Week 4 Service at Thomas Edison Elementary

         As much as I was disappointed about being transferred out of my first class I am glad to say that I do enjoy working in my new class. The kindergartners are starting to warm up to me and talk to me and I do like talking to the kids they are funny. But I'm happy that they are better than my classmates Keegan and Chris' kindergarten class. I do feel bad for them because they have tough classes to work with. But I'm glad that my class is easier and that they pay attention and actually do there work. I get to give out stars to children who are paying attention and participating which makes them participate and pay attention even more. I am also glad but kind of sad to say that this kindergarten class is easier or more mature then my first grade class. My class is doing well and I hope they continue do do so in the future.

       Now for my first grade class. They weren't that bad this week and seem to be improving. Most of them are doing their work and listening to the teacher and I can tell the teacher Mrs. Hubell is really grateful for having me working with the kids. Yes, I'm still doing the same work where the kids read to me but I can see them improving in their reading to. In the first few weeks I could tell that they weren't practicing their reading because most of them would fail the reading test. I urged them to practice and it seems like they have because now most of the kids are passing the tests. I am extremely proud of my students.

Week 3 Service at Thomas Edison Elementary

        I can't believe this is only the third week. It feels like I have been working with these kids much longer than that, it's crazy. Unfortunately I was moved from my fourth grade class to a kindergarten class. I was a little bummed out. I was really enjoying my time working with the fourth graders. I loved working with that class. I had a lot of great students I helped out with and I will miss working with them. My kindergartners are fine though. I have been working with them for only a week so I haven't really got to know them as well as my old class. But what surprised me was that they moved me to my new class because the principal said the teacher needed help and the fourth grade teacher didn't. But to be honest I was doing more work in my fourth grade class than I am doing now. Hopefully the teacher will need me soon, but in all the first week with my new class was a little dull and boring. But as I said hopefully it will soon change.

       Now to my first grade class. I have been doing the same exact thing with them for every week I've worked there now, and that is just helping them read to me. But I do worry for that class a little. They are behind mentally it seems like. I am not trying to be mean but it's the truth. Even the teacher is getting frustrated with them because that can't remember the simplest instructions, for example their seating arrangement on a mat or a number given to them. Even the physical education teacher was telling me how they can't even follow an instruction like running around the basketball court, he said even the kindergartners can do this! I want to help these kids out but I'm not sure how to, it feels like I can only do so much. I've been praying for them and their teachers every day so that they will mature and in for the teachers to become a little more patient.

Week 2 Service at Thomas Edison Elementary

          My second week went very well. I am still working with the same students and they are beginning to warm up to me. But I have also worked with other students. Some have been challenges like a kid named Cory. He is a bit of a trouble make, and his reading is under average. I'm really trying to work with him because he needs to step up his act and his reading. I have also worked with this girl named Tamyra. She is a sweet little girl and loves to read to me. Not only that but she is a superb reader, way above her grade level it seems. The only problem is that I don't get to work with her a lot because she is doing so well. I think a weird part of this class is that, besides Cory, all the troublemakers seem to be the best readers. I'm not sure why this is but it is the truth.

         I have also been doing the same things with the first graders, which is just listening to them reading to me. I can tell that this class has a lot more behavioral issues but that's probably because they are younger and immature. But it seems that the first graders are warming up to me a lot faster. Most of them are not afraid to talk to me and a few have even come up to me and given me hugs, after just two weeks! I do enjoy this class just as much as my fourth. I'm trying to keep the kids in check, but it is hard. But just like my fourth grade class the best readers are the biggest troublemakers it's a little weird. But in all I have had a good couple of weeks working with these kids and I'm glad to work with them for the rest of the semester.

Week 1 Service at Thomas Edison Elementary

     Going into my service place for the first time was exciting, but at the same time I was a little nervous. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the kids I was going to work with. But when I got there the principal explained to me everything I need to know, showed me to my classroom and I was ready. I was kind of surprised the way the kids acted. I went to a Catholic school before Jesuit and all the students respected and listened to the teacher. At Thomas Edison Elementary it was a little different. Kids roamed around the class and students would only listen to their teacher if they were threatened with a call to their parents. I didn't know what to do, but I was ready for the challenge of these kids.

      The first few days I worked on reading with a 9 year old boy named Abdulases. He was a nice young boy, rare for Thomas Edison Elementary, and enjoyed helping him read. I don't think he is from America so he had a little trouble at first but I helped him out. I also worked with some first graders on reading too. I didn't spend a particularly long time with anyone of them so I didn't get to know any of them really well. I would have to say my favorite student is a fourth grade girl named Ani. She is a nice, polite young girl who is eager to learn. The first couple of days she just watched ,e and Abdulases study and would try to join in but get told to go back to reading by the teacher. Fortunately on my last day of service this week I got the pleasure of working on math flash cards with her. She was also pleased to work with me and I hope I get to help her in the future.