By my third week at BJM, I realized how grateful I was for my visits. I’ve enjoyed every afternoon and have returned to campus refreshed and heartened. I know that our volunteering means a lot to the kids, by the looks on their faces when we arrive, but I can honestly say that it might just mean a little more to me. After a stressful week of classes and studying, it’s always nice to step out and do something else. Being surrounded by the positive and eager energy at BJM only makes my hour away all the more special. And the kids, oh the kids, they never fail to surprise me or bring a smile to my face. They are all so intelligent and talented in their own ways.

This third visit was particularly memorable as I spent the hour drawing and cutting paper in Crafts, surrounded by talkative girls and energetic boys. I had sat down to draw with the girls, but found myself without any markers. I then opted for creating paper snowflakes since it was so close to Christmas. I couldn’t contain my amusement when every single girl at the table slyly followed suit, looking as if they didn’t want me to know that they were also making snowflakes. However, the quiet and shyness only lasted for a moment before they began comparing snowflakes and giving each other tips. All of the sudden, the little girl sitting next to me, who had been closely watching me cut, shook her head and told me I was doing it wrong. I tilted my head and asked for her suggestions. “Here,” she said, taking my snowflake, refolding it and cutting the corners. “There,” she grinned proudly, handing it back to me, “You were doing it all wrong, you know. It wouldn’t have made a very sturdy snowflake.” What a clever girl.

They all loved their snowflakes, smiling widely and thanking me on their way out. Really, I should be thanking them. Not only for helping me make a proper snowflake, but for bringing so much joy into my weeks.

Recently at BMJ, I was in the creators corner like usual, when a little girl named Charlene approached me. “Can you help me with my homework?” This was the first time I was approved for homework. I assisted her in her homework: a page of addition problems. I helped her carry the 1, figure out the units, and count on her fingers. She was ashamed that she wasn’t “that good” at math.  By the end of he homework, she understood the process easier, and was in a bright mood ready to play some games. This was a nice touch, making me feel as if my help on homework, that maybe I once found difficult too, helped save this little girl some stress.

Tutoring students throughout these past few weeks has allowed me to develop friendships with a few of the students. Along with this, it has allowed me to see improvement of their skills, enough that some no longer need extensive help with old concepts. I believe the age difference between myself and the students makes it easier to talk with the students and explain information in a way that works for them. While new concepts will be challenging as they come throughout the year, I think it allows volunteers to know that their help is useful when the students can use the help you have given. Also, not all students learn the same way, so sometimes it can take a few different explanations to figure out how to present information in a way that works. For instance, within a multiplication table, I helped a student to identify patterns and tricks to remember the multiplicative factors.
I have noticed that many of the teachers that stay after school to help with the program have unique relationships with almost all of the students. They are very comfortable and talk as if they were friends, rather than only a teacher-student relationship. This is quite different from what I experienced as a younger student but did relate to when I was in high school. At this point, some teachers do become friends with students and develop unique relationships outside of the classroom.
Overall, these first few weeks at BJM have allowed me to become a better volunteer and tutor.

It was my fourth week on the job. 

I was nervous to see Le Miserablé

Khalil who cut his finger

and had to go home in the cold winter.

But he was not present,

Tools to him likely now quite unpleasant.

 

I watched everyone else real close.

Ready at any moment to interpose.

But it was a fairly quiet day,

With limited opportunity for disarray.

However I did stop this one kid

From trying to paint shut another kid’s eyelids.

As they are wont to do

Waiting for dried up glue.

 

I’m the silent guardian.

I don’t need an audience.

A watchful protector.

BJM makerspace helper.

A dark knight.

Keeping kids safe like a lymphocyte.

— Hartek, the Bard

Volunteering was interesting this time because there were a lot of new faces. One thing which is true about children, and probably true about adults as well (only in a less obvious way) is that one person can set the tone for a whole group.

One little boy who isn’t typically in the art room was super rambunctious and I was amazed by how much that impacted the other kids. They were much louder and they weren’t as focused as they usually are. One student complained of having a stomach ache and needing to be picked up early. Another girl got into an argument with the boy and started crying.

It was a crazy volunteering session! But it also reminded me that adults, just like children, can be thrown off by other peoples energies and that we need to make an effort to stay level-headed and positive.

Today in The Maker’s Place the kids had a variety of activities going on. When I first came in they were painting a face silhouette. I noticed that some kids painted their more abstractly than others. They also created chalk boards. When I was helping Mr. V glue the stands to the flat board of wood, one of the student saw what was doing and began doing it herself. I learned today that the kids at that age are learning independence and are beginning to take on tasks head on and sometimes even without asking. Although I did feel like what she did was slightly rude because she didn’t ask I didn’t take it too personal. One thing I found interesting is that Mr. V has a sense of humor around the kids and often make jokes and make them laugh. You could see that they respect him. At the moment it’s harder for me to have a sense of humor with the kids because I feel like I might say something wrong and I don’t know the kids as well as Mr. V does. My hope one day is the have my student respect me and look up to me in the way that the kids at Beverly J. Martin look up to Mr. V.