Hello readers! I apologize for my absence from the blogosphere! Math seems to have taken over my life, and writing of all kind has been on the back burner. But today was a day filled with lots of joys, so I decided to muster and type it out.
I feel like a proud mama about to brag about her kids latest accomplishments, and in some way that is exactly what I am about to do right now.
Student 1:
This student has really been struggling. So everyday I have been tutoring her during lunch and we have been going over her homework and reinforcing concepts learned in class. Her teacher handed back two tests to the class to get signed by their parents for some extra credit. Her teacher was only going to count the highest grade. The first test for this girl was from before I had started tutoring her. On this test she got a 0%. The next test I had been tutoring her for about a week and a half. She got an 80%. Nuff said. An 80% increase!
Student 2:
When this girl first came to tutoring she really frustrated me. She was on her phone the whole time and would basically refuse to do the work unless I did exclusive one on one work with her. We've been tutoring for about three weeks. Today she came in with a new attitude. She worked first on her English, and got it all done. Next she came to the math table. Uh oh. She sat down right next to me and I instructed her to form the table to set up her problem. I looked away and worked with another student for about five minutes. I had almost forgotten that she was there because she was so focused and quiet. I turned around and suddenly my jaw dropped. She was almost done with the six problems. Tears flooded to my eyes and I kind of did a little happy jump. She just rolled her eyes and was like "Alright, whatever miss". But I knew she knew it was a big deal too. This girl has literally transformed right before my eyes into someone with a phenomenal work ethic and I couldn't be prouder.
A big struggle:
City Year as an organization focuses on Tier Two kids. Those are typically kids with Cs and maybe Ds, who we push to being A or B students. Those who are sliding who with a little support can be pushed up. I totally understand that, that is where I can make the most impact and it's a large reason why I joined the program- because City Year has decreasing the drop out rate so strategically worked out. However, my heart every day goes out to my Tier Three kids. Those kids who are so far off track and who need much more than a little push in the right direction to succeed, but I've already formed relationships with them, so it is truly hard to have to remind myself that I need to be where I can have the most impact. It's hard and I know I will continue to struggle with the fact that I need to focus my efforts where I can be effective. But if anything City Year thus far has only infused me more and more with the desire to go into therapy. I love the Tier Three kids and I want to work with them for the rest of my life. Even though they put my heart through the wringer, that is where I know I want to be. Those kids who everybody else labels trouble, those are the ones I want under my wings. But I know my wings for now are only supposed to be where I will have effective winging.
Lesson Plans:
For the month of October our focus for the lesson plans are Pop Culture. My week is doing slang in pop culture. I have poured my absolute heart and soul into this lesson plan. The first day we are doing funny, silly slang and how it has transformed over the decades. The second day will be devoted to a more serious discussion about the use of words such as retarded and faggot (and a scavenger hunt!). Those are probably the two most popular words at Davis and it really gets under my skin. I have been trying to continuously brainstorm creative ways to address that those words are inappropriate to be used, and this lesson plan seemed like a great opportunity. An important thing that I learned a while back that I am using a lot here, "Don't do anything unless you are passionate about it". If I'm passionate about tutoring/serving/lesson plans/WHATEVER IT MAY BE, then I can find a way to make it work. And this whole year is all about passionate service, doing my best to do the best for my kids.
Daily Hero:
Those honest kids. Maybe sometimes too honest, but those are the ones who keep me grounded and idealistic, not too much heads in the clouds but boots on the ground.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Our boots, our boots, our boots are on fire, WHAT!
I just had the best 45 minutes ever.
It needs some back story though.
Monday: I was exhausted and falling asleep in class, and just generally worn out and discouraged by my day. I went to water polo practice that night and it was amazing! It felt so good to be in a real pool, a real D1 college legit pool, not just some gym country club pool. My practice was from 8:15-10:15 pm at night, but when I got back I was so pumped and not tired at all! I stayed up probably for about two hours after that making my lunch and getting things done that I needed to do. I was still a little frustrated though because I had lost my keys at school and was mildly fretting.
