Out of the Pot and Into the Fire

Tuesday began with my regular job of debugging the computers. This is a normal job of mine to help Ms. Aerisolphal with technology neither she nor the kids fully understand. 

The rest of the day was spent experiencing something that I always feel is a good learning experience. The occurrence of what I have dubbed as "substitute behaviour". We all remember how kids get when a substitute is in the room and not the regular teacher. I did the best I could to try and help maintain order, but it was not the most pleasant of experiences. Still, a good one to see none the less.

Thursday should be better. Stay tuned for that day's episode:

Wait, Wasn't There Something Special About Thursday?

Till then.

A Walk Down Memory Lane

Friday saw the final stage of our "Paper Project".

The day began with all the students writing some version of the sentence "I like to visit ______."

Afterward, my job was to take each sheet of paper we had made, and put it on a piece of colored paper with their name on it, put it in a little plastic page, and then let them watch Aerisolphal and I put it into their portfolios.

Every student has a small portfolio filled with pictures, work, certain projects, and papers on learned subjects from this whole year. These time capsules of memories are not often allowed for them to see. So when they do, it is an automatic highlight of the day.

Seeing the paper they made go into the portfolios brought such a glow of pride and joy to their eyes I held it for the rest of the day. 

This is what I wanted to be a teacher for, and here it was right in front of me. 

I don't even know what to expect next, so I guess you ought to stay tuned for tomorrow's episode:

...

I don't know.

21 January 2015

Whisk and Build

Do to some trouble with transportation, I was unable to spend nearly as much time as I would've liked on Wednesday.

For the short time I was there, I could get the computers started up and running, and I could also see that the students were doing a fun little project where they took old recycled items and built small sculptures out of them.

I think it was Nile who I saw take a paper towel roll and a kleenex box and build a fortress with a look out tower. The assignment was to tell Aerisolphal and I what the pieces were originally and what they were now that he had transformed them with his imagination, both of which he did perfectly.

On account of me not being their for more than half-an-hour, I can't tell you that I witnessed much happen Wednesday. But I'm sure tomorrow will be a different story. Stay tuned for my next installment:

A Day for Miracles

See y'all then!

Friday, January 16th

Paper?!? We're making paper!?!

My first day in with the kindergarteners for second semester was the day we began the long process of making our own paper!

For the past few months, we've been speaking to the kindergartners about the glories of recycling, and the amazing things one can do to help recycle things around the house. Friday was the culmination of this venture, and an exciting process it has been!

Using old rapping paper from the Christmas Season, we stuffed that paper into a blender, added water and a little bit of stabilizer, and then shredded it all down into gooey, sticky, (lovely) pulp which we then dried out, and set on a piece of wax paper to dry over the MLK weekend.

Our hopes are to return to class on Tuesday (or, in my case, Wednesday) and find our newly made (roughly clean) paper waiting there for us when we return.

Stay tuned for our later advancement...

Wait...won't we need pens? OOH! ARE WE GONNA MAKE THOSE TOO!?!

Till then, this is Etienne Porras; see ya Wednesday.

P.S. Sorry for the delay, would you want these too be done the day of? If so, please tell me. Thanks!

Introduction to the Class and Why I Chose It

Ever since Middle School, I've wanted to be a teacher. My middle school teacher was one of the greatest people I have ever known. He knew how to make school fun. He taught me how to use my natural skills to my advantage, and allowed me to flourish. After I left him for High School, I felt indebted to him. The way I figured it, if I became a teacher, and taught others the way he taught me, I would've paid my debt to him.

But it wasn't just a question of debt, it was also a question of what effect I wanted my life to have on others. I want to do for others what my middle school did for me. I want to help them find their wings, and send them off in flight. 

But one of my biggest obstacles was deciding what age group I wanted to teach. I was entirely unsure. But when this course was offered to me, I was excited to give it a try and see what it was like to teach kindergartners. And I have never regretted that decision.

There's something exhilarating about walking into a room full of kindergartners and hearing at least ten piping voices call out "Hi, Etienne!" The class I'm working in has 24 kids, each one of them uniquely gifted and talented. Some are good with math and numbers, others are good with reading and writing, some both. But one thing all of them have in common is the excitement they feel when either I or the teacher, Ms. Aerisolphal, comes to help them in their studies. Most of them look forward to me showing up in class, and it's become one of the best times of my day.

I spend three hours with these kids every other day; helping them with spelling. teaching them to read, watching as they write their "number sentences", and just being as helpful as I possibly can. These kids have a bright future ahead of them and I feel proud that I've been able to help them get started on their long journey.