CONNECTING THE DOTS

Before taking this class I was only familiar with direct instruction. That is how I was taught most of my life. I remember my teachers in front of the classroom delivering information with almost no interaction between the teacher and the student. Even at home my mom was always giving direct instruction about which duties should be done. The only times when she checked for my understanding was to make sure I knew my curfew!

When I took science in high school I did have to work on labs, follow a procedure for the experiment, and develop my conclusions. At the time I did not know that my teacher was utilizing the Information Processsing Strategy. I also recall having to prepare presentations in groups, where the responsabilities were unfair and not equal and where only the final product was graded and not the collaborative effort of the members. Now I know that the collaborative learning model allows both for group grades and individual grades making this feeling less of a problem for students in classrooms today.

After my Methods of Teaching class I can now put a name to the type of instruction that a teacher is using. I can figure out how the lesson plan has been built upon that type of instruction and I can better reflect on lessons that are being taught around me. I now feel that I have the ability to implement many different strategies in my own lessons in my future classrooms.

Part of my job in Methods class was to complete fieldwork and teach one of the lessons I developed. The whole purpose of fieldwork is to learn and observe new and different teaching strategies and styles. My fieldwork has been an extremely beneficial experience this semester, much more beneficial than in past years, because now I possessed the knowledge about different teaching approaches and I could easily distinguish one from the other when the teacher I observed was using them. I was lucky to be able to observe an excellent first grade teacher. The first grade curriculum in that particular district is only composed of the reading, writing, and math subject areas so, therefore, I could not implement any of my lesson plans that were all built around a science curriculum. Still, the fieldwork experience has really enhanced my knowledge about how to teach and what it is going to be like as a future educator.


One of the most important assigments during this semester, was the creation of my WebQuest, "Animals from the Galapagos Islands." This was extremely challenging becuase I was never very computer saavy and after I put in my time, heart, and dedication into building it I feel very proud of the result. One of the most rewarding experiences was when, during my fieldwork hours, the students got to see my WebQuest. Several factors prevented the students from participating in the WebQuest in the appropriate way. The grade level and the course content did not allow me to teach the Cooperative Learning lesson which was written to utilize the WebQuest. I was able to project the WebQuest for the whole class and used it as material for a more direct instructional type of lesson. I was able to see that the pictures and videos presented in the WebQuest were great and the kids loved them. It was an awesome feeling because the kids were having fun and learning from something that I created.

I was able to read information from the WebQuest about the animals from the Galapagos to the class and was also able to ask them how they would solve the animals problem. The entire class participated and gave many great ideas. They also wanted to share experiences that they had with other types of animals. They answered my questions and they wanted to keep looking at the animal pictures. Even though the students were not asked to create something after the lesson and did not work in small groups, I could still see that WebQuest is designed to promote high-level thinking in the students. I feel that the use of the WebQuest made teaching fun for me and learning fun for the students. This was the first time I taught in front of a class in the Unites States and I have to say, I felt very confident and comfortable teaching those wonderful students!

I now possess a very complete understanding of how to create a WebQuest and I will do it again because they are an extremely beneficial tool to use in any classroom. Since technology plays such a huge role in all childrens' lives, I feel it is the perfect tool for modern educators.

CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY

When I lived in Ecuador I worked for a school that is called a School of Integration. There are regular schools and schools for special education and this new type of school that I worked at wanted to integrate the children with special needs into regular classrooms. The students who had more severe disabilities, like the children with Down's Syndrome, were pulled out of the classrooms to work in a resource room on a one to one instructional basis. The point that I want to address is that the teachers were constantly differentiating the instrucion for these students without even knowing that there is a whole theory behind Diferentiated Instruction.

One day, when I was sitting in Methods class learning about this topic, I began ot think about all of the widely varying activities that the teachers had to organize in order to maintain the students' interest while at the same time promoting individual success. I remember Patricia, a fifth grade teacher, who put together a bilateral learning contract with a student named Diego, one part for him as a student and one part for her as his teacher. Because in the past he did not receive any kind of feedback or prompts from his teacher when he completed assigments he lost his interest in class and instead decided to misbehave. With a mutually structured contract the teacher was negotiating with the student based on his assessed needs, strengths and interests. It was a way to tell the student about his role and empower him to make decisions about his own learning.

