November Extra Blog Post

Hannah Leonard 

November 30, 2014

North 12

November Extra Blog Post

In the month of November I discovered two things in particular that I found to be extremely interesting. The first thing is called reproductive abuse, also known as reproductive coercion. Reproductive abuse is defined as a woman getting pregnant against her will. While this is considered rape, reproductive abuse is an abuser trying to control their victim by getting her pregnant. This in done in many ways, forcing a woman to have unprotected sex against her will (rape), sabotaging the birth control, or coercion (a form of sexual abuse), making a woman afraid to say no to sex. The victim might be afraid to say no because their abuser is also physically abusive. Many people believe that its common for women to get pregnant in order to trap a man in a relationship, however it is far more common for men to do this. With a new born baby or multiple children, it would be far more difficult for a woman to leave.
In a domestic violence relationship, the children are also often abused. Some of these children do get therapy. A form of therapy that has been proven to be effective is animal therapy. Having a dog around in a therapy session, for example, would be very effective in getting a child to open up. This is because the dog makes the child feel more comfortable in that unfamiliar environment. These dogs used for therapy are nonjudgemental and gentle, which is very important to the children's healing process. Abused children often have a hard time trusting, or being close to anyone. They will shrink away from everyone, not just their abusive parent. Animals and their innocent, nonjudgemental nature help the children open up and heal.   

Blog 10: EQ

Hannah Leonard

November 12 , 2014

North 12

Blog 10: EQ Research

1.   Review this.  Confirm by stating "I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ."

Essential Question 

Once a topic is chosen, the student will develop a working essential question.  The purpose of the working essential question is to help the student build a strong foundation of research which will allow him or her to create an essential question that encourages depth and rigor in the chosen topic.  An essential question must:

• Provide a framework for studies (It calls for breadth and depth of research, Is not a yes/no question)
• Take a stance (It allows you to argue some point, Cannot be a recitation of facts or a list)
•  Format (It is specific, The wording makes sense)

I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.

2.  Review the following EQs and

• Tell us if each meets the rule of three.
• Tell why they do or don't.

 a.  What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?

Yes, because it is not a yes/no question, allows for argument, and the wording makes sense.
 b.  What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?

No, because the wording seems off.
 c.  What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?

Yes, because it is not a yes/no question, allows for argument, and the wording makes sense.

 d.  How can an anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?
Yes, because it is not a yes/no question, allows for argument, and the wording makes sense.

3.  Based on your review of the rule of 3 and your experience with assessing four EQs, please write another draft EQ for your senior project.  The senior team will be meeting with students shortly for EQ revision and approval; you are expected to bring your research notebook to that meeting with your EQ draft written inside in pencil.

EQ: What is the best way to prevent domestic violence?  

Blog 9: Lesson 1 Reflection

Hannah Leonard

November 5, 2014

North 12

Blog 9: Lesson 1 Reflection

1. Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your Lesson 1 Presentation and why?

In my Lesson 1 Presentation I am proud of the fact that I made time and covered an extensive amount of information in a short amount of time.

2. Questions to Consider
       a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 1 Presentation (self-assessment)?

       AE       ```P          AP       CR       NC

       b.     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 1 component contract.
I deserve a P because I had all of my three sources, my prop, had a lot of information, made eye contact, and projected so everyone could hear me.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 1?

What worked for me in my Lesson 1 Presentation was I had laid out everything I was going to say before hand so all I had to do was just run through my sections.

4.  (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 1?

What didn't work for me was I had too much to talk about and not enough time. Because of this I was not able to show my prop and was cut short. 

