Rebecca Guess/Service Learning

I started my service learning this week at College Park Elementary. It was…..interesting. The kids were switching classes between another teacher, so I still have no idea as to which kids belong where regularly. I felt very abandoned because as soon as I walked through the door the teacher passed me a list of names and papers and said, “Here, take these kids one by one and give them this fluency test”. For a moment I think I stared stupidly at her while processing the information. I know nothing about kids and here I was being given the task of grading their reading.

The children were as good as one could expect and I did encounter one student who was more interested in anything else but the reading. I soon realized why when she began, she could barely read. I really believe that she didn’t want to start and delayed me as much as she could.

I also volunteer at Forest High in Mr. Y’s class. While College Park treats me as though I’m their aide to do what they want with no help for my own growth, Mr. Y is all about helping me gain a better understanding of what to expect. He’s blunt and spent time guiding me through the online attendance records as well as his own grading procedures. I got to see him teach a student about a project they were doing as well as witness an Autistic student that attends his class. I feel as though Forest is more beneficial as the staff is much friendlier and the teachers are SO much more helpful.