Blog 24 - Last Presentation Reflection

And slowly this year is coming to an end with senior presentations. 

(1) Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your block presentation and/or your senior project? Why?

• I noticed I talked more clearly than what I expected. I didn't say "umm's ,likes,or uhh's" and if I did it was maybe only a couple times. I also am proud of how well my activities flowed and the students were actually really excited and happy to participate in them and share out their ideas. 

(2) Questions to Consider

a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your block presentation?  Use the component contract to defend that assessment.

AE       P          AP       CR       NC

• I met time requirements, the students were engaged, my presentation flowed very well, I talked very clear and confident, and had lots of research over all. 

b.     What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project? Use the component contract to defend that assessment.

AE       P          AP       CR       NC

• I would give myself this assessment because I did all of my blogs and interviews on time, and never missed a deadline. Not only that I am now going to major in Business Management in general because my project was able to show me that you need certain skills to be a manager and I believe I have those skills and am ready to help open businesses. 

(3) What worked for you in your senior project?

• Having a mentor I could depend on because they are the biggest reason why I had so much research to base my project off of. Ms. Bernal also allowed me to have lots of experience by taking me to different events and letting me work and mentor at the restaurant. 

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

• Maybe not waited last minute to finish my power point. It came out fine, but I had n o sleep because I procrastinated to much. Not any big issues I came across.

(5) Finding Value

How has the senior project been helpful to you in your future endeavors?   Be specific and use examples.

• As I said before, because I got a lot of experience and information regarding R.B.M I am going to attend Riverside CC to get a head start on my G.E's and soon start taking classes for management. It also gave me experience I will be able to use throughout my life. I'm so happy all this work actually paid off. 

Blog 23 - Exit Interview Prep

So close....yet so far...

(1) What is your essential question, and what are your answers?  What is your best answer and why?

• How can a restaurant manager ensure a profit while maintaining customer satisfaction?
• Answer 1: Be in control
• Answer 2: Know how to communicate with your staff
• Answer 3: Advertise 
• I believe my second answer is the best because when you communicate with not only your staff, but customers because you are able to understand one another more giving the customer a better experience at your restaurant making them come back to you.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

• I had to do a lot of physical stuff as in attending catering and helping in the front of the house at my mentorship because you will only learn how to communicate well if you put yourself out there.

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

• At first it was hard for me to attend events because I felt awkwardness just going and having to deal with people I don't know, but because I was able to help out at the restaurant I started getting out of my shell and started getting more comfortable around people. 

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

• "Ciotti, Gregory. "15 customer skills that every employee needs".
• because this article let me know what type of person you should be if you want to be a manger.
• Mack Stan. "Importance of Advertising"
• Because this article tells you why you should take advertising seriously and why it is important. It also gives you a few different ways you can advertise because when you advertise more people are aware of your business which can create more clientele for you.

Blog 22 - Independent Component 2

This is the food we catered to this event.

Just a small view of the set up we did for the event.

(a) Include this statement:

•  “I, Leslie Torres, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 35 hours of work.”

(b) Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component.

• I believe my mentor Mrs. Bernal was my biggest help with completing my IC2 because she trusted me with organizing a catering event (which she helped me do), but she also lets me see all the different little jobs you have to do as a manager from fixing schedules,calendars, office to working with customers and going to events. Articles help you understand everything mentally, but my mentor allowed me to learn physically. 

(c) Update your Independent Component 2 Log (which should be under your Senior Project Hours link)

• Updated Hours IC2

(d) Explain what you completed.    

• What I completed for my IC2 was I was able to host a catering event within the restaurant with the help of Mrs. Bernal. I did not just come in the day of the event ready to do what a manager does, but I worked my way up to learning all the different things I had to do from greeting people to making sure they liked the food by going to mentorship and interacting with the customers. Mrs. Bernal later told me how she thought I did and she said she enjoyed the way I would talk to the guests because having good communication with everyone is always important, but also liked how I didn't ever show how tired I actually was, but showed the guests I was there ready and happy to serve them and host their event.

(e) Defend your work and explain the component's significance and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.   Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.   

• Pictures at the top of this Blog

(f)How did the component help you answer your EQ? Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped.

• I believe my IC2 helped me with my EQ because my answers revolve around taking control, being a leader, and advertisement. With this catering event I believe I was able to be the leader of the staff because I would tell them what time everything needed to get done,  how to set up, but also reminded them to stay organized with their own job. With the feedback Mrs. Bernal gave me I believe I did a good job at being in control because everything went smoothly and nothing seemed to go wrong. This catering helped with advertisement because I learned from an article named "Improve Your Restaurant Sales with Caterings" by Monica Parpal that with the smallest appearance you make at an event you make guests notice you exist and that way you let everyone know what they can expect if they visit your restaurant. 

