YDEV 506 #5

 Well, this post (and semester) is a little bit different for me because of my funky timeline! I had already completed and presented a capstone project when I started this final semester of my journey through the YDEV MA program. I thought I'd take some time to reflect on some take-aways from my experience. First of all, I feel really lucky to have gone through the capstone process with the group that I did. They were some of the most intelligent, open-minded, and beautiful humans I've had the pleasure of being with! I really can't imagine going through the process without them or our professor, Besenia. On the other hand, I think it definitely highlighted some of my insecurities along the way. Along with immense pride in my fellow classmates I always felt a lot of internal pressure (some healthy, some maybe not) to do something "great". I wanted to do something equally as meaningful and impactful, while never feeling like I could quite live up. I think this was a large realization I've had moving through this program - my propensity to "cut myself off at the knee". As a neuro-divergent learner I figured out early on that if I didn't quite put my whole self into something, I didn't have to ever feel inferior or incapable. It seems to me that the same goes for me finding my passion (capstone, career, or beyond). I have always just done what I was naturally good at - taking care of others. But looking around and seeing so many people in the capstone process with such a specific purpose and goal in mind felt so daunting.... and invigorating. I wouldn't have been able to see all these things in myself without being surrounded by such inspiring energy. For good or bad, I did prove to myself one thing during the capstone process - I am capable. I never would have thought when I was a younger student that I'd be capable of going through a Master's program, no matter writing a 20+ page document on my own research process. Overall, I'm thankful that I made the decision to do my capstone a little early and I'm thankful to continue growing with this current amazing class and  to see all the amazing and inspirational things they'll go on to do! As for myself, I'm excited to take this semester to figure out what direction I'll go in next. On the precipice of a huge transition in my life, I'm ready to stop "cutting myself off at the knees" and finding a way to create a life that's meaningful and energizing!

YDEV 506 #4

Journey to Praxis:  Supporting Youth Activism

By: Rachael Lee Ficke Clemons

• Introduction

"How do youth development workers engage adolescent youth in social justice activism?"

• Review of Literature
• Social Justice Youth Development, A Framework
• Methodology: Qualitative Sampling, Data Collection, and Analysis
• Sampling
• Community Selection
• Site Selection
• Participant Selection
• Qualitative Data Collection
• Qualitative Data Analysis 
• Results
• Participants - Youth Empowerment, People for Change, Neighborhood Arts
• Social Justice Youth Development: Across Organizations
• Organization Specific Processes 
• Background
• Critical Consciousness 
• Social Action 
• Discussion
• Implications
• For SJYD practitioners: 
• Preparation and professional development is important
• Work in community, not as individuals
• For policy makers and organization leaders: 
• Systems need to change
• Conclusion
• Through "critical consciousness and social action praxis in SJYD spaces,"... "youth and adults work together to challenge systems of oppression that impact their daily lives".

YDEV 560 #3

It was interesting for me to learn about these ways of thinking about research! I think that each is intricate and some may have a bit of overlap as well. I would have to say that the approach I would align with most might change a bit depending on the situation at hand. However, that being said I think I most often relate to the constructivist approach to research. I believe that you have to acknowledge relationships and perspectives in order to truly comprehend the data in front of you. If you only view things from your own (or someone else's) perspective, you are missing valuable data and conditions that should be considered. Research, like human life, does not often happen in a vacuum. Ignoring the different realities of each person creates a narrow framework off which to base your research.

Thinking through this lens about my 'wonderings' last week was also interesting. At first I wasn't sure of which perspective I would relate to the most, but looking at some of the questions I posed it was so natural and immediate to think about them in the constructivistic framework. Looking at the following question I thought about how I would approach this in a constructivist way...

Why are we in the midst of a major teacher resignation? 

     I think that for this question it is extremely important to be partnering with the subjects in order to receive their genuine perspectives and insights. Going into a study on this topic it would be inherent that each person's values, perspectives, and daily situation are taken into consideration. While I would like to narrow down this question a little in general, it is an extremely critical one (I believe) in the future of the teaching profession and youth development fields both inside and outside of the school building. 

YDEV 560 #2

Quite honestly, I'm feeling a little lost in the world of 'work' right now. I am in the middle and at the beginning of a few really big transitions in my life and it has me feeling a little stuck. I made the decision to not return to the school that I had been at for the past three years. Me and my partner have decided that we'd like to make a big move and are planning to be up in Vermont by January of next year. All that being said, I'm currently working part time doing nannying and bartending to get me through this last semester. However, I'm not sure that returning to the classroom will be what is best for me no matter where I reside. I'm feeling a little lost to my purpose and so I'm not sure exactly where to take this class, especially since I already presented my capstone. I'm eager to continue finding the answers to those and more questions! I wrote 15 questions on a similar topic to my capstone, and 5 about my personal journey. 

1. How do you support student's emotional growth/stability without compromising academic goals?

2. And/Or is how we measure academic growth actually harming emotional growth/stability for students?

3. Why ARENT we measuring emotional and mental growth outside academic goals in school settings? 

4. How do you create an environment where teachers feel heard, supported, and valued?

5. Why are we in the midst of a major teacher resignation? 

6. How do you promote inclusivity and empathy in an early childhood environment? Do parents care?

7. How do you involve more parent education in a school setting?

8. How important is a teacher's own stability/ mental health in running a classroom and do we support it?

9. Can you really create a curriculum that's 'universal'? Are you robbing teachers of the opportunity to react and create in real time for the real faces in front of them?

10. The standards we use for curriculum in early childhood - who are they created by? for? Can they also be 'universal' or is this a huge disservice to our students?

11. How can you best serve your students when you do not share the same background/culture as them?    Are you best to serve them? 

12. How can we create more collaboration between teachers/researchers? 

13. When do parents really care about the 'culture' of the school setting? Why? 

14. How much influence does the administration really have on classroom and school culture? Why?

15. How can I find more balance in the responsibility I hold for others verses myself?

16. How else can I impact children without direct care?

17. Where can I find an environment of support, care, and passion to work in? Do I have to create it?

18. How do you foster contentment? Should you always be striving for the next thing?

19. How much does a "career" really mean when it comes to purpose? 

20.  Who am I if I can't define myself with my profession?

21. What if we could allow teachers to create their own curriculum?

22. What if we started focusing on social/emotional skills early on in a school setting....and never stopped? How would the world be different?

23. What if parents were as focused on social emotional growth as academic goals?

24. What if we evaluated students with them? Even at an early childhood age, what would that look like?

25. What if what we want to do doesn't exist? How do you find your niche?                

YDEV 560 #1

 The purest form of love I've ever known. <3