Final Reflection Vlog

Sad to say this is a final blog/vlog post for this semester, so glad we all got through it. Thank you, Dr. Craig, it was a pleasure being in your class. I enjoyed blogging and vlogging, and was very intrigued by all the critical issues that were talked about. In this vlog, I mentioned how I liked talking about all the critical issues, whether it was me relating to them myself, seeing it, going through it, or knowing someone who went through it. I believe all these critical issues were very important to talk about, as I want to be a future educator. As future educators, we need to know ways to solve these issues in case our students come to us about them or we just witness them. It’s important to make sure our students are safe and comfortable throughout the classroom we have. To my classmates, thank you for all the comments and for enjoying my blogs/vlogs. I appreciate the feedback and all the questions asked it and thank you for the help.

Part 1

I attended the Elmont Union Free School District Board of Education on March 11, 2025. It was my first time attending one and experiencing this. They started with the Pledge of Allegiance and paid tribute to one of the board members who passed away, Denise Walker, so we had a moment of silence. One member began discussing the successes and highlights of each high school in the district. For example, Elmont Memorial had an outstanding art showcase, earned top honors, and its athletics team moved to the finals, while the track team qualified for state championships. I can tell that the Board of Education cares about students and that the district values hands-on learning. Students and staff consistently support programs and reflect on school culture, which brings the community together. The Board celebrates and speaks highly of students’ accomplishments in public forums. This helps build student confidence. The board supports academic performance, athletic achievements, extracurricular programs, and overall student development. This meeting goes hand in hand with the Parent-Teacher Partnerships film as they thank and acknowledge all the hard work teachers put in towards helping these students. Teachers should have the support and public awareness for teaching students and building these bonds with students. The Board of Education meeting recognizes two art teachers that play an important role beyond teaching  I appreciate that Board of Education meetings are open to the public and are broadcast virtually for anyone who can’t attend but still wants to stay informed. Lessons like social-emotional learning/Mindfulness and Home/School Connections are really helpful with meetings like this because they’re all student-centered. This meeting also reveals how impactful it is when educators, administrators, and communities work together to inspire and empower students. As a future educator, I want to collaborate with others to create meaningful learning opportunities and engage and support students in their successes, positively impacting their lives.

Part 2

As a future high school English teacher, I would focus on specializing in Creative Writing. As a teacher, you need to have strong, consistent communication with families to build with your students and maintain their success. This plan helped me a little more after reading the article “20 Tips for Developing Positive Relationships with Parents,” so I know why it is important to have connections with parents and how I can do it in a respectful but professional way. Here is how I would plan to have a connection with families.

I will have welcome letters and syllabuses for students but also families so parents/guardians know what is being taught through the school year and also how there child is being graded. Some parents are focused on their children’s grades. I will also offer multiple ways for families to contact me and will have open communication. Email or an app like Remind. I’ll send progress updates and have scheduled parent-teacher conferences that the whole school has or even if parents want to meet me on their own time or if I want to meet a parent. I’ll also be aware of parents who do not speak English and provide translation services.

This plan leads more to a supporting environment and making sure parents are comfortable and building connections with them. In a creative writing class, where students are sharing personal experiences, it is especially important to create trust and collaboration among students, families, and educators.

References

Aguilar, E. (2011, September 23). 20 Tips for Developing Positive Relationships with Parents. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/20-tips-developing-positive-relationships-parents-elena-aguilar

Borovoy, A.E. (2012, November 2). 5-Minute Film Festival: Parent-Teacher Partnerships. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/film-festival-parent-teacher-partnerships

The debate between being for the use of social media and cell phones in school or against it has become more complicated. For all these clear benefits technologies have, such as communication, access to education and learning materials, and resources, they also present significant challenges, particularly in terms of mental health, focus, and isolation and socialization among learners. By watching this documentary and reading articles, I’ve formed a more balanced view on this issue. I can’t have an answer because I agree and lean towards both sides. As I put myself in the shoes of a student in a younger grade, I understood the addiction to social media, feeling like you were missing out on posts or stuff if you weren’t on your phone or having that group chat texting you in the middle of class and having to respond right away. But now that I am older, it has changed. I can last hours without looking at my phone. I enjoy socializing with people in person; social media isn’t a big thing for me anymore It’s more like for fun now. Also, as an after-school counselor and a future educator, I can see how frustrating it is to have kids not pay attention, their focus being on their phones, not being engaged in the classroom and with others, and also not fully listening when you tell them to put it away.