So, going to bed at 12:15, a good thing and a bad thing. Good- got things done. Bad- not enough sleep to successfully complete the next day since I had to be up and moving at 6.
Tuesday: About six alarms go off, me: "argggghhhh." I finally mustered myself to get out of bed 20 minutes later than usual, didn't shower and made a pretty filling breakfast.
I decided coffee was going to be a necessity to get me through this Tuesday. On the way to pick up the two wonderful ladies I carpool with, I stopped at Valero to grab a BIG HUNKA thing of coffee. I then stuck a straw in it and was ready to head to work. I tried going a new way to pick up the other girls, but for all of you who know me, this is a baaad, baad, idea. I am very directionally impaired so got super lost somehow on this new awesome way. So I ended up driving myself to work while finishing my breakfast, and we ended up driving separately. I got to school on time though which was good, which meant I had time (5 minutes) to suck down as much coffee as I could into my system. CAFFEINE OVERLOAD! The last time I had a full cup of java, was, a while ago. And this was a mega cup. So from about 7:45am-6:30pm I was killing it! I was so energized all day, which was good because I had forgotten my lunch, and instead of freaking out, I had the energy to deal with it- and the awesomest team leader in the world (so Courtney went and got me some 99 cent chicken..). But anyway it was a great day, mostly because I constantly had energy. I was always ready to work with each kid!
I also had started a sticker chart system yesterday, where kids in my classes get stickers for good behaviors (being on time to class, paying attention, finishing all their classwork, etc). I only originally intended it for two girls who had requested it last Friday, but word soon spread that Miss Sarah was handing out stickers and making charts, and EVERYONE wanted one. Who knew the way to get seventh graders to work is to reward them with Spongebob and Dora the Explorer stickers? I do now! It's good I had all that energy because kids were calling me all day, "Sarah, Sarah, Miss, Miss, where is MY sticker???". So that was awesome that a behavior management technique I implemented is actually being a little bit successful, even if this implementation was kind of an accident. Hey! So were chocolate cookies!
But anyway 6:45 hits and I start getting a little discouraged. During my drive home with one of my team mates we started talking about kind of our lows for the day, and how it seems like we can see the administration breaking under the pressure. The teachers who went into education for some reason, are now being broken by classrooms filled with too many kids at too many levels that seems possible to deal with. It's also frustrating with all of the red tape we have to go through, totally understandable, but very frustrating.
So I dropped her off and check the time. Crap. It was 7:15 and I had been planning to go to a yoga class that started at 7. I could still feasibly go and be late, but I needed to go make an extra copy of my key and that meant a trip to Walmart. I debated putting it off, but reassessed the necessity of ya know, having a house key and decided it was worth the trip. So I go to Walmart, get a copy of the key made, buy lots of school supplies (my new way to splurge is to buy school supplies for my students- I am a dork), and bought some other random groceries I had forgotten to buy on Sunday. By the time I left Walmart it was like 7:45 and I was discouraged.
I still wanted to go to the gym though, I kept trying to convince myself otherwise though:
"Now Sarah, you forgot your headphones."
"Now Sarah, you really need to get a lot of sleep tonight."
"Now Sarah, maybe you should just relax, you've had a long day only running on coffee."
"Now Sarah, go home, now!"
However with water polo, I need to figure out if I want to keep my gym membership, because it works out to be about $65 a month spent on athletic things. And that's a lot considering my current salary, so I really wanted to go to the gym to 1. Decide if I want to continue going 2. Get my money's worth.
I roll up to the gym rather resentful of the fact that I am there. Luckily I discover I do have my headphones!
I walk in and oh crap, I remember what I am walking in with- my timbs. Not my gym shoes (because I had assumed I was going to yoga class), but just boots. Awww crap. After a brief pep talk from the wonderful woman at the front desk and the fact that I already am inside, I decide to stay.
