Session Plan 6

            Team Connection just finished session plan 6, first implementation. I am even more excited about Jumpstart and its mission than I was initially. All of the techniques taught to the corps members on how to effectively treat children are applicable to my daily life. I have 9 nieces and nephews, and thanks to Jumpstart I am able to apply these skills that corps members develop during trainings and sessions. I recently e-mailed my boss to let her know how grateful I am for being a part of a mission to help children who come from similar backgrounds as me. Working toward the goal of preparing children for kindergarten is an ambitious objective that becomes more attainable every day that Jumpstart corps members and volunteers step into the classroom.

            For one of the sessions I was at the puzzles and manipulatives center where I made alphabet matching boards. That center is paired with reading since we are short a few corps members. Several of the students finished the boards and others took longer to finish just one. During this particular session one of the students was matching the cards with the card’s corresponding color instead of letter. I worked with him for several minutes, but he did not understand what the directions were. I looked over to the other students and gave them high fives to compliment them for finishing their board, while acknowledging that they had matched the letters correctly. After several more minutes I turned back to the student who was having difficulty understanding the directions, and he had paired all of the cards with their correct letter. My voice embodied the high pitch teacher voice that Jumpstart members are known for. I congratulated him which followed with a heartfelt high five. He smiled and ran to show one of his teachers. That student stayed at my center for the rest of session and successfully finished all of the alphabet boards he attempted. It helped him see his peers get rewarded with a high five when matching the letters.

            For another one of our sessions, during circle time we sang Down by the Bay and the children absolutely loved it. After every verse they excitedly asked us to sing it again. We kept saying how silly it was for a mouse to paint a house, a verse in the song. They all laughed and agreed. Their expressions were priceless when we noted the verse that read a frog walking a dog. They adopted the form of the song when they came up with their own rhyming words because the pairs they chose were just as hilarious as the ones in the song. 

~Belen flores

Corps member

Team Connection