Internship Reflection

Hope Nuttall
KINS 4306 – Internship, Summer 2019
Introduction

My name is Hope Nuttall and during the summer of 2019 I worked Jacob’s Ladder, a

Neurodevelopment School and Therapy Center. Jacob’s Ladder was founded in 1998 after the

founder, Amy O’Dell. Jacob’s Ladder has two main campuses, one in Roswell, GA and one in

Buckhead, GA. IT is a Neurodevelopment school and therapy center that serves and educates

children utilizing an intensive array of interventions, helping each child maximize that potential.

They follow the model of neuroplasticity – which involves specific interventions delivered very

consistently which takes time and dedication. Jacob’s Ladder was built with this as the defining

element.

They have a clear mission and that is “We believe that every brain is capable of new

growth and change. No matter what the condition or diagnosis given we know that the brain can

change based on the input and stimulation it receives. Our job is to provide that intense

interaction and stimulation - consistently and daily. Our mission is to believe in the potential of

each child who enters our doors, while readily and lovingly expressing that belief”. Jacob’s

Ladder has three core values that are lived out through each day. These core values are hope,

truth, and love. Hope being a cherished trust in transformation and a life lived through

possibilities, truth is integrity in action, character and speech based on what is accurate and

honest, and lastly love always HOPES and perseveres, regardless of circumstances and is a

choice we make to value and honor another with our actions.

The population that Jacob’s Ladder serves is students from Pre-K through twelfth

grade with any kind of neurological disorder - from Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Brain
Injury to a range of learning disabilities, genetic disorders, and mood disorders including

Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Bipolar, and Anxiety Disorders.

Description of Experiences

After being immersed for a few weeks, my role naturally developed into a

neurodevelopment teacher position. Although I was not expecting this role, I was really eager to

take it on. This might have happened because after about three works of working at Jacob’s

Ladder, I was offered a full-time position for the school year. The offer was quick and

unexpected as well but seeing how much I had enjoyed my short time there; I accepted the

position. While I would still be an intern until August 1st, my role became the same as a teacher.

I spent the first two weeks completing mostly trainings and observations and then was eventually

placed for the summer. Having the first two weeks to observe really allowed me to see all the

difference environments at Jacobs ladder and all that the campus and program encompasses.

There is a lot of great things to say about my experiences thus far at Jacob’s Ladder.

First, are the incredible staff members. The environment in which we work in requires not only a

positive attitude but, positive energy as well. You can feel this positive energy as soon as you

step foot on campus. Every person you pass no matter how their day has been going, no matter

what challenges they may have been facing, has a smile on their face and will warmly greet you.

This positive energy is what really made my time at Jacob’s Ladder so special. Not only was the

energy radiating but the support was unlike any I have ever experienced. I can’t even recall the

amount of times I had staff members from all over campus check in on me to ask how I was

feeling or if I needed a relief. I saw this all-around campus with many different teachers. Staff

members look out for one another and I think having such a strong and supportive team is what

helps make Jacob’s Ladder such a positive work place

 Working at Jacob’s Ladder has been the most rewarding jobs I have ever experienced.

There is something to be said for working with the special needs population and not only

knowing you are making a difference in these students lives but seeing the difference. Something

that I won’t forget and what really made me fall in love with Jacob’s Ladder early one was a

goodbye speech a student had written for a small “moving on” ceremony. This student had

moved through all the levels at Jacob’s Ladder and was transition out into a public school. In his

speech he talked about all the great memories he had, all that he had learned, and thanked his

teachers for all they had done for him. Everyone in the room had tears in their eyes and then the

student read “I never thought I could be so normal. Thanks to you all, I feel like I am as close to

normal as I will ever be”. This was something that I will never forget and really allowed me to

hear and see just what kind of an impact we are making and have the ability to make in these

children’s lives.

I experienced a lot of great things at Jacob’s Ladder but that doesn’t mean I did not face

challenges. Working with special needs children is rewarding and can be the best experience of

your life but sometimes these challenges are tough, and you see a lot of gut-wrenching things

happen. Many of the students had behaviors unlike any I had seen before. I have seen students

get violent, seize, be fed through a feeding tube, some can't walk, and many can't talk. These

were not always easy experiences. I faced many challenges with my own students and their

behaviors. The biggest challenged I faced was just keeping up my energy and mental health. This

job can take a lot out of you. While it does give back in many incredible ways, I still had to go

through the days where I felt mentally and physically drained. It can take a lot out of you, so I

relied on my supportive team and staff and pushed through those tough days.
 One thing I wish I could have done more of was work in different environments. I was

placed in the same environment with the same two students every day and I think having my

days switch up a little more would have been beneficial. Typically, teachers have Monday,

Wednesday, and Friday students and then different students on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This is

just to break the routine up for both students and teachers. Because of the need in the

environment I was in, I stayed in that one environment for the summer. One positive aspect of

this was that I did learn a lot about those students and working in that environment which I think

will be very beneficial for me once I begin working full time as a teacher.