Blog 21 - Interview reflection

All this knowledge, not enough space

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?  

• Apart from what I already knew, I feel just understood more that all the decisions you make can effect your restaurant in a good or bad way so you need to make sure you think about it well so that your restaurant gets the best out of it. Be patient, but also don't be afraid to take charge. You are the manager and you need to keep your staff on track. If you want a successful business be ready to put in long hours and determination into it. 

2.  How will what I learned affect my final lesson?

• I feel it will affect it in a good way because my answers revolved around this information she gave me, so I believe my answers just became stronger which will help me answer my EQ well. I will just want to make sure to add different examples of good and bad situations that have happen to the people I have interviewed . 

Blog 20 - Interview 4 Preparation

Hopefully this will be my best interview

Who do you plan to interview? What is their area of expertise?
          I plan to interview the manager of a restaurant which is located in Riverside. The interviewee's name is Martha Valencia. She is my top choice right now, and hopefully it stays like that. She like most of my mentors, interviewees is in my family and has been in the restaurant business with her family for around 10 years as well. I think restaurant business just runs in my family. She didn't go to school for it, but worked her way up like my mentor.

1. How well do you think you handle yourself in large groups of people?
2. How well do you work in a team environment?
3. If someone were to complain about bad service, how would you handle the situation?
4. What do you believe is the role of the manager?

5. What upsets you the most when an employee does a certain thing...

6. Do you think having a schedule set in stone is important?
7. What is the greatest strength you need as a manager?
8. What do you think is the most important aspect of managing a restaurant?
9. Before becoming a restaurant manager did you have a different job position or have you been in the restaurant business for a long time?
10. Do you believe cleanliness will determine a customer's satisfaction rate?
11. Do you believe your restaurant will run smoothly if you have control over all your employees? Or do you believe that by working in their position they will listen to  you more?
12. Do you think logos are important?
13. Why should one always try to advertise their restaurant?
14. What are some easy ways you have tried to advertise? And have they worked or not?
15. What is your most needed skill as a manager?
16. What technique do you believe works the best when addressing an employer because they did something wrong?
17. What are the downsides to being a restaurant manager?
18. What are some things you do for your customers to receive the best service they can?
19. Do you work well under pressure?
20. *Asks about my EQ* How can a restaurant manager ensure a profit while maintaining customer satisfaction?

Blog 19 - 3rd Answer

My answer 3

• EQ 
• How can a restaurant manager ensure a profit while maintaining customer satisfaction?
• Answer #3 (Write in a complete sentence like a thesis statement)*
• In order for a restaurant manager to ensure a profit while maintaining customer satisfaction will be by advertising. 
• 3 details to support the answer
• Smart advertising helps develop a good reputation for your restaurant and it reaches out to consumers who otherwise might never hear of you. 
• It reminds all your current and new customers that you are still there, open for business, and that you are ready to continue business with them. 
• The profit you make off of your customers is what determines if you r business will keep on going or not, and the more customers you have the bigger profit you make. 
• The research source(s) to support your details and answer
• Hamlett Christina. "Why is advertising so important to Business"?. Chron. n.d. Web. March 2, 2016.
• Mack Stan. "Importance of Advertising". Chron. n.d. Web. March 2, 2016. 
• Concluding Sentence
• You always want the best for your business and the only way you will be able to succeed is by making profit. But you you don't have any customers, then you will not make any money. Which is why you need to advertise, it reaches out to new incoming customers which can lead you to earning more money. 

Blog 18 - Answer 2

Don't do this. Actually talk to each other. 

                                                          

• 1.  What is your EQ?
• How can a restaurant manager ensure a profit while maintaining customer satisfaction?
• 2.  What is your first answer? (In complete thesis statement format)
• In order for a restaurant manager ensure profit while maintaining customer satisfaction, a manager needs to learn how to take control over the restaurant and be a leader. 
• 3.  What is your second answer? (In complete thesis statement format)
• In order for a restaurant manager to ensure a profit while maintaining customer satisfaction they need to know how to communicate because when you communicate you get a better understanding of what your customer wants. 
• 4.  List three reasons your answer is true with a real-world application for each.
• Communication is important because it's an everyday thing we apply, but in business it's important to communicate because it allows us to share information between one another making sure the customer gets everything they want.
• You don't just want to communicate with your customers, but you want to make sure you communicate with everyone in order for more people to know about your business.
• Communication is also advertisement, and advertisement is important if you want new customers to give you profit. 
• 5.  What printed source best supports your answer?
• "Importance of Good Communication in Business" by Kristie Lorette 
• 6.  What other source supports your answer?
• "The Importance of Communication in Business" by April Klazema 
• 7.  Tie this together with a  concluding thought.
• When you communicate your thoughts between you and your customers or staff you build more of a bond with them because you are giving them an opportunity to get all their thoughts across and have a better relationship. Communication could probably be a priority key to having success in the restaurant/business industry. 

