Here are some recent links of City Year Milwaukee activity in the news:
http://www.biztimes.com/nonprofitweekly/2010/9/3/city-year-kicks-of-inaugural-year-in-milwaukee
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/46584662.html
Monday, September 20, 2010
Tales from Room 204
I have been in the classroom for about three weeks now and have a plethora of stories to share:
First, I'm disappointed but not surprised by the high levels of obesity in both my classroom and my students' families. Mirrors the poverty levels. Something I really, really want to do with my kids is some nutrition education. I'm beginning research into a community garden, or at the very least a potted garden we can start during our after-school program. With that, I want to incorporate healthy eating habits and bring in healthy snacks and treats whenever I can. (This is where my food stamps will come in handy...and lucky for my students I love to bake.) Discussions around a healthy body versus an "attractive" body are important to cover as well. Good thing I have nine more months. :-)
Let me describe my classroom set up: There are 29 kids, my teacher (Mrs. Kuscielak, pronounced "ko-shell-ak"), and a Special Ed teacher, Mrs. McQueeney. These 6th graders do not switch classrooms for different subjects and don't have lockers. It's really a glorified 5th grade, which does make my job easier. Mrs. Kuscielak has a SmartBoard that she allows students to use and the students will get laptops to use within the next week. (If you want further explanation of what a SmartBoard is check out the following website. Basically it's a giant touch screen computer that can be written on and erased with special tools. http://smarttech.com/) The laptops the kids will have are 5 or 6 years old, but much of their work will be done on them. Text books are online and students submit essays and homework through a virtual classroom. Apparently all hell breaks loose for the first week these laptops are available. I can't wait.
Each morning I do homework checks, armed with a sticker chart of the class list, star stickers and heart stickers, and "Missing Homework" sheets students must fill out if they do not bring in their work. This has become a ritual that absolutely cannot be skipped, lest I overlook one student's finished work. Students come up to me on the playground before school: "Miss Gaynor, Miss Gaynor! I finished my homework today!" (Also: getting called Miss Gaynor has taken some getting used to. Early on I established that no, I am not married; and no, I am not getting married anytime soon. Apparently I'm young enough that being single is still acceptable.) Right away in the morning I sit in the back of the room, call each student back to me, and get the opportunity to check in with each one for a couple minutes. It's amazing. These little people are so many things they don't even realize: sneaky, honest, embarrassed, proud, sad, tired, hungry, so stressed, and excited. I feel so lucky to be a part of it.
While homework checks seem glorious, I spend most of my classroom time patrolling, making sure students are on task. Translation: I constantly remind students to stop drawing, to face the front, to quit cutting up their erasers, to leave their neighbor alone, to sit up, and no, you can't go to the bathroom. You just went.
However, I adore my kids. Some of my favorite moments:
Brianna didn't get her homework done for that morning's homework check, so she asked me if she could stay in for recess to get it down. My jaw dropped down to the first floor. And she stayed in, and got her homework done.
Trevor is a Special Ed student who had not brought in any homework at all through last week Friday. We have talked endlessly about remembering to check his mailbox for worksheets at the end of the day, remembering to bring his homework folder to and from school, and remembering to ask questions in class. Finally, I looked at him and said, "Trevor, I know you can do this. You are so smart and I know you can get your homework done on time." I asked if I could write that on the top corner of one of his notebooks, and he let me. And guess what? Sassy, stubborn Trevor brought in his homework this morning. And three worksheets that were due two weeks ago.
Romeo, who will forever be too cool for me, caught me walking to the classroom from the water fountain. "Where'd you go?!" He demanded, with a tone that seemed worried, like I'd abandon him. I told him I just got a drink, and his body language relaxed. "Oh, all right."
