On February 18th we said goodbye to Woodlake Elementary. It was a sad day. There were tears, many of them, on both our parts. My kids made me a folder full of notes and pictures, I think I cried over every single one. I wonder if they will ever understand how much they meant to me. I hope they do, one day.
What got me the most was the children I didn't expect to see upset. The boys who never spoke to me. My little mentee who didn't even seem to like me. They were all in tears and their tears moved me to cry as well. I was asked by one little boy if I could be his mother, others ask me to quit my job and stay with them. I got so many notes that simply said "please stay." I tear-up just thinking about it.
Today we begin the first day of transition, a small span of time when every team is back on campus and we have a plethora of meetings and papers and other boring things. It's nice to see everyone again, but my team is family and I'm closest with all of them.
Our next project begins next Wed March 9th about 60 miles outside of San Diego in a small town called Julian, CA, We will be working about 2 miles from town at a Methodist camp for the siblings of children with terminal or serious diseases. We will be hiking and clearing trails as well as clearing vegetation. It's in the mountains, so it could be cold or warm or rainy or sunny. In other words, I must be prepared for anything. That is a skill you either have or must acquire to be a successful member of Americorps. The facts of your life change too fast in this program for you to waver, you simply must be prepared. I suppose it's like living 10 years of an adult life in 10 months. You start somewhere new, you find friends and family, you move and change jobs 4 or 5 times, your living situation changes, your money situation changes, and at the end of it, you can barely recognize yourself. I'm not the same person I was when I entered this program. I wonder who I'll be in another 5 months.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Marsales
Much has happened in the world of Woodlake Elementary since I last wrote in my blog, but today I will tell you about one boy.
His name is Marsales. He's the kind of kid who would be easy to overlook, if he made life easy for you. He doesn't.
He's definitely first runner-up for class clown in my book and there is some spark about him I can't help but love. He's spunky and full of his own opinions. He's not the smartest kid in class and I think it frustrates him, he wishes he were quicker.
He's a troublemaker in every since of the word. He doesn't pay attention. He gets others in trouble too. And he never, never, never stops talking.
Yesterday he informed me, while I was helping him with homework in the afterschool program, that he could not tie his shoes. He's 9. Our conversation went something like this.
Marsales: "Ms. Sarah, can you tie my shoe for me?"
Me: "Marsales, can't you tie your shoe yourself?"
Marsales: "Nope, my dad always does it for me."
"Me: "Oh alright, we're are going to fix that."
Marsales: "Why can't you just tie it for me?"
Me: "What sport do you like to play, Marsales?"
Marsales: "Basketball."
Me: "What if you are on the basketball court and your shoe comes untied, are you going to call your dad down from the stands to tie it for you?"
Marsales: "Oh."
It took him an hour to tie his shoe correctly, but he was concentrating harder than I had seen him concentrate on anything. Ever. It was amazing. I tested him again today and he struggled for about 15 minutes. Then, suddenly, he did it 5 times in a row!!!!!!!!!!! I was so happy. I felt like a proud mom. It was, hands down, my favorite moment of the week. I had to share.
His name is Marsales. He's the kind of kid who would be easy to overlook, if he made life easy for you. He doesn't.
He's definitely first runner-up for class clown in my book and there is some spark about him I can't help but love. He's spunky and full of his own opinions. He's not the smartest kid in class and I think it frustrates him, he wishes he were quicker.
He's a troublemaker in every since of the word. He doesn't pay attention. He gets others in trouble too. And he never, never, never stops talking.
Yesterday he informed me, while I was helping him with homework in the afterschool program, that he could not tie his shoes. He's 9. Our conversation went something like this.
Marsales: "Ms. Sarah, can you tie my shoe for me?"
Me: "Marsales, can't you tie your shoe yourself?"
Marsales: "Nope, my dad always does it for me."
"Me: "Oh alright, we're are going to fix that."
Marsales: "Why can't you just tie it for me?"
Me: "What sport do you like to play, Marsales?"
Marsales: "Basketball."
Me: "What if you are on the basketball court and your shoe comes untied, are you going to call your dad down from the stands to tie it for you?"
Marsales: "Oh."
It took him an hour to tie his shoe correctly, but he was concentrating harder than I had seen him concentrate on anything. Ever. It was amazing. I tested him again today and he struggled for about 15 minutes. Then, suddenly, he did it 5 times in a row!!!!!!!!!!! I was so happy. I felt like a proud mom. It was, hands down, my favorite moment of the week. I had to share.
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