1. Mentors:
- Connie Estrada, Broad Oaks Preschool Teacher
1(562) 639-4965
- Alison Baker, Cal Poly Pomona English Professor
(909) 861-2738
- Annabelle Cortez, Lewis Library Volunteer Coordinator
(909) 574-4533
- Brianna Quintero, Graduate Assistant Advisor
(909) 754-6224
2. Mrs. Estrada is the lead preschool teacher/college student trainer at Broadoaks children school in Whittier. She has lots of experience in teaching children and in teaching others how to teach children. She was able to teach me ways to more effectively teach my students and keep their attention.
Alison Baker is an english professor who teaches at Cal Poly Pomona. She mostly teaches about literature and Folklore but she also has experience teaching Children’s Lit. Her teaching methods will be very helpful for me because she uses old texts (such as Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and King Arthur)and has her students read them aloud to understand them better because they were originally often read to illiterate audiences.
Annabelle Cortez is in charge of the children section of the Lewis Library. She is also the coordinator of the volunteers.
Brianna Quintero has been involved with IEFL since 2006. She has repeatedly returned as a volunteer and moved her way up to her current position. She has been the Graduate Assistant Advisor for two years now. She taught my fellow GAs and I how to be a proper GA. This included teaching us how to talk to the campers, how to respond to different issues and how to keep them involved and inspired throughout the week.
3. What is it like for an author to see a small idea turn into an entire world full of characters and problems and life?
How does an editor know if a story is good enough to sell when it’s based on their opinion alone?
Why does a director change the original storyline so much when adapting a book into a movie?
4. I think the most important thing I have learned is that english teachers are very generous. My mentor, Professor Baker, supplied me with links and contacts and books for my research before she had even agreed to be my mentor. Another professor, also from the english department, did the same even though it didn’t work out. He said that he would be too busy to be my mentor but that didn’t stop him from sending me his syllabus with every book he knew that could help me find what I was looking for. Even our own Mrs. Edwards was very generous. She assures me that she can help me with my project during the year by helping with my Independent Component.
5. I know that my topic is going to be in the area surrounding books. Where as at the beginning of the summer I was sure it was going to be specifically about language, I am now not so sure.
This summer I let myself explore a few other options besides the Art of Storytelling. I went to a camp called IEFL where I was a councilor for young teens. I have always gotten along with other kids fairly easily and I thought maybe I could focus on the job of a councilor or the importance of knowing your culture. I could have even focused on the importance of college, seeing as that is one of the biggest focuses at camp. It was a great experience and I got to see what it was like to be the adult for a week. Yet, even though I loved it and I am definitely returning next summer, I know that I will not be using it for my senior project. It just isn’t the kind of thing that would keep me interested all year. I also tried being a tutor for two kids in grade school. Again, I learned a lot but it just wasn’t going to work for my senior project. So I decided to stick with my topic, the Art of Story telling. Only, now that I have talked to my mentor about my topic I realize that I am more interested in the Author’s view of the story than I am of the language used. So I think I am going to have to change my EQ, I’m just not sure what it will be exactly.
Link to summer hours
Link to summer hours
