On Monday I finally saw where I would be working at the after school program, and on Tuesday I met the kids! The after school program houses anywhere from 20-30 students per day, with an average of 26. These are students from first through sixth grade with almost an even distribution of students per grade. Within five minutes of the program starting on Tuesday, one little boy had blood pouring out of his mouth. There were three more injuries bad enough to have injury reports conducted that day, including one of my supervisors who broke both bones in her wrist! OUCH!
Through the whole week my car has had a very hot engine. The temperature gauge reads as hot as it can go. Yes, I am very aware driving a car in this condition can damage the engine. I'm taking it in tomorrow to be looked at. The thing is, I had almost the exact same problem five weeks ago and thought I had it fixed. Such is life.
As I've been working at "my" elementary school I've been able to start to get to know some of the students including some of the ones that attend the after school program. As I have been walking through the halls or the lunchroom I'm reminded of one of the benefits of being around elementary school students: all the hugs and "Hi, Miss Julia!" I have also been reminded of the attitudes and meltdowns and crises that are ever-present.
On that note, today I got my first official "I don't care what you say, I'm going to do what I want!" and today was also the first day one of the kids swore in front of me...and a van full of other students. What do I do in that situation? ...in the pouring rain, after all of them have been loaded in and the staff has finally figured out how to shut the van door and all the kids are looking to me to see what I'm going to do? What did I do? Give him my best "teacher look" and told him in a stern voice we were going to talk about it later.
When I've been spinning in the chaos of this week I have been trying to take snapshots in my mind to remember these first few days. I've also been reminding myself that this is where I want to be. This is where I choose to be. Actively choose to be here everyday. I choose to do my best and listen to the universe and learn as much as I can and do my best to smile often, which of course is the one phrase that is universally (Earthly?) understood.
Good for you for finding your teacher voice, Miss Julia!!! Suffice to say that I think you and Sara are going to have a LOT to talk about. Not always easy, is it. And I love your conscious decision to be here now, each day, come what may or may not. Perhaps not evident at first, but this is the path to serenity. Peace!
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