New Gardening Project

Today's gardening experience me, my fellow peers and the youth from the community once again took a look at how are wonderful sunflower seeds were doing and thankfully they were still growing, from the looks of things by the end of the month if not before then we should have some pretty sunflower, we also took the time to start a new project and planted okra, squash and collards right next to the sunflowers. Due the hot weather it was decided that that we would call it a day for gardening once we finished our new project. Today the number of kids started out low but the few we did have were very proud and excited about the growth of our sunflowers and even took pictures next to them. Today was a great example and proof of why gardening with the children is such a good idea it not only gives them something to do but also gives them something to look forward to and teaches them somehing they may never learn at home or at school.

Gardening without the Kids!

Today at the garden my fellow peers and I went and looked at how our sunflowers were doing since the last time we saw them, fortunately they were doing well however they did need a little watering so we took the time to water them. Sadly today the kids from the community that we usually work with did not show up until the last 10 minutes of us being there, which only allowed them time to take a look at how much the plants had grown from last week.

However, it was today that we learned when working with other programs and groups of people that they tend not to show up at times or at all and you simply have to roll with the punches and improvise despite their attendance. Luckily today there was not much planned, so the children participation was not really needed today nevertheless it would have been better to have them there to participate in the activity we had planned and the watering so that they would feel more a part of the planting and growth of the sunflowers.

The Sunflowers

Today’s gardening experience consisted of picking peppers that had been planted by my peers and children from the community some time ago. We also took a look at the sunflower seeds that we all planted just last week and to my surprise the sunflower seeds had started to grow. I was honestly surprise that the flowers had actually already started to grow, being that we had just planted them. I just knew it would take a while before we saw any results; However, it felt good to see the progress of our work, especially being that I wasn’t too fond of the whole idea of gardening to begin with and although it’s still not my favorite thing to do it does make the whole experience a little exciting when you’re able to see some actual results and growth from the work you’ve down. It is also great to see the children we work with also get excited about the work they’ve done even after all these years that they have come and worked at the garden to still get excited is amazing. It’s not every day that you see a child or young teen get excited about a plant or flower growing.     

My Sketch for the Future Fabulous Garden

The following picture is a sketch of my ideas for the area we are gardening in. In the center of my sketch there is the future flower boxes that have sunflower seeds in them, on the top and bottom of the page is the picnic tables with tents above them to give us shade as we sit and admire our beautiful garden. I also came up with the idea to put two trees right beside the picnic tables that I would like for use to plant, on one side there are apple trees and the other side there are just regulars trees to give us some extra shade.

 In an effort to glamour up the area I also came up with the idea to put flowers around the trees as well as a bird houses or simply just one to put in the regular tree.  My last two final glamour touches I came up with was the idea to plant a lemon tree and to put a kiddy pool with a fountain and gold fishes inside. This idea about the kiddy pool was simply an effort to give the younger and older children something like a pet to take care of and just admire. Although some of the ideas I have may take a while to develop like the apple trees and lemon trees I believe in the long run it will pay off and teach the younger generation lessons that they can take home and do themselves.

Issues with a supervisor or coworker

 As interns we face many issues at our agencies some small and some big, whether small or not they should always be resolved in an professional manner. below are isuues that may arise at an agency, things to think about and ways to resolve them.

Issues that may arise.......

ž  Let say you have been at your internship for about 2 weeks and have not been assigned anything to do.

ž  Let’s say that your supervisor has given you the job to answer the phone but has given your peer the job to interview clients and write up paper work

ž   Your supervisor does not allow you to use your phone, however you see your peer using their phone.

ž  Your supervisor says inappropriate things to you when your alone in his or her office.

Ask yourself a couple of questions before trying to resolve the issue.......

ž   Have you presented yourself in a way that makes you seem as if you can not handle a task greater than the one given to you.

ž  Is the issue you are having that important that you need to bring it to the supervisor’s attention.

 Ways to resolve your issues.....

 

ž  Realize that some conflicts are inevitable at work.

ž  Handle conflicts sooner rather than later. Resolve the issue when it starts, as it only gets worse with time.

ž   Invite the other person to talk about the situation. A hurried conversation at your desk between emails and phone calls won’t solve anything. You need a peaceful location and time to address the issue.

ž  Ask nicely: If somebody has done something that made you angry, or if you don’t understand their viewpoint or actions, simply asking about it, it can make a world of difference.

ž   Apologize for your part in the conflict. More often than not everyone involved has done something to create and prolong the conflict.

Gardening

 

 Today I experienced another day at the garden with my fellow classmates and some youth from the community. Today’s task was to put down some soil and plant some sunflower seeds, we also took the time to look at the area that once had the corn fellow classmates planted, unfortunately they were no longer living so we are going to start over in that area and plant something new. Today I was partnered up with two young girls, two different girls from the ones I was partnered with last week. I was surprise to find that they choose me to work with being that they had no idea who I was but I was excited to get to know them and work with them. The two young ladies were great to work with they had a great spirit about everything and was very excited about the task at hand, so much so that they volunteered to help out in every way they could even if they weren't strong enough to complete the task. It was a joy to work with them and an interesting task in itself. I look forward to see what’s on the agenda next week and how well the flowers will grow.

 After completing the task of planting the sunflower seeds me and classmates of mine drew up a sketch of idea we had for the area we planted the sunflower seeds, most of us thought it to be a good idea to plant some trees as well as other fruits and flowers to make the area a nice place to hang out and talk. I’m excited to see what it on the agenda next week and how well the flowers will grow.

My first Gardening Experience

Today I went to the Garden with my field instructor, fellow classmates and a group of kids from the community. Together we pick weeds and peppers that had been planted a while back. For me this was my first time going out to the garden and meeting the children. I have to say that this was definitely different for me. I grow up in the city and didn't experience or get the opportunity to do any gardening. I’m sure I'll like it more once we start to actually plant vegetables and flowers. Overall the experience was nice and the young lady that I got partnered up with was nice as well, although she was a little quiet; however, I'm sure with time the two of us will get along just fine.
After the gardening experience, I got a better understanding of the purpose and the benefits of gardening with the kids. I Personally believe it teaches the children about planting vegetables, flowers and fruits and also allows them to learn about some of the different names, colors, and types it also gives them something different to do than just watching TV and play video games. It’s something they may not really understand now but will definitely show and bring about a positive light in their life later.