Amanda Hayes completed a volunteer project at Cocoa High School where she helped exceptional education students volunteer at a local sharing center. She engaged the students in collecting hangers and doing a scavenger hunt to make the work fun. This experience impacted Amanda by helping her learn about different disabilities and how to interact with and support students with special needs. She reflected that the project gave her confidence and skills to work with all students in her future classroom.

1. Helping the Community Amanda Hayes amandahayes@knights.ucf.edu 4/10/2010 EEX 4070

2. Early Perceptions When I went into this project I was feeling very nervous and excited at the same time. I had no clue what I would be doing or who I would be doing it with. Now I am confident that I made a difference in the lives of the students I worked with as well as the community we helped.

3. Introduction to the Setting Cocoa High School Ms. Sammon’s Exceptional Ed Class Ms. Sammon and her High School Exceptional Ed Class

4. Demographics The students were excited at times and impatient at others. They sat and waited for the bell to ring so we could go do our project. Their moods and expressions while the teachers were checking out their goodies at the end were priceless.

5. Personal Demographics My interests Working with children and making a difference in their lives One day becoming a child psychologist My interest for this class was to learn about the many different disabilities out there and how to deal with them in your classroom. My experience In the education program, I have learned a lot of new and educational experiences with children in the classroom. I have gotten one on one experiences with children in different classrooms I also got lots of hands on experiences with them by doing lesson plans and the JA program Goals Is to be a successful and well educated teacher To make a difference in my personal and business life To build a strong, healthy, and happy life for my daughter, my family, myself, and even my children I teach at school

6. Engagement Activities 1 of 3 My project was for the children to volunteer their time at the Sharing Center in Cocoa. I put together a scavenger hunt for the students to do after they did their work. I mixed with work with pleasure. This ties into what the teacher is teaching them about work ethics and helping their community. I was helping the group collect hangers (demonstrating work ethics) Us looking for items for the classroom, this is part of the scavenger hunt.

8. They collected hangers from the racks and place them on the hanger racks.

9. I also had them do a scavenger hunt of some items in the store that they thought were interesting to them and can be used in the classroom. I also jumped in on the scavenger hunt.I was encouraging them to keep up the good work Looks like Rudy is in the lead!! Ez is doing a great job!!

11. While I was doing the scavenger hunt with the students, the teacher and intern were doing hunting for goodies of their own.

12. I had the students hunt for things they could use in the classroom.

13. I also engaged in the project by helping them find hangers. We were trying to see who could find the most.

14. I came up with the project by collaborating with the teacher to see what ideas we could do for a off campus project.Teachers checking out their classroom goodies Ez hunting for hangers

15. Participant Demographics

16. Reflection of your Experience 1 This experiences has effected me in many different ways. I wasn’t aware of the different disabilities that children have around us. I really didn’t know how to react or deal with a student with disabilities until I did this project. The scavenger hunt me and the students did at the sharing center impacted me the most. I got to see the students emotions, being good and bad. I was so proud of them when I left there. What I have taken away from this experience is the knowledge that I have gained form the students with disabilities. Also, the closeness and caring thoughts I feel towards students with disabilities. My academic learning was impacted through this experience because it got me to see and interact with students with disabilities without treating them any different from other students. My approaches to teaching was impacted by this project because it gave me the wisdom and character I needed to help me work with children with disabilities if they are in my future classroom. I really know how to incorporate activities and projects for all students to learn in my classroom.

17. Reflection of your Experience 2 I found it very fun, interesting, scary, and heartwarming to work the children with disabilities. I was so nervous going into this project because I was afraid of not doing the right thing. The good thing about being around children with disabilities is that they are excited and care about you being there and not about you being nervous or messing up on something. I found this project rewarding, educational, and beneficial to my future career as a teacher. I have definitely learned a lot of things about the different disabilities of children and I plan to take the knowledge with me to better my future career in teaching. Now I can feel confident about working with children with special needs.