Senior Project Reflection

1) Positive Statement

I'm proud that i got to go up and talked about my topic and i felt comfident which is rare i hardly go up and present for 2 hr i thought it was a mission that has been acomplished. Also another thing im proud of is that i got to learn more about my topic and what is most important in the adoption process of a foster child.

(2) Questions to Consider

a.    P/AP because I feel that I had everything I needed, I met the requirements that were ask sponge,intro,foundation,3 answers, 3 activities, best answer,product, sources. I also met the time 30 mins of talking and 60 mins of my whole presentation.yes I was a bit nervous but everybody does not every time we get to present for 2 hr, but after a while i started feeling comfident with my work i knew what i was saying working in this topic for a year i felt that i was pretty prepare. 

    

b.     What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project (self-assessment)? Why?

P, ive turned in everything that we had to do throughout senior year,I had trouble at first but at the end everything was set up. I think i did a good job in reseraching, working with kids, interviews, at the beginning of the year i never thought i would reasearch that many articles and provide 4 interviews but i did it! There was a few problems but i ended up solving them such as service learning, finding people to interview,and working on my i-search. 

(3) What worked for you in your senior project?

what i fell that worked with me in my senior project is a few interviews, reasearching articles,blogs, and share out for our answers. sharing out gives you an idea if your in the right spot with your reasearrch and with presentations.Another thing that work was working with kids there were not foster kids but each kid was different some have been faced through many things and thats when you notice because its really hard for them to focus, i was able to experience working with different kids and knowing how to help them out.

(4) What didn’t work for you in your senior project?

what i feel that didnt really help me prepare for my 2hr was my towers it was just some answers and having articles support that answer. towers was something that i really didnt pay as much attention because to be honest i didnt know why towers was helpful for us we were just sorting articles not much memo.

(5) Finding Value

my sernior project has been helpful in my future because now im ready and help kids in foster care, i have information in how to help them, what they been through and the process it takes for adoption.

2-Hour Presentation

Essential question: what is most important in the adoption process of a foster child?
Lesson objective: the best way to help foster children
Sponge: have  picture of a foster child a small backgroumd-ask them what they think and what is the best way to help that child?
Intro: Explain why i was intrested in foster care, and the schedule for the day.
Foundation: Background info-what is foster care, how did foster care first start/
Answer1: identify the expectation of foster care
      - Activity 1- have images about foster kids with info and have qustions on how foster parents should treat them?
Answer2: hiring competent social workers
        -Activity 2- have social workers resumes, provide them interviews
Answer3: Facilitating a comfortable transition process for the chid
        - Activity 3- seperate the class and let them meet each other so they can feel comfortable
Conclusion: Best answer(2),Product( help kids in foster care)
Sources: Norma Perez- interview, Adoption Process-article, social workers today-article
Material: Resumes,images

Service Learning

1. Literal- Think Together Site coordinator Rupa Patel (909)331-2152 cell (714)742-1602 Buena Vista Elementary School 

   950 West D St.

   Ontario, CA 91762

   San Bernardino Service Learning Log

2.     Interpretive-  The most important thing I gained from working in think together, was working with different kids I experience bad/good  attitude, foster girl, learning disability, and easily distracted kids. The reason why I think this is so important is because in order to deal with kids in foster care you have to experience and know how they are and react not all kids are the same. Another thing I gained while working with the kids is that when they like you and they see you they want to run and hugged you but I learned that when we see it coming we should go side ways and just pat them because some people or the kids make take it wrong how you get near them, we have to have a certain distances. 
3. Applied- Before I changed my EQ to What is most important in the adoption process of a foster child? my EQ was What is the best way to help a foster child find a permanent home? My service learning helped me answer that question because as I spend time with the little foster girl, she would mention how she has about 4-5 moms and she is bearly in first grade, it made me think about it why was it that "she has had so many mom and now shes calling me mom" maybe because shes not that happy with the family she has, it made me realize my EQ was what is the best way to help a foster child find a permanent home? and how she has been through so many already then social workers were probably not finding a good home for her, or else she would of a;ready been stable but no shes been to one home to another. That is why I chose my best answer to be hiring competent social workers, social workers that will work till they find a perfect home and knowing the child and parents background information, and filing every information, and noting down the good and bad things they see with the child adjusting to their new home.

