Summer 2015: The Season of Teaching Moments

I think I touched on the biggest lesson I learned was that I absolutely do not have it in me to be a teacher. When I was younger, I occasionally thought about being a teacher. Not necessarily as a career but definitely something I wanted to get the chance to do. Man oh man! This experience has been exhausting and overwhelming. I knew that it would be difficult but I kept a very optimistic outlook on the then upcoming weeks. Now looking back I don't think that that was a good decision. Not to say that I shouldn't have been optimistic at all, but I should not have thought that there would not be many behavioral problems in my class. Through those trying times with the students, I have found that I won't be teacher. I'll maybe teach a few things here and there but for the most part I will not be doing it often. My personality does not allow for that. I knew that there would be a high chance that I would not be able to accommodate all students in the area of learning because I think in a way that they can't connect with. My mind takes shortcuts. I think most adult minds take shortcuts. I had never had too much experience explaining an exact process and when I did it made no sense to others. That is also what was challenging. Overall, I don't want to teach students unless it is in college. Perhaps as I get older I may gain more tools and knowledge on ways to use my thought process to benefit future young students.

Students. Kids. I have solidified my idea that kids no matter how young or small are people. 'People' to most of us seem to think that that term only includes 'adults'. It seems to be kids are 'kids' before they are people. Babies are babies instead of tiny people that need bigger people to help them grow. Kids are people. That means not every kid you meet will be likable simply because their personality does not meet yours on a favorable level. There were kids in the camp that I hadn't wanted to converse with or get to know more about. It sucks, but it is the truth. It did not stop me from teaching some of them or interacting with them. It made me more confident in the fact that kids are people. Kids are people with a bit less structure in a few areas. They are blunt and don't have a filter. As people get older, they are taught to keep things to themselves and to filter what comes out of their mouth. And this idea that kids are people explain why some teachers just can't be objective when they teach. They take a student's personality and begin to shape and mold the way they see their work. I have experienced this so many times. Both positively and negatively. It astounds me. It is completely unfair. It is not impossible to be objective, but I know it can be difficult. If only more teachers could take it into consideration. Camp has made me understand teachers a bit more and really see the relationship and nature of teacher and student.

It's been quite an insightful summer. Since I have a much better idea of how to handle children that have difficulty with behavior I am not as hesitant to consider being a counselor again.  It's been real. A teaching moment indeed.

A Look Back

My summer with SuperKids taught me many lessons.  One of the biggest was about all of the contributing factors that play a role in making a classroom fun.  Learning can and should be fun.  I believe, and have witnessed, that the two can go hand-in-hand and the effects can be tremendous.

 

I was lucky to work with some amazing people this summer, kids and staff.  My site staff did an excellent job of ensuring everyone was part of the team.  I am very appreciative of that fact.  Teamwork makes dream work, and my site worked very well together.  Even when I had a challenging day with the campers, I knew that I could depend on the staff for a pick-me-up.

Not just my site, but the other interns as a whole were very helpful.  It was great participating in a cohort where we could share our similar experiences.  Our weekly meetings were something that I consistently looked forward to, not to mention the delicious food.

Being in front of a class, even for just the summer, is an experience I will never forget.  This was my first authentic teaching experience and I learned so much about both the practice and myself.  It is incredible all that goes into making a positive classroom experience.

In terms of myself, I learned the true benefit of being patient, particularly with kids.  In terms of the practice, I learned the vital need of personal connection.  As the summer progressed my class and I become more and more invested in one another.  Because of that, problems that I had in the opening weeks soon began to naturally fall by the wayside.

I thought it would be difficult, but I never could imagine how hard it would be to leave my class, especially a week early.  I would have loved to see them at the camp graduation.  However, I do know that I will never forget my summer spent with Superkids.  For a few weeks, I was a teacher, a friend, and a superhero.  That fact is something I will never forget.

When It Feels Right...

This time last summer, I was so relieved. I had just finished my 12 week internship program at an insurance company and I had officially decided that being in a cubicle all day every day was not the job for me. I knew that whatever job I had this summer would have to be creative or with children.

