Elizabeth Wesson

I am responsible for a large group of kids ranging in age from 2-12, and I am expected to supervise playground time and free-play; additionally, I am responsible for creating activities, leading games, and interacting with the students and the parents.

I currently volunteer with Angel Street Memphis- both North Memphis and Graham Heights. I am their photographer, blogger, and a mentor for the girls. Angel Street is a ministry in North Memphis that seeks to empower young girls to be spiritual leaders within their communities. We do this through musical training and provide an opportunity for these girls to express themselves creatively. Angel Street strives to empower girls to understand their value, discover their purpose, and become equipped to serve the Memphis community.

Medical Care. I was responsible in assisting physical therapists with their patients. I gained experience in connecting STEM and modalities to patients as well as teaching patients physical exercises to do at home to relieve their injuries.

Philosophy of Education Ever since I was little, I have had a passion for education, children, and the development of youth into strong, confident individuals in society. I think the combination of having a mother as an educator and my own love for children was the start to the fire deep in my soul for education, teaching, and youth development. I attended Hutchison School, a private, all-girl, college preparatory school in Memphis for 15 years, so I have a strong passion for both private and single-sex education when it is available. I also have a passion for teaching in a faith-based, Christian setting when available. I strongly believe it is crucial that children learn from a very young age the deep love of Jesus; it is important that as they grow, they learn how His love and grace applies to every aspect of their life even their education. After working with children of all ages for many years both as a substitute teacher and an after-school care and summer camp counselor, I have had the experience to learn firsthand how many hats teachers truly wear. Teachers are not just teachers today; teachers are educators, mentors, counselors, stand-in parents, nurses, and very possibly the only positive influence in a child’s life. I believe as a teacher that I am called to love each student as my own, and teach and educate them to the best of my ability because every child deserves the right to an education; as a teacher, it is my goal to encourage each student to reach beyond their goals, inspire them to dream big, and most importantly guide and direct them in the way they should go. As a teacher, I encounter students from all different backgrounds; therefore, it is my responsibility to dive deeper into their background if there is a need or if the student desires to share. Relating to that, I am responsible for keeping things confidential but also play the role as a mandated reporter when necessary. Since students come from all different backgrounds, each student is going to have their own set of needs; these needs are going to need to be met differently according to the student. For example, a child might need to be encouraged through praise while another might need to be encouraged by a pat on the back or a warm, welcoming hug in the morning when he or she arrives at school. I have always had the phrase “loving my students as my own” as one of my top priorities as a teacher for several reasons. First and foremost, children need love. They need to be supported and reminded that they are loved and cared for. Secondly, I want to make sure I love each student as my own equally; I make it a priority to make sure no student is favored more than another. Thirdly, I want to love them as they need to be loved whether that be through words of affirmation, high-fives, one on one discussion, warm, welcoming hugs in the morning and afternoon, and reminding them both how much God loves them and how much I care about them. I love the sense of awe and wonder in a young child’s mind. In my opinion, that sense of awe and wonder needs to be fostered and pulled out to where a child develops a love for learning. Every child deserves the opportunity to learn new things, explore different ideas, and then have the freedom to expand upon the knowledge they’ve obtained to further their learning. As a teacher, I am committed to teaching children to the best of my ability. I want to make my classroom environment welcoming, and I want the learning space to foster a love for learning and a spark for the imagination. I want to be able to teach in every teaching style throughout the day to accommodate all the different learning styles. Personally, I like hands-on and interactive teaching more than lecturing and then assigning an assignment or a set of problems to solve. I believe the statement that states, “one never truly stops learning” is true. I want my students to love learning, and I want them to find their strengths in and out of the classroom and then choose to chase and pursue those passions so that their love of learning continues to blossom. As a teacher, I know that my words have power; the things I say can either build a student up or tear them down. Within a Christian school with a Christian framework, it is my goal and my utmost important priority to start on the first day of school and throughout the year discussing what their identity in Christ is, how that applies to the classroom, and how that applies to how they view themselves and their peers. From the beginning of the year, I want to foster a learning environment where students support each other both academically and emotionally. I want there to be love in the classroom. I envision my classroom having a mailbox where students can write notes to encourage their classmates. I am going to provide affirmation on graded work and make sure the students know their progress, their strengths, and the areas in which they need to work harder. I believe every child has their own strengths and weaknesses; no individual is great at everything, and that is okay. Every child is unique, and I want each child to embrace who he or she is by setting goals for themselves and then tracking their progress to meet those goals as we move through the year. Lastly, I want to make sure I incorporate the word of the Lord in the classroom. I believe it is important to start each day with a class prayer where students are allowed to share any prayer requests they may have, and after the prayer, I think a passage should be read from the Bible or Jesus Storybook Bible depending on the age of the students. In my classroom, each week would have a different theme and all of the passages and verses for that week apply to the specified theme. As a teacher, I want to be able to be a role model for my students. I want them to come to me for help, and I want them to feel comfortable in their own skin and feel like they can be exactly who God created them to be in my classroom without having to put a mask on. My hope and prayer is that the words of my mouth and the actions of my teaching build up the hearts of my students to find a love for learning and an even greater love for the Lord. Education is more than just textbooks, pencils, notebooks, and lectures; a Christ centered education is making sure every student is seen, heard, and cared for according to their needs, and the process of teaching them to love learning, love themselves, love others, and love the Lord. Ultimately, it is my goal as a teacher for my students to see one another as equal through the structure of the classroom, to support one another through learning how society only functions when we all work together illustrated through classroom processes and procedures, and to have a desire to want to follow the Lord’s calling upon their life fostered through weekly discussions about the Bible. I want my students to grow both academically and emotionally throughout the year by building upon the foundation of how His love for them applies to every aspect of their life.

