Flat Stanley Letters- West End Elementary Third Graders

Working with the third graders that came to Clemson University from West End Elementary was an incredible opportunity. It allowed me to practice becoming a teacher by explaining to these children how to write letters, checking for comprehension, and making the lesson exciting and relatable. 

These children were truly excited to be working with Flat Stanley. It was interesting because in the group that I was working with there was a girl who was mute. When asking the children to tell me their names and one place that Flat Stanley went during the play, the children proceeded to tell me that this girl did not talk. Her teacher told me her name. 

However, even though she did not talk, she listened attentively and actively participated in the lesson. However, after the lesson was over and I was talking with the children, she appeared to zone out. When asking her for her pen before the children left, I had to pat her arm several times for her to hear me. This was my first experience working with a child like this, but she succeeded in the lesson when treated like the typical child.

Additionally, I was happily surprised to hear many of the children say they wanted to attend Clemson University when they are older. It is amazing to see enthusiasm for higher education at such a young age. 

Greenville Early College Visit- October 30, 2014

After the first successful Greenville Early College visit from the 6th graders, I was very excited for the arrival of the seventh and eighth graders. I worked mainly with the seventh graders and was very excited to meet my group. The day began with a tour of the campus. Me and another Moore Scholar, Kelsey, were in charge of eleven very eager seventh graders. We showed them around campus and had the kids fill out a quiz as they learned about specific buildings on campus. As we approached the amphitheater we had the kids go on stage and put on a little talent show. We had two girls sing "Lean on Me" and two boys show off their new handshake they had just made up. It was fun to see the kids open up as they showed off their special talents.

After the tour, we had the kids watch a presentation on the academic side of Clemson. They learned all about the different majors offered at Clemson and some students shared what they want to be when they grow up. I was happy to see these kids so energetic and passionate about their futures. The seventh graders also got to participate in a periodic table activity that we created for them. We heard from their teachers that they were learning about the periodic table in science, so we created a scavenger hunt for the kids where the different elements ended up answering fun halloween riddles. The kids enjoyed it immensely and were able to brush up on their periodic table skills!

Each time the students from Greenville Early College visit I am reminded how lucky I am to be a Moore Scholar. I love being able to inspire kids and show them how great college can be. I am thankful for being given an opportunity to work with such passionate and bright students.

Greenville Early College Visit- 2 October 30, 2014

Having the students from the Greenville Early College on campus was so exciting, as it always is. The day initially began with a campus tour. The group that I was participating in was solely composed of eighth graders. They did not appear as enthusiastic as the sixth graders during the field trip, but instead seemed more pensive and reflective. They appeared thoughtful and observant of Clemson's campus and what it would be like to be a college student. Additionally, all of the students in the group were extremely respectful. I thought that these were admirable qualities.

It was exciting while we were on the tour to start talking to the students about topics in which they were passionate. Many of the boys played football and seemed incredibly determined to be able to play football in high school. I hope that this dream of theirs comes true.

Later that day when the eighth graders were in the planetarium, I was fascinated with how much they knew about astronomy. When the planetarium show ended, several students asked questions about certain constellations that were not even in the show. It was an amazing experience for them to be able to see and understand the constellations that they had probably only read about in a science textbook.

This group of children has great potential to have amazing and bright futures. If they keep their goals and continue to be passionate about their education, they can and most likely will be incredibly successful. I cannot wait to see where these children's lives takes them!

Elementary School Visit

This past month, 6th graders came to visit Clemson University to tour and find out about the campus and college in general. These students, according to their school supervisors, have potential to go far into their education career. It was a great experience to work with these children, because not only did it give my fellow Moore Scholars and I experience in the education field  with children, but also gave us the opportunity to set the minds of these children on the right path to success.

1st GEC Visit!