With SuperKids, I got both. Despite the fact that every day I came home dead tired, frustrated, and hungry, each morning I woke up at the crack of dawn eager to get in my classroom and spend time with my 12-14 campers. It didn't matter that I would spend more of my morning telling them to sit down and listen so we could finish the lesson and go outside. It didn't matter that I'd be constantly interrupted by "Miss Diamond, can I go to the bathroom?", "Miss Diamond, is it time to go outside?", "Miss Diamond, he won't leave me alone!" for six hours.

No matter how many headaches and sore throats I developed. No matter how many times I felt like I was inadequate and I was failing at teaching the kids anything much less giving them an enjoyable, super summer, I truly enjoyed each and every day of my internship this summer.

Getting to know each of my kids and watching them learn and grow together was so heartwarming, as well as getting to work with the staff team at Medfield. This has truly been one of my favorite summers. I have learned and grown so much in terms of how I work with other people, what teachers go through on the daily basis, and who I am as a person.

When I ended my internship last summer I was desperate to work with kids again, thinking that that is the work I truly loved.

I was right.

Do You.

My biggest takeaway from this internship this summer is: don't be afraid to be yourself. 

As I've said in a couple blog posts and during the dinners, I have a big heart for people. I want people--child or adult--to feel loved, heard, and wanted. I found myself denying my class and other kids at my site one of my greatest gifts. I found myself to be a bit more stoic and colder toward the kids than I normally am in my everyday life. Instead of allowing my compassion and easy-goingness flow out of me, I feel I was more rigid. 

It's hard to pin point exactly why I acted in this way, but it is almost like a reflex. A survival tactic, if you will. Because of my strong sense of love for people, I can sometimes feel overwhelmed with how to express it in a way that the other will appreciate. So instead of acting on it, I shut down. I feel in many instances with the kids, I would "shut down" and wasn't totally myself. 

I can actually be pretty silly and goofy as well, but I feel I didn't show enough of this side of me either. I'll spare you the details of 'why' for the sake of not wanting to ramble on too much and make this post too long. However, I do feel as though my kids could have benefited if I did reveal that part of me more.

Nonetheless, I am intentionally making the effort to learn to be more comfortable with having a big heart and wearing said big heart on my sleeve.

It was definitely a difficult summer. Admittedly, there were some days I did not want to get out of bed in the morning for work and days where I wasn't totally mentally checked into my class. But there indeed were days that were less stressful and I felt confident in my "counselor/inter" abilities. And though I feel I was not 100% myself during the camp, there are no regrets, just lessons learned and mental notes taken to help me later on. 

Brief Reflection

I honestly don't know how to begin explaining my SuperKids experience . This has been one of the most difficult , yet life changing summers of my life thus far . The kids are truly a blessing and I have learned so much about myself , and kids in general just by being in their presence , observing them .

My biggest lesson from SuperKids is that no experience is a bad one . What I mean by this is that every job experience is different . Some may be the perfect match , other experiences may totally not be the fit for you , but ALL will be a learning experience . Each experience will teach you something new whether it being what you want to do , or what you know for sure you don't want for your future career .

As I'm looking back on the past 6 weeks , it was truly a journey . A long , challenging , and demanding job ... but also very rewarding . I loved my summer with SuperKids and I would love to do it again !

Final Reflection

During my time at SuperKids Camp I have learned much, not only about children and teaching but also about myself.  I have really come to appreciate all of the hard work that teachers do day in and day out, whether it be managing a classroom, comforting a crying child, or all of the late evenings spent preparing the classroom or curriculum for the next day.  Also, I have come to realize how much patience it requires to be a teacher and work with children.

That being said, I believe that my greatest takeaway from SuperKids Camp is what I have learned about myself.  As a counselor intern this summer, I discovered how flexible I can be in a teacher's position: I have the capacity to take directions as well as give them; I can be patient and understanding, but also firm and disciplinary; and also, importantly, I can be fun and silly but also serious and diligent.  Overall, I believe that teaching with SuperKids this summer has provided me with many new skills, as well as helping me to realize skills that I already possessed.  It has been a great summer, and I will never forget the opportunity.

Reflecting on SuperKids 2015

What have you learned from your summer with SuperKids Camp? What has been your biggest lesson learned or take away?

