Taylor Eljaua Orientation Week 2

Taylor Eljaua-Week 2-Orientation

Activities:

 Reviewe Activities:

•            Attended orientation  2 full days of Orientation

•            aided in answering parents questions and assisting them into Lee Hall for presentation at Betterworth Auditorium.

•           Attened social/dinner in the Club House in Davis Wade Stadium

•           Assisted in preparation of Orientation and set up of orientation

Reflections on Practice:

1  Planning, planning, planning! There are TONS of positives and negatives about orientation. One major one is in regards to the planning that goes into Orientation. Orientation has been a great experience. Everyone has been very friendly, things run on time and the way that they are suppose to. And even if things don’t run smoothly, they apper to cuase there is a plan for the plan if the plan fails and another plan if that plan fails. So on one side it all works out. For me, it is difficult to walk in as an outsider and chizle your way into the plan. People have jobs and duties that they are qualified for and they have plenty of abled bodies,  so where do I fit in? Well, where ever they can fit me, and that’s not always the best for me to learn about the behind the scens of orientation. I have been gettings stuck in a lot of positions like direct traffic, or hand out flyiers or hold this door open, and while this is all a vital part to amking the big orientation machine work, it is not always the best.  As extroverted as I can be I feel that I shy away because I have no idea what I am doing and I am nervous to disturb people who are already making the machine run.  The theme for working with orientation seems to be move a long or get out of the way, and while I can follow that mentality if I was a part of the department or the planning in general, I realized it is not an easy task for me to just jump feet first and assume positions that I have no clue about.

2    The second major lesson or insight I have gathered is about Orientation Leaders. Should I ever be placed on a recruitmen or hireing committee in the future, no matter what field of work I am in, I will ALWAYS give special attention to anyone who has Orientation Leader listed as a past experience. I have never seen such vivacious, hardworking student leaders. They work well together, hard and with a smile on their face. They work long and draining hours for a whole monthand still maintain the postivie and welcoming energy across the board. These students truly understand he vision and purpose of orientation.  I have enjoyed seeing them work with their orientation students and really build bonds with all of them.

Textbook Application

    The first week’s reading, chapter 1 in the book, talks about new professionas and the expreinces that face as young professionals. I feel that I can realte to this chapter most specifically with the section about identiy through my practicum site and even this past year. This section on identity in the chapter talks about the transition between beings a student leader and being a professional. I have struggled with this for the past. Being heavily involved in undergrad and then transitioning into a para professional role where I am still very involved but, I am focused more on the students’s success has been a challenge. It has also been difficult to define my relationship. Something I have seen that I have stuggled with throughout practicum has been building realtionships withn in the department of Orientation. Do I befriend the Orientation Leaders first or to I stick by Kelly and Kylie’s side? I am very good a building relationships out side of work, but when it comes to professional settings I have a tendancy to clam up and retreat in fear of making a wrong move professionally. I don’t want to appear to be too young and not strick so I stay away form the student leaders, I also don’t want to apper to be a suck up so I stay away form my professional staff. I end up just gettinging in moy own way because I don’t get to fully impact the students I am working with and I loose out on growing professionally from my supervisors and advisors. The chapter talks about how it can be important to look for “other perspectives and additional support”, my hope is that through this practicum I can create a new network in Kelly and Kylie that I can use in the future as my Mississippi State support sysyetm.

Theory:

One theory or concept that I am looking at this week is the Leadership  competency from NASPA / ACPA Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Practitioners. I am looking to this because of my refelction on the lessons I have learned from this week, mostly on Kelly and Kylie’s ability to motivate, energize and drive their team. I feel the two of them have an advanced grasp on the copentancy.  The Orientation Leaders are great on their own but a lot of their strength comes from their leaders. Kelly and Kylie have demostrated good organization and learership skills that have trickled down to the OLs. They have also demonstrated for me what it means to delegate tasks and work as a team.  The OLs respect Kelly and kylie  and do what they ask. Every Tuesday and Friday night the OLs are required to flip the ballroom, stuff name tags and set up for a new orientation, as they await their duties they relax but once orders are given they jump to their feet and ge the work done!

References:

ACPA & NASPA (2010). Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Practitioners.

Amey, M., & Reesor, L. (2009). In Beginning your journey: A guide for new professionals in student affairs. Washington, D.C.: National Association of Student Personnel Administration.