So, I took this day off, before realizing that I don't really have anything to do when I am not at work! Luckily, my parents are in the area and I am going to meet up with my mom and go check out some houses in the Detroit area.
To go off on a slight tangent for one second that has nothing to do with my year of service... Rory, please focus intently on this next part. If you choose to stay for a third year, I will personally come down there and beat you senseless! This is going to get slightly selfish, but what the F man. I get that you are doing an awesome thing down there and that you are absolutely loving it (which I am stoked to hear :D ), but you left at 24 and you are going to come back and I will be 24... That's FUCKED. I don't get these years back with you, and I don't want to keep losing them! I guess what it comes down to is that I miss you dude. Sometimes, I try to remember some of the last things that you and I talked about before you got on the plane, and all that comes to mind is me forcing you to do the "Fin. Noggin'. Dude." thing, despite you fighting me to do so. I would like to formally thank you for that, it is one of my favorite memories to access when I am thinking of you. Off my soap box, I am glad to hear that you are loving your service, and that this experience is truly opening your eyes to different ways of life.
NOW, to come back to what this blog was originally intended for...
After my classroom switch, I have spent the last month or so of my service working with a substitute that had taken the approach, "I am just a babysitter." Which as a CM in her room, was slightly frustrating, because my students were not doing any work, or the work they were doing was below their levels. I am proud to say that my sub has since been hired as a long term sub (not because she is a great teacher), but because my students will now start to follow a lesson plan, and I will actually be tutoring students.
I am hoping that the lesson plan will begin to fix the behavioral issues that have been happening in my class as a result of the substitute (and what I attribute to being bored with no work), but only time will tell that. I will keep y'all updated for sure.
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If you have been following the Detroit news at all, you may have seen news of a student at East Detroit High School (my school) that was hospitalized one week ago today, following a tragic accident in the swimming pool. It is with great sadness that I inform you that student (whose name I am not sure I can state for legal reasons) passed away on Monday night. It is hard to state just how I feel regarding this loss of a young child, but I think that frustrated would sum it up very well.
I do not mean to lay this news on anyone at the end and just leave, but I am not sure how else I could inform you of what happened. I am trying to look into how I can do something for the family (legally, that is within the boundaries of my Americorps contract) and if you have any ideas, please share them!
