Teachers in action power point

City Life Club at Reeves City Life Club at Reeves TerraceTerrace

Aleah DurenAleah [email protected]@knights.ucf.edu

April 22, 2010April 22, 2010EEX 4070-0M01EEX 4070-0M01

Early PerceptionsEarly Perceptions I was excited and nervous entering I was excited and nervous entering

into this service learning project. I into this service learning project. I was not sure what to expect or was not sure what to expect or how it was going to go. However, it how it was going to go. However, it went very well and I learned a lot went very well and I learned a lot about myself. My thoughts and about myself. My thoughts and views about things were also views about things were also changed.changed.

Introduction to settingIntroduction to setting Reeves Terrace ParkReeves Terrace Park

Spending time with the children.Spending time with the children.

DemographicsDemographics

Personal DemographicsPersonal Demographics I have interest in impacting children’s lives. I I have interest in impacting children’s lives. I

feel at times that many children are limited feel at times that many children are limited in their goals and told they cannot do things in their goals and told they cannot do things or pursue a certain profession because of or pursue a certain profession because of their success or economic background. I their success or economic background. I want to be that person/teacher in a child’s want to be that person/teacher in a child’s life that encourages them to pursue their life that encourages them to pursue their dreams and not limit them in their ability. dreams and not limit them in their ability. This experience of working with at risk This experience of working with at risk children has taught me that children want children has taught me that children want someone to genuinely listen to them and someone to genuinely listen to them and hear their thoughts. These children have also hear their thoughts. These children have also taught me that spending time with them is taught me that spending time with them is enough.enough.

Engagement ActivitiesEngagement Activities Traveled to Reeves Terrace park every Traveled to Reeves Terrace park every

Friday afternoon to participate in City Friday afternoon to participate in City Life Club.Life Club.

Played Frisbee, football, basketball, Played Frisbee, football, basketball, and other games with children in and other games with children in neighborhood.neighborhood.

Went to park with a small group of Went to park with a small group of students from the Central Florida students from the Central Florida Wesley Foundation.Wesley Foundation.

For this project we originally planned a For this project we originally planned a block party for the children’s families and block party for the children’s families and plans fell through. This lead us to have an plans fell through. This lead us to have an Easter egg hunt for the children on good Easter egg hunt for the children on good Friday.Friday.

City Life Club was started by my friend Lee. City Life Club was started by my friend Lee. He spent a summer in Atlanta, Georgia He spent a summer in Atlanta, Georgia working with at risk and under privileged working with at risk and under privileged children. When he came back to school in children. When he came back to school in the fall, he decided he wanted to reach out the fall, he decided he wanted to reach out to the children in Orlando. This lead him to to the children in Orlando. This lead him to start city life club where we spend Friday start city life club where we spend Friday afternoons with children at Reeves Terrace. afternoons with children at Reeves Terrace.

Participant Participant DemographicsDemographics

The majority of the participants we The majority of the participants we served were of African-American or served were of African-American or Latino backgrounds.Latino backgrounds.

The age of these children were two to The age of these children were two to fourteen-years-old. fourteen-years-old.

Each of these children were at risk Each of these children were at risk and from low-income homes.and from low-income homes.

Each Friday we had about ten Each Friday we had about ten children. children.

Reflection of my Reflection of my experienceexperience

This experience has affected me in many This experience has affected me in many ways. My eyes were open to how many ways. My eyes were open to how many children come home from school to an empty children come home from school to an empty house and hang out by themselves until their house and hang out by themselves until their parents come home. The experience that had parents come home. The experience that had the most impact on me was how excited the the most impact on me was how excited the kids were about the Easter egg hunt and how kids were about the Easter egg hunt and how each of them asked when we were coming each of them asked when we were coming back when we left to go back home. Knowing back when we left to go back home. Knowing I have had a positive influence in a child’s life I have had a positive influence in a child’s life was rewarding. The thing that I will take was rewarding. The thing that I will take away from this experience is even if this away from this experience is even if this program was just for one child, it would be program was just for one child, it would be worth it because they had a positive worth it because they had a positive influence and encouragement in their life for influence and encouragement in their life for three hours of a day. three hours of a day.

My academic learning was impacted through this My academic learning was impacted through this experience by realizing that I am taking classes experience by realizing that I am taking classes that will help me help children who do not come that will help me help children who do not come from positive home environments. I should not from positive home environments. I should not float through my classes not only trying to do well float through my classes not only trying to do well but to take something from each one that will help but to take something from each one that will help me in the future. My approaches to teaching have me in the future. My approaches to teaching have also been affected because I will have to also been affected because I will have to remember when I send certain forms or remember when I send certain forms or homework pages home that I may not see them homework pages home that I may not see them for a couple of days. I will also have to remember for a couple of days. I will also have to remember that it would help at risk children better if time that it would help at risk children better if time was given to complete homework in the was given to complete homework in the classroom rather than sending it home so they classroom rather than sending it home so they can ask for help if needed. This whole experience can ask for help if needed. This whole experience taught me that children not only want someone to taught me that children not only want someone to play and interact with them but mostly to listen to play and interact with them but mostly to listen to them and hear their thoughts. They want to feel them and hear their thoughts. They want to feel valued. As a teacher I will have to keep in mind valued. As a teacher I will have to keep in mind that what I have to say is important but I need to that what I have to say is important but I need to take the time to listen to my students and hear take the time to listen to my students and hear their thoughts.their thoughts.