October Extra Blog Post

Hannah Leonard 

North 12 

October 31, 2014 

Extra Blog Post 

        I am still doing my mentorship at the House of Ruth, which is a domestic violence organization. This month was domestic violence awareness month. Domestic violence awareness day was October 20th. On October 22nd the House had an event called 'Rally Out Against Domestic Violence!". I supported the House of Ruth and did my part in creating awareness by handing out purple pins and telling all of my fellow seniors about this event. Although not any of my fellow seniors came to support, I did go and took my mom, sister and best friend. The rally was more of a eulogy and was very moving and emotional. The event was at Garey High School in Pomona and was organized by the high schools football coach. The football coach at Garey high school described, in his speech, the details of his parents domestic violence relationship and how it impacted him as he grew up in that environment. The coach's mother was at the ceremony and it was a very emotional time for her. Most of the audience was in tears as well. Another speaker was a woman who was in a domestic violence relationship and that the House of Ruth had helped personally. Her batterer was particularly violent, persistent, and, with lack of a better word, crazy. Her turning point was when he threatened to bash her skull in with a baseball bat. This is when she knew that if she did not find a way to escape him, she would end up dead. The last speaker was my mentor, Marina Wood. She read a poem which was from the perspective of a woman who died due to domestic violence. I found this particularly moving. There were also balloons with names written on them. Every name was a person who died over the course of this year because of domestic violence. Overall the whole event was very well put together and defiantly pulled on the whole audiences heart strings. I am very happy that I was able to go and support the House of Ruth, my mentor, and the fight against domestic violence. 

Blog Assignment 8: Research and Working EQ

Hannah Leonard 

October 16, 2014

North 12

Blog Assignment 8

1.  What is your working EQ?

My working EQ is "What is the best way to get people involved in the fight against domestic violence?"

2.  What is a possible answer to your working EQ? Please write the answer in thesis format. 

EQ: What is the best way to get people involved in the fight against domestic violence?

-Create awareness because people can't help an issue that they don't know exists 

3.  What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ?

The most important source I have used that has helped me come up with an answer to my working EQ is my mentor. I found this because she is the preventions coordinator at the House of Ruth and has demonstrated how important awareness is. 

4.  Who is your mentor, or where are you doing mentorship, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?

My mentor is Marina Wood. Ms. Wood is the Preventions Coordinator at the House of Ruth, where I am doing my mentorship. This relates to my EQ because domestic violence creates a heavy amount of mental trauma which connects with my topic of Clinical Psychology.  

Mentorship Extra Blog Post: September

Hannah Leonard

September 30, 2014

North 12

Extra Blog Post: September

           My mentorship, over time, has increasingly taught me more and more. I have learned a lot about domestic violence and the how the entire process takes place. I now know, how the victims feels, how the abuser feels, how the abuser takes controls of the victims emotions as well as their entire life, and how abusers are created. I was actually very pleasantly surprised by how much I have learned considering I am not allowed to interact with the victims themselves, or their children. My mentor is very helpful in giving me informational books and articles as well as just telling me facts along the way.

          I have learned children are greatly impacted when their parents are in a domestic violence relationship. They are impacted in ways that most people wouldn't think. The abuser, or more commonly, the batterer, might brainwash the children into believing that the abuse is the victims fault, turning the children against the victim. An abuser might use the children as a tool to hurt the victim by hurting the children either mental or physically. Often sons in an abusive relationship will grow up to be abusive themselves. The girls will commonly grow up to be in abusive relationships. The children may also become desensitized to violence over time because violence occurs so often in the home. Another impact is that the children might become the adult in the family dynamic. The children will take charge and act more adult and parental than their own parent, the victim. The impact of domestic violence on the children is far more extensive than most people realize, they are the silent victims.         

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/01/us/politics/congress-passes-reauthorization-of-violence-against-women-act.html?_r=0

Blog 6: Interview Preparation

Hannah Leonard

September 18, 2014

North 12

Blog 6: Interview Preparation 

1.  Who is your mentor and where do they work?

My mentor is Marina Wood, Preventions Coordinator, and she works at the House of Ruth 

2.  What five questions will you ask them about their background?

a) Where did you go to college?

b) Who founded the House of Ruth?

c) Where did the idea of the House of Ruth come from?

d) What made you want to be apart of the House of Ruths' mission to put a stop to domestic violence?

e) What made you want to work in the field of domestic violence?

f) What other fields did you consider before deciding on domestic violence?