This morning I congratulated Romeo on having a perfect homework record; he hasn't missed one day out of the 15+ days we've had so far. In his very tough way, he looks at me and says "It didn't use to be like this. I never brought my homework in last year." He started to walk away as I complimented him on his hard work again, but I got him. :-)
I had to walk Enrique, who has severe behavior and learning disabilities, to the nurse the other day because Mrs. Koscielak saw something behind his ear. She was afraid it was lice (apparently lice is a realistic problem at Mitchell...oh lord) but it was just a harmless scab. After the nurse assured Enrique that his ear would not need a band-aid and that he would be fine, he and I washed our hands in the hallway sink. The timing and scenario was perfect, so I poked him to show off the huge bubble I made in my soapy hands. An impromptu bubble-blowing competition ensued and the ear scab was forgotten.
Demetrio is, I have to say, one of my favorite students. He is a tiny boy compared to most of his class but holy crap is he spunky. His peers recognize that he is smart yet cool, so his reputation is set. Last week he stopped me to ask that I wait for him in the morning to play Ninja, a game my City Year team plays with the kids every morning before school on the playground. Two weeks ago every one from my class was too cool to play, but here's Demetrio asking me to wait for him. And today on our way in from lunch he asks me how long I'm going to be at Mitchell. "I'll be here til about 5:30, Demetrio." No, not today, he clarifies. "Oh, we'll be here until the end of the school year, don't worry." Okay, but what about next year? "Will you be here next year, Miss Gaynor? Can you come to 7th grade?"
Like I said, I adore these kids. Of course, don't be fooled, not everything is so endearing and nothing is easy. But because of them I love my work and I am so, so grateful to Room 204.
First, I'm disappointed but not surprised by the high levels of obesity in both my classroom and my students' families. Mirrors the poverty levels. Something I really, really want to do with my kids is some nutrition education. I'm beginning research into a community garden, or at the very least a potted garden we can start during our after-school program. With that, I want to incorporate healthy eating habits and bring in healthy snacks and treats whenever I can. (This is where my food stamps will come in handy...and lucky for my students I love to bake.) Discussions around a healthy body versus an "attractive" body are important to cover as well. Good thing I have nine more months. :-)
Let me describe my classroom set up: There are 29 kids, my teacher (Mrs. Kuscielak, pronounced "ko-shell-ak"), and a Special Ed teacher, Mrs. McQueeney. These 6th graders do not switch classrooms for different subjects and don't have lockers. It's really a glorified 5th grade, which does make my job easier. Mrs. Kuscielak has a SmartBoard that she allows students to use and the students will get laptops to use within the next week. (If you want further explanation of what a SmartBoard is check out the following website. Basically it's a giant touch screen computer that can be written on and erased with special tools. http://smarttech.com/) The laptops the kids will have are 5 or 6 years old, but much of their work will be done on them. Text books are online and students submit essays and homework through a virtual classroom. Apparently all hell breaks loose for the first week these laptops are available. I can't wait.
Each morning I do homework checks, armed with a sticker chart of the class list, star stickers and heart stickers, and "Missing Homework" sheets students must fill out if they do not bring in their work. This has become a ritual that absolutely cannot be skipped, lest I overlook one student's finished work. Students come up to me on the playground before school: "Miss Gaynor, Miss Gaynor! I finished my homework today!" (Also: getting called Miss Gaynor has taken some getting used to. Early on I established that no, I am not married; and no, I am not getting married anytime soon. Apparently I'm young enough that being single is still acceptable.) Right away in the morning I sit in the back of the room, call each student back to me, and get the opportunity to check in with each one for a couple minutes. It's amazing. These little people are so many things they don't even realize: sneaky, honest, embarrassed, proud, sad, tired, hungry, so stressed, and excited. I feel so lucky to be a part of it.
While homework checks seem glorious, I spend most of my classroom time patrolling, making sure students are on task. Translation: I constantly remind students to stop drawing, to face the front, to quit cutting up their erasers, to leave their neighbor alone, to sit up, and no, you can't go to the bathroom. You just went.