My first GEC visit was great! I was so excited all week about it and I think the kids were just as excited as I was. They were very engaging in the activities and asked a lot of questions. They loved seeing the dorm rooms and even the library! I think this is a great opportunity for them to see what they can do if they just believe in themselves and keep their grades up. Many of the 6th graders in my group stated that they had to do well in school now because they wanted to come to Clemson. I believe that this experience for them was great and possibly life changing! This was probably the first time some of them had ever been on a college campus in their entire lives. I believe that this type of encouragement will allow them to realize that college isn't too hard for them and that they can achieve it. The planetarium was also very fun! It allowed them to see some of the amazing technology that Clemson has. I loved this experience and I can't wait for the next one!

Early Greenville College

On September 25, 2014 the Moore Scholars hosted an event in which students from Early Greenville College were able to come and tour Clemson to see what it was like to attend a university. As I waited for the buses to arrive I was very excited to show off my school and to teach these kids what it is like to be a college student. As 6th graders, these students still have a while to go before they think about attending college, but as we showed them around campus you could see the interest and excitement in their eyes. They thought our small dorm rooms were the coolest places to hang out and they loved seeing different parts of campus and learning about Clemson's history. Their excitement was contagious and I couldn't help but become excited with them as I started to see my campus through their eyes and appreciate how much I have here at Clemson. As the students left I was happy to know that I was able to make a difference in their lives, if for only a few hours. I truly felt like an "agent of change" because I was able to show students how great college is and motivate them to work hard in school so that one day they could experience college like I have been able to. Unfortunately I was not able to participate all day in the event due to a review session, however, the time I did spend with the kids was unforgettable and a great experience. I am proud to call myself a tiger and proud that I am part of an organization that allows me to help influence others in a positive way.

Greenville Early College- September 25, 2014

Being a part of the Greenville Early College visits is always a delight. To see the joy on the children's faces is truly rewarding. It is so humbling to see how excited they are to be on a college campus and how amazing they think every aspect of it is.

I was fascinated with the amount of questions that several children asked during the visit. This demonstrated that they truly had a willingness to learn and were excited about the field trip. During the campus tour and the planetarium visit, the students were mesmerized with Clemson's campus and college life. Their incredible passion and motivation demonstrates these children want to overcome any obstacles in their paths. All of the children appear to be full of energy and ready to learn, and this willingness is what will allow them to succeed. 

If these children receive the support from others that they need, they can make it to high school graduation. Exposing them to college campuses will lead them to even furthering their education. It is amazing to be a part of showing these students that they can succeed. 

GEC sweet 6th graders!
Working with the students from GEC today was one of my favorite memories at Clemson so far. Of course, learning about the kids during classroom time and through reading The Water is Wide has been very educational. It has helped me understand so much about low income and “at risk” schools that I did not realize. But I have to say, actually seeing the kids’ faces today and putting a face to the types of students that we discuss in the classroom was so rewarding. It motivates me even more to put 100% effort into this program now that I have a face to think of. We are part of something HUGE! We can change a kid’s life—we have that capability and we have a responsibility. I loved hearing the kids today talk about coming to Clemson and becoming a tiger. I want to make that a possibility for kids who are seen as incapable of earning a degree from such a prestigious school. An 11-year-old little girl today asked me “Do you have to be picked to go to Clemson?” It stirred a thought in me that those kids have the same dream we do and should be equipped with the education necessary to achieve their dreams. Also, a boy named Andres found a purple Clemson pin on the ground and proudly proclaimed as he put it on “I am a Clemson student now!” These moments remind me what we are working towards with this program. It was so rewarding to be with those kids and can’t wait to see them again!

GEC has Moore Fun!