Camila, a second grade student who came after the school year started, had a history of domestic abuse and was a huge discipline issue that began to interfere with her school work. Before she got to our school she had already been in 3 other schools that asked her to leave (remember to keep in mind that I talking about a different school system than the United States where all this is possible!). Liz, our wonderful second grade teacher, knew that she needed to help Camila raise her self-esteem along with designing her specific curriculum based upon her learning profile. Some of the strategies the teacher used were peer teaching, where the teacher worked with Camila one-to-one and flexible grouping which allowed Camila to move between groups based on her needs at the time. When the teacher discovered Camila's interests and her best learning style (science classes and kinesthetic preferences), Camila's increased motivation to learn permitted her eventual adaptation to the class and she started to grow and overcome her difficult past experiences. This teacher was not aware of the term "Differentiated Instruction" but she did know that Camila needed a spark that would help her to start burning!

I am sure that in the process of implementing those strategies for Camila many difficulties needed to be addressed and problably not everything worked as easily and immediately as it sounds in this paper, but the effort, dedication, time, and love that the teacher put into Camila, and many other students at the same time are the things that make a difference in the lives of her students.

Methos of teaching has given me an understanding of each Model of Instruction including the definition, principles, characteristcs, and applications. As a teacher that will be imparting information to students, it is important to know the various instructional approaches in order to cover all the different topics in more than just the traditional way. With all the solid information that I received throughout the course I now feel that I have the power to use the different approaches effectively and modifying them to suit the needs of my students. Just like Patricia and Liz, I want to celebrate diversity by getting to know my students, their strengths, their interests, and their needs.

IT IS MATTER OF ATTITUDE

I am happy and relieved that this semester is ending, but believe it or not, I also feel sad. Like one of my classmates mentioned, "I feel like the family is breaking up." This has been the first time in my student life in the United States that I was actually looking forward to going to classes. Why? Well after completing a weeks worth of work I really wanted to present my assigments to my peers, and my professor. It was always rewarding to have the feedback from them because it made me feel that I was actually doing the assigments for a real reason and not necessarily just for a grade like most of the times in other courses. I was doing assigments as part of the process of learning and sharing them with people who were also learning as I was and this allowed me to openly discuss and reflect on those topics. I was also looking forward to oberving the mini lessons that were presented on a weekly basis. Every group really worked hard and made every class fun through their creativity, social activities and participation. It was sometimes like we were only having fun and not learning at all! I did not get bored or feel that time was ever going slowly. Sometimes it was overwheling and felt like I needed more time to process everything that was going on in class. We were constantly moving, moving, moving, one thing after another, like a storm of knowledge falling down into our brains.
I also liked to go to school this semester beucase I actually had friends who I were looking forward to meeting every week. I did not feel isolated like in the past and I finally broke through the wall that had surrounded me and I felt socially involved and part of the group. I did not feel intimidated by English any more and felt that my friends were familiar with my Spanish accent so, therefore, I could speak more spontaneously. Being part of the Methods family gave me the confidence that I can be socially involved and that I do not have to be afraid of my language limitations. I have learned that if I open up to people I can develop new frienships more easily than I thought I could. My atittude has undoubtedly changed this semester. My attitude towards people in this country has improved. I used to feel isolated and that people here were unfriendly and cold but in Methods I found that every single person in the class was not just nice, they were supportive, they were helpful, and they were truly team partners!