Blog 7: Independent Component 1 Approval

Hannah Leonard

September 17, 2014

North 12

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

I plan to volunteer at the House of Ruth. I plan to work with the preventions coordinator plus a number of the councilors at the House of Ruth. This will help to expand my knowledge on Clinical Psychology additionally domestic violence and its impact on the victims of it, such as PTSD.  

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

I will take photographs, write summaries of my experiences there, as well as keep my hours logged.  

3.  And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

Being at the House of Ruth you learn a great deal about domestic violence; signs of an abusive relationship, signs that someone is an abuser, signs that someone is being abused, how to get help, how to help someone else who is being abused, the mental and physical effects of domestic violence, how to take care of yourself mentally.

4.  Update your Senior Project Hours log.

Blog 5: Mentorship Reflection

Hannah Leonard

September 10, 2014

North 12 

1. Mentorship question: Describe your experience in how you found your mentorship?  If you haven't found one yet, describe your experience so far in the search of a mentor.

At first I had no idea where I was going to do my mentorship because I was doing clinical psychology and had no idea where to start. However when I met with my councilor over the summer, she gave me the idea of working at a women's shelter. She suggested this because in the future I hope to work with soldiers with PTSD and this is very common in abuse victims. When my councilor gave me this idea I immediately had an organization in mind because I had seen a presentation from them by a previous senior. The House of Ruth, where I am doing my mentorship, has previously had two other iPoly seniors do their mentorship there. I called The House of Ruth and got an interview scheduled, after my interview I started right away.

2. Research question: What has been your most important article you have read so far and why?

The most important article I have read so far would be the book that my mentor have me, "In Love and In Danger". This would be the most important article because it gives first hand accounts of abuse, giving you the opportunity to understand what the victim thought and felt. The article reports on three different abuse cases, first a girl who entered an abusive relationship at twelve years old, written from victims perspective as well as the abusers. Second a girl slightly older, fifteen, in an abusive relationship, written from the victims perspective. Third and final, written from the abuse victims(16) mothers perspective. This article gave great insight in what goes on in the mind of the victim, the abuser, and the people on the outside of the unhealthy relationships.

Mentorship Extra Blog: August

Hannah Leonard

August 31, 2014 

North 12 

I am doing my mentorship at The House of Ruth. The House of Ruth is a women's shelter and deals with all aspect of domestic violence. I chose do to my mentorship there because PTSD is common in abuse victims and would help familiarize me with this disorder. Since I want to work with people with PTSD as a clinical psychologist in the future, this makes for good experience. My mentor is the Prevention Coordinator for the House of Ruth. My mentor, Marina Wood, does a large number of presentations at high schools and educates high school students about teen dating violence. I myself, being a minor, am unable to interact with any clients or their children. Most of what I do at the House of Ruth is paperwork. I make a large volume of copies as well as help put together binders for presentations and update spreadsheets of clients information. In the past I have also helped film the staff for a fundraiser that they are currently doing. Even though I am not able to work directly with clients, my mentor gives me reading material so I can familiarize myself with the different aspects of domestic violence and with the House of Ruth itself. Also just being at the House of Ruth I now know far more about domestic violence and the  House of Ruth than I did before starting my mentorship. I am eager to continue my mentorship and further my knowledge in this field. 

Blog 4: Interview Preparation

Interview 

1.  Who do you plan to interview?  Why?

I plan to interview my mentor, Marina Wood. I chose to interview Ms. Wood because she knows everything there is to know about DV (domestic violence) and the impact it has on the abuse victims. This makes her a reliable source of information. 

2.  You have to ask 5 questions.  What additional questions do you plan to ask?  Ask open-ended questions.

-Which clients' story sticks out to you most? Why?

