On Connecting the Dots. . .

Melissa, left, at Edgar Allen Poe's birthday party. Scroll down to find out more about the Edgar Allen Poe Society, which Melissa co-founded.

B y Melissa Lauretti ’12, English Content Tutor

Where Do My Interests Fit?

“Make sure that you get involved on campus.” During my own college search process, I cannot tell you how many times I heard that phrase, and now, in my own interactions with incoming students, I’ve found myself offering the same advice. Although it seems like these are “standard” words of wisdom, I, for one, can’t imagine what my college experience would have been like if I had not attended events and club meetings and made an effort to explore all of the opportunities available on this campus.

Involvement with on-campus organizations is not only great for networking and relieving academic stress, but your role in these groups can directly enhance your academic performance. You’ll inevitably learn time management skills as you juggle various club meetings, paper deadlines, and study table commitments. Also, through these clubs, you receive opportunities to attend conferences, lectures and other events (I was able to meet Ryan Cabrera at a conference…that was definitely a perk for meJ).  Moreover, you can market the skills that you learn through these positions in the future…what better way to get “real-world” experience that future employers will love while making new friends and having fun?

Once you decide to join a club, undoubtedly the next question is: what club do I join? When determining what clubs to investigate further, you can consider your hobbies, passions, and major.

For example, if you have a management major or you’re interested in contract negotiations and talking with outside vendors, you might enjoy serving in a role that will allow you to plan the events for your club. All organizations on campus plan events, and there is frequently one student who will handle reserving the room, contacting guest speakers and managing logistics.  For instance, in my role on the Student Programming and Events Council, I talk with agents across the country to book performers and events that appear on campus throughout the semester.

Are you interested in graphic design, communications, advertising or marketing? If so, you might enjoy serving as an advertising coordinator or publicity chair for a club. Every organization needs to get the word out about their events, so this is definitely a necessary job and the perfect creative outlet.

Do you enjoy dealing with money or managing a budget? Almost every club has a treasurer, and if you are interested in learning more about the financial and business aspects of running an organization and planning events within a budget, this might be a great position for you!

Of course, you can always become a tutor at the CAE!

Without a doubt, the possibilities are endless. While you can get involved with clubs on campus to hone your current talents, don’t be afraid to join a club so that you can also learn some new skills. Take advantage of the time you have in college to find new hobbies, make new friends and build your future portfolio.

My Experience with Tuesday Experience

Alyssa, on right

Alyssa Chmura ‘12, English Content Tutor

Now in the second semester of my junior year here at SJC, my schedule is busier than ever. I’m taking 6 classes, serving as Advertising Co-Chair on S.P.E.C. (Student Programming Events Council – we bring all the cool events and performers to campus!), working as a CAE tutor of course, working in Admissions as a Student Ambassador giving occasional tours, working part-time at an off-campus job and somehow finding time for homework, some sort of social life and every once in a while, sleep.

Even just typing that sentence listing everything I have to find time to do makes me cringe. Don’t worry though; this isn’t a blog complaining about not having enough hours in the day! This post is all about what makes my crazy schedule worth it in the end: spending an entire day in the classroom for Tuesday Experience.

On top of my English major, I am also studying to achieve my teacher certification in Elementary Education, which spans grades K-6. SJC’s Education Department has an excellent program for Elementary Education students as a sort of precursor to student teaching called Tuesday Experience. Once a week (bet you can’t guess which day!), we spend a whole day in a West Hartford elementary school classroom observing, assisting and teaching lessons.

Tuesday Experience is a great program to help prepare future teachers for the rigors of student teaching and beyond. Authentic experiences like teaching a lesson to an actual group of students rather than peers pretending to be elementary students again are so valuable. Being in the classroom for a full day is extremely helpful and calming before jumping headfirst into student teaching.

I was placed in a kindergarten class for my Tuesday Experience. I was a little surprised since I have always stressed that I want to teach upper elementary (grades 3-5), but I decided to embrace the challenge of kindergarten. A typical day in the kindergarten class consists of assisting the students with math, observing them at specials like music and gym, making sure they walk quietly through the hallways, singing songs and helping out the classroom teacher in any way necessary.

Some things I have learned so far about kindergarten:

1. The kids NEVER run out of energy. EVER.

2. Kindergarten is a lot of work! There is always learning going on, every second of every day.

3. The kids are absolutely adorable and super smart! I think as adults we underestimate the abilities of children in the classroom, not realizing how eager the students are to learn and how much they can learn even at a young age.

This past week, I taught my first lesson in math on using pattern blocks to introduce the shapes. The students had to solve pattern puzzles that were in the shapes of animals and other fun objects using the pattern blocks. It sounds like a simple lesson, but so much went into planning it! I had to first think of a topic, figure out what curriculum standards to tie the lesson to, think about what I wanted the students to take away from the lesson, plan the activity, gather materials, and practice, practice, practice!

Even though the prospect of teaching my first ever lesson was nerve-wracking, it was such an incredible experience. I loved seeing the students so engaged in and excited about what they were doing. I could tell that they had really learned something too – almost everyone’s hands were in the air to answer my closing questions about the lesson. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to teach a lesson in a real classroom thanks to Tuesday Experience!

I’m enjoying kindergarten so much and have already learned a ton. The students are so great and every week reaffirm my desire to become a teacher. I am so glad that SJC offers the chance to spend quality time in the classroom before student teaching; Tuesday Experience has already improved my confidence in my teaching abilities and given me so many ideas about how my classroom will be managed, all of this before student teaching begins.

 Even though my schedule is crazy busy, I look forward to Tuesday every single week because it is so rewarding, educational and, of course, fun.

Life: A lesson on doing what you love. . .

