Katie Bora

LAS 399 Final Project

December 10, 2015

LAS 101 and 399 in Five Words

This year was my second year as an LAS 101 intern. During orientation, I got the chance
to participate in the returning interns Q&A panel. For this presentation, each returning intern
was asked to describe their LAS 101 and 399 experience using one word. This was extremely
difficult for me to do, as LAS 101 and 399 were both such an enriching experience, and I could
not decide on just one. Instead of one word, many different words came to mind and it was hard
to pick one, or even the top five words to describe my experiences. After getting another year of
experience under my belt, I decided to return to this question of describing LAS 101 and 399 in
just one word. Again, picking one word is too hard, so I picked my top five words to describe
my LAS 101 and 399 experience to incoming interns. To all incoming interns for the 2016
school year, I would describe being an LAS 101 intern and a 399 student in the following five
words: flexibility, challenging, exciting, growing, and rewarding.

LAS 101 and 399 is: Flexibility

LAS 101 requires an intern to think on the fly and make split second decisions and
changes. Lessons do not always go as planned. Activities may take less time or more time than
you expect, and it is your job as an intern to adjust your teaching and class agenda when what

you have planned goes differently than intended. Flexibility is the key to success in every class
period. You must be able to adjust your plan depending on how the class goes. I have several
notable cases in which flexibility was required of me as an intern. The first was during the study
abroad week. I was giving the presentation to my class as I did study abroad during the summer
of 2014. I had planned my presentation around teaching for one classroom, and in my 399 class
on Monday, I discovered that another intern that had an LAS class during the time I teach did not
have a presenter. I invited her class to join mine, and so the next day, I had to figure out how to
fit more students in my classroom, make more copies of the worksheets, and incorporate another
class and intern into my presentation. It ended up being a really strong presentation as I had help
from the other intern in facilitating my activities. Thankfully, the room did end up having space
for twice as many students, and everyone was able to fit. While I did have a day to prepare, this
was a situation where I had to adjust my original plan and be flexible in order to help out another
intern. It ended up being a fun experience, and I think the students found it exciting to combine
classes with another 101 class.
During the week where I was supposed to lead a debate on obtaining an LAS degree
versus not having an LAS degree, I started off the class by reviewing the reading. I asked two
questions, and no one was able to respond. It was during this moment, despite me even sending
an email reminder, I realized my students had not done any of the reading. I had to on the spot
readjust my lesson plan to give time to students to actually read the text. I quickly had students
take three minutes to skim the text. I pulled up a timer and timed them. I then returned to the
questions, and had students summarize the reading and answer the questions with a partner for
five minutes. This quick decision adjusted the lesson so that my students were able to participate
and do the reading that they were supposed to have completed. We still answered the questions I

wanted them to go over, but to save time and make sure all students went over the questions, I
had them answer them in pairs. This activity took longer than the original discussion would
have, so I had to shorten the planning time that students had for the debate. Yet, I felt that I
needed to give my students time to read in order to have the debate, so while I did lose out on
planning time I did feel as though it was worth it in order for making the lesson overall
successful. There have been other cases where I have had to make similar quick changes to a
lesson, thus flexibility is truly an important part of being an intern.

LAS 101 and 399 is: Challenging

The hardest part of LAS 101 is finding ways to get students engaged in the material. At
the start of the semester, students do not understand why they have to take LAS 101. I openly
addressed this question on day one by explaining to students the importance of LAS 101 and by
asking them what they wanted to learn. It is crucial to get students engaged in the class from day
one. I also spent day one trying to figure out what my class was like. Every LAS 101 class is
different and likes different activities. The only way to learn what your class best responds to is
through trial and error. For the first few classes, I tried variety of instructional approaches. By
trying many different teaching methods, I was able to see what my students liked and responded
well to, and what did not go so well. I discovered that my class liked small group discussions as
well as games and interactive activities. Thus, each week, I had to spend time coming up with
fun games and small group activities I could use to present the material. It is hard to keep
thinking of creative ways to present information, but it gave me the chance to experiment using
different discussion techniques and integrating different technology and games into my

classroom. Further, to help keep students even more engaged, I let them drive the learning. I did
as little talking as I could, and instead used a student centered approach where I let my students
learn from each other and share their personal experiences. This was another way to keep
students excited about the material and the class, as they were able to be active participants
instead of passive participants listening to me lecture.
One of the most challenging aspects of LAS 399 was time management and finding the
time each week to plan, enter grades, and complete the reflections and assignments. I had to
utilize time management to make sure that I was on top of all that I needed to take care of and
get done for this internship. I developed a system that worked for me. I would always compete
attendance and participation immediately following my LAS 101 class. I would also try and get
started on the reflection that same night while my class was still fresh in my mind. I would
always have the reflection done by Thursday of each week. Over the weekend, I would go over
the lesson for the upcoming week and plan my class. This would oftentimes take between 2-3
hours depending on my ability to come up with and prepare fun and exciting activities for my
class. I had to keep to this schedule so I did not fall behind on 399 or forget to complete
something. Finding time to plan and keeping to my schedule was challenging but ultimately
helped me professionally and enhance my time management skills.