But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. Psalm 59:16 Greetings family and friends. On a day like today, I know many of you were probably thinking as I read this verse…how could I sing on the morning of a friend’s, a father’s, a coworker’s, a nephew’s, an uncle’s, a son’s, and a cuzzo’s funeral…how can I sing when I feel that I have no strength in my bones…when the pain of death seems far greater? You are right, Death stinks. And there is so much pain and brokenness found in death that so often we get stuck in that darkness. However, friends, the pain of death does not have to sting so deeply….because we have a lens of hope to look through. Today as we remember John, I want to give you a brief synopsis of who John was, is, and will always be to me. John was, is, and always will be my first cousin. We called each other cuzzo. John was always dressed with a smile, and his laughter could always be heard miles and miles away. Not only could you see his smile and hear his laughter, but you also knew John was near when you could hear the blasting of his music. John’s alter ego was and always will be “DJ SKIBZZ”. John was like a big teddy bear…always happy, always willing to help you, always striving to do something to make your day better. He was also like teddy bear because, he was always there with a hug and a “I love you” for literally anyone and everyone. Like cuzzos, we stuck together like glue…especially when it came to fighting life’s battles. From John’s cancer to my own neurological issues and medical battles, we agreed that we were going to fight together and WIN. On one of John’s last nights in the hospital, as I was leaving, I walked up to his bedside to say what I hoped were not going to be my last “goodbyes,” I grabbed his hand; he squeezed it. I squeezed his hand, and I said, “John, it’s cuzzo”…and I as I spoke to him and told him I loved him more than he knew, he raised up and chuckled. As I kissed him on the forehead, he lifted his hand and waved and said “bye”. That’s a moment I’ll cherish forever. While John unfortunately did not win the earthly battle to cancer, he did not lose either. Yes, my warrior partner and my cuzzo isn’t physically here anymore to fight the battles with me, but I know surely where our John is today. And while our tears fall today, I want to encourage you briefly to remember to look at death through a lens of hope. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. – Psalm 118; 24 Today we can rejoice because those who place their hope in the Lord know and can be assured that death is not the end. We can rejoice and know that John is with the Lord.. FULLY HEALED, FULLY HEALTHY, FULLY WHOLE. And while I too like you wish he was still here, I have to remind myself that he is far better off and is fully peaceful in the arms of God. We can thank God today for His gift of sending His son to die so that we might live eternally, in heaven, where John is. On John’s final night with us, I prayed that the Lord bring comfort and peace to him…that if John couldn’t be healed physically on this earth that he be fully healed in heaven. I asked the Lord to command His angels and send His strongest set to carry John home. The Lord answered that prayer, and today I thank him for one of the best guardian angels and for the hope that I know is true…that death isn’t a goodbye, it’s a see you later….for the truth that because the Son died, WE LIVE eternally, and for the hope that is found in heaven…a place where we will soon be with no more sorrow, no more pain, and no more tears. In conclusion, I want to leave my cuzzo a few parting words and you a few parting verses. To my cuzzo, I’ll miss your smile, I’ll miss your laugh, and most of all, I’ll miss our family gatherings, your big hugs, you picking on me, and your constant “I love you, cuzzo!” statements. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4) “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4) “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

