LAST DAY ~ LAST POST

Today was my last day with my mentee.  It was bitter sweet.  We read and then played and experimented with magnents.  We then played soccor with the class.  When I told her that today was my last day, she seemed really bummed and said she wanted me to stay, she almost broke my heart.  I would love to stay, but it doesn't work out with my schedule.  I will definitely miss seeing her weekly and reading and laughing with her.  Working with BLAST was a great opprotunity and experience and I am glad I had such an amazing mentee to get to know!! 

My Mentee

I forgot to mention that the students and leaders this week were all very good this week.  No one talked about my mentee like she had a bad attitude, but I am still keeping my eyes and ears open.  I think a reason for this is because the leader they had the week the my mentee got into a bit of trouble was different then this weeks.  Sophia, the leader, is very rigid.  That is not bad, but this week when the class was told that Sophia would be back next week, my mentee was really bummed.  She does not like Sophia, and I've got to say I do not either, and I'm an adult.  I know that the class needs someone strong, but not the way the Sophia is.  I have literally never seen the class as loud and contentious then I did the week Sophia was there.  Oddly enough, I am the only adult who seems to feel that way.  The other mentors think she is good, but me and the kids are dreading her return...(of course I did not vocalize that though!)

May 2

So my mentee was there this week.  She was waiting for me and was ready to read our book.  She did not have any homework due to STAR testing for the next two weeks.  So we read for a way, taking turns and laughing.  After that we decided to work with another mentor and her mentee to make bracelets.  It was fun to work with my mentee on a craft.  We then played soccer and after worked on out bracelets more.  I finished my bracelets faster and so I read to her.  She kept begging me to stay a little longer, so I did for about 15 minutes.  I like to be with her.  She mentioned she liked the bracelet I made so I think I will give it to her on our last meeting, which is next week! 

April 23

This week for my internship my mentee was absent.  I was dissapointed because I was excited to read with her and to observe how other kids in the class and other leaders treated her.  Instead, I worked with another student.  We had a good time reading and playing battleship.  It's come to the point in my internship where I am really getting to know the students in the class and really getting to know my mentee.  I actually enjoy going.  I hope that next week I will be able to spend time with my mentee and see if there is a need for me to address that leaders at the school.

April 21

This week I had a good time with my mentee.  I had not been able to see her for 2 weeks, and I found that I actually missed her.  Each time I am there we work on reading, this week I happen to see a book there that I had read when I was her age.  I think the book is Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Clearly.  We took turn s reading the book and we had a really great time.  We were cracking up, because the kid writing the letters to Mr. Henshaw is really sarcasti and funny.  Anyway, we had a good time reading and laughing.  I was really excited when she asked if I was here for a couple more weeks so we could finish the book together.  What was cool was it seemed like we finally clicked! 

Something that has been bothering me for a few weeks is the way people refer to my mentee.  Before I had even met her, the leaders and other mentors warned me of her attitude and how out of control she can be.  I have yet to see this girl they warned me about.  The girl I mentor is great and funny.  There are times that she gets a little agitated, but from what I have seen, it is when she feels that the leaders are being unjust.  To be honest, I do not blame her, sometimes I am just as annoyed with the leaders as she gets.  Often I can curb her, and so she won't speak out.  Thei where I get to the part that annoys me.  Every kid in the class, and each leader I meet expects her to have an attitude.  Its like because they expect trouble she gives it, or because they expect it that is all they see.  It makes me sad, and defensive of her.  I do see that, what I see is a classroom full of kids who act out, kids with tons of attitude.  What I see is my mentee not being allowed to change.  I want to find a way to chage this perception.  In my family there is a story of my uncle, who, when he was young, would get into trouble.  He would pull all the food off the shelves, could climb up anything and get into anything.  He would hide and watch his family frantically look for him.  Because of this, his parents and family would tell his stories to others.  They called him "John John the Adam Bomb," and thus they created what they did not want.  My Grandma, when she figured out what they were doing, decided to stop.  She and my Grandpa began talking about John in positive ways, telling good stories about him, stopped calling hims "John John the Adam Bomb" and by doing this helped change the kid John had become.  It is the same story with mentee.  If I can show that I expect a great kid, with great attitude, and do so in a postive mannar, then maybe I can help shape her.  But, I need the leaders to got on board with me, meaning I think I need to talk with them.  I, and the leaders, need to be the change we want to see in my mentee.

I hope it will work, I'll keep you guys updated :)

April 14

This weeks class discussion was sad but interesting.  I found it surprising how it has only been in the past 40-50 years where we have seen women being helped and protected and recieving rights.  What made it surprising was the fact that it has been going on for forever.  The clip we watched about the women who has been in jail for 25 years, was really sad to watch.  It was surprising to see the number of women how have been incarcerated due to reasons related to self defense.  I wonder if that is just really hard to prove.  I think there is room for much more improvement and greater rights for abused women.

I did not have BLAST this week because my cite was on spring break.

April 7

This weeks discussion in class were really interesting and controversial.  The reading we did in class on Wednesday was particularly interesting to me.  This document was the proposal made by the Native Americans, petitioning to have Kennewick Man returned to them.  He explained about the beliefs that he and his people believe in and how the government has violating their beliefs as well as the laws protecting Native American traditions and culture.  Although there were many parts about his reasoning that I thought were less then persuasive, nevertheless he made me think.  I thought about the things I believe in based on religion, and I thought about how I would feel to be constantly disregarded like the Native Americans are.  I took a moment to reevaluate myself and how tolerant I was of other religions.  It was a good exercise and helped to recognize that there are many religions, cultures and beliefs out there, that should be respected.