LAS 101 and 399 is: Exciting

One of my most exciting LAS 101 experiences was getting to give my own lesson. As a
future teacher, this was incredibly beneficial and gave me the chance to explore different ways to

best present the material to my students. I enjoyed having full control over how to run and plan
my class. It was also exciting to get to present a lesson that I had completely created and see
how it went. The planning process allowed me to directly cater to my students needs. It was
fun to have full reign over what was covered in the class and how it was covered. I used this
experience as a chance to try something new and take chances as I felt LAS 101 was a safe
environment for me to grow as a teacher in. I picked interactive activities such as ranking
resume entries using Poll Everywhere, students piecing together a resume that I had cut up, and
starting students on writing their own resume entry bullet points. It was a bit terrifying to teach a
lesson that was entirely created by me because I was concerned that the technology would not
work or the activities not go as I originally intended. However, once I started teaching my
lesson, it was incredibly exciting and fun to see what I had planned come to life. I liked seeing
how my students responded to activities, and it was clear that all my planning had paid off as my
students responded to the activities positively and with enthusiasm. All of my students were able
to actively participate and be engaged in the lesson. However, the lesson did run longer than I
expected and I had to cut down some work time on the last activity. Overall, I was proud to have
planned and taught a lesson that went so smoothly and feel ready to be a full time teacher one
day.
In 399, the most exciting part of the class was getting to hear about everyones LAS 101
experiences. I loved hearing about how other people were planning on presenting material to
their students. Everyone in my LAS 399 class is extremely smart and creative, and so it was
valuable to hear their insights and experiences in their LAS 101 classes. This helped give me
ideas on activities that I could try and use in my classes and encouraged me to reflect on my own
teaching style and how my LAS 101 class was going. I found it beneficial to get critical

feedback and reassurance on my lesson plans. Furthermore, I liked getting a chance to see how
other LAS 101 classes were being run and how they were going. It was comforting to all share
stories of the struggles and success we were facing in our classrooms as I felt not alone and that I
instead had a support system to turn to. Further, each week we had a different group present on
ways to lead the lesson. I really enjoyed this aspect of 399 because I was able to see the various
teaching styles of my peers and get help and suggestions on ways I could present the material in
my class. I liked how we were all learning from each other and from our experiences. This
sharing of experiences and ideas was extremely beneficial and valuable.

LAS 101 and 399 is: Growing

As an LAS 101 intern, I grew a lot as a classroom leader and professional. I built up my
confidence in leading a class of 17 students each week. It was intimidating being an intern and
having full responsibility for a classroom. I had to identify how I wanted my classroom to be run
and establish the rules and norms of my classroom. At the start of this year, I was less nervous
than last year and spent more time laying the foundation for how I wanted my class to go. I
immediately saw the benefits of my efforts during the first class. I was more excited than
nervous, and it set the tone for the whole year. I could see how my students responded positively
too me when I was more relaxed and open with them. I continued my growth throughout the
year by practicing and developing my teaching skills. I incorporated a lot of different teaching
strategies into my classes such as Think, Pair, Share, Jigsaw, and small group work. I practiced
leading full class discussions, which I have found I need to work on, and throughout the
semester, I saw myself getting better at using wait time and leading a full class discussion, which

is difficult to do properly. Also, I practiced using games and technology in the classroom, such
as using Kahoot. I definitely feel that I have grown as a teacher through my two years as an LAS
101 intern, and it was during this past semester that I saw myself really open up and embrace my
role as a teacher. I was not afraid to take the lessons and modify them to best fit the needs of my
students, and I discovered what kind of teacher I want to be. I focused on letting my students
guide the discussion and let them teach and learn from each other. I acted as a facilitator as well
as a teacher. Now, I have a fully developed teaching philosophy and have firsthand experience
with both success and failures in the classroom that have helped me see areas where I need to
improve and work on as I become the educator I want to be. My LAS 101 intern experience has
proved be invaluable in helping me grow as a teacher, which will directly help me when I am in
my own high school classroom. Every day in the classroom was another learning experience,
and I learned so much about myself and what I value as a teacher.
During my LAS 399 class, I also grew professionally in two main ways: addressing
diversity and dealing with troubled students. Through my 399 class, I learned how to facilitate a
discussion on diversity in a meaningful way, and I learned how to address the various forms of
diversity present in my classroom. During orientation, we had a presentation on international
students. This presentation was one of the most valuable presentations we had as it made me
aware of what the international students in my class were going through and the things that I
could do to help them. I did study abroad, so I am somewhat familiar with what it is like to be an
international student, but this presentation helped make me more aware of how I could make
these students feel welcome. I had many international students in my LAS 101 class from Chile,
India, and China. Thus, I had many different cultures represented in my classroom. I checked in
with these students periodically and structured activities that had many different forms of

