Here is the application and reflection for my Experiential Learning. I had expressed interest in being a Peer Educator since my fall quarter of freshman year, and I was finally able to do it. As more of the artifacts show below, it wasn't all rainbows and sunshine, but I feel like both my students and I got a lot out of the class. Plus, I was able to find another smaller community of friends for myself on this big campus. I really enjoyed being a Peer Educator, and I hope I can do it again.
These are a collection of my Plus Deltas I did each week, which specified what I thought went well and what I want to improve on. They're very representative of my journey and growth over the quarter as a teacher. Teaching these students definitely was not always easy: my lesson plans would flop, I would get nervous, and I would lose their attention. But there were those moments where it just felt so right: when my lesson plan was successful, when I could see the students on the edge of their seat and asking questions, and when I was able to get to know them more. Teaching wasn't easy, but the benefits I got out of it both professionally and personally were well worth the obstacles.
These are a collection of some of my favorite comments I wrote about student assignments. I initially went into giving feedback thinking the job would be easy, non-fulfilling busywork. However, not only was this a very time-consuming task to thoughtfully read all of their submissions and provide feedback, but it was also one of my favorite parts of the Peer Educator process. I loved reading about their hopes and dreams, and there were a few times where their passion brought me to tears as I was reading. A lot of them opened up to me about some very personal stuff, and I was honored that they trust me and the community enough to be real about their backgrounds. I loved having the chance to be real with these students and encourage them to follow their passions despite the obstacles. I always have enjoyed reading other people's work and giving feedback, but when this level of intimacy and importance is added to it, I enjoy it even more.
This is the picture my section took after their portfolio presentations. I was super proud of all of them before from reading their assignments, but seeing their growth and learning just over a quarter was heartwarming. Each of them took away completely different lessons from their time at UW so far, and it was so fascinating to watch that be told through their portfolios. Although I don't see them anymore, I hope my students continue to know they can reach out to me if they ever need any help.
This is from our Peer Educator dinner at Aley's house (with Mouse!!!). The Peer Educator cohort continued to be an amazing group of people. Every Wednesday, I looked forward to heading to seminar and catching up with them. Their passion for serving the Honors community as well as their general friendliness was one of my favorites parts of this quarter. Even when things in our sections didn't go according to plan, we all had each other's backs, and we laughed our way through it all.
Even more than my own Honors 100 group, I enjoy knowing these amazing people and being able to see familiar faces around campus. Even when we don't see each other for a while, it's always fun to catch up really quickly. This cohort to me represents my ideal for the Honors community: accepting, welcoming, and passionate.