Educational Experiences Part 2

So I gave it a great deal of thought.
Much more than what I shared with you yesterday. (Part 1 was yesterday, scroll down and read them in reverse order if you wanna...)

I would like the kids to have some sort of journal.
I would not have thought of it on my own, either. So I appreciate the idea, and I'm glad I figured out a way to implement it without a great deal of pain or upheaval or kids comparing themselves to others.

Our journal will be a reminder of what they've done over the school year in my program, and something we can show to interested parties as a physical demonstration of engagement and educational value.

But generally, the people who propose these ideas have little understanding of what I do on a daily basis. They don't know what a typical afternoon looks like at Casa Mental, Inc... how could they?

So I'm going to do it. My way.

After writing a condensed version of my thoughts and sending them via email, my manager is getting me a post bound scrapbook and some supplies. I have many supplies already, and Tami has generously offered a bunch more. (I know that's no surprise to any of you... her generosity.)

As I pointed out in that email to my manager, getting the kids' thoughts and ideas on paper is the important thing, not who the scribe is. There isn't any reason I can't interview kids or let other kids interview them and get some of their thoughts and conversations on paper. I have several projects that lend themselves to this effort. The kids are already allowed to borrow my personal camera ("Wrist strap on first, please.") and take photos of the things they're working on and creating. It's a small step for me to ask them about it and jot down their thoughts. I have no issue with printing them out at home or asking my manager to print them at the office. Even the least-coordinated of my small ones can use the paper edging scissors and make a nice page.

We have many discussions during the course of our afternoons. Mornings, too, although between having a child with some anger issues and everyone being sleepy, mornings aren't as... cerebral as I'd like.

But I've worked hard to build a specific feeling in my program. The feeling that each person in the group is of importance, and that we all work together to make it a good place to be.

I have tried to keep the inevitable academic competitiveness out, the comparisons of who's 'better' at something. Yes, they're exposed to those things, and I think ideas like that have their place. But NOT in my little group. I want every single child who spends time there to leave after feeling the stresses of their day evaporate. I want them to enjoy what they're doing so much that they can't wait to come back. I want them to realize they're important, valued, and interesting on an individual basis.

With those feelings in mind, and with the past experience of previous attempts at journals, I think what I've come up with will work. Every child will own what we're doing. I'll make sure that everyone has at least two pages they can take home with them at the end of the school year. Meanwhile, as our journal grows, it will be displayed on the table near the door for parents and other family members to look through when they visit. Corporate visitors and management will enjoy looking too, I'm sure.

I know some kids will enjoy creating more than others, and that's usually fine and accepted. People don't seem to feel awkward about that.

They universally love having their pictures posted. "I took that one! Mom!! Look!!"
The parents appreciate seeing photos of their kids in action. And it's a small step for me to add some words and/or ask for volunteers to write them down.

I will interview each child for the book, too. We have some large, poster sized 'All About Me' sheets that they recently enjoyed creating, and I will incorporate some of the questions and answers from those, too.

So it's turned out to be something I can do and enjoy.

One of my coworkers is um, less than pleased about the journal idea, but I think she hasn't had time to consider all the aspects. Having a corporate person who hasn't ever done your job decide for you what you need to do *in* that job can feel less-than-supportive, but I don't think that's the intention at all. I see the reasoning behind it, and the ideas are sound.

I'm hoping that getting it all written down like this will be helpful to me later on when I get visitors at my site who are interested in how their ideas are being implemented at the program level.

And you thought all I did was babysit. :)