INTERNSHIP FINAL WRITTEN REPORT 1

Internship Final Written Report

Brooke Cunningham

Department of Home and Family

Brigham Young University-Idaho

INTERNSHIP FINAL WRITTEN REPORT 2

Internship Final Written Report

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Evaluation of Internship Goals

One of my most important goals was to be able to connect with the children on a personal

level. I wanted to be able to think more like they did so I could understand them better. My

patience was sometimes tested when children were uncooperative. As I thought about why they

might be doing what they were doing, I was more sympathetic. For example, some children want

to walk slowly because they are tired. Younger children are not always developmentally ready to

move long distances in a short period of time, which we did daily in Forest Preschool. We need

to understand children’s thinking if we are to truly help them.

Another primary goal for this internship experience was to take initiative. I wanted to

understand my responsibilities well enough to quickly accomplish necessary tasks and be an

asset to my team of teachers. I quickly learned my responsibilities and became efficient at

gathering materials. I was often solely responsible for gathering materials because many of the

other teachers had class just before preschool. This motivated me to act quickly. Sometimes, I

had to cover for my classmates and gather the materials they had been assigned. This helped me

to develop more patience and understanding.

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I also had a goal to be healthy and strong throughout this semester. As I neared the third

trimester of pregnancy, I was concerned that it would be difficult for me to climb over trees and

walk long distances. To have adequate energy, I made an effort to increase my fruit and

vegetable intake and stay hydrated. I also did my best to maintain a positive attitude. I am

satisfied with the results, considering the stress and change my body was undergoing.
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Effectiveness of Internship Experience

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In regard to professionalism, one of the qualities I exemplified was punctuality. Each

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I began gathering materials about forty-five minutes before

heading out to the site. Near the end of our time in the forest each day, I would make sure the site

was mostly cleaned up and materials were where they needed to be. My dependability was also

an asset to our group of teachers. My classmates often assigned me to prepare the snack because

I had built up a track record of having things ready to go on time. Most materials that I gathered

would be in the child lab office by the time we were to head out to the forest site each day of

class, including snack. Sometimes, I would help others who were assigned to put snack together

if they did not have time to complete it by themselves.

One of the important personal attributes that I demonstrated during this internship

experience was self-motivation. There were times when I did not feel like I had enough energy to

go into the forest and have thoughtful conversations with preschoolers. I had a few personal

health issues that stood in the way some days. Nevertheless, I kept coming to preschool even

though I was in pain and fulfilled my responsibilities. I asked for help when needed, and my

fellow teachers were happy to oblige. It was my goal to be as active in forest preschool as I could

be, and my self-motivation got me to keep going.

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Professional and Disciple Preparation

At the beginning of this internship, I did not fully realize the opportunities this experience

would provide me in regard to professional development and disciple preparation. I often

prepared for forest preschool a lot more than my classmates did. I sometimes felt bitter about
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this, but I needed to be as helpful as I could without complaining. As soon as this paradigm shift

happened, I was able to carry out my tasks with cheerfulness and relative ease. This not only

impacted my professional development; it helped me be more like a disciple of Christ as well.

Professionally, I learned to be willing to go above and beyond my responsibilities. As a disciple,

I became more selfless.

The process of working with the sweet children in our program was infinitely more

important than gathering materials. I have seen some of the children in the community since

preschool has ended. My heart longs for the opportunity to have some fun learning opportunities

with them in the forest again. I came to truly love these children, even though they do not belong

to me. It seems that in this field, love is so important. If a child is not loved, they will not

progress. Professions in child development are in great need of people who love children. As a

disciple of Jesus Christ, I will strive to show my love for the children that He cares so deeply

about. This internship experience has prepared me to do this more effectively.

Conclusion

The opportunity to learn these lessons has been essential for my personal development. I

have been challenged and uplifted in many ways. My internship goals have been met, my pace

towards my professional goals has been quickened, and I have grown in remarkable capacities

because of this experience. My forest preschool days will be a source of joy to me forevermore.