Venomous snake

One thing that I've known for as long as I can recall is that I love children.

Every day I am faced with some sort of predicament that requires fast thinking to respond and approach appropriately. These predicaments may be not having the correct lesson plan at the start of the classroom instruction, a child being bullied by their classmates or a negative comment made by someone to myself. Each of these has the ability to hinder a person from performing at their highest potential.

I feel that my experience as a Counselor Intern at SuperKids Camp has made my claim extremely evident to where I am no longer sure that I want to be a teacher in the future.  I have a student that comes to class everyday in hopes of gaining every campers attention as best as possible. The moment I tell him to sit quietly away from his group for a few minutes, he shuts down and no longer wants to listen to me for the remainder of the day.

Now to the explanation of my Blog post title "Venomous snake". We all know that being bitten by a venomous snake can have its consequences and at times they may be fatal. A venomous snake has the ability to shut down the entire nervous system of its prey causing them to be immobile or less able to move and function as normal. Something a child says to another, their morning prior to camp and possibly my form of discipline can serve as that venom that causes a child to shut down for the day. I do not wish for any child's home life or social issues to be the reason for a child to not flourish and learn as they should.

Change One Thing

If I could change one thing about SuperKids camp It would be the amount of preparation before going into the camp. I found myself a little overwhelmed in the very beginning of the camp experience because of lack of materials needed for teaching the curriculum (Especially the EE). I was told to be flexible throughout camp, and in my opinion I did my very best. But It is hard to be flexible when you don't have the lesson that you have to teach but 24 hours or often the morning of the camp day. I was often finding myself panicking reading through an entire script for the first time in front of the kids feeling unsure of myself and hoping that they wouldn't catch on to my uncertainty.

In summary I would like maybe a couple of lesson plans in advance. Just so I have more time to read through it, and think of fun activities and extra things I would like to teach to the students, before the day has already started. 

Other than that, I slowly got the hang of most things toward the end of this camp experience, and I have certainly made it work in the classroom. I look forward to other successful years in the future.

future plan

     Being a part of super kids camp this summer has made me want to take a different route as to where I would like to start teaching.  For the longest time I was very certain that Baltimore City was where I wanted to teach and also was one of the ways I wanted to give back to my community.  However being in the camp without having any experience in teaching or classroom management have made me realize that maybe I should gain more experience with teaching before I decide to work in a Baltimore City school. 
     My plan was to graduate from my college with a major in Human Development and then get certified through an alternative program, but being in SuperKids Camp it makes me wonder exactly how effective I will be by being thrown into a classroom full of city students who may be similar to the ones that I have now or dealing with situations or attitudes worse than the ones I have now.
     I believe that once I get more experience,  and learn more about myself,  such as my teaching style, different classroom management techniques,  etc. I Believe that I will Be Closer To being able to handle and teach in one of the most high needs areas. Once I have set a foundation for myself,  I will be able to work around what I already know and add onto or take away from the techniques I have used. 

How has your experience with SuperKids Camp influenced your future plans, career or otherwise?

At first coming into SuperKids I had my mind made up that I would never be a teacher ( Still I have my doubts ) . Now , 5 weeks into the SuperKid counselor position I can say my perspective on teaching has changed tremendously . Being a teacher is a very difficult task , from children depending on you for all the answers to the very same children being inquisitive themselves , asking questions you didn't prepare to answer . I have the upmost respect for teachers after this summer for the jobs that they do . It is far from easy , but it so impacting , and rewarding seeing the end results . I originally came into SuperKids just to get experience being in front of a group of diverse children , in order to gain skills that I might need in my future occupation as a behavioral consultant . Being a counselor has definitely enforced my preference to deal with children in smaller numbers , but it has also opened my mind to all of the ways I can possibly help children with and the daily issues children of this age deal with and how they solve them (which will help me to find ways to help further)

Personal Insights

My time with SuperKids has provide me with an experience that I can draw significant insight into both myself and who I plan to be.

