I Never Give Up!

Last week class began with the same two eager students, and then 4 joined half way through. One of the kids, Ron, had asked the week before about what the snack was. He remember to come today! That did add logistical challenges, but we just rolled with it. The other teacher had an emergency trip with his dog to the vet, so it was teaching solo time for me.

Class fell three days before Valentine's Day. The art was a banner on which they could write 'Happy Valentine's Day'. The kids traced hearts for each person in their home. We were going to put wads of tissue paper inside each heart, streamers on the bottom, and string on the back to hand on a door nob. Let's just say that I estimated 30 minutes, but we needed 60. Lordy.

(does anyone know how to rotate a photo in the blog?)

One child who is about 10 seemed like a 16 year old, trying to be tough, cool, hard core. (I'll call him Rocky.) He was one of the ones who showed up half way through class and resisted, misbehaved and provided a ripe distraction for the others for what seemed like 90 minutes... I wasn't frazzled, but my patience was stretched.

On my way home I reverted to the thought that is comforting at times, "Being there and teaching is enough, I can feel good about that." But my standards and expectations are so much higher. Having rules that are followed, consequences if they are not, cooperation, kindness, learning, fun and more. It's difficult to stay optimistic on days like today. I wonder if it might not be worth it. I walk away not feeling well suited for the task - focusing on others who are younger and more energetic. I question my abilities, not my motives, but my abilities.

I decided to keep going - to show up next week. There are only a handful of teachers, and thousands of kids who could use an after school or weekend class to focus on kindness, sincerity, truthfulness and to hear inspiring stories about the Central Figures of the Faith.

Our cheer, which was instituted for the kids, is "I have the strength of 10,000 Bengal Tigers. And I never give up!" Well, last week, I needed the chear for me.

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What was the lesson today? Love, Courtesy; we didn't get far, so the plan was to use this lesson the following week.

Virtue: Courtesy

A Good Snack

The class today felt really good. Two of the students who are most eager, and the best behaved were present. Both of us teachers were there, and even though we didn't recruit, we were both stuck in traffic and really only had time to set up the materials to be ready for who ever came.

Our routine of singing We Are Drops, and then singing a prayer, O God! Educate These Children went well, and there was a calm focus in our group of four. Tony chimed in after we were finished with a verse we made up after November 4th, when we all knew who our next president of the United States would be... "Barack Obama, is the President; he's the one, for us all. Come and join us in our quest for unity, it's a way of life for you and me."

I decided to introduce another song, since our singing was uplifting and everyone was on task. The song is Be Like the Earth, which is about humility. (Teaching the concept of 'humility' is one of the most challenging. Have you ever described what humility is?) Everyone liked it, and the other teacher had not heard of it before today either.

The lesson focused letting your soul be free, and not being bound by the fetters of this world. Tony had to leave early, but Zai stayed and was able to memorize the quote. That is extra gratifying for me. It's often chaotic, and we make progress, but no child memorizes the quote for the day. Once again Zai asked to copy the words to the songs. (This is really rewarding too.)

As I was driving home, I saw several kids playing at a nearby park. As I drove by slowly, I recognized a student who used to attend regularly, back when he was in elementary school. So I stopped, backed up, and rolled down the window. Ron shouted, "Hi Allison." I asked how he was doing, and he said, "Fine." Then he asked if class was over today... yes.

The very next thing Ron asked was, "What was snack today?" I described what it was - red liquorice and Valentine's candy - knowing that studies show that the snack is the highest rated part of any extra curricular class for kids... over the art, over the games, over the lesson... over everything. I told him that we're still having class on Wednesdays, and to come next week if he could.

As I drove off I had that content feeling. Contentment from doing enough for class today, contentment from having planned a quality lesson, and contentment from having a good snack.
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What was the lesson today?
Enjoying all that God has put on earth... the beauty of nature, tasty food, friendship, love, etc.
and not being a prisoner of these things

Virtue: detachment

"O My servant! Free thyself from the fetters of this world, and loose thy soul from the prison of self. Seize thy chance, for it will come to thee no more."
~ from the Baha'i Writings

Wow

At our last class there were 9 kids. Attendance is not the main measurement of success to me. A quality lesson, effective classroom management, and the children gaining something would rank right up there as #1 for m. All that's possible with just one student.

There was another teacher there, and we have been consistently working together for several months. This partnership is one of my favorite part of the class. I lean on him, and he leans on me. We accompany each other.

One little girl was there, who had attended a few times in 2008. I'll call her Zai, and she's probably 9. Zai is the youngest of three, and she added, "I'm the good one." Wow. The others are not doing well in school and have discipline problems. It's clear in our class that she is doing very well. She is: helpful, self-disciplined, interested, and helps encourage the others to stay on task.

After we sang, "When you Tell the Truth" she asked if she could copy down the words. Wow. That impressed me. She also remembered to take that paper with her. (Note to self: remember to bring more paper to the next class."

This entry is brief.... but I wanted to enter something after a class of wows that went so well.



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What was the lesson today?

Virtue: Not wasting time; not being slothful.