Blog 17 - Interview 3 Reflection

Successful Interview 3.

• 1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?  
• I learned that in order to have a successful business, you don't JUST need customer satisfaction, but you should also learn how to work as a team and know how to have good communication between one another. You can't have a restaurant running how it should if you cant get along with your staff. 
• 2.  How has your approach to interviewing changed over the course of your senior project?
• I believe it has changed. Maybe not by a lot, but I feel more comfortable asking "harder questions", but I also believe that my mentoring has a lot to do with feeling more comfortable because I feel I learned how to communicate within my mentoring(caterings or with staff members). I adapted communication skills and that is needed in life. 

Blog 16 - Independent Component 2 Approval

IC #2.. I am ready for you. 

• 1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.
• What I plan to do is be able to attend more caterings with my mentor in order for me to learn more how to work as a team, how to communicate. For the actual Independent Component 2 I plan on organizing and running another social gathering or a "party". In order to do that I need to make sure I get everyone's opinion on food, location, etc. I will be in charge of making sure everything is running smoothly and everyone has what they need. 
• 2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.
• I plan on going to mentor ship as usual, attend different caterings and allowing myself to get more communication skills. I will record all my outings on my google docs and will/can check in with my teacher and give them any new ideas or suggestions I come up with in order to help better my project. 
• 3.  Explain how this component will help you explore your topic in more depth.
• It will help me explore my topic more because management is all about working as a team and exceeding customer satisfaction. If I am able to plan another gathering "party", I will be able to see how many people i please and if I am able to please a few people at a party I will learn how to keep many customers happy in order for any business to succeed. 
• 4.  Post a log in your Senior Project Hours link and label it "Independent Component 2" log.
• You got it. 

(P.S. any other idea will be noted, thank you)

Lesson 2 Reflection

Done with Lesson 2

                      

                           

• What are you most proud of in your Lesson 2 Presentation and why?
• I am proud that people got engaged by my hook. But not only that, they participated well when told to. I felt I had good control over the classroom and I had their attention. Like, they weren't "bored" you can say.
•  What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 2 Presentation (self-assessment)?
• AE
•    Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 2 component contract.
• Because I feel I met all the "P standards". I presented, did my activity, and engaged the audience, but i also did more research that showed in my presentation because I did over 20  min. I also believed I was well prepared by thoroughly explaining what I had to say

• 3. What worked for you in your Lesson 2?
• Having a power point. It worked well because I had something to refer back to and allowed me to give everyone else more accurate information. Time was also another factor. I was able to meet time and go above the 20 expected
• 
  4. What didn't work? If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 2?
• Practiced more to try to get rid of all the "likes, and umms" I used.
• 5. What do you think your answer #2 is going to be?
• I believe my second answer can be prices. You have to make sure you price everything at a reasonable amount because if you over price your food, your customers can simply find somewhere else to go eat the same thing.

Independent Component 1

• LITERAL
  (a) I, Leslie Torres, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 33 hours of work.
• (b) Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component.    
• My mentor Ms.Bernal is the one who guided me through my IC#1 by taking me to caterings, allowing me to help with her Christmas celebration and allowing me to work around the restaurant. 
• (c) Update your hours in your Senior Project Hours link. Make sure it is clearly labeled with hours for individual sessions as well as total hours.
• Updated Hours 
• (d) Explain what you completed.    
• I was able to complete the task of organizing our house Christmas Party with the help of my mentor. 
• INTERPRETIVE 
  Defend your work and explain its significance to your project and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.   Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.  
  
