Senior Project Reflection

PART I: Two-Hour Presentation

(1) Two-Hour Presentation Student Assessment

AE; this presentation was one of the very few which I felt I went above and beyond for:

·          Every slide had to be perfect to where the audience could read everything very clear, and the information wasn’t too crowded.

·          I rehearsed this presentation with my family several times to make sure I would meet content time.

·          I addressed the answers to my essential question very much in detail and depth.

·          I cited my sources and gave a variety.

·          I contacted various guide dog organizations to have a guest speaker come out and that turned out successful.

·          I traveled to Palm Springs to retrieve a very inspirational video I thought my audience would enjoy and hopefully be inspired with.

·          I prepared everything on time and met the requirements for “P” consideration.

·          I had the audience involved throughout my presentation.

·          I spoke clearly and clarified for understanding.

2) What are you most proud of in your 2 hour presentation and why?

Being a puppy raiser is a very rewarding job as I get to have a companion who travels with me almost everywhere. Although, I have become attached to Kater I know she will have to leave my arms one day to help someone with a visual impairment. So, I had my guest speaker who is blind talk about the impact a guide dog has had on her. It was extremely inspirational to me and the audience to hear of her experience firsthand. I was proud to share someone as special as this woman with my audience. Hopefully, they will be inspired to be a puppy raiser from this experience the same way I was the first time I heard of an experience.

PART II: Overall Senior Project Experience

(3) What do you think you did well on in the project? What could you have done better? Please explain.

Out of all my other three high school years combined this year was the most hectic. From the beginning, I decided to raise a guide dog in training and she has shown improvement in her behavior from the time I got her. Also, I think I did really well on my creative expression as well as all the other components. I really put my best food forward by avoiding procrastination on each and every component by going above and beyond. For example, for my second independent task I not only kept a log of the hours but I created a training video based on the commands I had taught her. I felt really proud of myself this year, but if I had the chance to redo one thing it would be my research binder. I had the average amount of research but I wish I could have excelled that number to gain even more knowledge of guide dog obedience.

(4) What is your EQ and what is the best answer to your EQ?

EQ: What is the best way to ensure a guide dog in training is chosen as an official service dog?

Best Answer: Temperament

(5) How has the last month of culminating events (e.g. I-Search, Two-Hour, Exit etc) affected your answer to your EQ? Has it changed? Why or why not?

The last month of culminating events positively affected my EQ answer. The reason for this was because at the beginning of the month I had my answer chosen already with reasoning to back it up. But, I was still a little uneasy about presenting it to the class since they might have different thoughts. But these last components really made me feel like the expert and gave me the extra confidence to KNOW this was my official answer and nothing could sway me from that mentality. It was like the hard rock a foundation I needed to make my answer permanent.

(6) What suggestions do you have in order to improve the senior project?

I suggest the teachers stress the importance of having research and explain that it’s not only a grade, but a lifetime of knowledge. Other than that, I liked how everything ran step by step and was easy to keep up with.

(7) Overall Senior Project Assessment
AE:

·          For many of my components I thought outside of the box and went above and beyond what was considered “proficient.”

·          I met rubric requirements and deadlines for every component and went beyond the requirements.

·          My two hour presentation turned out very well.

·          I probably surpassed my entire senior class with service learning hours.

·          I have a full-time commitment, my guide dog in training.

·          My senior project is not over at graduation but will last another five months.

·          I feel like I have inspired underclassmen; for example, one junior is considering this topic for her senior project.

·          I have dedicated much time, effort, and frustration to make sure Kater is being properly trained.

·          I am one of the youngest puppy raisers.

·          I created my first video ever all by myself for my second independent task.

·          For dog obedience classes, I would visit Palm Springs once a week.

·          For my college class, I gave a presentation about guide dog obedience so they could hopefully be inspired and awareness of the need for puppy raisers would be spread.

·          I sought out the best trainers to interview as well as searched every library around town for guide dog books. Eventually, I found one of my three important sources.

·          I became very dedicated and inspired by this senior project and it has taught me lifelong lessons.

Service Learning

(1) LIA

Literal:

• I continue to raise a service dog, Kater, from the time she was eight weeks until she is about a year and a half.  I have had her since November 29^th. I do not have a service log since I raise her 24/7 which equals about 1,068 hours.  From Kater, I have gained patience. She is developing so fast and with repetitions over and over again she has began to follow commands quicker. I take her on walks, I train her, bathe her, take her to the grocery store, socialize her, take her to get her shots, and I am awaiting the second set of obedience classes to begin in Palm Springs once again. All this is done at my expense. With the end of the year approaching this full-time commitment has become overwhelming. But, everything makes sense when I look at the bigger picture and helping someone in need.