Independent Component 2

Calender 30 hours
click here

Literal-


I Andrea Baltazar affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work. I work with my brothers to be a head of the game in how to work with kids, and worked with my whole family  to see how a family should treat others. And to realize how a family should function in order to help a foster child.


Interpretive-


I worked with my family for at least 2 hours a day and count the time we will spend together and what we did i noted some bad things such as we don't communicate that much and having a foster child its best to have good communication in the family spend time together know the people around you, whats going on their daily life's just because you live with the person doesn't mean you know them get to know each other you are family. During my independent 2 I decided to work with my family and experience some good things and bad things about a family so later on i can know how the family should be treating young children in foster care, parents should have less arguments it affect the child. try to bond more with the kids, spend time with them make them feel special just how my parents make my brothers and I feel loved.


Applied-


What is the best way to help a foster child find a permanent home? 
before i changed my EQ to what is most important in the adoption process of a foster child. my independent helped me answer my EQ by communication, spending time with child, love them, don't do anything that the child doesn't like listen to the child when they say they dont like something the parents do it will help the child to love their new family and not wanting to leave. make them enjoy each moment they spend with you, you never know what will happen in the future. 

Helping 2013

The junior i interview was Ana Barerra 

Thursday in lunch 4/26/12

(1) What ideas do you have for your senior project and why?

     

      She is interested in doing her senior project on nail and art style, because admires the ladies in the salon who design nails and how they can fit designs in one tiny space on the nails. 

• I told her its a good topic and i haven't seen anybody work or learned about nail art its a really interested topic, and i asked her how did she first start realizing she wanted to learn more about nail art her response was when she was little she would see designs on nails and she started applying it to her nails and she realize its something she enjoys doing and maybe having her own salon when shes older. 

(2) What do you plan to do to complete the 10 hours of service learning (working with an expert) which is due prior to senior year starting?  

      Her mom has a friend who works in a nail salon and she had already asked her if she can be able to work with her for her senior project because she wants to learn how to do nail art and her friends mom said yea she can be her mentor and she will teach her everything she needs to know and will have her work with her and design some nails. 

• I told her that its best if she starts getting some hours with her service learning and not wait till last minute because it can be frustrating, that if its possible to start working over the summer so she can get some hand on experience and see if she enjoys working in nail art if not so she can change her topic and still be able to have 10 hours completed before deadline. 

(3) What do you hope to see or expect to see when watching the class of 2012 present their two hour presentations?

      She expects to learn different things something that we don't learn everyday, something new that will make her go home and do several research about our (2012) senior projects . shes looking forward in watching the presentations because she likes watching others perform so she can see what she has to be prepare for. She wants to see how people really know their topics and how they are able to explain them. 

• I asked her if there was something in particular that she is looking forward, and she said yes the activities and performance of each students, she wants activities to be entertaining and something unexpected.     

(4) What questions do they have about senior project? 

           Some questions she had that really concern her were how do our components work? or do we even have components? 

• I explained to them that in the beginning of the year your house teacher will give you a packet having everything that you need to have and when they are due and i told her how before they are do the house teachers will tell them when they should turn it in. I told her that by she told me if i was here i would like to see her presentation because i like to do art in my nails but i really dont know how only with stickes and she does her nails without stickers or stencils. 

Answer #3

• What is most important in the adoption process in a foster child?
• Answer 3: Keeping child connected to their family, culture, and religion 
• birth family members hold a puzzle piece in the child's life, some children need to confront their past with their birth family, sometimes is best to keep the child connected to their family, culture, and religion because as they get older they will ask about their parents and why they were sent to foster care they will want to know who they are and where they came from its best to let them know so the child wont later go claiming to the foster parents, why they never said nothing.- so to not cause a misunderstanding.
• sources: new foster parent role, my advice to foster parents

Room Creativity

1. How do you plan to address the room creativity expectation?

               - I was thinking in decorating the room into a child's dream room,  I will ask a few children "if they had their own room how will they want it? " I will try to make it in a child's point of view. 