I trudge up the walkway to get to the machine room and am checking my email when I see this awesome email from Abe Johns, Admissions Manager. I am blogging for the CY blog (I'll post a link when it gets officially published!) and I had sent him my blog, just assuming it would be edited and I'd see the final thing when it gets published. I was on my high school paper and there was a lot of times when my piece got submitted, and then edited beyond recognition, and then published- without my knowledge of the edits. With my name on it! So I would have this piece of work floating around that I didn't really feel I had a claim or connection too, and since I wrote for Opinion (presumably my opinion), it was kind of a big deal. My adviser/Opinion editor always claimed he was too busy to send me a copy. Now I know that working for City Year you often have 12 hour plus days. If anyone is too busy, rightfully so, to do something like that, it should be that City Year person. But Abe took the time to email me and that meant the world to me.
So back to the gym, I walk in feeling slightly more optimistic than I had before, but still kind of hanging my head because I am going to look absolutely ridiculous in these boots and gym shorts.
I get on the eliptical and do a grueling 45 minutes, 510 calories, 4.87 mile work out.
I killed it. I put in some SERIOUS WORK.
I got off that eliptical feeling I owned the world. If I can do all that, and in my timbs. Nothing is going to break me! Not silly boy problems! Not red tape! No sir, no miss, my name is Sarah Klyman and I am here to do work! And ladies (and gents) I'm going to let you in on a secret, if you want to feel like a (pardon my french) bad ass chick, work out in Timbs. I walked out of the gym feeling 5,000 miles above the ground- ready to conquer the world!
I got in my car and looked for a song to blast to with the windows down. The only things that were coming on were crooners like "I need you now baby", switch the station, "You got what I need", switch, "Without you, I can't do me". Alright now this is getting a little ridiculous, here I was with this positive can do attitude like I can conquer the world and here were all these songs where I need you, no: I NEED ME (and my timbs). All of a sudden the song "Get the Party Started" by Pink came on. If you are looking for independent gal, look no further than Pink. So I blasted it and jammed out and am feeling on top of the world.
In summation:
1. Coffee is my savior.
2. I want to savor this feeling I have right now for the rest of this year, heck, for the rest of my life. That, I, can conquer the world if I set my mind to it and show up to get work done.
Daily Hero:
(Any of you who made it through this long blog post- it was fun to write! Hope it was fun to read!)
My timbs.
It needs some back story though.
Monday: I was exhausted and falling asleep in class, and just generally worn out and discouraged by my day. I went to water polo practice that night and it was amazing! It felt so good to be in a real pool, a real D1 college legit pool, not just some gym country club pool. My practice was from 8:15-10:15 pm at night, but when I got back I was so pumped and not tired at all! I stayed up probably for about two hours after that making my lunch and getting things done that I needed to do. I was still a little frustrated though because I had lost my keys at school and was mildly fretting.
So, going to bed at 12:15, a good thing and a bad thing. Good- got things done. Bad- not enough sleep to successfully complete the next day since I had to be up and moving at 6.
Tuesday: About six alarms go off, me: "argggghhhh." I finally mustered myself to get out of bed 20 minutes later than usual, didn't shower and made a pretty filling breakfast.
I decided coffee was going to be a necessity to get me through this Tuesday. On the way to pick up the two wonderful ladies I carpool with, I stopped at Valero to grab a BIG HUNKA thing of coffee. I then stuck a straw in it and was ready to head to work. I tried going a new way to pick up the other girls, but for all of you who know me, this is a baaad, baad, idea. I am very directionally impaired so got super lost somehow on this new awesome way. So I ended up driving myself to work while finishing my breakfast, and we ended up driving separately. I got to school on time though which was good, which meant I had time (5 minutes) to suck down as much coffee as I could into my system. CAFFEINE OVERLOAD! The last time I had a full cup of java, was, a while ago. And this was a mega cup. So from about 7:45am-6:30pm I was killing it! I was so energized all day, which was good because I had forgotten my lunch, and instead of freaking out, I had the energy to deal with it- and the awesomest team leader in the world (so Courtney went and got me some 99 cent chicken..). But anyway it was a great day, mostly because I constantly had energy. I was always ready to work with each kid!
