Journal Entry 1-May 15, 2016 I was very excited to begin my practicum. Surprisingly, I was nervous my first day. Not knowing exactly what tasks I would be preforming did cause some unexpected stress. Fortunately, the people I am working with were all very kind and welcoming. The Easter Seals facility is set up with the service programs on the first floor and the administrative offices on the second floor. There is a distinct separation of the two areas. I am working up stairs in the area of volunteer engagement and preformed two main tasks today. First, I conducted research for a project to recruit individuals to volunteer their time and talents at the centers. Second, I worked on a power point and bulletin board to be used for the Adult Day Services program. The purpose was to outline the rights and responsibilities of program participants. In addition, I toured the public resource area that provides information on the various programs Easter Seals provides the community. My practicum at Easter Seals will certainly be a major change for me. I have spent my entire career working with children. As an administrator in the field of early childhood education, the rule is to never stay in your office. The administrator must be visible and interact with the parents and children through out the day. There is minimal computer work and the days are spent preforming hands on activities. I am use to an environment that is fast paced and active. However, at Easter Seals the administrators work in their office and attend meetings most of the day. It appears a large part of an administrators role is developing and
implementing programs. There is little involvement with the participants utilizing
services on the first floor. The business atmosphere is also calm and quiet. I feel this will be a challenging practicum, however, I welcome the challenge. I have never been one to sit in an office and work on a computer. This will be a good chance for me to evaluate if I prefer to work in a peaceful or eventful work environment. I also need to evaluate if I would enjoy spending most of the day working on a computer versus working directly with those that need services. This practicum is also allowing me to work with various software programs that are new to me. I have discovered I need to improve my computer skills. I plan on working on my computer skills at home in order to take advantage of the opportunities at Easter Seals. The time has come for me to embrace technology. In conclusion, I do feel this practicum is a good match that will assist me in determining my career path.