoki. Catty Ann. Personal Interview. Feb 2020

Garcia. Nahomi. Personal Interview. Feb 2020