 

In terms of career choice, I have always felt drawn to the field of education.  To enter this field, my first planned step has been to teach after I graduate from college.  SuperKids has shown me some of the universal aspects of effective teachers.  I have seen at camp, and notice in my own personal experience, the profound effect that energy, creativity and personal connection can bring to a classroom.  These 3 qualities are solid starting points that I can build upon. In the future, I will remember these lessons so that I may be the best instructor that I am able to be. 

Another future plan that I have learned about through SuperKids doesn’t involve classroom teaching at all.  My experience has taught me that not all forms of education come in the form of school.  The non-profit sector is doing incredible work in the field of education, not to mention the fact that my experience is possible because of the efforts of a non-profit.  I believe that non-profit work could provide me with a unique experience while still allowing me to pursue work in my chosen field.  I haven’t researched the educational non-profit world much, but I am more than willing to do so now.  Work this sector could provide a viable alternative to traditional classroom teaching.

SuperKids has had a profound effect on me, particularly in terms of future plans and career choice.  I hope to continue to gain even more insight as my time draws to a close.  

Career Plans.

How has your experience with SuperKids Camp influenced your future plans, career or otherwise? 
My experience at super kids has inspired my to give more back to community. I am a political science major and I would love to use my resources that I would gain through work to give back to schools and help develop and build schools in my community and back home in Ethiopia. Working with children has helped my develop leadership skills and also help me fix things within myself that needed adjustment. I am glad to say that this job has helped me develop more than I can imagine. It is very inspiring to work with children because of their energy and how bright they truly are. I hope to help children continuously throughout my life. 

Lessons Learned From SuperKids Camp

How has your experience with SuperKids Camp influenced your future plans, career or otherwise?

I don't even have to think about my answer for this question. I felt my plans for the future slowly slip away as I got through each week of camp. Before camp started I wanted to be able to teach after years of immersing myself in the world of theatre. I wanted to teach theatre and perhaps music. What I have learned from this experience is that teaching is not easy. I never thought it would be from the beginning but seeing it firsthand solidified that fact. I have the youngest campers on the lowest level and that has been overwhelming. For one, they have so much energy for being up so early and they also have only one thing on their mind! (Let's go outside! Can we go outside? I want to go outside. When are we going outside? What are we going to do outside?) Everything I have gotten to witness as a counselor and teacher has given me a new view on the teacher plans. I now know that I will not be able to teach any kid under 10 (at least in large groups) and that I would most likely prefer to work with high schoolers when it comes to theatre. Nevertheless, I am grateful for the time I have had at camp. There's always a first time for everything and this was quite a first. 

If I could change SuperKids...

If I could change anything about SuperKids Camp, it would probably be that the classes at a particular site do not get enough of a chance to interact with each other; as a result, all of the kids at one school/site do not get the chance to get to know each other as well, and are mostly limited to their respective classes and teachers.  I would change this by mixing up or combining the classes during enrichment activities, so that the kids are placed with a new group for enrichment and they (as well as the teachers) get a chance to work together.

Never Enough Time

If you could change one thing about SuperKids Camp what would it be and how would you change it?

It's crazy. I know it's a summer camp and I know that we're only supposed to be refreshing and refining these kids' reading and math skills. But, despite knowing this, if I could change anything about SuperKids, it would be to have more time with the kids to go over the lessons and really break down the material in depth with them. I'm only alotted 45 minutes for reading instruction and 30 for math, but it never seems to be enough to really make the material fun and interesting. Too often for me, it feels like I'm giving the kids summer school and not camp.

I feel like if I had more time -- enrichments once a week or every other day -- I could fully engage the children in the lesson. I could give the children the time they want on the playground, play "Big Wind Blows", or even "Around the World" and the spelling games I created for them without feeling like I have to truncate my lesson or their reading time to do so. I think that's what I would change, cutting back on the enrichment time so I could spend just a little more time with my kids and actually feel that they are making progress because of what I'm doing with them.

Compassion in Action

What have you done to integrate you major in college or your interests into SuperKids Camp and why do you think this is important?

