Getting Back into the Swing of Things

February 2, 2015

Getting Back into the Swing of Things

As my team and I walk back into the classroom after a nice, relaxing Winter Break, we’re surprised to discover that our Jumpstart things, which are usually tucked away into neat little corners of the classroom, are missing from their positions. Though we are frantic at first, we calm, speedily discover where all the missing supplies have been moved, and run through our session plan while preparing the classroom. We manage to finish with a few moments to spare and nestle into our usual spots in the classroom before the first wave our friends come in and Jumpstart begins.

            Our friends have definitely grown since the last time I laid eyes on them. While working with our friends on the letters of their names, I am pleased to discover that they can recognize most of the letters and a few of them understand the difference between uppercase and lowercase. As I led them through Hooray, a Piñata!, the children surprised me with comments and questions about the illustrations in the book that came at such a fast pace that I struggled to finish the book before the call to circle team was made. Of course, the same situation happened before break, but I don’t believe my mind had made the switch from everyday, college life to the magical world of Jumpstart yet.

            Looking back, I realize that that initial shock of having to reset the classroom was a good indicator that I wasn’t fully mentally prepared. Jumpstart is a fast-paced environment that requires spontaneous problem-solving skills. Not everything goes according to plan, and that’s okay, but you need a strategy to overcome minor setbacks in a flash. Because the goal of Jumpstart isn’t that every session flows smoothly, the goal is that, at the end of the day, every friend in that classroom is prepared with the literary skills they need. Learning experiences bumps in the road and so does Jumpstart. You just have to discover how best to overcome these bumps and come out knowing more than you did before.     -Megan Armstrong