Teaching children has always been my passion. As a little girl, I remember setting up the basement to look like a school and convincing my brothers to be my students.
When I was a stay at home mom, I was always drawn to educational toys and even sold them at one time. I loved reading to my daughters and exposing them to knew things. I think that gave my daughters a good foundation for their academic success. Russ has always been equally a huge part in this as well. They also have been blessed with never having to worry about their physical needs being met or having significant learning challenges, so their job of learning has been much easier to achieve.
In my career I have always enjoyed teaching those that struggle in their learning. In the past I have taught kids with behavior challenges, learning disabilities and others that just need a little help until a certain subject clicks.
Currently I teach the foreign population in our school district English which has become something I love. I also enjoy seeing kids begin to like learning when their past attitude has been negative.
Since we have been to India I have worked on the education rotation three times. It is a resource room setting. We do it in their small library. Most of it is done one on one and sometimes we do things in a small group. I enjoy teaching to small groups or individually because you get to know the students so much better.
Many of the kids here have come from some challenging home lives. They have seen things that no child should ever witness. Just like in America, this affects their focus on learning. When physical needs, like love, safety, food and shelter are not being met it is almost impossible for a child to learn. It is a little hard to think about academics when you are worried about surviving. That takes a back seat. Rising Star, for many kids, meets these needs and allows a child to succeed and move forward.
One adorable, eight year old girl, I read with today came here a short while ago. I wish I had a picture of her. Her mom died in a "kitchen fire". Here older brother (maybe 8 years old, I'm guessing, at the time) witnessed his dad become angry with his mother and light her on fire. The dad got off with a very slight punishment. The kids came here very sad and broken. They have improved and have felt loved and cared for by everyone. She is becoming such a good little reader and has a contagious smile. I can't get over how strong some kids can be as they handle and process through some difficult and challenging situations. I learn daily that kids are resilient and very forgiving.
Another child I have worked with each time for math and reading is a boy named, Basha. As a volunteer, I don't really know the educational or personal background of each of these kids. I also don't know how they have interacted with other people in the past. This boy has responded well to me. He struggles the most with math, therefore, his attitude has not been good either. He likes to push limits and looks for where the boundaries are. Derek, the education coordinator, said he has not responded to anyone as well as he has to me. It made me feel very good. He said his countenance is different and he is so engaged. He hasn't seen that from him. He also shared with me that he comes from an abusive home. He has witnessed a great deal of domestic abuse. His father repeatedly hits his mom, who he loves and worries about.
As we did math today, he was so proud that he was getting the multiplication and had to show Derek and Celina, the principal, what he had achieved.
In reading, he didn't want to stop. He completed his work and wanted to show me his skills in reading a book nearby. We also played vocabulary bingo and was so proud of getting a bingo. Afterwards he wanted to spend more time with me and said to come to playtime and meet him at the blue bench. I don't know why some kids connect with certain adults. That has always been a mystery to me. I know one thing, I love when it happens and I love when that person is me.
When I was a stay at home mom, I was always drawn to educational toys and even sold them at one time. I loved reading to my daughters and exposing them to knew things. I think that gave my daughters a good foundation for their academic success. Russ has always been equally a huge part in this as well. They also have been blessed with never having to worry about their physical needs being met or having significant learning challenges, so their job of learning has been much easier to achieve.
In my career I have always enjoyed teaching those that struggle in their learning. In the past I have taught kids with behavior challenges, learning disabilities and others that just need a little help until a certain subject clicks.
Currently I teach the foreign population in our school district English which has become something I love. I also enjoy seeing kids begin to like learning when their past attitude has been negative.
Since we have been to India I have worked on the education rotation three times. It is a resource room setting. We do it in their small library. Most of it is done one on one and sometimes we do things in a small group. I enjoy teaching to small groups or individually because you get to know the students so much better.
Many of the kids here have come from some challenging home lives. They have seen things that no child should ever witness. Just like in America, this affects their focus on learning. When physical needs, like love, safety, food and shelter are not being met it is almost impossible for a child to learn. It is a little hard to think about academics when you are worried about surviving. That takes a back seat. Rising Star, for many kids, meets these needs and allows a child to succeed and move forward.
One adorable, eight year old girl, I read with today came here a short while ago. I wish I had a picture of her. Her mom died in a "kitchen fire". Here older brother (maybe 8 years old, I'm guessing, at the time) witnessed his dad become angry with his mother and light her on fire. The dad got off with a very slight punishment. The kids came here very sad and broken. They have improved and have felt loved and cared for by everyone. She is becoming such a good little reader and has a contagious smile. I can't get over how strong some kids can be as they handle and process through some difficult and challenging situations. I learn daily that kids are resilient and very forgiving.
Another child I have worked with each time for math and reading is a boy named, Basha. As a volunteer, I don't really know the educational or personal background of each of these kids. I also don't know how they have interacted with other people in the past. This boy has responded well to me. He struggles the most with math, therefore, his attitude has not been good either. He likes to push limits and looks for where the boundaries are. Derek, the education coordinator, said he has not responded to anyone as well as he has to me. It made me feel very good. He said his countenance is different and he is so engaged. He hasn't seen that from him. He also shared with me that he comes from an abusive home. He has witnessed a great deal of domestic abuse. His father repeatedly hits his mom, who he loves and worries about.
As we did math today, he was so proud that he was getting the multiplication and had to show Derek and Celina, the principal, what he had achieved.
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| Basha was so proud he got "Black Out" in bingo. |
You won't be there long enough to fill all the educational gaps, but you will be there long enough to help him know that there are kind people in the world. After you leave, more kind people will come. He is getting to see that there are many good people, even if those he has known in his family have been unkind. He will have his agency to choose what kind of person he will be as an adult. Thanks for giving him that gift.
ReplyDeleteThat is a good thought. I have one more week here. I hope that those that I have touched feel genuinely loved and cared for. It will be hard to leave on Saturday.
ReplyDelete