However, I adore my kids. Some of my favorite moments:
Brianna didn't get her homework done for that morning's homework check, so she asked me if she could stay in for recess to get it down. My jaw dropped down to the first floor. And she stayed in, and got her homework done.
Trevor is a Special Ed student who had not brought in any homework at all through last week Friday. We have talked endlessly about remembering to check his mailbox for worksheets at the end of the day, remembering to bring his homework folder to and from school, and remembering to ask questions in class. Finally, I looked at him and said, "Trevor, I know you can do this. You are so smart and I know you can get your homework done on time." I asked if I could write that on the top corner of one of his notebooks, and he let me. And guess what? Sassy, stubborn Trevor brought in his homework this morning. And three worksheets that were due two weeks ago.
Romeo, who will forever be too cool for me, caught me walking to the classroom from the water fountain. "Where'd you go?!" He demanded, with a tone that seemed worried, like I'd abandon him. I told him I just got a drink, and his body language relaxed. "Oh, all right."
This morning I congratulated Romeo on having a perfect homework record; he hasn't missed one day out of the 15+ days we've had so far. In his very tough way, he looks at me and says "It didn't use to be like this. I never brought my homework in last year." He started to walk away as I complimented him on his hard work again, but I got him. :-)
I had to walk Enrique, who has severe behavior and learning disabilities, to the nurse the other day because Mrs. Koscielak saw something behind his ear. She was afraid it was lice (apparently lice is a realistic problem at Mitchell...oh lord) but it was just a harmless scab. After the nurse assured Enrique that his ear would not need a band-aid and that he would be fine, he and I washed our hands in the hallway sink. The timing and scenario was perfect, so I poked him to show off the huge bubble I made in my soapy hands. An impromptu bubble-blowing competition ensued and the ear scab was forgotten.
Demetrio is, I have to say, one of my favorite students. He is a tiny boy compared to most of his class but holy crap is he spunky. His peers recognize that he is smart yet cool, so his reputation is set. Last week he stopped me to ask that I wait for him in the morning to play Ninja, a game my City Year team plays with the kids every morning before school on the playground. Two weeks ago every one from my class was too cool to play, but here's Demetrio asking me to wait for him. And today on our way in from lunch he asks me how long I'm going to be at Mitchell. "I'll be here til about 5:30, Demetrio." No, not today, he clarifies. "Oh, we'll be here until the end of the school year, don't worry." Okay, but what about next year? "Will you be here next year, Miss Gaynor? Can you come to 7th grade?"
Like I said, I adore these kids. Of course, don't be fooled, not everything is so endearing and nothing is easy. But because of them I love my work and I am so, so grateful to Room 204.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Y'all Better Git!
Each school team has a call back to use when the whole Corps is assembled. A team member stands up and "declares" (announces to the group his or her name and the school he or she is working at) and the rest of the team yells out this call back. Alexander Mitchell Elementary School's call back is each and every form of "git" you can think of. It started because one of our teammates, Jeff, saw a youtube video about some hillbilly thinking Big Foot was in his backyard and it has evolved to be so many things to us. Definitely one of those City Year-isms.
I introduce "GIT!" because I want to introduce my team. They are becoming my family here and I'm really proud to be serving and working (and eating and complaining and exploring and everything else) with them.
Will is our Team Leader. (TL: remember I said there would be a lot of acronyms?) He is 19, South-Korean American, graduated from high school in a Milwaukee suburb, and has served one year with City Year in San Jose, California. He is an unbelievable listener, very real, and has insight to rival Mamichou.
Sovannra is 24 and has a BFA for Costuming (and something else, though it escapes me at the moment). She has this really cool tattoo of a thunder cloud with a lightening bolt through it raining three little pink hearts on her neck, which the kids find endlessly impressive. Her heart is open and she is anxious to connect with her class, as we all are.
Tia is 21, from Milwaukee, and has an excellent mohawk-ish haircut. She writes constantly and I love to listen to her read her words aloud to us. Her laugh is infectious.