• Trina Began- 760)329-1282

Interpretive:

From this experience I have become a better trainer. Through training, I gained patience and that is an achievement in itself. What is unique; is now I can continue to apply this skill to Kater during training. I have learned how to communicate on a common ground with this dog. Depending on the task I want her to perform; I will alter my tone of voice to get the reaction I want from her. For example, I will change from a playful owner to an owner who only means business. I would not have wanted to gain this knowledge without patience. Otherwise, I would continue to become quickly frustrated and want to quit. I am proud of the patience I have gained from this component.

Applied

My essential question is, “What is the best way to ensure a guide dog in training is chosen as an official service dog?” The three answers I have come up with are temperament, training, and health. From the research I completed I gained an overflow of knowledge. I could talk to a stranger nonstop about what a guide dog is, why training, health, and temperament are important, the layout process of their life, what they learn during extensive training, their unique lifestyle,  characteristics trainers look for, how to train the dog while it is a guide dog in training, and any other questions they might have. HOWEVER, I am a hands-on person and from this experience I have gotten the opportunity to answer my essential question first hand and experience the process. During obedience classes, we talked about the temperament of a dog and how to handle certain situations, we have little demonstrations why health was important and how to care for our dogs, and I gained firsthand interaction with guide dog trainers. From Kater, I was given the opportunity to interview trainers and without Kater they might have disregarded me. I took what they had to say more into consideration than I did researching other articles. I answered my essential question based on research, interviews, and independent tasks. But, service learning gave me that extra confidence needed to convince myself these were my final answers after what I had observed from Kater. Kater has learned from me, but I have gained twice as much knowledge from her.

2 Hour Presentation Rough Draft

1.       My sponge activity is to talk about the different places a guide dog can go and then have a quick quiz.

2.       Introduce myself and my senior topic. Present my essential question, explain how it addresses official guide dogs and the process that goes behind it to have a guide dog in training achieve its ultimate goal, an official service dog. I will then show a plan of how my presentation will be going for the remainder of the time.

3.        I will discuss what it means to be a guide dog. Then elaborate more on the significance of having an official service dog and the impact it has on the recipient of the dog and how it can change their lives. Then maybe have a recipient of a dog talk about their own personal experience

4.       Temperament, Health, and Training.

5.       Temperament- On paper, I will create an activity that will have the students match dogs breeds with different types of jobs on one side and on the other side have the owners. This activity will demonstrate every dog has different characteristics that might work better for one job more than the others. Health-I will explain three samples of dog food and the ingredients you want in each, then create a jeopardy game based on food and exercise, which equal health. This activity will be educational and demonstrate health is a big part of the dog. Training-I post groups of four, and on two walls I will have four sheets of poster paper posted. Then, I will read off different scenarios of dogs/ Kater misbehaving and what to do when these situations come along and how to come up with a solution and fix it. Finally, each group will nominate one member to share out. This activity will give the students challenges to think beyond their imagination. My challenge will be to use a stopwatch, make sure everybody is on time, and make sure they follow instructions well.

6.       I plan to conclude my two hour presentation by re-stating my essential question and my three answers. I will go over why it is important to ensure and official service dog. Then, I will talk about my best answer which is temperament, my product which is how I realized not to take anything for granted because taking a guide dog everywhere is another responsibility I wouldn’t want to handle.  Discuss my three meaningful sources: service learning, third interview, and The New Knowledge of Dog Behavior.

7.       I plan to decorate the room by filling the room with pictures of guide dogs throughout their stages of life, different types service dogs, and inspirational quotes that were said by people who own an official service dog.

8.       Supplies: laptop, projector, poster paper, pictures, interviewee, activity papers, markers, dog food, jeopardy game, stopwatch, and inspirational quotes.

 

Independent Study 2

Blog 19: Independent Component 2
1. Log

Date	Number of Hours	Time
1-Apr	2Hrs	3-5pm
2-Apr	2Hrs	9-10am
3-Apr	1 Hr	7-8am
5-Apr	1Hr	2-3pm
7-Apr	1Hr	5-6pm
8-Apr	2Hrs	4-6pm
9-Apr	1Hrs	8-9am
10-Apr	1Hr	6-7am
11-Apr	1.5Hrs	3-4:30pm
12-Apr	1Hr	3-4pm
13-Apr	1Hr	4:30-5:30
14-Apr	1.5Hrs	2:30-4pm
15-Apr	1.5Hrs	10-11:30am
16-Apr	2Hrs	12:30-2:30pm
17-Apr	1Hr	6-7pm
18-Apr	1Hr	5:23-6:23pm
19-Apr	1.5Hrs	2-3:30pm
21-Apr	1Hr	5:45-6:45pm
22-Apr	2Hrs	3:45-5:45pm
23-Apr	2Hrs	1-3pm
24-Apr	2Hrs	12-2pm
25-Apr	2Hrs	5:20-6:20
27-Apr	3Hrs	1:00-4:00pm
28-Apr	4Hrs	10-2pm

Total Number of Hours=38

2.Posted Evidence


 

3. LIA
Literal:
“I, Samantha Esquivel, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.”My last independent component was dog obedience classes, but I decided to take it upon myself to train my dog on my own. Throughout the course of thirty days, I taught my dog two commands and created a video that films her progress and shows her behavior. In the end, she was only able to master two commands but she did well mastering the ones that were assigned to her, very well.