  -Michelle DiPinto ’12

Everyone has at least one thing she loves.  Whether it is a sport, club, or hobby, it is that little piece of you that allows you to be you.  It is amazing how much that one part of life can affect a person.  It gives one motivation, drive, and most of all heart.  It is in these activities that inspiration will spring and one will be guided to a new set of paths to choose from.  These choices that a person makes can impact everything about that person and lead her to future employment.  It is interesting how the things we love so much, the ones that are important, and sometimes might obsess over, are the ones which teach us so many lessons and shape us into the people we become. 

Take time to reflect on what you truly love, and what is important to you as a person.  Don’t just give up on something for often this road leads to regret.

At this point in my life, I am not one hundred percent sure which path I will take although there are a few staring me right in the face.  I am taking multiple courses here at Saint Joseph which allow me to look at my past and think about everything that has happened in my life.  I sincerely hope everyone saves time for personal reflection because it has not only shown me what I love but how I have grown as a person though participating in those activities which are important to me. 

I have three major activities that have guided me to who I am today; academics, sports, and music. 

School has always been a large part of my life; I have always tried my best in all of my classes and interestingly enough love learning.  Learning is a way of bringing new ideas into your own mind and being able to apply them to things outside the classroom.  Tutoring these past two semesters has aided me in understanding the material in a new perspective as I lead others to understanding ideas that have been presented in class.  It is amazing how class lessons can be directly translated to the ‘outside world’ and how wonderful it feels when everything clicks together.

The second is sports.  This one is at sometimes a love hate relationship, which is why I could not put singularly ‘swim’ or ‘volleyball’.  You see I made a huge mistake my freshman year, but looking back it might have been one of the best of my life.  I was not able to play volleyball freshman year.  When this didn’t work out I was able to swim like I had in high school.  I love both sports; the feeling of rushing through the water trying to beat your personal best or communicating with a teammate to run a slide, scoring the winning point of a match.  I ended up swimming my freshman year but missed volleyball so much that I did both volleyball and swimming the next year, and the year after that.  This just goes to show you that you can’t choose the things you love, they choose you and you cannot feel complete without them.

Lastly there is music.  Throughout high school I was in band, sang in a choir and loved every second of it.  Sadly, I only completed one semester of choir until knowing that I would have to carry on music in my own way, singing with friends, in a practice room, or even pulling out my clarinet and running my fingers up and down the scales and sheets of music that I once lived for. 

Sure, all of these activities keep me busy, but it is knowing that they will always be there for me when I am feeling down that makes them so important to me. 

Saint Joseph College has helped me continue the things that I love as well as give me brand new experiences.  If there is one thing that I had to tell someone it is to never give up what they love.  Even if you cannot do it in exactly the same manner you once were, it is important to still play the sport, complete research, or perform on stage to put a smile on your own face. 

 College might be all about new experiences but be sure to fill your time with both new things and the old.  I will always be able to recall information about something I loved learning, pick up volleyball, swim, or even play my clarinet.  I have held onto the things I love very tightly because I never want to lose the memories, the feelings, or the sense of accomplishment that I get from completing anyone of them.  These different activities drive my life, give me passion, heart, and hope for the future.  I have met so many friends, with the same determination and heart which only comes from people who have done and continue to do what they love. 

Are you?

Edgar Allen Poe Society at SJC

Melissa Lauretti and Michelle Dipinto celebrate EAP's special day

Ashley Briglia, Michelle Dipinto, and Edgar

 

  -By Ashley Briglia ’12         

 “Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou, I said, art sure no craven…Quoth the raven, ‘Nevermore’.”

You may recognize this quote from the infamous poem, “The Raven,” written by Edgar Allan Poe in 1845. So why is this significant to us now? Recently, the 202^nd birthday of this great literary figure occurred, and what a better way to honor a mastermind such as Edgar Allan Poe than with a birthday party. Yes, you heard me correctly; I did say a birthday party. Now you may be sitting there, thinking to yourself that I have officially lost my mind having a birthday party for a dead author.

Three other content tutors at the CAE, Alyssa Chmura, Michelle DiPinto, Melissa Lauretti, and myself beg to differ.

Of course we knew this celebration could not be subpar, which is why we spent days diligently planning a party that even Edgar Allan Poe himself would have been proud to attend. We made cards, presents, party hats, and an extraordinary birthday cake adorned with a picture of a raven and the quote “Nevermore.” There was even an activity portion to the evening; I brought an episode from the television show Gilmore Girls, entitled “A Tale of Poes and Fire.” In case you didn’t catch the gist of the episode from the title, the episode featured members from an Edgar Allan Poe Society reciting “The Raven” in a comical manner.

The only thing that was missing was the guest of honor.

Luckily, Melissa resolved this issue by procuring an Edgar Allan Poe doll, which was the perfect addition to our party.

As we were sitting around at the party, enjoying our cake and opening presents, we began to think of other ways we could continue planning activities that revolved around our interest. After brainstorming ideas for a few minutes, Melissa came up with a brilliant idea:

We could form an Edgar Allan Poe Society on campus.

Pure genius! At this point you may be thinking to yourself, how can four people possibly create a club on a college campus? Well, that’s one of the great things about SJC! All you need is four people and a faculty advisor to organize a club that pertains to any one of your interests. Forming a club is an excellent way to add your own personal flair to the campus.

In our club, we plan on discussing some of Edgar Allan Poe’s greatest works, doing renditions of his poems with our own personal spin added, and even celebrating other great American authors’ birthdays such as Mark Twain. So, be sure to look out next fall for the Edgar Allan Poe Society and join the fun! This is definitely not an opportunity to which you will want to say, “Nevermore!”