Becky Zerr's Blog
High School 101 / 10.23.08, 07:35 AM
It’s hard to know where to begin in my description of yesterday. Chaotic. Exciting. Overwhelming. Intimidating.
After submitting paperwork, waiting, making phone calls, re-submitting paperwork, leaving countless voicemails at the district office, and waiting some more, I finally started volunteering at Carver High School yesterday! I had planned to volunteer with the Counseling Department, but after talking with the head counselor, it became clear that the teachers are in greater need of help than she is. I obviously want to be volunteering where there is need, so I was okay with being assigned to a classroom. In fact, I’m probably more excited to work in the classroom because it will give me the opportunity to see the same students over and over.
I spent part of the morning with the head counselor. I helped her administer a state assessment to some of the students. There were approximately 25 kids in the classroom and I can honestly say that only 5 of them put forth their best effort. Some “finished” the whole test in 3 minutes while others refused to even open the test booklet. It was a little disheartening to see how little the students cared or were willing to put forth the effort to do the exam. After the assessment, I went to Ms. Erman’s classroom.
On Tuesdays, I’m going to be working in Ms. Erman’s math classes. She is fresh out of college and is at Carver High School with Teach for America. The year has been very challenging for her in that she’s found it nearly impossible to teach when there are so many behavioral problems that need to be addressed. Despite her best efforst, she faces a lot of disrespect. All of the teachers do. Students will get up and just leave in the middle of class. They are constantly talking and it’s all she can do to get them to face forward in their seats much less listen to the math lessons. Ms. Erman expressed how relieved she was to just have another set of hands and eyes in the classroom. I hope to be able to be an encouragement to her- a light in the midst of the chaos swirling around her.
As someone who has been to high school, I foolishly assumed that I knew what to expect. After only one day at the school, all expectations and preconceived ideas have been thrown out the window. I can already tell that it’s going to be challenging. I don’t totally know how to interact with the students or gain their respect, but I do know that I’m called to love them. It’s easy to throw around that word. I need to remind myself of what that truly means before I go back to the school again on Thursday.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves. Love never fails.” 1 Cor. 13:5-8
I pray for the strength to love like this.
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