The Documentary PLUGGED IN focuses on the harmful effects of social media on mental health, especially for teenagers. It draws attention to the fact that social media platforms cause individuals to feel depressed and anxious as they engage in repeated comparisons, harassment through cyberbullying, and forced displays of perfection. Social media may be the most horrifying aspect in terms of amplifying feelings of solitude, even as it purportedly unites people. The documentary shows that, especially among young people, social media has been linked to an erosion of face-to-face social skills. At times, these websites encourage superficial relationships, which give students fewer opportunities to learn deep, meaningful ones. On the other hand, technology has benefits when it is adequately utilized in the classroom. Smartphones, tablets, and laptops provide learners direct access to material, educational programs/apps, and learning resources online.  I came across an article that mentioned, “One of the biggest benefits of cellphones is their ability to give students access to educational resources. With just a few taps, students can research topics, use learning apps or watch instructional videos.” (Nelson, 2024).  The ability to research, look at e-books, and process work on an electronic platform could significantly enhance learning. Smartphones can also benefit learners by having access to contacts with educators and classmates and sharing a feeling of belonging. While reading an article, it stated, “Restricting cellphone use is a lot easier said than done. There are big concerns, for instance, about school safety. How could parents get in touch with their children during a school shooting or a dangerous weather event?” (Klein, 2019). I agree with this because it’s true that if schools were to ban cell phones, it would be a big concern for parents because how will they reach out to their kids whether its to check up on them, bring them lunch, contact them in case of emergencies. Schools would hate to be the reason why parent can’t reach out to their kids because cell phones are prohibited in their classes. 

Rather than an outright ban of all technology, I believe a balanced policy is ideal. Schools can implement policies that both allow the use of technology in a learning environment and ban its disruptive influence. This can be accomplished by limiting technology use to specific times, such as allowing phones during research periods but not during lectures. Schools can also choose to focus on the mindful usage of social media among students and cultivate a culture of responsibility when it comes to screen time. School systems can also assist students in forming healthier mechanisms for coping with the stresses that are associated with social media. This can involve incorporating lessons on mental health and the effects of technology overuse into the curriculum so that students are making informed choices during their online lives that are helpful. For example, this article gave tips for teens for social media use, and one tip was “Limit time. Turn time controls on so that when you reach your limit, you are kicked out of the app” (“Tips for Healthy Social Media Use,” 2023). I think this is a great start for students and is useful.

References

Willett, R. (Director). (2019). Plugged-In: The Toxicity of Social Media Revealed. [YouTube Video]. Brick in the Wall Media.

Klein, A. (2019, September 6). Schools say no to cell phones. But is it a smart move? Education Week.

Healthcare Utah. (2023, January 20). Tips for healthy social media use: For parents and teens. University of Utah Health.

Central Rivers Area Education Agency. (2024, October 23). The debate over cellphone use in schools: Pros and cons. Central Rivers AEA.

https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/parents-educators/lesson-plans/how-nicotine-affects-teen-brain

Hi Everybody! This week’s module was Social Emotional/Mindfulness and I learned a lot about mindfulness practices, guidelines that should be used, and ways we benefit from it. I am big on relaxing, taking time off, and having a break to get away from stress so I found many of these techniques important. I think for young adults mindfulness practices are important especially if you get stressed out very fast or suffer from anxiety or anything like that. This helps you find ways to distract yourself and just take a break and find that mode of relaxing without worrying about anything. Using Mindfulness apps is one way to relax and focus and I use the Calm app to hear more check out my vlog.

I forgot to add in the video also one of my outside resources, I read a “Making Time for Mindfulness” article and it states “In order to adopt mindfulness as a tool for mental health and happiness, students have to have the space and time to practice it.” I agree with this because teachers need to prepare students to have this time to take a break and teachers need to give them the opportunity and time to express themselves and relax from any personal life issues or because of school being too hard or too many students also need to have that balance to keep their mental health from getting in the way.