Perception and Evaluation of the Internship

My internship exceeded my personal expectations for many reasons. Initially I was a little

nervous and anxious about my internship, but it ended up being one of the best experiences and

even led to a job. The environment at Jacob’s Ladder is unlike any I have ever experienced. The

amount of love and support that is found at Jacob’s Ladder is incredible. Every day, despite what

challenges I was faced with, I felt so supported by staff members. The job itself was extremely

challenging and I found myself very drained by the end of my days often. Jacob’s Ladder is an

incredibly positive work place and this is crucial when in the population that I was in.

The organization was always open to my ideas and contribution. They really

allowed me to jump right in when starting and had a lot of confidence in me. I had a site

supervisor who was wonderful at communication, organization, and coordinating. She was

always on top of things making sure we were staying of track and being there as a support

throughout the way.

In addition to my supervisor I had a team lead. This was a teacher that was the lead of the

classroom environment that I was working in. My team lead taught me more than I could have
ever thought I would learn. She allowed me to work hands on with students and always pushed

me to step out of my comfort zone. I felt a great deal of support from her and was always

validated for my work. Validation is key when you are starting out somewhere. It is great to

know when you are doing a good job and makes you work even harder. In addition to that, she

always provided positive and constructive feedback for me. I truly learned the most from her and

I think she is what helped make this such a great experience.

As far as improving the experience, I don’t think there is much that Jacob’s Ladder could

improve on. They made my internship a great experience and I felt like they truly cared about not

only my inter ship but about me as a person as well. I think from the colleges side, there is room

for improvement. I think it’s a really challenging experience and often times I found myself so

over whelmed with the school assignments that it really took from my time and my experience.

Working long days and then coming home to do school work was draining and it made my days

at work more challenging so I think lessening that load would allow for student to focus on the

actual experience and being present at their site and less on grades and assignments.

As far as the setting, I cannot say enough great things about my site, and I would

recommend this sight to all future interns. It’s a challenging job but its incredibly rewarding and

the environment is unlike any. Seeing as I have accepted a position with my internship site, I

would consider this as a career setting and in fact this has shaped my career plans. I want to

become a dental hygienist and specialize in this population. Being at Jacobs Ladder has shown

me how I would to combine my experience their and my future career.

Internship Preparedness

I felt academically prepared for my placement. I felt really confident in the programming

and planning aspects of my internship and felt that a great deal of my public health classes
prepared me for this. I also feel as though my service-learning project from my Community

Health class was very beneficial. It felt as though the service learning was a mini internship and

it seemed to have served me well in my internship. I think as far as improvement on GCSU’s

side, creating a course on human and child development would prepare students more. I think

that is one area or course that many of Jacob’s Ladder’s staff members have experience in and in

area that I do not feel like I had too much experience on.

Internship Performance

Like I have previously mentioned, I have developed new skills and gained more

knowledge than I ever expected to. I spend two weeks going through training as well as learned

so much from my hands-on experiences. I feel very satisfied with my performance though out

my internship. I think I really stepped out of my comfort zone and worked hard. I face many

challenges, but I was always able to overcome them and learn from those challenges. I am also

pleased with my performance on assignments as well. I feel like I really stayed on top of all of

my assignments, stayed organized, and met all my deadlines. I think the thing that I could

improve on the most is just working on not getting so overwhelmed by my case load. This was

something I noticed through my internship was that I would easily get overwhelmed so just

learning to take a breather and plan out my assignments, so it doesn’t feel so overwhelming.

Personal/Professional Insights/Benefits

Since my time at Jacobs’s I have experienced exponential growth. I have gained such an

understanding for the population that I am working with. The methodology at Jacob’s Ladder is

unique and successful and it has taught me so much. I have learned that I am flexible, and I have

incredible patience. These are both skills that are not only crucial for my job but skills that will

serve me well in my future. There were many instances in which I had to step up and take
initiative in my role and that required confidence. I didn’t feel confident initially but when forced

to step up and take on a new role I learned to be confident in myself and that I am capable of

doing a lot more than I think I am. I am exceptionally thankful for my experience at Jacob’s

Ladder and I am looking forward to my future there.