I also had started a sticker chart system yesterday, where kids in my classes get stickers for good behaviors (being on time to class, paying attention, finishing all their classwork, etc). I only originally intended it for two girls who had requested it last Friday, but word soon spread that Miss Sarah was handing out stickers and making charts, and EVERYONE wanted one. Who knew the way to get seventh graders to work is to reward them with Spongebob and Dora the Explorer stickers? I do now! It's good I had all that energy because kids were calling me all day, "Sarah, Sarah, Miss, Miss, where is MY sticker???". So that was awesome that a behavior management technique I implemented is actually being a little bit successful, even if this implementation was kind of an accident. Hey! So were chocolate cookies!
But anyway 6:45 hits and I start getting a little discouraged. During my drive home with one of my team mates we started talking about kind of our lows for the day, and how it seems like we can see the administration breaking under the pressure. The teachers who went into education for some reason, are now being broken by classrooms filled with too many kids at too many levels that seems possible to deal with. It's also frustrating with all of the red tape we have to go through, totally understandable, but very frustrating.
So I dropped her off and check the time. Crap. It was 7:15 and I had been planning to go to a yoga class that started at 7. I could still feasibly go and be late, but I needed to go make an extra copy of my key and that meant a trip to Walmart. I debated putting it off, but reassessed the necessity of ya know, having a house key and decided it was worth the trip. So I go to Walmart, get a copy of the key made, buy lots of school supplies (my new way to splurge is to buy school supplies for my students- I am a dork), and bought some other random groceries I had forgotten to buy on Sunday. By the time I left Walmart it was like 7:45 and I was discouraged.
I still wanted to go to the gym though, I kept trying to convince myself otherwise though:
"Now Sarah, you forgot your headphones."
"Now Sarah, you really need to get a lot of sleep tonight."
"Now Sarah, maybe you should just relax, you've had a long day only running on coffee."
"Now Sarah, go home, now!"
However with water polo, I need to figure out if I want to keep my gym membership, because it works out to be about $65 a month spent on athletic things. And that's a lot considering my current salary, so I really wanted to go to the gym to 1. Decide if I want to continue going 2. Get my money's worth.
I roll up to the gym rather resentful of the fact that I am there. Luckily I discover I do have my headphones!
I walk in and oh crap, I remember what I am walking in with- my timbs. Not my gym shoes (because I had assumed I was going to yoga class), but just boots. Awww crap. After a brief pep talk from the wonderful woman at the front desk and the fact that I already am inside, I decide to stay.
I trudge up the walkway to get to the machine room and am checking my email when I see this awesome email from Abe Johns, Admissions Manager. I am blogging for the CY blog (I'll post a link when it gets officially published!) and I had sent him my blog, just assuming it would be edited and I'd see the final thing when it gets published. I was on my high school paper and there was a lot of times when my piece got submitted, and then edited beyond recognition, and then published- without my knowledge of the edits. With my name on it! So I would have this piece of work floating around that I didn't really feel I had a claim or connection too, and since I wrote for Opinion (presumably my opinion), it was kind of a big deal. My adviser/Opinion editor always claimed he was too busy to send me a copy. Now I know that working for City Year you often have 12 hour plus days. If anyone is too busy, rightfully so, to do something like that, it should be that City Year person. But Abe took the time to email me and that meant the world to me.
So back to the gym, I walk in feeling slightly more optimistic than I had before, but still kind of hanging my head because I am going to look absolutely ridiculous in these boots and gym shorts.
I get on the eliptical and do a grueling 45 minutes, 510 calories, 4.87 mile work out.