Jerrion is from southern Illinois and he's 22-ish. He's black but has beautiful, piercing blue-green eyes and speaks slowly, with a half-drawl. I love that Jerry is very upfront about politeness and that he loves my snickerdoodle cookies. :-)
Rachel is Filipina-American, adorable, and sassy. She grew up in West Bend, WI, speaks Tagalong and some Spanish, so she is in a bilingual class. Her iPhone has come in handy bunches of times when we need to check bus schedules, as has her realism when I need to escape CY life for a moment.
Jeff is 18, from Baltimore, MD. He plays more instruments than can remember and can be both hilarious and very introspective, which make him easy to relate to despite the college gap.
Angela just graduated from UW-Madison with me, May 2010, with a degree in Theatre and African Studies. She studied in Ghana for a semester and wears a bracelet made of beads of the Ghanaian flag every day. She is truly sweet and a nationally recognized Bavarian dancer.
Last in Nano, nee Nathaniel, my neighbor and boyfriend of Tory (a girl, just to be clear), also my neighbor and a good friend. Nano graduated from Seattle University with a degree in Creative Writing and is from Burlington, Vermont. We bonded over knowing the locations of the only two Dobra Tea Rooms in the country, and through his awesome beagle Finch.
Voila the City Year team of Mitchell Elementary. Now git 'em!
I introduce "GIT!" because I want to introduce my team. They are becoming my family here and I'm really proud to be serving and working (and eating and complaining and exploring and everything else) with them.
Will is our Team Leader. (TL: remember I said there would be a lot of acronyms?) He is 19, South-Korean American, graduated from high school in a Milwaukee suburb, and has served one year with City Year in San Jose, California. He is an unbelievable listener, very real, and has insight to rival Mamichou.
Sovannra is 24 and has a BFA for Costuming (and something else, though it escapes me at the moment). She has this really cool tattoo of a thunder cloud with a lightening bolt through it raining three little pink hearts on her neck, which the kids find endlessly impressive. Her heart is open and she is anxious to connect with her class, as we all are.
Tia is 21, from Milwaukee, and has an excellent mohawk-ish haircut. She writes constantly and I love to listen to her read her words aloud to us. Her laugh is infectious.
Jerrion is from southern Illinois and he's 22-ish. He's black but has beautiful, piercing blue-green eyes and speaks slowly, with a half-drawl. I love that Jerry is very upfront about politeness and that he loves my snickerdoodle cookies. :-)
Rachel is Filipina-American, adorable, and sassy. She grew up in West Bend, WI, speaks Tagalong and some Spanish, so she is in a bilingual class. Her iPhone has come in handy bunches of times when we need to check bus schedules, as has her realism when I need to escape CY life for a moment.
Jeff is 18, from Baltimore, MD. He plays more instruments than can remember and can be both hilarious and very introspective, which make him easy to relate to despite the college gap.
Angela just graduated from UW-Madison with me, May 2010, with a degree in Theatre and African Studies. She studied in Ghana for a semester and wears a bracelet made of beads of the Ghanaian flag every day. She is truly sweet and a nationally recognized Bavarian dancer.
Last in Nano, nee Nathaniel, my neighbor and boyfriend of Tory (a girl, just to be clear), also my neighbor and a good friend. Nano graduated from Seattle University with a degree in Creative Writing and is from Burlington, Vermont. We bonded over knowing the locations of the only two Dobra Tea Rooms in the country, and through his awesome beagle Finch.
Voila the City Year team of Mitchell Elementary. Now git 'em!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Alexander Mitchell Integrated Arts Elementary School is in the hood. The barrio? A "bad" neighborhood.
I love it.
