Monday, July 25, 2016
Saturday, July 16, 2016
"Dream People"
This past Friday (yesterday) we had some people come to our classes and talk to the kids about following their dreams. My class ended up with a dance crew, since Barron knows me so well, and it was a really good experience for the kids and me. They performed for the kids which was great, and slightly dangerous in the tiny classroom. I've been falling out of love with dance for the past year but this re-inspired me. One of my trouble kids, Joel, who thinks of himself as a touch guy, turned to me and said "I want to take dance lessons!" and my heart jumped out of my chest. Breaking down boundaries! One of the members was a recent high school graduate, and impressed to the kids that grades, working hard, good behavior, and perseverance is important for success. I adored this program and think it really opened a lot of the kid's eyes to what is needed in order to get where you need to go. The picture was posted on the crew's instagram (ignore my troll-dom....)
Also at breakfast yesterday a children beckoned to me and said quietly "i have a cookie in my pocket..." Just the perks of being around children.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
My Hilliarious Conversation of the Day
Me: we got funders coming today, so behave and you'll have a donut party Friday.
Student 1: All rich people are cacasians.
Me: No, look at Obama.
Student 1: He's no longer the president.
Me and Student 2: He is still the president.
Week 3 at Patterson Park
The last couple lessons have led my class to talk about why we should study and care about the environment. There were two camps of opinion that formed during Wednesday's lesson. The first camp emphasized resources like paper, clean drinking water, and food. The members of the second group valued the beauty of flowers, the comfort of shade, and the sensation of a cool breeze on their skin. Naturally, the class fell to arguing the merits of both positions.
I don't know how well it worked, but I did try to push my students to accept both at the same time and find a middle ground. The ability to tolerate cognitive dissonance comes with age, and some of my older students comprehended what I was saying.
If I were to repeat my argument to an older audience, a simple version might go like this:
If your view of the environment and of the natural world is of a vast chamber of resources, you might prioritize new growth forests for lumber over ancient, old growth groves. Even if you responsibly log the new growth forests, you lose the majesty and history of the old trees. If you are inescapably enamored with wildflowers, you might pick every pretty blossom in sight or artificially select for a monoculture of wildflowers on your property. Beautiful yes, but not diverse and capable of sustaining animals and other plants.
Week 3 was a good week because the in-class curriculum and outside enrichment trips emphasized harmony between both perspectives. Our enrichment providers at Druid Hill Park stressed having fun being outside and our PLT lessons dealt with how humans interact with the earth and the consequences of using its resources. My hope is that my campers walk away from SuperKids more able to conceive of the earth as containing that we can (responsibly) use and possessing extraordinary beauty which we can only marvel at.
I don't know how well it worked, but I did try to push my students to accept both at the same time and find a middle ground. The ability to tolerate cognitive dissonance comes with age, and some of my older students comprehended what I was saying.
If I were to repeat my argument to an older audience, a simple version might go like this:
If your view of the environment and of the natural world is of a vast chamber of resources, you might prioritize new growth forests for lumber over ancient, old growth groves. Even if you responsibly log the new growth forests, you lose the majesty and history of the old trees. If you are inescapably enamored with wildflowers, you might pick every pretty blossom in sight or artificially select for a monoculture of wildflowers on your property. Beautiful yes, but not diverse and capable of sustaining animals and other plants.
Week 3 was a good week because the in-class curriculum and outside enrichment trips emphasized harmony between both perspectives. Our enrichment providers at Druid Hill Park stressed having fun being outside and our PLT lessons dealt with how humans interact with the earth and the consequences of using its resources. My hope is that my campers walk away from SuperKids more able to conceive of the earth as containing that we can (responsibly) use and possessing extraordinary beauty which we can only marvel at.
^^Campers cataloguing and drawing plants and animals that depend on trees to live.
^^Campers having a blast.
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Quotes
I've had a really tough time at camp so far. It's hard to get kids to listen, and even harder for them to actually complete the lesson. But amidst the chaos, I've overheard/experienced some really awesome moments.
1. "I've been to all the states." "Noooo you haven't been to ISIS!"
2. Sits down in the middle of the trail during enrichment- "I'm just chilling, Ms. Sylvie!"
3. "Put down the chalk!" "But it's pink, for breast cancer!"
4. (Losing in hangman) "Don't let the KKK get 'em!!"
5. " You should wear your hair like that all the time, Ms. Sylvie. I did, and that's how I got famous"
6. (Asked if he was in third grade, when he's in second) "Have you seen me? I'm a midget!"