Interpretive:
My work is quality. I tried my best at being a dog trainer. Although, I’m not a professional trainer I managed to get the job done with my dog. At times, it became exhausting but I pushed through all her misbehavior because I was focused on mastering the two commands I had assigned to her. The significant parts of this component include the fact that I was exploring unknown skills and trying out dog obedience on my own and being my own trainer. Working with Kater, I learned more than knowing she has a short attention span and I had to take advantage of the time she give me to get the instructions of the command into her head and expand her muscle memory. I gained more experience and confidence as being her trainer and I learned I had to take boss because otherwise she would’ve. Throughout the course of thirty days I trained Kater for hours on end helping her master the command, took her places to practice the command in different environments with different people such as the grocery stores, mall, prom dress shopping. Also, I created a video and spent hours editing. This independent component represents thirty eight hours and more of work.

Applied
My essential question is, “What is the best quality to ensure a guide dog in training is chosen as an official service dog.” This independent task helped me to answer parts of my essential question because I had to see what techniques I used to train Kater worked and which ones didn’t. Since, I could not use dog treats the training was more difficult because all I had to offer Kater was my affection. I learned many possible answers I could connect to my essential question. For example, I set a deadline, thirty days, for myself and Kater and gained knowledge of how fast she could master the processes of the command, ability to learn. The answer, ability to learn, matters because in a year when I return Kater to Guide Dogs of the Desert she will be placed on a deadline again to learn to be a guide dog. Also, I learned temperament is a factor. As we would practice out in the hot sun, I became weary but Kater gave up and she became frustrated and would take a break and rest. I realized she reacted in a calm manner, but the feeling of feeling frustrated may not have all dogs react the same way since some dogs could snap. So, if anything, I have found benefits for Kater to prove she has some of the qualities needed to become a guide dog.

Art Project Idea Approval

Samantha Esquivel

Guide Dog Obedience

EQ: “What is most essential to ensure the success of a guide dog?”

Idea Proposal & Connection to EQ:

1)      Create a painting of a guide dog and it walking a blind person. This project connects to my EQ because it shows the result of a successful guide dog at work.

2)      Create a painting of a guide dog sitting in a desk learning the important principles of becoming a guide dog. This project connects to my EQ because it’s a mix between a comedy and the truth. Although, a guide dog does not sit in a desk like students, becoming a guide dog is a tough job and this painting will portray the hard work and qualities necessary for that job.

3)      Create a collage of the process of becoming a guide dog all encircling the picture of a guide dog. This project connects to my EQ because it would explain itself, but primarily focus on the qualities demonstrated from other dogs while on the job and the portraits of the process it took them to get there.  

Fourth Interview Question Approval

1.        Describe the ideal service dog, including breed,   age, and characteristics?

2.        What obstacles might you come across during the intense training of a guide dog?

3.        How much of an impact does the trainer have on the dog’s performance during intensive training?

4.        Is there a common point in the training where the trainer realizes the dog is not fit to be a service dog? What is it that they notice?

5.        Why is it important to have the correct education to train the service dog?

6.        During my research, I have found that when training a dog there has to be one dominant trainer; however, when I hand the puppy back to the organization they will have two dominant trainers. In what ways might this negatively affect the success of a guide dog?

7.        In what ways might having two dominant trainers positively affect the success of a guide dog?

8.        What mistakes prevent the success of a dog from successfully graduating to becoming a guide dog?

9.        Based on the extent of the mistakes, how many chances is the guide dog given until they are placed in another path of life.

10.     From past experiences, do the puppy raisers have an affect on the success of a service dog?

11.     What changes or improvements can I do to ensure my dog becomes a service dog?

12.     Since the puppies should not socialize with other dogs, do you think this has more of a positive or negative impact, why?

13.     If a dog has been through lots of stress and cannot function normally, does this automatically mean it is not given the chance to become a guide dog?

14.     From your perspective, is it more of the characteristics of the guide dog or its health that have more of an influence on whether it will become a guide dog or not?

15.     What do you feel is most essential for the dog to become a service dog?

16.     What do you feel, out of all your answers, is the most important one, and why?

17.     What do you feel is not an issue when it comes to the dog’s success as a service dog?

18.     What sources do you recommend for the remainder of my research?

19.     Can you recommend anyone else who can also help me answer my essential question, who?

20.     Why is there only a fifty percent success rate?

21.     What types of breeds are more likely to become a guide dog, and why?

22.     Does the breed of a dog have an impact on the success of a service dog?