Today the 6th grade students from the Greenville Early College program came to Clemson for their tour from the Moore Scholars and it was a blast! The Moore Scholars, both cohort A and B, have been busy planning this event and I would say it went great, if not better than I expected. We arrived in the Holmes ballroom to set up and go over the game plan before the students and their teachers arrived around 10:30. The day consisted of 4 main activities, a campus tour, a show in the planetarium, a housing tour and lunch. When the students arrived we split them into 3 groups and were on our way to explore campus. It was so helpful to have the big group with both cohorts leading today because each group had around 17-20 students. These students were great to work with and I heard all day long how they cannot wait to be a Clemson Tiger someday. My group did not start off shy, they were asking questions, interacting with students and learning all they could about the life of a Clemson student. We got to see Bowman field, Tillman, the amphitheater, Cooper Library, the academic success center and a classroom. These stops on the tour all corresponded to a scavenger hunt along the way to learn more about the history of our tour stops. Next, we played a game to break the ice and learn more about the GEC students before heading to one of my favorite places on campus, the planetarium show. The Clemson planetarium is a hidden gem that not many people know about or use and its free for everyone to use. Students went on a tour of the solar system and were engaging and asking questions the whole time. Final stop on the tour was a Clemson House dorm where the Moore Scholars Living Learning Community is housed. It gave these students a look at what it was like to be a Clemson student and where we live. This got them really excited and one student asked if she could stay instead of going back to school. Group C was also able to meet a football player, number 94, which got the students even more excited about the possibility of coming to Clemson one day. We headed back to lunch and were able to teach the GEC students the cadence count so I would say they are more than ready to be Clemson Tigers. I had a blast working with all the students and they were all so engaged and loving to learn all about Clemson.

6th Graders from GEC Visit!

September 2, 2014

The sixth graders from the GEC came to campus today from 10am-1pm! This was this particular group's first time visiting a college campus and I'm so glad that this first visit could be to Clemson. Each group had about 16 kids and 2 teachers in it along with 4-5 Moore Scholars from cohorts A and B. It was great getting to bond with Cohort B too, together the two cohorts make a great team! We took the students on a tour of a dorm room in Clemson House, then on a campus tour, and then to the planetarium before wrapping up with lunch and games back in the Holmes ballroom. It was so fun to see how enthralled the students were with campus and the various buildings. I know that my students were really excited to see simple things like the library and the reflection pond, that I guess we, as Clemson students, take for granted since we see them every day. It brought me a renewed sense of "wow my school is really awesome" when I saw how excited they were. I even heard a few of my students say that they want to attend Clemson and it was really neat getting to talk to them individually about what they want to be when they grow up or where they might want to go to school. A couple of the girls in my group want to be teachers, so I was excited to share with them about education classes and Clemson in general. Since we are in the midst of midterms here on campus, I really enjoyed having the students here to see that even in the chaos of midterms, papers, and life itself, Clemson is still amazing and teaching is still what I want to do in life. Thanks Moore Scholars and GEC for making a busy time so much fun! Can't wait until we get to do it again next semesters with the 7th and 8th graders!

Multimedia Arts Camp Day 5:

     The multimedia arts camp finished up today as a big success. The students put their final touches on their videos and presented them to the entire camp. Before the videos were shared, students had time to either finish editing their videos or tour around the campus. I took my students to see some of the buildings around campus and to meet some students because a participant wanted to talk to Clemson students. Together we checked out Hardin Hall home of the History, Geography, Philosophy, and Religious Studies department. The participant enjoyed an opportunity to talk to a professor about what college is like and how things at Clemson work.
     Afterwards the students met in Godfrey hall to have a martial arts lesson from Tamika. This lesson had mixed results, some of the students really enjoyed it, but it seemed like the majority of the students just wanted to sit around and not participate. If I were to do this again I would figure out a way to try and make the activity more engaging for the students so they wanted to willingly participate.
     After the martial arts lesson the students moved into the basement of Tillman to watch the videos they had made. Across the board the videos were good and one could tell that the students had worked hard on them. Jordan had technical difficulties with her computer, but the students still came upstairs and crammed into the DML lab to watch the completed video.
     The paper plate superlatives given to each student were a huge success. I was doubtful when Dr. Rogers ran the idea by us but the students really seemed to enjoy them, and they were a nice way to tie off the camp. All in all, I'd mark the camp down as a success. The projects were spectacular, the students had fun, and the Moore Scholars group as a whole got some new teaching experiences.

