Turning on the Light

           It is always a good day when you see that light go on when working with a student. Witnessing them overcome a problem and make the connection is the best part of the job. Due to the fact that every child is different, these days can vary. Whether they are in Jumpstart or not they have all had different experiences and some kids are farther along than others. One of the most rewarding days in Jumpstart was when I was working with a child that is farther behind than the others. She can’t spell her name yet and a lot of time has trouble comprehending the books we read in session. Although she faces many difficulties, she is very kind and curious.

            In session 11 let’s find out about it I had an opportunity to work with her more closely. I noticed that she is willing to learn, but the trick is that you have to catch her attention and hold it; a task that can be very difficult when dealing with 4 year olds that are all over the place. In session 11 we read Dog’s Colorful Day, a fun story that combines counting and our unit of color. It is about a dog that gets different colored stains on his fur throughout the day. In let’s find out about it we look at pictures and match them to color swatches, then paste the colors on to Dog, just like in the story. When this child came over to me I eased her into the center, discussing the funny names crayons have (like macaroni and cheese) and matching them with their pictures. Then we moved on to matching color swatches with pictures and then pasting them onto Dog. This part she really enjoyed. We looked at many pictures, first determining what color they match and then what Dog did to get this stain on himself. Watching this child engage with the session and tie it back to the session reading book was wonderful. Some days in Jumpstart you just have a bad day, you forget for a second why you have signed away 300 hours of your life, and you get frustrated, but days like this make you remember again. This child and so many others like her are the reason I do Jumpstart. They make every day worth it and rewarding. My class as well as my Corps Members truly uphold our team name inspiration. Every day I am inspired in a new way, and I am so grateful to be a part of something that touches so many lives.

~ Loren Grier

Team Leader

Team Inspiration