Lizzy Wesson PSY 323 The University of Mississippi December 11, 2019 This paper was written for academic purposes at the University of Mississippi. Client Information + Background Information: Susie Q is 4 years old. She is an only child, and she exhibits some factors of “only child syndrome.” She attends an all-girls private school in Memphis, and she is in junior kindergarten. She attends school 5 days a week from 8-3, and then she attends after-school care until 5:00 every day. Susie Q has some speech difficulties and presents some symptoms of autism; however, there is not an official diagnosis of autism. Susie Q struggles in the classroom to express her wants and desires verbally, to communicate with peers verbally instead of simply making noises, and she does not respond to her teachers when she is asked a question or given a command. At this time, there is no evidence of any family trauma, legal issues, major health problems, or further diagnosis. Target Behavior: The target behaviors for Susie Q’s treatment as of now are: - Clear communication accompanied by a referral to speech therapy - Replacing noises with words rather than noises - Being able to respond to teacher’s questions and commands clearly and one the first cue - Following directions Assessment Procedure(s): Susie Q has been observed 3-4 days a week for approximately 3 months by the learning specialist and guidance counselor at school. They have noticed her areas of struggle, and they have referred her to further evaluation and therapy. Susie Q’s teachers have written evaluations and notes of interaction with Susie which will be used for further assessment and evaluation. In our office, the initial assessment will include role playing to check verbal communication skills, social and behavioral skills. Additionally, Susie Q will be observed in a playtime setting as well as a group setting to see how she communicates and what noises she makes in place of words. Lastly, Susie will be assessed on a series of age appropriate verbal commands and questions to see what she is able to answer and respond to correctly. This process will be performed to provide a good foundation of baseline information to accompany what the school has already provided us with. Additionally, she will be referred to get an initial speech evaluation and possibly occupational therapy evaluation. Graph of Initial Evaluation Plans for Intervention: When Susie Q is nonverbal: 1. Teach Susie Q’s parents and teachers to model hand motions or eye contact and facial expressions to try and paint a clearer picture of what she wants or is trying to say when the words are not available  Place emphasis on modeling  Examples: clapping when happy, snapping when she needs attention, opening her hands when she wants to let a friend know she wants to play, giving a hug to apologize, pointing to the bathroom or the water fountain when needed, etc. 2. Utilize play therapy to encourage tactile development, physical sensations accompanied by descriptive words 3. Music therapy 4. Imitation: use this in therapy, but also teach to Susie Q’s parents and teachers to encourage social interaction  The teacher can imitate to Susie Q how to play peacefully with a friend  Mom and dad can imitate how to express needs and desires at home 5. Encouraging teachers and parents to practice patience with Susie Q as she learns to find her words When Susie Q makes noises to communicate: 1. Encourage parents and teachers to embrace the noises rather than get frustrated with her when she does use the noise strategy 2. Try to learn the differences in the grunts and groans to see if there is a difference in each one and what each one is associated with THEN encouraging words 3. Encourage Susie Q to whisper after the noise what she wants to say  Model and imitation 4. Play therapy: giving everything a name, encouraging Susie to name the dolls and speak during playtime 5. Art therapy: naming colors and using art to express thoughts and then form words 6. Help Susie Q communicate with her friends using noises accompanied by hand motions, gestures, and slowly adding whispers to the process to where she grows in her confidence to speak openly with her friends, teachers, etc. When Susie Q fails to obey commands or follow directions: 1. Encourage cooperation in all settings- practicing in therapy first!  Encourage parents and teachers to have enthusiasm in their voice and to encourage Susie Q to do the right thing  Make it a joint effort: teamwork! 2. Provide positive feedback and positive reinforcement 3. Clear Directions: “Walk” 4. Repeat Directions 5. Make directions meaningful  2-part directions: modeling and imitation  Make sure to have Susie Q focus in on what is being said  Practice “clean up the toys and line-up” o Step 1: clean up toys o Step 2: Line up 6. Once 2-part directions are mastered, offer choices and 3 part directions to encourage self-choice and the choice to participate and do the right thing 7. Make directions fun and creative: “Walk as quiet as an elf to put the books on the shelf” 8. Offer rewards for doing the right thing! Integrated Summary and Case Conceptualization: For Susie Q, therapy is definitely going to be needed. These interventions will be key to her success and overcoming the obstacles she is facing. I would also recommend that if the therapist cannot track her progress while she is at school that the teachers, counselor, and learning specialist track her progress through continuous along with interval monitoring. It is important that every member of Susie Q’s treatment staff stay on the same page and keep each other updated on her progress. This treatment plan is going to take time and a lot of patience, but I believe Susie Q will make great strides in therapy, at home, and in school if she is motivated, positively reinforced, and provided with extra TLC as they say  but really, I mean tender love and modeling and imitation. Perspective Graph for After Therapy and Interventions: Reflection: It is not uncommon for preschoolers to have trouble communicating, and it is most certainly not uncommon to have preschoolers who think they are in charge. From personal experience in the classroom, I have met many little girls and boys who like to run the classroom; oftentimes, I have to turn to several of these intervention strategies to suppress these children’s stubbornness. I work with special needs children too, and I work with autistic children; behavioral interventions are things I am familiar with, and after meeting so many different children over the years I now feel like I can write treatment plans or at least come up with my own intervention strategies to help their behavior and improve their abilities. It was not until this year though that I met a child in a college preparatory, private school who is non-verbal and when she does try and communicate, she withdraws from others and uses mere noises to try and communicate with her friends and teachers. When I talk to her, she slowly backs up from me and just makes soft cries, coos, and grunts when I speak to her, ask her questions, or give her directions. It can be frustrating in all honesty because frequently I don’t know if she understands what I am trying to say or if I am fully understanding what she is saying or what she needs. I modeled this treatment plan after her because I hope to try several of these strategies with her over the course of the rest of the year; additionally, I hope that through studying behavioral interventions and strategies that I am able to help children in the future succeed in ways others may have discounted them and their abilities. References 6 strategies for encouraging a non-verbal child to communicate. (n.d.). Retrieved December 7, 2019, from https://www.appliedbehavioranalysisedu.org/6-strategies-for-encouraging-a-non-verbal-child-to-communicate/ Miller, S. A., Church, E. B., & Poole, C. (n.d.). Ages & stages: Learning to follow directions. Retrieved December 7, 2019, from https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/ages-stages-learning-follow-directions/