Here is my vlog and I hope you all enjoy it!

https://molloy.instructuremedia.com/embed/46594d78-908d-4707-85cf-8fa21f0196f4

Long, R. (director/ producer). (2012) Room To Breathe [film]. ZAP Zoetrope Aubry Productions.

Tatter, G. (2019, January 23). Making time for mindfulness. Harvard Graduate School of Education. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/19/01/making-time-mindfulness

Schwartz, K. (2019). Nine ways to ensure your mindfulness teaching is trauma informed. KQED Mindshift. LinkLinks to an external site.

Social Emotional Learning (2022, November 14). New York State Department of Education. https://www.p12.nysed.gov/sss/selLinks to an external site.

After viewing The Homestretch documentary and reading the articles in the Poverty/Homelessness Module, I noticed two themes that emerge from both the documentary and readings: strength during hard times and the impacts of abandonment. While watching the film you can see the overwhelming challenges Roque, Kasey, and Anthony face, but they fights and continue to show remarkable strength in the pursuit of education a better future. They push through the trauma of living on the streets or in unstable conditions, fighting every day to stay enrolled in school, completing assignments, and maintain some type of a normal life as a teenager as well. According to SchoolHouse Connection, “Students experiencing homelessness face unique barriers beyond poverty, such as frequent school transfers, lack of transportation, lack of a fixed address for enrollment, and the stigma and fear of homelessness” (SchoolHouse Connection, 2020). All these struggles are difficult for homeless students to pursue their education. But in The Homestretch, we see Roque, Kasey, and Anthony are going against these obstacles so they can continue their schooling, demonstrating this power in facing challenges. I read this book, In On Our Street: Our First Talk About Poverty by Jamie Casap and Jillian Roberts to students I look after at my job and I found it so important and liked the book because it is teaching kids the importance of poverty and not to judge. The authors introduce young children to the topic of poverty and homelessness by examining how it affects children physically and emotionally. This is reiterated in The Homestretch, where in we see that despite their struggle, Roque, Kasey, and Anthony continue to struggle for a better future, often against the desires of society due to who they are.

Another theme is the emotional and psychological toll of childhood abandonment. All three teenagers in the documentary have experienced severe trauma—either at the hands of abuse, neglect, or abandonment from their families. This theme is highlighted as they navigate the emotional challenges of not only surviving but attempting to trust and establish meaningful relationships with adults, peers, and mentors. This subject is related to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements Act, which provides federal assistance and protections to homeless students. The McKinney-Vento Act ensures that homeless children have the right to stay in the same school despite constant changes or lack of a fixed address. It also provides immediate school enrollment, transportation to their school of origin, and access to services that can benefit them. It’s important that students struggling with poverty have some type of benefits or support system because they should not being go through all these challenges alone because the are children, they cant help themselves and they just need the most help they can get. 

https://youtu.be/NG2zyeVRcbs?si=BikUEcaS8s5kFvN7

Even though I provided a book I also want to provide this song. The Climb by Miley Cyrus I loved this song growing up, it was always so encouraging. This song is about perseverance through hardship and making sure to push forward, no matter the obstacles. She mentions about taking every step, keep climbing, keep trying and keeping your head held high and especially when she says “the struggles I’m facing the chances I’m taking sometimes might knock me down but no I’m not breaking” really shows how powerful this song is. It does not matter what hardships you go through just never give up because you’ll get through it you’ll overcome these struggles and become the most successful you can be. If you ever need a reminder to keep fighting and never back down just listen to this song. Stay Strong!

De Mare, A., Kelly, K., & Taber, K. (Producers), & De Mare, A., & Kelly, K. (Directors). (2014). The homestretch [Streaming video]. United States: Bullfrog Films.

2025 Fact Sheet: Educating Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness. (2025, February). SchoolHouse Connection. https://schoolhouseconnection.org/article/2025-fact-sheet-educating-children-and-youth-experiencing-homelessness

Roberts, J., Casap, J., & Heinrichs, J. (2021). On our street : our first talk about poverty. Orca Book Publishers.

