While I haven't felt amazing, I did make it to school and the teacher trainings. We started 'trying on' the new routines that the teachers developed the other day and they are already making a difference in student behavior. The kids were lined up by class and entered single file. They didn't complain about the new procedure...actually, quite opposite, they really enjoyed it. In a place where there really is no order, I have a feeling they appreciate being part of a community where they can anticipate what is going to happen next.
I only had two of my six kids today in my literacy group as the others were helping parents with household chores and watching younger siblings. This seems to be a bit of a regular issue and so we are planning a parent/community 'get together' next week to talk to the parents about how we can help them get their kids to the center every day. I would like to eventually have the parents meeting with us regularly (bi-weekly or monthly) to have a lunch where we can discuss concerns, celebrate student achievements, and socialize.
Even though there were only two kids, Lucelis and Camilo, I wasn't complaining...I actually revel in the opportunity to have such intimate lessons with my students and rarely get the chance to concentrate on a few students for an entire two hours. We started their interactive notebooks with a lesson on 'respeto/respect' in order to reinforce one of the main expectations of the foundation. They did some mind mapping around the topic and then we read a story, El Abuelo y Los Tres Osos. Before, during, and after reading we related the story to the topic of 'respeto' and I was really impressed by the kids' answers.
It just reinforced the fact that it doesn't matter how minimal the materials, or how poor the community, all kids have the capacity to achieve at high levels when served with quality education. High quality education is the key to eliminating poverty. Period. These students get small class sizes at the foundation, personal attention on a daily basis, dedicated teachers, and structure. They are improving in literacy, math, and behavior at a rate that has made the parents in the community take notice and start demanding better education in their public schools. They are finally realizing it isn't their kids that are low achieving, it is the public school system that is failing their students.
At the end of the day, I sat down with one of my students to do a profile on him with luke-warm success. During the course of our conversation he was constantly relieving himself of post nasal drip and distracted by the kids swinging from the trees behind us.
This is Camilo Andres Polo Abendano. He is 9 years old and is in 4th grade at La Quinina. He lives with his mom and dad and younger sister, Estefany. His favorite comida is apples (manzanas). His favorite class is informaticas. He is a rule follower (and a bit of a 'tattle tale') who is always the first to tell you when someone is 'out of order'. Camilo didn't get to tell me what he wants to do when he grows up, but would imagine 'solider/soldado' would have been top of his list.
As we were reading the story today, I noticed Camilo was very distracted stacking crayons and fiddling with stuff while listening to Lucelis reading. I, initially, figured that he wasn't getting anything out of the oral reading, but was pleasantly surprised when he was able to tell me in detail what had been read. I was amused as he is quite like me when I am listening to something...always fiddling, but still completely aware of what is being said. My reminder of the day: always give a student a chance to 'show what he/she knows' and never assume that fidgeting is a sign of inattentiveness. I plan to have plenty of doodling paper and manipulatives available for Camilo during our next session.
The day ended with hugs and kisses as usual...think I might have found a teacher's heaven.
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