     Day 4 of the Multimedia Arts Camp, complete! Most students are getting excited to share their videos tomorrow to the rest of camp, while some are a little shy and nervous about appearing on the "big screen." It has been a privilege to witness some of these students slowly come out of their shells. They are each incredibly unique, which, as future teachers, is something we all need to gain more experience with.
     Today, we spent the first 30 minutes completing a writing activity with the students that Dr. Rogers prepared for everyone. We then shared our favorite parts of the camp, and reflected on what had been written on everyone's papers. Some of the students even shared that camp was the best part of their summer! The next 30 minutes were spent working in groups on presentations, but then we soon reunited and went to Godfrey to play games in the dance room for a little mental break. Some Moore Scholars prepared a game of "Relay Charades", which was both competitive, humorous, and a definite bonding experience for everyone. While some campers were not too excited about the idea of "playing games" for an hour, I believe everyone enjoyed the time spent in Godfrey today.
     For the last hour, students worked on their presentations again. Some groups even finished their iMovie a little early, and had to luxury of enjoying the beautiful day out on Bowman Field and the North Green, overlooking the reflection pond. The group researching deforestation were lucky enough to take a trip to the Botanical Gardens, which I'm sure was a treat for the students of the DAR School. I got to witness the group researching bullying finishing up their footage of some cheerleading and dance routines.
     All in all, it was another productive day at the Multimedia Arts Camp here in Clemson, and it's looking like we will definitely have some students interested in returning next year! Excited to watch the movies tomorrow!

Wednesday August 13, 2014

Moore Scholars Multimedia Arts Camp Day 3 Blog Post

            Well, we’ve made it through two days of training and three days of camp, we are in the home stretch everyone! The students are definitely warming up to the scholars and seem to be enjoying themselves, for the most part. As always, there are those select few who do not want to participate, but as future teachers, we must realize that that’s reality. The videos seem to be coming along quite nicely, and today, we had several visitors on campus!

            The group doing the video on a fitness campaign had a visit from a Clemson basketball player named Jaron Blossomgame. Jaron is a 6 foot 7 inch sophomore who plays forward for the Clemson Tigers basketball team. Jake arranged a meet and greet with his students and Jaron. There was even a small pick up game on the quad basketball court! The kids loved it, and I’m hoping Jaron did as well.

            The group doing the video on intergenerational story telling had a visit from Kenneth Wilson, Dr. Rogers’ relative who also attended the DAR school during his teen years. Mr. Wilson visited the students and discussed the DAR school then and now. Rebekah’s girls seemed to thoroughly enjoy bonding and sharing stories with him. He even brought an old DAR yearbook and some other memorabilia.

            The group doing the video on preventing animal abuse had a visit from a dog today. The dog, named Brooke, came to campus and starred in some video clips with the students. Hailea’s students absolutely loved playing with Brooke; there was even a game of fetch in the Walter Cox Plaza after the filming was over.

            The Moore Scholars broke up a day of filming with a game of civic engagement charades in Godfrey Hall during the second hour today. The students were surprisingly really good at charades, even stumping our scholars at times!  It was a great break from the hard work of filming and video making, and provided some more insight into our theme of civic engagement.

            All in all, day 3 went over quite smoothly and was very successful! I’m looking forward to completing filming tomorrow and then presenting projects on Friday! Great job everyone! 