When I'm standing in front of my classroom, I don't just see 12 students. I see 12 amazing, little individuals with so much potential, personality, and opportunity within their reach. The same intensity of protection I have my little niece and nephew is the same I have for my campers. Protection from danger, yes, but also from others who may try to tear them down. From those whose mind is too small to see the greatness that lies within them. From those who intentionally or unintentionally speak negativity into their lives. I want to shield them from all of these things.

It's important to have a listening ear as a psychology major, as most people who take on this major are looking to work with people to some capacity. I try to bring this attribute into my classroom.

During the YMCA enrichment, the art instructor gave my class the option to all work on one project together, or for the boys to do something together and the girls do another thing together. It was a resounding uproar for the latter, all except for one girl, Ariyanna. After the class settled down and started to work on their different art projects, Ariyanna approached me.

With a furrowed brow and eyes downturned, she began to share with me why she didn't want to work with the girls. Her points were very valid so I took the time to talk with her to try to settle her concerns. I'm sure there may have still have been a sense of reluctancy, but she joined her female classmates and started to work on the art project. Her coming to me and voicing her frustrations opened my eyes to some issues that I had overlooked in the classroom. I was thankful that she felt comfortable enough to express herself to me.

It is also important to have an encouraging spirit.

At the end of the day, I have what I call feedback time where I talk to my students as a class about what great things they did that day and things we can improve on the following day. I decided to switch it up one day and do it individually. During the last 15 minutes or so before dismal, I called each student up by themselves and simply took the time to speak life into them. Simple "you're doing such a great job," "I love having you in my class," "you are very attentive during the lesson," made them perk right up. Heads were held a bit higher, shoulders went back, and a smile or two popped up.

As a psychology major it's only fitting that I have a heart of compassion for people and want to help them reach their full potential. One of my desires in life is to make people feel wanted, loved, and heard. I want those around me to feel free to be themselves. I want this for my students.

Blog Questions- by YOU!

Please answer at least one of the following questions that you all came up with as a group:

1. If you could change one thing about SuperKids Camp what would it be and how would you change it?

2. How has your experience with SuperKids Camp influenced your future plans, career or otherwise?

3. What have you done to integrate you major in college or your interests into SuperKids Camp and why do you think this is important?

Happy blogging!

Preconceived notions

What preconceived notions did you have before working with Baltimore City youth? Were they true? How has this influenced your work as a SuperKids Camp counselor?

My notions on the youth of Baltimore City were not as biased as I thought they would be . Growing up in Baltimore City and going to public schools I know the expected behaviors of students . The thing is these same preconceived notions of Baltimore City Youth are the same notions that people make of most children . These assumptions would be they are rowdy , hyper , noisy , they get distracted easily , and they have many behavior problems .  Many other traits would be the same as the traits we listed for a "SuperKid" . My preconceived notions were that Kids will be kids ,and this was indeed true . Some kids will be a joy to work with and others will give you trouble , but that's the job I signed up for so I expected to receive challenges from great to small .

My thinking has helped prepare me for the many obstacles I have overcome thus far and the ones to come . The training sessions with SuperKids has helped mentally ground me , and prepare me for the many things that will be coming my way . I will always remember the traits we worked on together of a "SuperKid" because it changed my perspective on "what is behavior that should be frowned upon in a child ?" .  As a counselor , going over these traits of a typical child cause me to reevaluate what I should instill in my students behavior wide , which is one of the biggest issues in summer camps .

Usually preconceived notions are negative and biased , but my preconceived notions have actually jumped started me positively into being a great SuperKids counselor .

First Chapter?

Honestly I did expect more hardship with dealing with negative behavior even though I have great kids and struggle to manage them now. At my site, even though we do work with inner city kids, I am pretty sure a large amount of our sites campers are well off compared to other inner city kids. It is great seeing how diverse Baltimore can be and to answer the first question I say no, my ideas of inner city kids were not true by observing and working at SuperKids at Friends. As a growing adult I have been influenced to not judge and just experience, I can make a perfect connection to this because last week one of my campers told me he did not like the food. I told him to try it and he said he did and it doesn’t taste good, then I said take another bite and maybe you might change your mind. He did and sure enough he said it’s not bad. Today that same kids ran to me during lunch and said “Look look , I’m almost finished my hotdog!”. It showed me how not to judge a book by its first chapter.