SOCIALIZATION IS LIFE

In our modern society work takes more and more of our time. Having to deal with numerous necessities and responsibilities is a priority to survive and be happy in today’s world. In addition to daily responsibilities, and with the advent of the internet, video game consoles, and hundreds of channels of television, our problem is that there is often no time left (and often little desire) to share time with family, friends, and neighbors. The result is that our children are starting to live more isolated lives and social values are not being learned as well due to this isolation.
The Social Interaction Model encourages not only academic skills but social interaction as well because it requires students to work together on academic tasks in small groups. Children who are used living a more isolated live may have difficulties functioning in this type of setting. Sharing ideas with others, respecting somebody else’s opinions, taking turns to talk, following the conversation in the group, being open to different points of view, and be willing to compromise are some of the behaviors needed to successfully work in groups. I think it is very important to learn the social behaviors starting from when we are little children because we are going to need them throughout life. I know that I could learn so much more in class if I would interact more with my peers. Sometimes I hear my classmates talking about a class topic that I am interested in and I just haven’t had the open attitude to step into the conversation and be part of the group. Other times, when I was part of the group and the flow of the conversation was very fast, I missed what they talking about or the reason why they were laughing and instead of asking them I pretended that I understood. There are many examples where my social behavior has limited my ability to share, to learn, or just to have fun. I have come to realize this about myself so it has emphasized for me the importance, and difficulty, of helping our children overcome these same obstacles I face every day. The Social Interaction Model is a great tool to use as a first step towards this goal.
I also think that it is very important that teachers get to know their students, their personalities and their strengths and weaknesses. That way the teacher can guide, assist, or instruct the student how to overcome a certain behavior that is affecting their learning. While keeping in mind that individual behavior is the key for the success of the whole group, cooperative learning not only about group work but, rather, the positive participation of all members of the team. I believe that this method does reward students as individuals because they each have something different, and therefore unique, to offer to the group and they are able to derive value from this type of personal discovery.
When we started the Methods class, one of the first activities my professor arranged was one centered on getting to know each other. I realized that she prepared us, through this activity, for cooperative learning. She did an excellent job because the environment of the class is very communal, something that, unfortunately, I haven’t seen in any of my other graduate classes. I know that any of my classmates would be willing to help me unconditionally if I asked them. I think that overall what is important in life is to SHARE. It can be anything like knowledge, food, jokes, as just a few random examples. These things should be shared with everybody including family, friends, students, neighbors, colleagues, and children. Maintaining sensitivity to peoples’ needs and reacting positively to these desires provides you with the ability to make a difference in somebody else’s life.

SHORT CIRCUITING & REWIRING THROUGH INFORMATION PROCESSING

Let’s go over some terminology to begin with:
Information Processing is an Instructional Model that teaches students to access organized process information. It relies on discussion and sharing among participants. The lessons will begin with a problem – a question that serves as a focal point for students. The steps to follow would be: Identify the problem, form a hypothesis, gather data, analyze data, and form a solution. Indirect Instruction is the student centered strategy designed to teach thought questions and to promote discovery learning. Some of the types of methods that are associated with Indirect Instruction strategy are: Problem solving, case studies, inquiry, reflective discussion, concept attainment, concept formation, concept mapping, and reading for meaning. With time limitations and the goal of learning about these methods, my professor designed an assignment that allowed us all to find out about the different methods. Each of us investigated one method and created a treasure hunt where we applied our findings.
Treasure hunts are linked here.
Designing a Treasure Hunt was similar to my experience when creating the WebQuest. I was more familiar with the technical processes of searching, resizing, copying, pasting and saving images. I still went a little crazy about finding the best pictures and just sticking with what I found because time is very restricted these days! The process of creating a treasure hunt enriched my educational and personal life! Through searching, reading, analyzing, designing, and synthesizing information I am using the same learning methods we are expecting our students to use. Its important for me to remember that the best learning is a process that involves struggle and thought!
My assignment was specifically about open inquiry so I had to process information about that method throughout the construction of my Treasure Hunt. After I gathered data I analyzed it and decided to build few small questions and only one big question about open inquiry for the professionals that will be using my treasure hunt. As educators we are always striving to refine and improve our level of understanding about our methods. When learned well and executed properly, open inquiry is liberating for both teacher and student and develops actual thinking skills, not just factual recollection. The value in this is something that, in our hectic profession, is frequently missed.

Open Inquiry is an information processing approach where students generate questions and design their own investigation with teacher guidance. Open Inquiry is the highest level and should be an integral part of students learning!

Please click at the end of this sentence to learn about the different levels of inquiry learning.
The Inquiry C ontinuum graph.doc


Why is standardized testing a limiting factor in utilizing Open Inquiry?
With the advent of NCLB and more and more standardized testing, processes that encourage methods such as open inquiry have become increasingly difficult to implement in schools. Routine and specific answers to questions are what we are now required to teach our students. Our ability to use creativity and make professional decisions about what and how our students should learn is becoming difficult. "Teaching to the test" and the "factory" model of learning is dominating schools and we, as professionals, should fight this change and use methods like open inquiry to challenge our students into thinking critically and using their natural inquisitiveness to answer questions that are important to them. While I know that open inquiry takes time and a lot of planning, the results will benefit the students both in their performance on standardized tests and their ability to question what they are being taught. We are trying to create thinkers and not robots! When organized and written into unit plans, open inquiry activities are possible and beneficial. Allow yourself to disagree with the status quo, verbalize this opposition, and show that critical thinking methods such as open inquiry work just as well, if not better, than the requirements and methods imposed upon us by the state. Thank you for your participation in my treasure hunt and I hope it has brought some amount of new information and potential processes into your practice!

