Week 18: Returning

Cheering on the girls basketball team :-)

I was so excited to find an example of incorrect grammar on the train to show my kids!

This week was full of:  Whew! Getting back into the swing of things... I found this week particularly heart-breaking when hearing about some students' experiences over break.  The cousin of one of my favorite students was shot and sent to the hospital, and another student had two cousins shot and killed (one was a kid).  One student casually showed me his scar from being grazed by a bullet at a party (to which his friends responded "well everyone has bullet scars"), and when I asked one of my juniors about his break he told me "not that good... I got locked up for a bit."  I know the student of one of my City Year colleagues at another school was shot and killed.  Things like this make me feel helpless...

Quotes of the week/break: 
(I move near a group of freshmen boys who are chatting during a lesson)
K: Man, Ms. Lewis, you're always a party pooper.
Me: Because I stop you from talking so you do your work?  Then I'm glad to be a party pooper.
E: Naw, Ms. Lewis, you're a failure pooper!  You stop us from failing.

"We have so much time left in this year... we can still move these kids."        - Jade, my Team Leader

"Thanks for the Christmas card, Ms. Lewis... you should have given it to me a day earlier so I would have had time to write one for you." - A favorite sophomore

"I highly encourage anyone to teach abroad.  I grew and stretched in so many ways... it's humbling and rewarding." - Krystal, an excellent educator I met for "coffee" during break 

Responses on a feedback survey I gave to my freshmen: "Your kindness makes me want to continue towards success." "You challenge us and make our brains work." "You remind me mostly every day that you believe in me and that I could do better." "Stay strong." "(My advice is to) always have your happy spirit." 

Excerpts from All About You - a survey I gave my old and new juniors: 

"What is something you've done that you're proud of?"

• I've kept my focus on being a good person and doing what I have to do to have a successful future. 
• Stayed alive this long. 
• Went on a field trip to help pack food for the poor.  
• Being able to stay focused in school without any children.
• I didn't go to jail, I stayed in school. 

"Describe yourself in five words."

• Giving up, nice, funny, fun, likable.
• Struggling right now, need motivation. 
• Smart, intelligent, brave, kind person, mean attitude. 
• I am very hard working.
• Funny, cool, button-pusher, goofy.

"What can I do to best motivate you to do well in school?"

• I don't know. 
• Nothing. 
• Encourage me. 
• Get me going when you catch me off track. 
• Keep me inspired to go to school. 
• Teach me as much as you can and don't think everything I do is supposed to be perfect. 
• Tell me I'm doing good and always be honest. 
• Help me and don't give up on me when I don't get it so fast.

Joys:  Meeting my new group of juniors!  I wrote them all letters and some students said they will write back... I also enjoy that many of my "old juniors" (from the last session of classes) still find me in the halls and cafeteria to chat.  Also, cheering on the girls basketball team at a game, starting to lead the Do Nows, helping at Saturday Academy (an optional ACT workshop for juniors), and seeing one of my most motivated junior's faces light up when she introduced me to her one-year-old son.