1. The Return of Noe
Noe was a Junior who I worked with back in October, but then decided it would be fun to move to Mexico. Once he got to Mexico, he decided it wasn't really that fun because his school put him in 9th grade instead of 11th. Noe wasn't having that, so he came back....with 3 weeks of the semester left.....and with hardly any work turned in in his classes. I'll see what I can do to change that, but the teachers are also going to have to be very generous in passing him. Though when I worked with him back in the fall, it was clear to me that he was used to doing nothing, and that the teachers expected him to do nothing, now he seems very keen on completing assignments, at least while I'm there with him. He has nearly completed a short essay about a Ray Bradbury story, and he does his math homework diligently every day. Not so sure about what his final numbers will be this semester (honestly, teachers have probably passed him in previous years when he really shouldn't have passed), but hopefully we can get a good start for next semester.
2. Project Bernarda
Bernarda is progressing nicely, still too shy to speak much English, but I know she's learning it....and I learned interesting things about her, like that she really likes spaghetti and cookies, and one of her favorite things to do on the weekends is to go to the Mexican grocery store to buy popcorn and Cup o' noodles. Sounds very authentic.
3. After school
Still loving my 7th graders, though the junior high drama is starting to get to me. Amber doesn't like Randi, and Randi really doesn't like Amber because one time Amber sat next to Randi's boyfriend Ryan. Then Amber told Mackenzie that she didn't like Randi, and Mackenzie blabbed it to Randi.
Not to mention the drama between kids and parents. Sam, who is a very nice girl, and does try to do her work for the most part, was in tears today because, apparently her stepfather is very strict and is under the impression that she has been coming to check in at afterschool, and then go canoodling with boys in the bushes. Literally. Not quite sure where he got that, and also am pretty sure she is not into boys.
Then there are Michael's parents: his dad seems like a deadbeat, and his mom is obese and has a beard...ON HER NECK. Neckbeard really doesn't seem to like to spend time with her kids much, and doesn't seem to understand that Michael is on the basketball team, and that she has to come GET him, we after school people can't just pull him out of practice whenever she wants.
4. Upcoming events
-yet another weekend getaway in Portland to hang out with Kales, Lauren, and Mermelade for at least a day, maybe 2....we're going to try our best to drag Mermelade out to the club with us (there's one particular one that has a BOUNCY FLOOR!). We'll see what happens. Either way, I will obviously be paying Trader Joe's a visit, as is standard on all trips to Portland or Olympia.
-Healthy Cooking night with the after school kids: We're going to try this again after failing in Morton, and hope that if a few of us americorps folk cook with some kids, more families will actually come...I'm not too gung ho about being in charge of this, don't really know how many people to plan for/have never cooked for big groups before, so hopefully it's not a total disaster...either way I really don't want these people to be so fat anymore
-MLK Day of service: next Monday our whole team will be either volunteering on an Organic farm in Olympia, or doing a day of cooking and food education (the latter seems more applicable, but the former seems very much up my alley/would be a nice throwback to last summer)
-Night skiing: we have to take a bunch of kids skiing, at night.... Considering my level of ability in skiing, it should be verrry interesting
-Olympics? There's talk of a trek up to Vancouver, since we're relatively close, to experience the Olympics....we'll see if it happens, but it would be pretty magical
Quote from my favorite SPEDster 7th grader, talking about her weekend to the class:
"I don't really have anything to say--WAIT! Oh my god you guys, I've got to tell you this, and you're probably going to laugh, but anyway. At dinner on Saturday, my mom made me eat FAT. FREE. RANCH. I know! Ew! So now I've decided I'm just eating cereal for the rest of my life."