WEBQUESTS CAN BE ENJOYABLE!

Webquests can serve as a motivator for teachers because, instead of designing their own web page, creating links, and delving into the complexities of the internet, teachers are able to use current technology that is much simpler, less intimidating, and more content focused. The easier technology is to use, the more likely teachers are to adopt it as a tool.
By using Webquests the teacher becomes a facilitator who helps when necessary. This type of learning is the cornerstone of the educational theory of constructivism, which emphasizes the teacher’s role in guiding and facilitating learning. The students must take charge and come to their own conclusions based on the information presented. The students have to take more responsibility because they have to use the information to complete a task where the answer is not explicitly provided. As Bernie Dodge explains, this “supports learner thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation.” If the task reinforces high level and critical thinking skills, the Webquest was designed well and is functioning as it should in a modern classroom in sharp contrast to older, more traditional education methods that encourage strict memorization.
I feel that because Webquests have the potential to encourage group work, the social interaction and team work required are as essential to a student’s “life education” as the actual information they are expected to retain and reproduce on a future test. This means that, if used properly, webquests serve a dual educational purpose which will better prepare students for their both their academic and social development. Working in groups, no matter the age, provides students with the social training required to function in society, to feel comfortable and confident in new situations, to defend their own thoughts, to manage discussions, and, finally, come to develop correct and accurate conclusions through consensus.
Webquests support student learning through activities that are designed with attractive colors, animated characters and a variety of links. Sometimes the number of links is too broad, as I have noted when doing some webquests, which leads me to hold two opposing opinions. “Link heavy” Webquests can be positive because they will allow the student to explore the subject in great depth, although, at the same time, all of this information can be extremely difficult to process in a coherent way. Students may suffer from “information overload” which does not support the desired outcomes of the webquest itself.
I feel very proud of myself because I was able to knock down my “wall of fear” that I had erected between myself and the use of technology. After several weeks of constant frustration and tantrums I finally did it! It was not easy because in this method of learning I did not have an easily accessible instructor who would teach me through repetition or with direct instruction. There was, of course, no guided practice or constant checking for understanding because this was a problem situation where I had to investigate and develop a solution on my own. This activity served as my inadvertent (or was it?) introduction to the Information Processing Model. Link for IPM
Despite the difficulties in designing my WebQuest, I also had a lot of fun and feel very pleased with my work. There are two reasons for this success: The first reason was that the topic that I choose was one that I am interested in and I wanted to share with other people. My “WebQuest on the Galapagos Islands,” which are located off the coast of Ecuador and is the country I come from. The islands are not only beautiful but they are also important because they are the birthplace of the theory of evolution, formulated by Charles Darwin. As the saying goes, “We do not know what we have until we lose it,” many species found only in the Galapagos are in danger of extinction. It should be a part of the curriculum to learn about conservation and how to care for our planet instead of allowing ignorance to dominate and allowing the current destruction to continue. Besides the fact that the topic interested me, I feel that I am contributing to my planet if my WebQuest would have an impact on even one student and prompt them to ask more questions and to really have a desire to learn the answers.
The second reason for my joy (and success) was that once I learned the technical parts like inserting pictures and how to decorate the pages, I was unstoppable! I kept finding one more picture that I liked better than another and then, when I found animated images, I lost it! I wanted to replace all my old pictures with the new animated images that I found. Then I started changing fonts and colors because they did not match the new images. It sounds a little obsessive, I know! The fact is that I enjoyed designing my WebQuest and, despite many late night compulsive re-arranging sessions, I really was able to overcome my fear about the use of modern technology and I hope that my efforts serve as a tool that students and teachers can use in their classroom to spark an awareness about our responsibility to our planet.

