2nd time at Boys and Girls clubs

Wow, I had a ton of fun at the park with the Hawks. The bus was broken so we couldn't complete the expected DragonFly project at the farm. I was impressed with the ability of staff to innovate and figure something else to do. I accompanied the staff and volunteers to a small park behind the community police station. Miss Sheri, another educator, and Mr. Curtis the farm owner conducted 3 mini-lessons to the kids before they could play on the playground.

1. Baby potatoes, seed potatoes and how potatoes grow from the "mama" potato
2. How to say your name when asked by a teacher or some one in authority. "My name is....Scott McCloud."
3. How to spell your name accurately when asked. For example, I would have to spell my name by saying, " Capital S, cee, oh, tee, tee, capital M, cee, Capital C, ell oh, you, dee."

My thoughts and fears before this first engagement paused and retrenched my opinions of this activity. Like many humans, any new experience with an institution and community that has already been established elevates my anxiety. They have a way of doing things and a way of looking at the world. As a stranger, I am either going to blend in and minimize disruption to the existing community or I am going to upset the apple cart so to speak. I absolutely was afraid that I would be an unwelcome intrusion even though I was part of an expected group. This tension between wanting to be successful in the endeavor and not wanting to be a disruption to the existing norm is important for teachers to monitor and work through.

Miss Sheri and Mr. Curtis put their stamp on the kids. They had specific objectives and behaviors that they expected and where not shy about pushing the Hawks to perform. I want to get to this level of comfort and authority, but will never have the time with these students to pull this off with affection rather than autocratic rule. It was clear that the Hawks liked the staff and volunteers. Especially Mr O.

I am going to continue with the Hawks and the dragonfly project on Tuesdays and Thursdays.