Multimedia Arts Camp Day #2... and a Rainstorm

Today was the second day of camp for Moore Scholars Cohort A and it was a productive day. The students were opening up and even more excited to get going on their projects. They all have wonderful ideas for civic engagement topics and how their final video project will show these off. The campers creativity and wide range of ideas continues to surprise me with every idea they share. From human trafficking, animal abuse, to bullying and every topic in between you could imagine these students are making videos about. Some are just aiming to bring awareness to a campaign and others are creating their own campaign showing the problem and their own ideas for possible solutions. We are all getting excited to see the final projects from the ideas we heard during the group updates today.

Camp started with a get to know you activity called "What's on your plate" where the students had paper plates with 4 sections drawn on them and each section they wrote about themselves so we could all get to know each other a little bit more. Next, we all brainstormed iPad safety ideas and a Moore Scholar showed the campers how to use iMovie, the application the final video projects will be created with. We hoped to show the students the lab next door in Godfrey Hall that has a dance studio space. Everyone made a run for it in the pouring rain and the door was locked so we had to turn around. Hopefully there are clear skies and the proper key so we can check out the space tomorrow.

Tomorrow is when most of the filming for the projects will begin. Actors will be preforming skits, props will be made, puppies will be on campus, a special guest for our inter-generational story telling group, basketball players will make appearances and many other talents will be showcased. These campers are so talented and their creativity is going to shine through in their final projects. They are already learning more about civic engagement and these videos have lots of promise.

Multimedia Arts Camp Day 1

August 11, 2014

Multimedia Arts Camp Day 1

Today was an exciting day for Cohort A of the Moore Scholars Program. It was the first day of our Multimedia Arts Camp which is the first summer immersion project that we have ever experienced. It was an exciting day as we waited in anticipation for the campers to arrive. Most of the campers are middle-school to high school in grade level, and many of them come from the Tamassee DAR School. Most of the students from this school have been taken away from their parents and homes for various reasons. Because of this, this experience for the Moore Scholars is incredible for our research and understanding in how to reach underprivileged and troubled children.

The theme for our Multimedia Arts Camp is civic engagement. This opens up a wide variety of topics that the children can choose for their multimedia projects. Many groups have chosen topics such as animal abuse, helping the elderly, health and fitness campaigns, etc. The group of children that I am working with has chosen to try to raise awareness about how to prevent and inhibit human trafficking around the world. I thought this was an extremely mature and challenging topic to choose, which demonstrates the abilities of these students. The students in my group are so full of life and ready to dive into the project head on. They already had a tremendous amount of ideas as to how they wanted to construct their video and props that they wanted to bring to assist them. I was amazed at their enthusiasm and eagerness to start their project.

It is so incredible that all of the campers at this camp are researching ways to improve society and the world. These children have the potential to be the future leaders of society and inspirations to many. All they need is someone to show them that they have the ability to succeed. The theme quote for the camp from Anne Frank is incredibly fitting for these children. It reads as follows, "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."

Sunday August 10, 2014

Camp begins tomorrow!

                

                Tomorrow, the Moore Scholars embark on a journey that is in its inaugural year. We are leading a multimedia arts camp in which we invite students from the surrounding area to come to Clemson University campus. At this camp we plan to talk about the topic of Civic Engagement with the campers and then assist them in creating a video that is meant to raise awareness about their subject. For the past two days, all of the Scholars and our instructor, Dr. Angela Rogers, have been training and preparing for the students to arrive on campus. During our training we talked about topics like what to do in case of weather and health emergencies, learned about the students that we will be working with, etc.

                  As I sit on the eve of our camp, I have many emotions and feelings regarding the camp. I am very excited to meet all of the campers that are attending our camp and to get to know them. I am excited to brainstorm topics that the campers want to work on and learn what their interests are. On the other hand, I am a little nervous for the camp. First of all, I feel that since it is the first year of the camp, there are still some small kinks that will need to be worked out as we go along. Secondly, I am worried that the campers will not connect with us as counselors. However, I think this is a concern that many groups have in situations similar to this.

                  All in all, I am very excited to get the opportunity to participate in this monumental occasion and look forward to gain many experiences along the way!

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