Reason and Squalor

Hi there! I’m currently in the process of revamping this site to reflet my school and professional life, so please excuse the missing content. Feel free to check out my resume in the meantime.

Emily

I recently revamped the look of my Android phone (HTC Desire HD), here are some screen shots. I’m using GO Launcher Ex, I’ll give the details later.

Last year I began working with the First in the Family mentorship program at the University of Toronto. I work as a mentor to nine students who are, as the name suggests, the first in their family to attend post-secondary education in this country. All of the mentors and coordinators are also first generation university students, and the program also includes an emphasis on mentor skills training (for example learning to communicate effectively, write lesson plans, conduct a workshop, and help students in crisis – whether academic or personal).

Although it can often be hard work I’ve really enjoyed my time working with the program so far. I’ve certainly learned a great deal. Because my ideal career would be an academic librarian the teaching component of the program is a fantastic experience. In addition it allows me to speak one on one with students, including helping them with their assignments, research, and so on. Near the end of February I’m going to be co-facilitating a workshop on the library system itself, guiding students through researching their papers in an interactive and hopefully fun way. That’s the great thing about the FITF workshops – they stress interactivity, dialogue, and cooperation between the students and the mentors leading the sessions. They’re much more dynamic than any other workshops I’ve attended, and because I’ve seen it work so well so consistently I have a much better idea of how to foster learning in this kind of setting – something that I can take with me into my career.

The mentorship ends at the end of the 2012 school year, but it has inspired me to continue pursuing education-related work in the near future. And of course it also makes me more certain about my chosen career path!

The First in the Family website can be found here.
And here are some images from one of my first workshops. The subject was “Navigating the University”, and its aim was to help students find their way around the complicated campus at UofT St. George, with an emphasis on on-campus resources (like the Academic Success Centre, Hart House, counseling services, etc.)

UofT resources

A simplified map of the UofT campus

Our workshop outline for the day