• You might not think throwing a party is difficult, but when you get involved in "Party planning" you see it can be a hassle. I had to keep everyone's opinion open to try and please as many people as I could have. It is very important you go out and learn how to communicate with others, and that is exactly what I did.  (Pics below) I didn't personally take any pictures at our House Party, but I have pictures of events I was able to attend.
• APPLIED
  My independent component helped me understand my topic better because while mentoring I learned customer satisfaction is going to get you where you need to be and because I was able to experience that I learned that if I wanted to continue down this path all I have to do is have a controlled staff in order to gain customers. My independent component was all about communication as well as satisfying everyone, and in the food industry you need to make sure you are communicating with everyone in order for your consumer to be happy and refer you to others. I communicated with everyone by asking them what the thought would be a better main dish to bring in and what type of desserts they would prefer. By appreciating everyone's thoughts it is sure that more people will enjoy the outcome of any given scenario

A catering a attended to that helped me with my IC#1

                                                         A catering I attended leading into my IC                                                               

                                                                   

.

This is another piece of evidence regarding my IC#1

.

Blog 14 - Third Interview Preparation

1.  Who do you plan to interview?  What is this person's area of expertise?

• I plan to interview Mrs. Selene Bernal , sisters with my mentor, aka my mom. She has been working in the restaurant business for over 15 years and has worked her way up to manage a restaurant which is also located in Riverside. 

2.  Verify that you have called your interviewee to schedule an interview.  What is the date and time of the interview? 

• My interview can honestly be done as soon as I am prepared to ask Mrs. Bernal my interview questions.

3.  Phrase an open-ended question that will help you find research resources that would help to answer the EQ.

• When looking at the different variables that make up your profit, which one do you believe is the most important? 

4.  Phrase an open-ended question that will help you think about other useful activities you might do to help you answer the EQ (IC2, possible experts to talk to, etc).

• What are some new techniques you might want to use in the future to better your clientele and how will you accomplish them?
• Ex: New advertisement? New specials? Giveaways of food?

5.  Phrase two open-ended questions that help you to understand your interviewee's perspective on an aspect of your EQ.

• Does time and dedication determine how well your restaurant does/will do financially?
• Do you have words of advice for anyone thinking about opening a restaurant in order for them to have a profitable business?

(I don't have my new eq. I will input it in my header as soon as I check in with Ortega or Holt.)

Blog 13 - 10 Hour Mentorship Check-in

Hello! It's 2016. Get as many hours in as you can.

1.   Where are you doing your mentorship?

• I am currently doing all my Mentorship hours at a restaurant located in Riverside called Mi Lindo Apatzingan. 

2.   Who is your contact?  What makes this person an expert?

• My contact is my current mentor Ms. Bernal. What qualifies my mentor as an expert in what she does is that she has been in the business industry with her family for over 15 years. That period of time has allowed her to manage a business due to al her experience. 

3.   How many  hours have you done during the school year? (Summer Mentorship Hours and Mentorship Hours should be reflected separately in your Senior Project Hours log located on the right hand side of your blog).

• I currently have 12 hours in total during the school year, but will be doing more in the future. 

4.   Succinctly summarize what you did, how well you and your mentor worked together, and how you plan to complete the remaining hours.

• I have done a variety of things at my Mentorship; from paperwork to going out and participating in caterings. What I believe I do the most is help organize the restaurant schedule so Ms. Bernal is able to fit in meetings with employees in order to introduce new ideas she may have regarding the restaurant. The way I plan to finish my hours is by doing more of what I do now, but can hopefully go out to a few more caterings to help better my people skills. 

*You need 50 hours plus the original 10 in the summer by May.   The original 10 from the summer do not count toward the 50.  By the end of the year, you will have 60 hours counting that original 10.

Blog 12 - Holiday Project Update

It's not at all like this during holidays. Got to work harder. 

1.  It is important to consistently work on your senior project, whether it is break or we are in school.  What did you do over the break with your senior project?

• Over break I went only a couple of times which was to help organize bills, but to also help my mentor organize a Christmas party for the workers. I helped her with the visual decorations of the party, but also helped her decide on the gifts, and food being given to the employees for their hard work.

2.  What was the most important thing you learned from what you did, and why?  What was the source of what you learned?

• I learned that organizing a special event isn't always the easiest because you try to please everyone as best you can because as manager you need to know how to give a little bit of something to everyone. For example our house Christmas party. We have to try and please everyone's needs. I honestly learned to communicate well with others with the help of not only my mentor but everyone who works there. I get experience with talking to the customers and trying to do as much as I can with the staff.

3.  Your third interview will be a 10 question interview related to possible answers for your EQ. Who do you plan to talk to and why?

• I plan to get two sides of the story hopefully. A managers view of how to manage a restaurant and an employers view of how they believe a restaurant should be managed. If I am not able to interview these two people I will definitely interview the manager of a family friend's restuarant.