I HEAR AN ECHO

I feel very fortunate to have a Professor that utilizes a lot of repetition. I am the kind of student that needs a lot of time to process the information received before I come to a complete understanding. So if I receive the information again and again, and in many different ways, kind of like being taught several times but with different words, is what I need. Learning the application of the direct instruction method by actually seeing it being used was great. Actually being taught through the direct instruction method was even better and being taught through direct instruction while at the same time having the literature that supports the method in my hands was the best.
Formulating anticipatory sets as part of the direct instruction lesson plan did not seem to be very difficult. They need to be short, inspire motivation, and assess prior knowledge. The anticipatory sets everyone presented in class were fun and creative but they did not really fall under the direct instruction method. My peers and I were thinking too hard, were being too creative, instead of just keeping them simple. Direct instruction should deliver the information as succinct facts. Any deviation from this type of presentation begins to require the use of other methods. This would have made learning about direct instruction much more difficult because it is sometimes difficult to determine exactly where the direct instruction is in the lesson if it is not the only method used. Therefore, the anticipatory set also needs to get to the point, be fun and creative, and also match the information that is being taught in the development part of the lesson. After watching about 5 anticipatory sets I realized that mine needed changes that I was able to address before my presentation. I watched about 5 more anticipatory sets, and made some more changes in my head while sitting in class, before I presented mine. After I presented it my peers gave me really good feedback on what should be different and why. I loved it! The repetition of the performance of the anticipatory sets and more importantly, the reflections from my peers, allowed me the chance to vividly learn about anticipatory sets in a direct instruction method.
The process of learning to write a lesson plan utilizing the direct instruction strategy was very helpful for me. I first read the literature about how to compose a direct instruction lesson plan and evaluated two different lesson plans. The first one was from another state and was roughly organized around their specific curriculum and the second was from New York State and was written using the same rubric we used in class. It was very helpful to analyze the lesson plans and see what needed to improve so when I would make mine I would avoid the same kind of mistakes. I worked really hard on my lesson plan and I thought it was very well designed because each step in the process logically led into the next step. When I received the feedback from my teacher I was very surprised to see that many things needed to be erased and revised. I am fortunate again because my professor took the time to give specific comments about how to improve my lesson plan, something that is frequently lacking in some other classes I have taken. Once again the repetition, going over the material that I was learning several times, gave me the opportunity to process the information received and come out with a well-designed final product, my first direct instruction lesson plan!

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GOOD QUESTION ?

Are Learning,Teaching and Assessment crucial in the pedagogical process ?

I have an 11 month old daughter. I hadn’t even thought about her learning process until I read this question. I feel that this pedagogical process is at work in life without people even realizing it. I teach Hanna to learn how to hold her own bottle and I constantly assess whether my teaching is effective or not. If it doesn’t seem to be working, I change my method (or reinforce my old methods by repetition), teach again, and continue to assess. This pedagogical process is one I do unconsciously and believe is a very natural, effective teaching method. As we use this pedagogy in life, we should also use and refine this method in our profession.

A POWERFUL STRATEGY

September 20, 2007

I am becoming an expert on making concept maps colorful and I enjoy creating a nice, organized presentation of ideas. It is also good for me to read a broad amount of information so I can create a well-informed and accurate lesson plan. It is very time consuming for me because I am such a slow reaader:)!!!!! A concept map is a fun way to play with academic information. It is almost like tricking the children into learning! It is fun while at the same time requires them to manipulate essential information which reinforces learning.

I know that direct instruction is the most used strategy not only for teaching but also in our everyday lives. Our interactions with people are usually giving or receiving information so it makes it a natural extension in the classroom. While I do feel there are benefits to this type of instruction, I also believe that it is only effective for short periods of time in an actual classroom. The short-term menory capacity is limited so the information needs to be presented in chunks and frequently teachers over-use this type of instruction.

My husband used direct instruction in the classroom every day and knows that too much is not good. Because of this, he tries to make it fun through the use of storytelling, asking his kids about their experiences, and taking short breaks to even do a little goofing around with them. He has often told me that teaching is not primarily information presentation but more performance art than anything else. Of course, labs are the group work he uses in his science class so I agree that a mix of instructional strategies is beneficial.

THINKING ABOUT THINKING

September 13, 2007

It has always been for me a bit difficult to clearly differentiate aims, goals and objectives. It has been even more challenging to write the objectives of the lesson clearly enough. Having to recognize three elements (CBC) in the objective is an easier way to know if the objectve is complete. I have found this to be very useful in focusing my thinking about the intended aim and, in forcing me to make everything fit the CBC format, the result is that I am more clear to the students (or will be!).