-What have been the most severe mental effects that DV has had on a victim that you've seen? What were the effects?

-On average, how many abuse victims show symptoms of PTSD?

-What are the two most common psychological disorders in abuse victims?

-How often do children of abuse victims have psychological disorders?

-What are known longterm effects of child abuse victims?

-How common is PTSD in abused children?

-How many women, on average, never find the strength to leave the abusive relationship?

Blog 3: Topic Choice and Working EQ

Hannah Leonard 

North 12th

August  21, 2014

1.  List your topic here: 
Clinical Psychology 

2.  Write a question that helps to focus your research this month.
In regards to PTSD, are the symptoms the same regardless of the form of trauma or are the symptoms unique to each victim,  based on the trauma from which it was caused?

3.  Post the working bibliography (WB) on the right hand side of the blog and share it so anybody can view it.

Blog Assignment #2-Summer Mentorship Component

Literal:  

1. (Know) Using google doc (drive) link a log of specific hours and a description of your duties 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ux-uo7d3LAlEWPA8NTxmS4Z-w0X1Tk9bs5Pb0NtYTg8/edit?usp=sharing

2. What is the contact name & number of where you volunteered?  

House of Ruth, Marina Wood-Preventions Coordinator 

Email Address: mwood@houseofruthinc.org   

  

3. (Need to know) What questions were raised because of the 10 hours of experience?  List them.     

-Why are victims of domestic violence so often treated as though the abuse is there fault?

-What is the best way to help a person find the strength to leave an abusive or unhealthy relationship?

-What causes a person to be an abuser in a relationship? Childhood experiences? Born that way? Nurture or Nature?

Interpretive

4. What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

The most important thing that I gained from this experience was being able to work with and learn from women who are so independent ad willing to dedicate their lives to helping others. This is the most important thing I gained from this experience is because many people don't have the opportunity or the privilege to work with people who are so confident, self empowered, and selfless. 

Applied

5. What is your senior project topic going to be?  How did what you did help you choose a topic?  Please explain.

My senior topic is going to be on clinical psychology. I chose clinical psychology as my senior topic because I want to be a clinical psychologist as an adult and wanted to get a taste of what it will be like. I chose my mentorship to match the topic that I was going for. Doing my mentorship validated my interest in clinical psychology as a senior topic and as a career. 

Blog Assignment 1

1. 21-05-14 - Block 1Gonzalez, MarcoInsuranceSS-1221-05-14 - Block 2Escobedo, SeriahBasketballSS-1221-05-14 - Block 3Good, DarleneCoaching SoftballMath-1122-05-14 - Block 1Velez, ChristianBodybuildingSci-1122-05-14 - Block 2Landeros, AnaCalPoly Parking Trans. ServicesEng-1122-05-14 - Block 3Peralta, StacyYearbookMath-1223-05-14 - Block 1Martinez, RonnieCoaching SoccerSS-1223-05-14 - Block 3Larino, LeoBasketballSS-1227-05-14 - Block 1Cocjin, AriWarehouse Op. ManagementMath-1127-05-14 - Block 2Raines, ClancyHippotherapyEng-1228-05-14 - Block 1Lopez, CesarElectricianSci-1128-05-14 - Block 2Delgado, DiegoHigh School BasketballMath-1128-05-14 - Block 3Beghtol, BrandonInformation TechnologySS-1229-05-14 - Block 1Davidson, SusieDressage (Equine)SS-1129-05-14 - Block 2Arellano, LionelComputer Technicial ServicesMath-1129-05-14 - Block 3Lara, DavidLendingSci-12
2. All of my questions were answered in watching the senior presentations.
3. The most important part of the senior presentations is to be passionate about your topic because if not then you can easily run out of things to say.
4. I am thinking of doing criminal psychology for my senior presentation because I have always found human behavior interesting.
5. I have not yet found a mentor.