Busy

Things are starting to get really busy here, so if I don't seem to posting as much there's probably several different reasons for that. School continues to be going well. I'm enjoying the time I spend with my kids and I have a few that have taken a great liking to me. It's also cool to have kids outside of the program constantly begging to be pulled out as well. And to top it off, I'm pretty sure there are a couple of girls that aren't in the program that have a crush on me. It's very flattering.

Last Friday we had our first wall climb. There weren't a lot of kids who showed up, but those that did, loved it and can't wait until the next one. I think the kids that decided not to go or couldn't are wishing they would've, because they've heard from those that did that it was a blast.

It does appear that things will continue to get more hectic in the next couple of weeks. This week we have parent-teacher conferences as well as an in-service on Friday. Our team is in the midst of planning for the after-school program. We're not running after-school, but we are creating a few clubs of our own and will be helping some of the teachers with their programs. I'm starting a strategy games club in which I hope to teach kids how to play games like chess, checkers, cribbage and a few other games. I'm hoping that playing some of these games will promote better critical thinking skills. I'm a little nervous that I won't have a lot of kids interested, but even if a few show up, I'll be happy to teach them and play with them. I won't be starting until after Thanksgiving. I'm also hoping to start a Blues Club at some point after we get back from winter break, but it's a work in progress and something that I would prefer to work with a teacher because I'm not comfortable enough with the material to feel like I can teach it well.

As if my regular duties weren't enough, I've decided to be a part of the planning committee for the MLK weekend events. At this point we're only meeting once a week, but as the day gets closer I'm sure it will be a lot more work. I'm looking forward to taking part in planning a bigger event like the MLK weekend.

So there you have what I'm up to and what I'll be up to for the next several weeks. I will be home at Thanksgiving and it looks like I'll be able to leave town at 2:00 on Wednesday. Father George and I should arrive in time for the party on Wednesday night unless we get held up for some reason. I'm very excited for Thanksgiving and can't wait to see everyone and fill them in on more of the details of how things are going in St. Louis.

See y'all soon.

Another One Moves

Everything has been going pretty well at school, aside from one thing. I started the year with 7 kids and already I'm down to 5. 2 of my students have transferred to another school because they had to move. The latest one to leave, Herbert, is especially disappointing for me. This past Sunday I called all of the kids parents to introduce myself, tell them a little more about the program and to see if they had any questions. When I talked to Herbert's dad, he was very excited to hear that Herbert was going to get some extra attention. The impression I got from his dad was that he thought this was a great opportunity for Herbert. Unfortunately, for reasons I'm unaware of, there family is moving and Herbert will be transferring schools.

I talked to Herbert a little bit about having to move and he didn't sound real excited. There might be some good that comes of moving though for him, because I think he's currently labeled by both teachers and students as kind of slacker. I'll admit that he doesn't always put forth the best effort, but when everyone thinks you're a slacker, I think you're much more likely to slack. When I worked with him on some of his work, I was surprised at his work. It was by know means perfect, but when we worked together he showed a lot of potential to succeed. He also has that characteristic that all the other kids like him. He doesn't show that he wants to be a leader, but I was hoping that by working with him this year that he would come to fill the role of a leader both in the classroom and outside of school.

Before he left yesterday, I took the time to write him a quick note to dispense my last bit of wisdom before he moves on. I really hope he takes my advice to heart and stays on the right path. It's amazing how in such a short time I've already felt that I'm at least planting the seed of change in some of these kids.

I guess I can only hope I don't lose any more, but that's hardly a guarantee. In the meantime, I'll be keeping my eye out for other possible "mentees" in the 6th grade, but I don't want to pick too quickly so it might be a couple of weeks before I find a new student.