7. (Asked to sit down) "But I have to stay still for my portrait"
8. (sticks foot out dramatically) "Can someone tell me what the heck is on my shoe? This is the hugest bummer of my day!"
Monday, July 11, 2016
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Ishmael
On page 12 of our book there lies a quote that has stuck with me as I read on. "Five severed fingers do not make a hand." This quote applies not only to family but to any situation that requires teamwork or group work. To me, this quote means that in order to accomplish a goal or to progress as a unit, everyone must work together in unison. 5 individuals do not make a team the same way 5 blood relatives do not make a cohesive family. If any part of a team, group, project, etc. is broken, the function of the whole has been impaired. This relates to my job as a role model for my students. There are so many channels of communication open at once with each students that I have to remain constant and to further build every relationship so that my classroom runs smoothly. 17 children and 1 teacher does not make a class or bring forth an assumed relationship, but a teacher that seeks pupils that he or she believes in and expects growth and cooperation from can build a powerful connection between teacher and student. This quote has helped me put things into perspective as far as building those connections with my students and I now realize that the growth process starts with me and how much effort I put into getting to know my students and believing in them. What does this quote mean to you guys, if it means anything?
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Week 2 @ Friends School
Hello everyone!
I hope every had a good Week 2 of Super Kids Camp. At Friends, our enrichment this week was Druid Hill Park which included the zoo, hiking trail and Parks and People campus. The zoo has been my favorite enrichment so far, and the kids had so much fun on the final day at Parks and People.
My struggle of the week has been providing one on one attention with each child in my class. I have 2 kids that take up a lot of my attention in particular.
I have one student who has been very negative and critical of the camp so far. He says that he doesn't like being nice, and he doesn't like coming to camp. Even his mother after dropping him off one day said to me "He really hates coming here"This was very discouraging and disappointing at first. But I made it my mission to make this experience as fun as possible for him. I really want him to enjoy camp so I always try to keep him positive and in good spirits. As the week went along, he began to open up to me and has shared things that he likes such as bugs, soccer, and basketball. This was good so that I can relate things that he likes to enrichment, lessons etc. (which helped a lot) He even said the hike on Thursday was his best day so far. I am so excited to see him warm up to camp even more.
After having a breakthrough with this student, I realized I have 13 more I need to give that attention to as well. Hopefully the next 4 weeks I will be able to build relationships with more if not all of my students.
Have any of you had a similar struggle? Have a good week!
Sarah
I hope every had a good Week 2 of Super Kids Camp. At Friends, our enrichment this week was Druid Hill Park which included the zoo, hiking trail and Parks and People campus. The zoo has been my favorite enrichment so far, and the kids had so much fun on the final day at Parks and People.
My struggle of the week has been providing one on one attention with each child in my class. I have 2 kids that take up a lot of my attention in particular.
I have one student who has been very negative and critical of the camp so far. He says that he doesn't like being nice, and he doesn't like coming to camp. Even his mother after dropping him off one day said to me "He really hates coming here"This was very discouraging and disappointing at first. But I made it my mission to make this experience as fun as possible for him. I really want him to enjoy camp so I always try to keep him positive and in good spirits. As the week went along, he began to open up to me and has shared things that he likes such as bugs, soccer, and basketball. This was good so that I can relate things that he likes to enrichment, lessons etc. (which helped a lot) He even said the hike on Thursday was his best day so far. I am so excited to see him warm up to camp even more.
After having a breakthrough with this student, I realized I have 13 more I need to give that attention to as well. Hopefully the next 4 weeks I will be able to build relationships with more if not all of my students.
Have any of you had a similar struggle? Have a good week!
Sarah
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Bay Brook Music Workshop!
Hi fellow SuperKids interns! Already one full week down, five more to go! Hope these videos turned out with okay quality! As I mentioned at our dinner earlier in the week, our site had music workshop this week and will have it again the upcoming week. Seeing the children enjoy the music as much as they do is beyond amazing to watch. They absolutely loved the brass section, the second video is of them playing the trumpets and showing off some dance moves. I think this is one of the times that they focus the most during the day, close to all of the kids love this part of the music workshop, which is very difficult to find with most activities. The first video shows the students playing the piano after four days of learning. At first I was not so sure how well they would be able to read the notes of the songs that the teacher expected them to try, but after a few days of practice I was thrilled to see how hard most of them were focusing to play the correct notes and in the right manner. I have absolutely loved having the music workshop because it exposes the children to something most of them have never had experience with, and at the same time it is rewarding to watch them improve on their skills each and every day! Hope everyone is having a wonderful Fourth of July weekend!
- Taylor Swenski
Monday, June 20, 2016
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