      2. What activity ideas do you have for answer 1 or 2?

            - one of my ideas for my first answer is having some questions and then ask a few students to answer, for my second answer is having some students experiencing the field of social worker and having other student as foster kids and have the social workers(student) trying to help the students in finding a permanent home- ex: what will they do first? How would they find permanent homes? what should they do if the child is not comfortable with their family etc...

RC. 14

Children's law center
notes: 


L:

• When the government believes that children are being abused or neglected and cannot safely live with their families, it asks a Family Court judge to place the children in foster care.
• Foster care is designed to be temporary.
• When the system works properly, social workers help parents resolve the problem that brought their children into foster care and the children can go home.
• The judge will also decide whether the child can go home to his parents, stay in foster care or leave foster care to live with relatives or in an adoptive home.
• Extended Family Care- This means that the relative has the responsibility to care for the child and has the authority to make important decisions about the child. 

I:

• If the child is been abuse or neglected the social workers have the right to take them to a foster care agency. 
• Social workers decide if they will be in foster care temporary, either they go back to their biological parents depending on the case, or they will get adopted by a new family. 
• After putting the child in foster care social workers have to deal with the reason why they got their and work with their biological parents and see if the child can go back or not.
• only the judge gets to decide if the child will go back home or go to a new home, they will have court and both the child and the parents have to have their own lawyers. During the court they will determine if the child has been abuse or neglected by their parents.
• Before they put the child in adoption they ask any relatives of the child if they want to take care of them and treat them like their child.

Research check 13

Living with a foster child
Notes:
.a successful match between the child and the foster parent make a difference in a child's life during a period.
. The first to consider we're they place the child is with their relatives.
. Placement affect children, children can feel loss when separated from their families.
. They feel abounded, worthless
. When a child comes into a new home the main thing they have to do is to adjust to many things, everything is new, the family, food, house, etc. They may feel strange with the new surroundings. They may not want to get involved with the routine and activities the family has.
. Give the child time, before adopting them visit them once in a while so they will know you and get use to you do when you adopt them it won't be a big change for them.
.some foster children still want to keep in touch with their biological parents and that is good, foster parents should keep in touch with them and arrange them visits so the child can go once in a while with his or her families.
. If a family wants to adopt a child they should feel certain, they have to know they will be making a life time commitment.
. If the adoptive family has othher member of the household they also have to be positive of the idea of adopting. Make the child feel wanted.


What do social workers do?
Notes:
.the role for a social worker is to support children and families to ensure that children are safeguarded.
. Social workers is helping people with the difficulties they face.
. They develop a working relationship with children, young people, and families.
. Social workers should work hard to maintain a balance between compassion and making the right choice to protect children.
. Social workers have to challenge families, have to work with families and make sure it's strong enough to reach its own needs.
. Social workers don't just work with children and families and to keep the together, it can also be they have to take or remove a child from a situation that it's showing no signs of improvement.
. If the child has been harm or is in danger the social workers job is to go see what's going on and if they see the child is mistreated they have to take the child with them to foster care.
. Social workers working with children and families have to deal with many difficult issues, including mental health problems, sexual abuse, domestic violence

The Product

In my service learning, working in think together in buena vista elementary school and I have been working with kid. My product is understanding the experiences of a foster child or child. I chose understanding the experiences of a foster child or child because of my service learning with kids your suppose to be able to know what to do and understand them because they are all different. My evidence is service learning, my research, and working with Miracle who I met and she is from foster care. So far, I learned that your suppose to listen and be able to understand children even though there may be times you don't understand. Another thing is to be with them the whole entire time don't let them work by themselves. And main thing is to show them you care and won't ever leave them because some of them may be going through a lot of problems.