participation so that if they were not comfortable talking in front of the whole class, they could
participate in other ways. Also, I found the presentation that was given on diversity during my
399 class to be extremely informative. I was definitely concerned about teaching on diversity
and inclusivity as this is a difficult topic to understand and teach. This presentation helped me
understand how I could set up a safe space in my classroom and teach students about diversity in
a way that made everyone feel valued and respected. Compared to last year, I feel like this year I
was better able to teach on diversity and respond to the diverse needs of my students. The
programs sponsored by LAS 399 helped me grow professionally on this topic.
Furthermore, I also attended the optional 399 presentation on learning how to recognize
troubled students. This presentation was extremely helpful and helped me grow as a mentor and
leader. I take issues of mental health and personal safety very seriously after having gone
through some difficult times throughout my college career. I have a developed a new found
appreciation for the programs offered by the university that offer services to students who need
extra support. This program helped teach me more about what the university is doing for
students who are going through difficulties. I was previously unware of some of the programs
being offered by the university, and I was proud to know that these issues are taken very
seriously on campus. I felt better prepared to be an intern and mentor after learning what are
warning signs for students who are distressed and what steps I should take if I thought a student
was distressed. I feel as though I have grown in having a better understanding of what to do for
students who need extra assistance. I paid close attention to the warning signs in my class and
actually did talk to a student I was concerned about after class. This student was concerned
about failing a class and I took the student aside to address the problem. I used the warning signs
to spot a problem before it got too serious and was able to intervene and encourage the student to

get back on track academically. I can utilize what I learned from spotting students with distress
in all professional settings, and I feel as though I have grown a lot in terms of approaching
students when I am concerned about them.

LAS 101 and 399 is: Rewarding

The most rewarding part of being an LAS 101 intern is being a mentor and having
students open up to you. The one-on-one meetings were the most rewarding experiences I have
had. I was able to get to know my students better and learn more about them as individuals.
Students expressed their concerns and hopes for college to me, and in return, I was able to offer
them my insights and suggestions for success. Students seemed to come to trust me more after
these one-on-one meetings. Students were no longer hesitant to ask me questions about college.
I loved when students asked questions as it really showed me how much I was valued as an
instructor and as mentor. Student questions ranged from how to use the buses and figure out
who their advisor was to any advice I had for them as a senior. I enjoyed answering these
questions, and acting as a mentor towards students. I also followed up with students throughout
the semester on the concerns that they had shared with me during the one-on-one meetings, and
several students came up to me and expressed gratitude for checking in and helping them make
the adjustment to college. Being a mentor to college freshman was my main motivation for
wanting to become an LAS 101 intern. Those moments when I am more of a mentor are the
most rewarding because I interact with students on a more personal level and get a chance to see
how my advice and experiences are benefiting current freshman.

LAS 399 was also a rewarding experience as I participated in an internship that helped
me prepare for my future career as a teacher. The skills that I developed through being an LAS
101 intern will be a valuable addition on my resume. I gained leadership experience as well as a
teaching experience in my own classroom. Being an intern has helped me prepare for being an
actual teacher with my own classroom. Further, I found the presentations on resume building
and how to apply for jobs and graduate school extremely beneficial and rewarding as well. I
have left LAS 399 with a solid understanding on how to structure my resume and alter it for the
different positions I am applying for. I feel as though my resume skills have greatly improved
and will be helpful as I begin the job hunt very soon. Last year, I did go through this same
presentation, but I was a junior and I did not see how beneficial it is now that I am actually
starting to apply for real teaching jobs and positions. This year the presentation on how to apply
to grad school and jobs was new, and I found it to be extremely helpful. At this moment, I am
not applying to grad school and plan to start teaching in the fall, yet I still found this presentation
applicable as it did go over how to succeed on a high stake application process. Overall, I have
left this internship with not only an experience to add to my resume, but also a better
understanding of how I can enter the professional world and begin the next chapter of my life.