Today was the official first day of school, our third day in the building, and the students' first day back. It was chaos but within half an hour of our class being in the room I was in love. This year is going to be so, so tough but just as rewarding and that's a great sentiment to have on the first day. There are 27 students in my sixth grade class: 10 girls and 17 boys, which is abnormally unequal. I'm wondering if the extra testosterone will make for a more hostile classroom environment. Two students quickly proved to be the most challenging--Austin, whose right arm and attitude are broken and Enrique, who so obviously wants attention and needs serious medication but only gets it periodically for reasons that have yet to manifest. My favorite students of the day: Joshua, a very small, very quiet boy with dark, sad eyes who is soft-spoken but very respectful; and Azalea, a girl who proudly told her friend she wanted to go to Hamilton College upon hearing that I went to UW-Madison. How she knows about Hamilton I have yet to find out, but she seems really spunky and bright. We're going to get along great.
This afternoon was spent perusing the neighborhood. Most signs in store windows are all in Spanish and most store owners spoke primarily Spanish. Again I wished I had taken both French and Spanish, but as a team we talked about getting a copy of Rosetta Stone. Anyways. The neighborhood is run-down, but people were so friendly. I love that kind of meandering exploration. We went into a bakery about two blocks from school and I was in heavennn!! So many pastries and breads, homemade churros, and the lady behind the counter only spoke Spanish and doesn't take plastic. Between the nine of us we split a pastry made with sweet potato (two of my favorite things combined!? How have I not known about camotes!?!), a coconut cookie (another favorite!), pound cake, and some kind of pastry with a marscapone-like cheese. If nothing else, I will learn enough Spanish to ask for those recipes and make them myself. Also, there are frequently men pushing ice cream carts with lots of bells on them in the street which reminds me of Nicaragua or maybe Morocco. We talked to one man today, in Spanglish, and he was so freaking friendly. We also found these chips called Takis, rolled corn chips with different spices. Fuente, aka chili pepper with lime, and guacamole were our successful purchases.
So what I've learned from the barrio today: the food is great.
And I want to go finish the guacamole Takis before bed. :-)
I love it.
Today was the official first day of school, our third day in the building, and the students' first day back. It was chaos but within half an hour of our class being in the room I was in love. This year is going to be so, so tough but just as rewarding and that's a great sentiment to have on the first day. There are 27 students in my sixth grade class: 10 girls and 17 boys, which is abnormally unequal. I'm wondering if the extra testosterone will make for a more hostile classroom environment. Two students quickly proved to be the most challenging--Austin, whose right arm and attitude are broken and Enrique, who so obviously wants attention and needs serious medication but only gets it periodically for reasons that have yet to manifest. My favorite students of the day: Joshua, a very small, very quiet boy with dark, sad eyes who is soft-spoken but very respectful; and Azalea, a girl who proudly told her friend she wanted to go to Hamilton College upon hearing that I went to UW-Madison. How she knows about Hamilton I have yet to find out, but she seems really spunky and bright. We're going to get along great.
This afternoon was spent perusing the neighborhood. Most signs in store windows are all in Spanish and most store owners spoke primarily Spanish. Again I wished I had taken both French and Spanish, but as a team we talked about getting a copy of Rosetta Stone. Anyways. The neighborhood is run-down, but people were so friendly. I love that kind of meandering exploration. We went into a bakery about two blocks from school and I was in heavennn!! So many pastries and breads, homemade churros, and the lady behind the counter only spoke Spanish and doesn't take plastic. Between the nine of us we split a pastry made with sweet potato (two of my favorite things combined!? How have I not known about camotes!?!), a coconut cookie (another favorite!), pound cake, and some kind of pastry with a marscapone-like cheese. If nothing else, I will learn enough Spanish to ask for those recipes and make them myself. Also, there are frequently men pushing ice cream carts with lots of bells on them in the street which reminds me of Nicaragua or maybe Morocco. We talked to one man today, in Spanglish, and he was so freaking friendly. We also found these chips called Takis, rolled corn chips with different spices. Fuente, aka chili pepper with lime, and guacamole were our successful purchases.
So what I've learned from the barrio today: the food is great.
And I want to go finish the guacamole Takis before bed. :-)
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