West Virginia State University College of Professional Studies Department of Education Professional Development (PD) Reflection Outline Name:

Mark Cutlip Major Content Area: Social Studies/History PD Date: 20 plus years (1992-present) Circle one: FR SOPH JR SR PD Units: 10 hours

PD Topic/Title: Volunteer Work in the 4-H Program

Please respond to the following prompts:

1. Summarize the key points you learned from this Professional Development experience. All my years being an active member and a volunteer in the 4-H Program have taught me valuable social skills in collaborating with co-leaders, youth members and parents, and other professionals. I had to complete workbooks which contained information from how to grow certain crops, to bike safety, to learning about recycling. I completed posters and other projects for each workbook. I received blue ribbons for many of my poster designs; some of my posters were taken to the West Virginia State Fair, so I was able to represent my home county. The 4-H Program prepared me for professional job skill training by leading group discussions and managing our club meetings. It is a community-based organization, so are club held fund-raisers and participated in "Adopting a Highway" program. We were able to clean up miles of roadways for beautification. I held different office positions during my years as a 4-H club member (Vice President to Game-leader). Our county has an annual 4-H Camp that is held in the month of June. I help as a volunteer cabin counselor and sports leader with youths between the ages of 8 and 17 years of age. I work to promote positive social interaction and good sportsmanship between the youths by demonstrating a fun but professional attitude. I help lead the youths in organizing recreational activities and lead group discussions that pertain to that particular camp.

2. Discuss how these key points connect to your content area. Teachers must demonstrate a positive professional attitude in order to promote appropriate social skills I and out of the classroom environment. I have the experience through all my hours of volunteer work in the 4-H Program now to notice how children socialize and interact with one another. These skills help me to relate to some issues facing our youth today (home life concerns and problems, bullying, poor anger control). Children and students want to be accepted, so they look for someone to be their role model. As a history teacher; I will have to manage students and their behaviors. It is important for teachers to guide and direct youth on how to improve their levels of selfesteem. I have held official parliamentary positions and learned how to conduct professional meetings. Teachers must demonstrate good public speaking skills in order to make students will understand what is being asked of them.

3. Share how you might use this new information in your future classroom. Being an active member in the 4-H Program has given higher levels of selfesteem in public speaking, social interaction and communication techniques. The 4-H Program has given the organization skills to help me work on projects, complete tasks, and set goals. It has taught me to be a team player and collaborate with other to complete a task. This program as also taught me to be a leader and mentor when it is time to be assertive in order to accomplish the task or complete a goal. I use the skills shown and taught to me in 4-H to help be a better individual, who is motivated to work with not only my future students but on my own two sons.

Note: Make sure you upload this document to your professional portfolio along with your scanned PD letter and/or PD certificate.