Up and running
Trip Start
Jun 16, 2005
1
8
46
Trip End
Aug 2006
San Jose,
Costa Rica
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Wednesday we only had Bosco in the morning (the school schedule is crazy this time around -- kids are switching back and forth between morning and afternoon, and some are in the middle of the day, which makes it really difficult for them to come to the program), and in the afternoon Ben and I played chess in the front of the church with the door open until we saw Argenis and some of his brothers and friends, and they came soon after.
Today, we had about 10 kids in the morning and about 7 in the afternoon. In that space, it's seeming like quite enough (especially since they are mostly boys who like to roughouse and also want tons of attention!) but I'm hoping to serve about 20 per class.
I've got a system of stickers and prizes for the kids -- they can get 2 stickers each day for showing up and behaving, and they can do worksheets appropriate to their level and tan-grams to get more. They can also earn stickers for beating either Ben or me at chess. After 20 stickers, they can get a small prize -- a pencil, bouncy ball, etc. I realize that this probably wouldn't work in a regular classroom, but I'm working with kids who have no way of getting this stuff, and I want them to earn it somehow. So, it works (and yes, for all you ed majors, the worksheets are working =) they're practicing their math skills for now until I can make something more fun, and since it's their choice to do them, they're learning. I thought about it!).
We had meetings with both the afternoon and morning sessions today and wrote up the list of rules, which generally can be summed up in respecting the teacher(s), the classroom, and each other. Cool.
I also had a meeting-turned-English-class last night about adult English classes. It went pretty well, and we went over basic verbs and a few phrases. The lack of English is the major roadblock for a lot of people in this community in getting their high school degrees, so this is pretty important.
And... Marci taught me how to make tortillas! Wahoo!!!!!
Thanks for all your wonderful emails. My time at the internet cafes is pretty short, and I'm trying to remember who I need to email, but thank you for all the great vibes!
Love,
Elizabeth
Comments
Dearborn, MI
Dear Elizabeth,
Happy to hear that school is off to a grand start with Ben there to help you.
Your system of rewards will definitely work, you will see results. When I went back to UMD for my master's degree, I needed to do an experiment with behavior modification. I went back to Howard School to see if one of the teachers would let me use their students. Judy Poellet told me she had a very quiet student that would not respond to her and did not talk to the other children while in the classroom, but she noticed he talked to them during recess. So I devised a reward system with stickers for those who raised their hand to answer. Well, when he saw those stickers his eyes lit up. He bagan volunteering and answering questions. But then, just as the experiment is supposed to go, he started discriminating and would only raise his hand when I was awarding the stickers he liked. The clincher is when I returned to Howard School the next year, he was in my class talking and talking and talking!
The young minister from St. Paul Lutheran was in the Detroit Free Press today. I don't know if you can get it on-line. It is the Firday, July 22 edition, page 5B, OUR SPIRIT by David Crumm. She speaks of the Serenity Prayer and how it can help people who are confused about the current war and are feeling helpless wondering what they can do.
'God, give us the grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things that should be changed and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.'
I'm sure there will be days when this prayer will give you courage.
Enjoy your venture,
Marge Bryer