IT CAN BE DONE

      To began, this penguin shows exactly how I was feeling going into my first fieldwork session.  I was nervous and absolutely weak to the knees. You don't really know what to expect. Unlike many of my classmates I chose to be placed on fieldwork with children that does not have apparent mental disabilities but struggle from so many other issues. Although I am a mother and can identify with the needs of children; no one could have prepared me for the setting of my fieldwork site.  I don't know what I was expecting but after my first visit I can tell you what I wasn't expecting which was the impact children can have on each other. I was surrounded by children that had little to call their own but yet the enjoyment that sparkled in their eyes just from a little game of "Simon Says" help me to realize just how thankful I should be for all I have.
      Although my first session was a little rocky, I had a chance to see just how much impact an individuals environment can have on them. I seen the kids fight for attention using different tactics such as name calling, yelling, hitting, using others as scapegoats, fighting, and pushing mentally to see how far they could go before we would stop them.  And although I had never been put in a situation like this, my first thought was "How can I use myself to impact these children for a lifetime?" Its amazing to know that we have the power to impact lives of people on a daily basis, this fieldwork has open my eyes to know that I am on the right path in my life
     My second session was more structured because we had a chance to observe what type of personalities we would be facing.  Just the little change in our position and structure in the activities gave such a completely different response from the group compared to the first session.  Seeing the difference in the children and responses to the different activities shows me that it can be done.  You sit in the classroom for 2 semesters awaiting for this moment but its nothing like you anticipate,  it is so much more fulfilling.  This has shown me I CAN DO THIS!!!!