To: Dr.

Dana Mitra

From: Christopher Sosnowski

Date: 7/24/2020

Subject: Blog Entry #7 (Connection to courses)

Question:

What connections have you made from courses you have taken to your current
internship? Has your idea of these policy topics changed from learning in the classroom to
seeing them manifest themselves in the “real world”?  How so? What is different?

Response:

Even as I near the end of my internship experience, I am constantly finding connections

between the work I’ve done, the policies I have witnessed, and the courses I have taken as a
student at Penn State. The first connection that comes to mind is actually the connection
between what I have learned about local school policy, and the work of one of Talent Search’s
counselor’s Gloria.

This past week, I had the wonderful opportunity to chat with Gloria, and ask her about
her time with the organization. I asked her questions such as why she began work with Talent
Search, what qualities of the job she has found most rewarding, but my most interesting insight
came when I asked her about the challenges she has faced. I just assumed she would explain
that kids can be difficult sometimes, and that you just have to power through and keep your
head held high, but it wasn’t the children that she found challenging. No, the real challenge
was the individual policies and procedures that each middle school she’s worked with has
enforced. See unlike the other counselors, Gloria works directly with not one but eight separate
schools. She explained that even though the schools all exist as part of the same district, each
building houses its own environment with different procedures to follow. For example, she
explained that some schools have been easier to schedule with in the past, others have not.
Some have followed lenient field trip policies, others have not. Some principals she has
developed strong relationships with, others are tough to work with, and have a more relaxed
approach to Talent Search’s implementation. She explained that this has been one of her
greatest challenges as a counselor. The challenge of overcoming these differences, and staying
informed on each schools environment to provide excellent counseling to her students.

I felt this created a connection to my courses because one of the strongest through
lines within public policy courses is the idea that schools follow a bottom up approach.
American schools began as products of localities and neighborhoods, and grew to form
districts. This history is in stark contrast too many other institutions within our country, which
often were the product of the national government. But not schools. I’ve heard it over and over
in my course work that each

schools district is its own beast. That each school is unique and that policies can vary wildly
from other schools just like it. I’ve heard this all before, but to hear it directly from the mouth of
a professional working in the field is what really has let the fact sink in. I was stunned to hear
that her greatest challenge was the unique nature of schools, but never again will I question
that fact.

 A second connection I have made has been to my work in EDTHP 394 and the proper
application of the memo format. Now I’ve spoken about the development of my writing before,
but I can not stress it enough. My internship has helped me understand exactly how
professionals communicate effectively in a way no other experience has.

Before my internship, memos and professional writing were simply a grades in a book.
Sure I would practice the format, but I never really had the opportunity to connect that learning
to any real life application. Having to write memos on my research for Talent Search has
changed this completely, and allowed me to make that connection between how to write well
and when to apply those skills to work. I’ll be writing a short piece on the viability of a certain
target area for a Talent Search program to Stephen, and immediately I’ll think back to 394. I’ll
think about the ways in which I can shorten my language. About stronger word choice and the
focus of my messaging. I’ll think about the formatting of my work, and about the ways to make
what I write look presentable and easy to read. These were connections I was never able to
make before, but now as I reach the end of my internship I can.

I could go on, but overall my internship has helped me connect my course work to all
sorts of real life experiences. In fact I’ve had the opportunity to work with the world of
education policy during a time of great uncertainty, and in way it’s taught me even more about
the ways educators and administrators respond to crisis. A blessing in disguise if you will. Now
this might be my final blog until my reflection, but as I conclude my internship, I look forward to
soaking up any last bits of experience I can, and moving forward towards my senior year with a
new found sense of perspective.