When I applied to Jumpstart in the beginning of fall 2012 I was not looking for anything more than a job. I thought kids were adorable and I loved playing with them and spending time with them but that was the extent of it. I did not anticipate forming real relationships with my kids, their teachers, and their parents. I also did not anticipate referring to the children as my kids. None of these things took very long. From the very first day we entered the classroom the children treated us like celebrities. They were yelling “Jumpstart is here, Jumpstart is here!” One could hear the sheer excitement in their voices and it was plastered all over their faces, and this was not just a one-time deal. Every time we enter the classroom our kids get excited. Every time we enter the classroom I get excited. One thing I love to see with my kids is improvement but since I have started working with Jumpstart my definition of improvement has changed drastically. Anything from paying attention during circle time to being able to recognize the letters in their names to being able to spell their classmate’s names, are all improvements. Even if I don’t recognize any visible changes during my time at Jumpstart, the belief that somewhere down the line something we did will be beneficial to their academic careers makes it all worth it.
~Efua Hayford
Corps member
Team Connection
No comments:
Post a Comment