(2025). Youtu.be. https://youtu.be/NG2zyeVRcbs?si=nBOnkh1x7o294ELQ

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https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1i4ctpdFa7gGzEd-iXUIQDCYlkEdqxW8Pp5Sab5QslXE/edit#slide=id.g2d93f5d3996_0_60

For the Mental Health Issues module, I chose Sleep Disorders. Sleep Disorders are significant because they impact you, your brain, and your body. Sleep is important, especially for your brain, your brain works every day it’s in a constant cycle of working so when your brain and body need to rest they need to shut down and recuperate even though it is known your brain is still active while you sleep. I chose this topic because I had experiences with 2 types of sleeping disorders, my own experience with Sleep Apnea and an experience with my brother who suffered from Narcolepsy. Going through Sleep Apnea was something extremely scary and crazy for me that I would not want anyone to experience, one day I had an episode of Sleep Paralysis where I heard everything and was trying to move and wake up and couldn’t. I had another a few days after and immediately went to the doctor but I already knew I wasn’t getting enough sleep because I would stay up all night either on my phone or watching TV and always take naps during the day. I went to the doctors and they had to do a sleep study on me. This was not fun at all, I did not want it to happen again so I started to go to sleep early and get the right amount of hours of sleep. I made this slide introducing what Sleep Disorders are and made a table on Google Docs of all the common types and their symptoms and treatments and inserted it into the google slide. I also touched on some strategies teachers can use for students who suffer from these sleep disorders. I added a YouTube video that I watched which I thought was important and interested me into wanting to learn more. Having this topic I learned about different types of sleep disorders, how their symptoms occur, and ways to treat them.  I always learned how common some of these sleep disorders are because of people suffering from stress, medical conditions, or just because of their lifestyle. No matter how busy we get we always need sleep. Sleep Disorders are as just as important especially when it has to do with your brain, body, and well-being.

References

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2024, September 5). Brain basics: Understanding sleep. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/public-education/brain-basics/brain-basics-understanding-sleep

Sleep Disorders | NAMI. (n.d.). Www.nami.org. https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/common-with-mental-illness/sleep-disorders/

Cleveland Clinic. (2023, June 19). Sleep disorders: Conditions that prevent you from getting restful sleep. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/11429-sleep-disorders

Behavioral Treatments for Sleep Disorders in Children. (n.d.). Nyulangone.org. https://nyulangone.org/conditions/sleep-disorders-in-children/treatments/behavioral-treatments-for-sleep-disorders-in-children

(2024). Youtu.be. https://youtu.be/GgtLqMxaOww?si=MI649qU3uQKKZRUF

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Cyberbullying Vlog

https://molloy.instructuremedia.com/embed/e753bd13-9b3f-4223-8f5f-b0f2125fb69e

Hi Everyone, above is my Cyberbullyikng Vlog I hope you enjoy watching and Thank You for letting me share my thoughts and experiences! (If the first link does not work try the second link.

References 

TELUS. (2020). TELUS | Dark Cloud: the high cost of cyberbullying. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrnoElVEUTA

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Affairs (ASPA), A. S. for P. (2019, September 24). Tips for Teachers. StopBullying.gov. https://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/tips-for-teachers

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Erin Wilkey. (2019, March 25). Teachers’ Essential Guide to Cyberbullying Prevention. Common Sense Education; Common Sense Education. https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/teachers-essential-guide-to-cyberbullying-prevention

eSafety Commissioner. (2022). Cyberbullying advice for educators and schools | eSafety Commissioner. ESafety Commissioner. https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-topics/cyberbullying/cyberbullying-advice-for-educators-and-schools

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https://acpl.na4.iiivega.com/search/card?id=2d0ef912-3d7c-5465-9ddf-9d3c2b30572f&entityType=FormatGroup

As a future educator, I plan to work with any grade I choose. Since I am a special education major I can work with any grade but I am also an Adolescent major which means middle school to high school. I am not 100% sure which grade I will work with but NO matter what grade I end up with school violence will NOT end up in my classroom. School violence is a significant concern for teachers at all levels that we will have to be prepared for, and I think it could impact me in many ways. This could affect my sense of safety when I teach students in the classroom. I want students to learn “see something say something” because I think it is very important to stand up for yourself or somebody else. Knowing that a job like teaching can come with school violence, bullying, fighting, and more dangerous situations can maybe also add stress to my job. This can add stress in ways of being concerned for my students and when to take action. School violence can impact my children’s learning abilities. This can also impact me if I and my kids are put in a dangerous situation or when I need to be prepared to talk to a bully, talk to a child who is being bullied or handle a fight if I have to. If students are feeling unsafe or have that fear, their focus and well-being will suffer they won’t be engaged with the lessons and they will not be worried about their academic success. As a teacher that means I have to stick with managing my positive classroom setting so students feel supported. Teaching should be about inspiring, helping, and making an impact on students, but the thought of school violence happening adds more responsibility that can be a challenge.