I killed it. I put in some SERIOUS WORK.
I got off that eliptical feeling I owned the world. If I can do all that, and in my timbs. Nothing is going to break me! Not silly boy problems! Not red tape! No sir, no miss, my name is Sarah Klyman and I am here to do work! And ladies (and gents) I'm going to let you in on a secret, if you want to feel like a (pardon my french) bad ass chick, work out in Timbs. I walked out of the gym feeling 5,000 miles above the ground- ready to conquer the world!
I got in my car and looked for a song to blast to with the windows down. The only things that were coming on were crooners like "I need you now baby", switch the station, "You got what I need", switch, "Without you, I can't do me". Alright now this is getting a little ridiculous, here I was with this positive can do attitude like I can conquer the world and here were all these songs where I need you, no: I NEED ME (and my timbs). All of a sudden the song "Get the Party Started" by Pink came on. If you are looking for independent gal, look no further than Pink. So I blasted it and jammed out and am feeling on top of the world.
In summation:
1. Coffee is my savior.
2. I want to savor this feeling I have right now for the rest of this year, heck, for the rest of my life. That, I, can conquer the world if I set my mind to it and show up to get work done.
Daily Hero:
(Any of you who made it through this long blog post- it was fun to write! Hope it was fun to read!)
My timbs.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Starfishes
I now kind of officially have a schedule! I'm in the same classes everyday, and though we don't have our focus lists yet- I do have an idea of who they will be. If I could make one whole block period be my focus list- I would in a heart beat. But then I'd be missing out on this one starfish, who I know I can make an impact on their life.
Some brief briefing on what a starfish is, City Year has a bunch of founding stories which when all compiled together are sort of a mission statement of principles for the organization. One of the founding stories is called "The Starfish Story", this segment is taken from the Idealist Handbook and considered part of the mandatory uniform for all City Year members.
"A young girl was walking along the beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.
She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, 'Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at the beach! You can't save all these starfish. You can't begin to make a difference!'
The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, 'Well, I made a difference to that one!'
The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved."
This story means basically, that even though you may see many students who need help- but do not be discouraged, because even helping just one makes a big difference. So we refer to our students who might be the ones we help very much as our starfish student.
I think I know who one of those starfish students will be for me. It's this kid who everyone in the class harps on and the whole school knows about. This student is infamous for their negative behavior and non-chalant attitude about everything. But I am inspired. Today this kid made a little bit of progress. And that wasn't a lot compared to any one else, but there was this tiny tiny bit of engagement that I hadn't seen before. And all because I cared, cared enough to show up. So everyday from now on I will be a little more inspired to care, for this kid.
Daily Hero:
Having a home to go to where support and love are expectations and not surprises. In Illinois and Texas :)
Some brief briefing on what a starfish is, City Year has a bunch of founding stories which when all compiled together are sort of a mission statement of principles for the organization. One of the founding stories is called "The Starfish Story", this segment is taken from the Idealist Handbook and considered part of the mandatory uniform for all City Year members.
"A young girl was walking along the beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.
She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, 'Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at the beach! You can't save all these starfish. You can't begin to make a difference!'
The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, 'Well, I made a difference to that one!'
The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved."
This story means basically, that even though you may see many students who need help- but do not be discouraged, because even helping just one makes a big difference. So we refer to our students who might be the ones we help very much as our starfish student.
I think I know who one of those starfish students will be for me. It's this kid who everyone in the class harps on and the whole school knows about. This student is infamous for their negative behavior and non-chalant attitude about everything. But I am inspired. Today this kid made a little bit of progress. And that wasn't a lot compared to any one else, but there was this tiny tiny bit of engagement that I hadn't seen before. And all because I cared, cared enough to show up. So everyday from now on I will be a little more inspired to care, for this kid.
Daily Hero:
Having a home to go to where support and love are expectations and not surprises. In Illinois and Texas :)
Monday, September 5, 2011
Happy Labor Day Amuuricah!