Fourth Interview Questions

1. What is the best way to help a foster child find a permanent home?
2. How should the child be treated?
3. What do you think foster parents should do before adopting a child?
4. How should social workers help the child find a permanent home?
5. Does the behavior of the child matter when it comes to finding a permanent home?
6. Why do they say foster care is only temporary?
7. Can the children stay with their adoptive parents permanent?
8. What does it take to help foster kids?
9. If  the foster child wants to stay with his/her adoptive parents, what do the social workers do? Will they let the child stay with them?
10. Does the behavior of the child matter when it comes to finding a permanent home?
11. If the child has been through many bad situations would it affect him/her in finding a new home?
12. what is the social workers job?
13. Does the behavior of the child matter when it comes to finding a permanent home?
14. How can the adoptive parents prevent any bad situations the child has been through before?
15. When do you know the child should look for a new home, and not help him/her get back with their biological parents?
16. Why is it that you think foster children go to one house to another?
17. During the transition of adopting a child what should we tell the child?
18. What do foster/adoptive parents do?
19. What are the requirements to become a foster parent?
20. If the child has siblings will it interfere with the child finding a permanent home? Or do the siblings go with the child who is being adopted? 

Independent Component 2 plan approval

1.  My plan was to work with my brothers to be a head of the game in how to work with kids, but instead I decided to work with my whole family such as when we do something or go out together.
2. I will meet the 30 hours work by every time were together I will make a log and take notes on the good things and bad things a family has.
3. This relates to my EQ because as I said the best way to find a permanent home is to first realize how a family should function in order to help a foster child. So by that I will take 30 hours to see how a family should treat others.

Independent Component 1

Literal
   I Andrea Baltazar I completed my independent component which was 30 hours of me working with some kids in think together. I talked and helped out a few students more because one is a foster student and another one has a certain disability and I want to work with kids who have different personality's because that's what I will be dealing with later on the future. 
Interpretive 
    I go twice a week and make hours for independent component and service learning and I ended up finishing my independent component, helping out students that each have something you need to focus on and showing them support. And also, been patient because they are little and want all the attention.
Applied
   Working with Miracle helped me realize how to answer my EQ, when she told me she wants me to be her mom she had also told me she has 4 other moms, when she told me that  it made me think of how much parents is the main thing of how foster kids get destroy but at the same time you have to find the good family to adopt the children in need.  By finding the good family who can take care of that child, and give them all they need it will help them out and social workers have no other choice than to let them be happy with them.
Grading Criteria 
  The list of how many hours I've done is in my blog on the right side under Service Learning/ Independent Component 1. Completed 30 Hours the rest is Service learning hours.

Presentation 2 Rough Draft

The link  is my 20 minute lesson plan for my  presentation


Andrea Baltazar- Foster Care 20 min lesson plan

Service Learning

1. In Buena Vista Arts-Integrated elementary school as the think together program.
2. My contact is Rupa Patel-site coordinator, address- 5685 San Bernardino st. Montclair, CA 91763, email- buenavista@thinktogether.org
3.  During my service learning hours I was working with children age 5-10, each of them have different personality, I was in charge of making sure they were finishing their work and been respectful, responsible, and safe. After their snack time they go inside to do their homework and once they needed help I would help them out and also play with them when it was play time. So far, its been good experiencing and spending time with the children.
4. Right now, I only have 3 hrs 30 mins of service learning since I didn't have a place to go because of certain issues either I could contact certain agencies and also because of my age. So this week I finally got a yes and Started today 1-12-12. 

Third Interview Questions

1.  What is the best way to help a foster child find a permanent home?
2. What steps are involved in adopting a child from foster care?
3. How can we help the child to feel welcome? 
4. Does the behavior of the child matter when it comes to finding a permanent home?
5. How should the adoptive parents treat them?
6. What is the best way to help a foster child feel love?
7. What should you do to help them forget about their passed if there was abusive, neglect, and any other traumas?
8. How should the adoptive parents prevent child abuse and neglect?
9. How can the adoptive parents help their foster child have a better life?
10. For a foster child to find a permanent home does the adoptive family need to talk to their biological parents?