Prompt 1: First Impressions

I have the unique pleasure of actually walking to my school. It is a short mile but this gives me the ability to see the neighborhood around the school. Its quiet and the houses are closely spaced. Then as you come up to the building you could hear children talking behind the fenced in windows. No playground or grass, just signs that say hello in array of different languages. This told me that the school at least has some knowledge of the diversity of their students. The entrance is a nondescript door that has an intercom system so you can name yourself and gain entrance. Just from the outside the school was at least twice the size of my own elementary school in the rural part of the state. It’s dark in the building and has a yellow ting due to the lights. There are narrow pathways leading to rooms, if you walk by to fast you’d miss them completely. The classroom itself is cluttered. That was the only word I know that describes the room as a whole. There are two old blackboards covered in spelling words, numbers along with dozens of other items that I could not focus on because of the sheer sensory overload. There is little color, it is just old looking. The kids sat in groups with minimal space between chairs.
The pure chaos of the students talking, student teacher and teacher shouting to shut up the kids and the children just getting louder, was enough to make me yell stop in my head. It is not working. I would want to reorganize the room. It is a tiny space for the twenty something students, one teacher, one aid and one student teacher and then me. If the information needs to be on the wall maybe having some art either printouts or student work to help cut through all the plainness would gather student’s attention to the important information on the walls. The school values obedience. Even in the hall the teachers are yelling while the students laugh at them and continue what they are doing. It is so obvious that what they are doing now is not working but yet they continue. I realize that it is easy for me to pass judgment on the teachers for shouting at little kids but I don’t have to deal with them on a daily basis. My suggestion would be to try different things, maybe talk to them to come to some sort of agreement that will better both lives. Actually ask the children what they expect to learn in the class and how would they would like to taught. The do not have to put into action what the students are telling them but to try and make things relatable I think would make a world of difference. Over all it seems that they are trying to deal with what they have. What they have is a cramped space with energetic children. It is not an excuse but I know that it adds to the stress. Talk is the best thing the entire school could do. Talk to the students so that learning can be a cooperative event not a singular voice yelling. The two kids I tutor are lovely, understanding and appreciate the help. Only time will tell if what exactly will translate to the children’s success.