My summer internship proved to me time and time again that all of the subject areas that are taught in school, show up everyday in the workforce.  Everyday that I was at National Spinning, I saw the importance of math because I saw purchase orders in which customers wanted certain number of pounds and color of a yarn.  I also saw spreadsheets of the performance of every worker on the previous shift and how many pounds they produced in the 12 hour shift.  This whole plant relies on data to ensure they are producing yarn and making money off of what they produce.  I plan on incorporating more of the other subjects in my ELA curriculum.  The product that I am working on ties in with the CTE teacher and we have begun collaborating on what I would like for her to do in her classroom that will prepare my students for the product that they will produce in my classroom.

Describe something that you’ve learned as a result of your fellowship that will change how you teach this year.

I have learned so much during my Internship about the textile industry, the people in my school’s community and their work ethics, as well as the importance of communication with other businesses in the county.  With all that I have learned, I will definitely be teaching my students some more soft skills that will include working with others, speaking, and communication.  This experience made me realize that education and learning begins at home, but some people don’t learn those things there so we as educators must not only teach our curriculum but basic survival skills as well.  Through this internship, I was exposed to how important this company was to our area as well as to some popular businesses.

This experience opened me up to the possibility to invite some people from the plant to my classroom.  I observed the ladies working in the lab and they really showed me how to test for quality yarn.  It was amazing to be shown that even though the naked eye sees perfection, that may not be the case.

I know that I will teach my students about being professional, communicate effectively, and being held accountable for their actions.  I teach 6th grade and one of the things that I try to do is teach them that they are not in elementary school anymore.  They still have that mentality when they get to me but I will be working on that in order for them to learn that it’s solely up to them to ensure their success. I will also expose my students to the importance of education more; making them aware of the unlimited opportunities if they have an education. I also worked at the local community college where I met wonderful young minds who said that they were never really exposed to college and the benefits of going to school.

It affirmed that if someone is exposed to something other than the norm and it’s beneficial, then many people will be ready to take heed to it.  It just takes the right exposure.  If they are never exposed, then how can we as educators expect them to know.