5th Grade

So yesterday I went to volunteer at a local elementary school. I volunteer in a 5th grade classroom and yesterday was my first day. I was sitting with the teacher doing a reading group, she steps away for a moment and one of the girls (whose name is Precious) looks at me and says "so are you 12?" I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. I told her no I am almost 21 and the 5 of them go "ooooooohh" and just look at each other. I sat there and did the math, and I was 12 when I was in the 6th grade, they thought I was a year older than them, when in reality I am almost twice as old as them.

Needless to say I was surprised that was the only comment I got about my age all afternoon, considering almost all of them are my height or taller.

I really enjoy volunteering in elementary school because I am just fascinated by them, from K to 5. I love just sitting and watching their interactions with one another, I love watching their reactions to things, I love watching them think, (especially Kindergarteners). It makes me think a lot about what I was like when I was that age, what were my thought patterns? I wish I could remember. All I really remember about 5th grade was getting to be a safety patrol officer and "family life" (junior sex-ed).

The teacher asked me what I want to do after I graduate and I just love talking to people about my plan. My plan is to apply for Teach for America this coming Fall and hopefully become a Corps Member. It still surprises me when people don't know what it is, but I guess I am just biased. When you become a Corps Member, you sign on for 2 years. TFA's goal is to eliminate the achievement gap and really bring educational equality. They recruit recent college graduates to work in rural and urban schools in cities all over America. I am just obsessed with this organization because the reason I decided I wanted to become a teacher (Kindergarten particularly) is because as a teacher you are providing those students with the building blocks for their education throughout their lives, you can show them how to love school and learning. With kindergarten, how cool is it that you teach them these basic things they are going to use the rest of their lives? This organization is so awesome to me because it is outrageous that every student in America is required to go to school yet there is such an inequity.

Let me get off my soap-box, but all I can say is I really hope and pray I get the job next year :)