To all those who work to protect our country, here or far away.
To all those who work in the streets, keeping kids off them or keeping them clean.
To all those who work in the fields, helping our country grow and flourish.
To all those who work to raise, the flag or children who believe in good.
To all those who work to better, themselves or the people around them or the world we all live in.
To all those who work hard, and deserve a three day weekend!
Happy Labor Day!
To all those who work in the streets, keeping kids off them or keeping them clean.
To all those who work in the fields, helping our country grow and flourish.
To all those who work to raise, the flag or children who believe in good.
To all those who work to better, themselves or the people around them or the world we all live in.
To all those who work hard, and deserve a three day weekend!
Happy Labor Day!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Everyday I'm Tutorin'!
Not going to lie folks, things have been tough on the emotional front. And normally if things are going wrong there I usually have a tough time putting on a strong face for everyone and pulling it together. My heart is fortunately and unfortunately sewn right there on my sleeve.
However when at Davis, I find myself forgetting all about me and whatever I might be dealing with, and then it is all about the kids. I work with such amazing students and I call them my kids and they are really possessive of me, making sure I know that they are relying on me. It's awesome and empowering and a fascinating feeling. I really feel like I can make an impact and show them the potential in themselves and also the potential in others. These last couple days I have been consistently in two classes, and I love it. Don't get me wrong I loved exploring the school and the different elements in the different classes that make Davis Davis, but in that classroom, I know those kids- their names (a big one for me because I am super bad at learning names), some of the struggles they have, all their other things.
I love my job so much, I am so incredibly glad that I'm here and I don't for a second regret coming to City Year and having these amazing experiences. Though at the day I am exhausted from the long hours and the wear and tear on my feet, I get chills down my spine every time I think about the awesome work I'm doing here.
Daily Hero: Today I worked with a student on a math problem. We struggled through multiplying and adding and long division and at the end we came up with an answer. I prompted the student to raise his/her hand and volunteer the answer we'd gotten-5.5. That individual said "Naw, Miss, I am way too scared". Then the teacher announced to the class "And if we find the approximate answer, it's 5.5." This kid's face lit up like a Christmas tree, I don't know the last time this student had gotten an answer correct and it was amazing to see. The student immediately turned to their friends and wanted me to show them the paper and this kid was freaking out. So my daily hero is to remind us all that sometimes it is the littlest things in life that make a difference and never underestimate the power of a math problem.
However when at Davis, I find myself forgetting all about me and whatever I might be dealing with, and then it is all about the kids. I work with such amazing students and I call them my kids and they are really possessive of me, making sure I know that they are relying on me. It's awesome and empowering and a fascinating feeling. I really feel like I can make an impact and show them the potential in themselves and also the potential in others. These last couple days I have been consistently in two classes, and I love it. Don't get me wrong I loved exploring the school and the different elements in the different classes that make Davis Davis, but in that classroom, I know those kids- their names (a big one for me because I am super bad at learning names), some of the struggles they have, all their other things.
I love my job so much, I am so incredibly glad that I'm here and I don't for a second regret coming to City Year and having these amazing experiences. Though at the day I am exhausted from the long hours and the wear and tear on my feet, I get chills down my spine every time I think about the awesome work I'm doing here.
Daily Hero: Today I worked with a student on a math problem. We struggled through multiplying and adding and long division and at the end we came up with an answer. I prompted the student to raise his/her hand and volunteer the answer we'd gotten-5.5. That individual said "Naw, Miss, I am way too scared". Then the teacher announced to the class "And if we find the approximate answer, it's 5.5." This kid's face lit up like a Christmas tree, I don't know the last time this student had gotten an answer correct and it was amazing to see. The student immediately turned to their friends and wanted me to show them the paper and this kid was freaking out. So my daily hero is to remind us all that sometimes it is the littlest things in life that make a difference and never underestimate the power of a math problem.
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