Mmm... volunteering...
The Tuesday before Easter, I volunteered at Maryann's school in SoSF. Since my parents no longer believe in egg decorating, I suggested I go to Maryann's class to do it with her students. We did dye eggs, I met Maryann's fellow 1st grade teachers, we did crafts and a little work. I liked it so much, I went back on Wednesday.
This past week, public schools had spring break, so nothing happened then, but I've scheduled volunteering in Maryann's class until the end of the school year, on every Tuesday and Thursday, which is most convenient for M, because she has to drop her kids off at school on the other days (I guess their dad does it the other days or something). M has assured/notified me that her class isn't quite as craft-oriented as it was the week before Easter (anyone who was a 1st grader would understand that holidays and breaks are the perfect opportunity for teachers to unload crafts onto wildly accepting students), but I don't mind; I help M with cleanups, paperwork, and organization while she teaches with them.
Something both endearing and mildly creepy is the fact that M's students really like me, or, rather, my alter ego, "Miss Kathryn." (A title=respect thing M insists on in her class.)
Like being a unit leader at camp, being a teacher (even a teacher's aide, which is effectively what I do) is fucking exhausting.
Speaking of teacher's aides, M said once that if she won the lotto, she'd continue to be a teacher, but she'd hire an assistant, a teacher's aide and a secretary (to do her paperwork). I think that's a damn good idea.
W'llennyways, I'm looking forward to being in her class. The suck-up girls (who aren't really suck-ups, because they don't yet have that concept, but who I am sure will be) have randomly given me hugs several times. I got a drawing from one of the students in M's skills class (all the 1st grd teachers jumble their collective students for a half hour, to teach "Language Arts" skills); it was just a crayon heart, but it's the thought that counts.
In other news, I was accepted by, and have decided to attend the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA. I'm tired of typing, and will discuss this at a later date.
This past week, public schools had spring break, so nothing happened then, but I've scheduled volunteering in Maryann's class until the end of the school year, on every Tuesday and Thursday, which is most convenient for M, because she has to drop her kids off at school on the other days (I guess their dad does it the other days or something). M has assured/notified me that her class isn't quite as craft-oriented as it was the week before Easter (anyone who was a 1st grader would understand that holidays and breaks are the perfect opportunity for teachers to unload crafts onto wildly accepting students), but I don't mind; I help M with cleanups, paperwork, and organization while she teaches with them.
Something both endearing and mildly creepy is the fact that M's students really like me, or, rather, my alter ego, "Miss Kathryn." (A title=respect thing M insists on in her class.)
Like being a unit leader at camp, being a teacher (even a teacher's aide, which is effectively what I do) is fucking exhausting.
Speaking of teacher's aides, M said once that if she won the lotto, she'd continue to be a teacher, but she'd hire an assistant, a teacher's aide and a secretary (to do her paperwork). I think that's a damn good idea.
W'llennyways, I'm looking forward to being in her class. The suck-up girls (who aren't really suck-ups, because they don't yet have that concept, but who I am sure will be) have randomly given me hugs several times. I got a drawing from one of the students in M's skills class (all the 1st grd teachers jumble their collective students for a half hour, to teach "Language Arts" skills); it was just a crayon heart, but it's the thought that counts.
In other news, I was accepted by, and have decided to attend the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA. I'm tired of typing, and will discuss this at a later date.