In writing the objective I also learned that I need to be thinking about the assessment and the grading rubric. Of course, the assessment should align with my instruction but, even more importantly, the students are clear about my expectations through a well-written and fair rubric. These things make the planning of a lesson very challenging but I think they will help in achieving the final goal of having the students reach the meta-cognition level of learning.

Resnick (1987) found the following:

"Some people will discover metacognitive strategies by themselves (perhaps through trial and error): however, other people will not (Westwood, 1997). After drawing together the results of a number of studies, Pressley and Ghatala (1990) concluded that metacognitive monitoring is poor in early childhood, shows developmental improvement, and is still far from ideal in adults. Winne (1997) cautioned that expecting people to develop strategies such as metacognition through a process of trial and error is inefficient. Rather, educators of children and adults should give people the chance to understand, practise and use metacognition."

(p. 17)
To read more about: cms.curriculum.edu.au/.../metacognition.htm

IMAGES THAT INSPIRED

September 6, 2007

After spending several hours, that were totally valuable, creating a t-shirt with images that represent work experience, future goals and biggest fair related with education I came to the conclusion that it was a very thoughful activity that involved expresssing our emotions and personal information and this is why I enjoyed it so much. It was also important to share that activity with the class because it helped to create a strong bond between us. Personally, I found it to be a much easier (and more accurate and interesting) activity searching for ideal images instead of just writing down and/or verbalizing the same ideas and feelings.

In the reading I also began to understand that many teachers do not really understand the instructional models they use in the classroom and this is not to say that they are ineffective but, rather, they would be more effective if they had a better understanding of the theories behind their preferred model. I also think that it is important for every teacher to try their best to take pieces of all of the models and do their best to incorporate them into their instruction.

A PURPOSE BEHIND

August 30, 2007

This is it ! I had no choice. I could not keep putting the Methods class off any longer:)! As everybody else in the class, I have heard alot of things about this couse that create quite a bit of apprehension, although, people who have completed it also told me that, despite the difficulties, it provides you with skills that are invaluable when you get a job teaching. After my first class I came to realize that the way this course is taught is totally different from others. Here are three new things that I feel I need to work on the most:

_Relationships with peers

_Working with techology

_ Reflecting on my learning

I am looking forward to this challenge because they are all key elements in my future teaching profession. As teachers we need to model good interpersonal relations, use technology in a modern world, and reflect on our practice to allow us to continually improve ourselves. Here is something that nobody told me about this course but I was pleased to discover: Every single activity has a purpose behind it, and that is why it is effective.

WHO AM I?

When I hear the question, "Who are you?" I answer, "I am Kirsten and I come from Ecuador," but that answer does not say much about my identity. Then I start naming some of my personal characteristics. I am shy, I have a hard time talking to new people, but I enjoy very much the company of my friends. But who am I? I am also a student and have a Psychology degree from Ecuador and I am continuing my education here in the United States.

None of the reponses above accurately and complety describe my identity. It is a much more difficult task that I imagined to look inside myself and try to discover who I really am. I believe that we change with time and experience so our identities change in the same way.

Identity is created by the development of personality in society, where one goes though different experiences. In this way we are not alone because we share the world and our lives with many other people. In my case, some of the features of my personality, things that I like to do, and experiences that I identify with, I got from the environment where I grew up and the place where we all lived. My identity comes from my familiy who lives in a small town in Ecuador.


The most important things that are part of my identity are the values (respect, responsibility and helpfulness) that my parents taught me. This helpfulness was internalized as a child and has had a profound impact on my professional life. As a teacher I would have the opportunity to help vulnerable people, those who need support and assistance the most. In my work with children with disabilities, I have seen the difference that a smile, a word of encouragement, or a helpful hand plays in the everyday experiences of these children. These acts may seem small and unimportant but make a huge differene to the children, their parents and, in a smaller but no less important way, to society.

I am also proud of myself for taking on the challenges of living in a foreign country, attending graduate school and working in a foreign language, and deciding to become a mother. All of these things are difficult but I feel these experiences have given me a quiet confidence that allows me to take on challenges willingly and to live a more fulfilling life.

My identity was built little by little through the years. My identity developed through the influence of my family and other people that have been part of my life in different circumstances or times. I like to be kind and help anybody if it is in my power to do so. I do not consider myself to be any more special than others...I just believe that simple values are what we all need as human beings that share the same planet.