In a world where school violence has become too common and a reality to live is a sad thing to say but it is the truth, so we must envision a future where our classrooms are safe spaces for all students. The fight to prevent school violence is crucial, and as future teachers, we must be motivated to create environments that reject fear and embrace the possibilities and success of a bright future for every student. Teachers have to be prepared for school violence whether witnessing violence throughout the hallways and taking it to the principal, handling it on your own, or practicing lockdowns in case of gun violence emergencies no matter what we have to be ready. Practicing for lockdowns is serious as well, when I experienced that in high school I remember students would always laugh, fool around, and not be serious when it came to that time but I never took it as a joke because you never know what can happen. As we had to read the article and according to these statistics “High school teachers are most likely to report experiencing these lockdowns: 34% say their school went on at least one gun-related lockdown in the last school year. This compares with 22% of middle school teachers and 16% of elementary school teachers” (Hurst, 2024). These statistics bring out the fact that these schools were experiencing lockdowns due to gun-related threats. This leads to fear and uncertainty which is the opposite of the vision of peace and a bright future for students. For a bright future, there needs to be a plan that lowers gun incidents, reduces fear, and provides a safe environment for learning. Students should not go to school in fear instead they should go to school feeling confident and comfortable and feel like powerful students. Also in the article they use the “worry” several times and I feel like students and educators shouldn’t have to worry about going to school or work or worrying about if they are safe. Also, lockdowns should not become a daily thing.

As we had to watch the “Bowling for Columbine” film Michael Moore highlights the role of media and how it leads to fear and I agree. When he states “The media sells fear, and the more we’re afraid, the more we’re willing to give up our rights” (Moore 2002). I agree with that because social media puts fear in a lot of people as well because everything spreads so quickly. But, if we keep letting it make us afraid then it plays a key role in how common violence becomes including in schools. To keep moving forward, we have to lose this cycle of fear and prevent it. I came across this article that said  “Students who are exposed to school violence may begin to fear school, act more aggressively,^[60] be more likely to develop a children’s mental disorder, or become involved with the juvenile justice system” (Green 2020.) This quote really opened my eyes because I did not even think how many kids are out here experiencing that because of such violence being seen at such a young age. These are specific reasons why students should not be experiencing any more fear and should be experiencing fun, inspiring, different academic success and it is all for the better.

References

Ferrara, P., Franceschini, G., Villani, A., & Corsello, G. (2019). Physical, psychological and social impact of school violence on children. Italian Journal of Pediatrics, 45(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-019-0669-z ↩︎

‌Green, E. (2020, November 23). Exploring School Violence and Safety Concerns. Icjia.illinois.gov. https://icjia.illinois.gov/researchhub/articles/exploring-school-violence-and-safety-concerns

Hurst, K. (2024, April 11). About 1 in 4 U.S. teachers say their school went into a gun-related lockdown in the last school year. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/04/11/about-1-in-4-us-teachers-say-their-school-went-into-a-gun-related-lockdown-in-the-last-school-year/Links to an external site.

Janosz, M., Archambault, I., Pagani, L. S., Pascal, S., Morin, A. J. S., & Bowen, F. (2008). Are there detrimental effects of witnessing school violence in early adolescence? Journal of Adolescent Health, 43(6), 600-608. ↩︎

Moore, M. (Producer & Director) (2002). Bowling for Columbine [Film]. United States: Dog Eat Dog Productions/ YouTube https://watchdocumentaries.com/bowling-for-columbine/

https://www.instagram.com/lockdown_film/reel/C8zsuVDx6Xg/?api=1%2F&hl=zh-cn

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