Our First Real Day at BNC!

Last night we met for the first time as a group to talk about our upcoming week at BNC. For me, it was the first time that everything we came here to do felt real. We all had so many ideas and thoughts about what we wanted to accomplish while we were here. I think that the team we came here with could not be any more perfect for what we want to do. I think that the passion the eight of us have for teaching and impacting students lives is really going to shine through this week. I think that with our talents and the help of our knowledgeable and experienced professors, we are going to be able to really help Marybeth, the volunteers, the students and the center as a whole.

Today was our first full day at the BNC. We arrived at the center at 9 am and began discussing everything right away. After hearing MaryBeth speak about what the volunteers have been doing, what was already established and what they needed, we began our day. Most of us were paired up with a Manhattan student and a volunteer teacher who has been there for a few weeks. Laura and I were placed in a first grade classroom. I was so excited to be working with students at this age, because I know how much help they need. However, I was so surprised to see the size of the room I was going to be spending the next week in. It was less than the size of a 9 by 9 room. I was nervous to see how 3 adult teachers and 17 first graders were going to fit in this space. This made me really appreciate the facilities in the schools I grew up in, as well as the schools I student taught in.

We were at the center from 9am to 5pm. We spent the morning planning out our day and the lessons we were going to teach. Laura and I decided to make a number line for the classroom and for each individual student, to help them during math. It was day one and we already had so many ideas of how we could enhance the classroom and the student's learning. The students arrived at 1:30 and I fell in love with each and every one of them. We were surrounded by over 100 kids running around, playing, reading, laughing and I couldn't help but smile and want to talk to all of them. I was taken by surprise when a second grade girl grabbed my hand and asked me to listen to her read. It was amazing to see this girl, who just finished many hours at school, want to show off her reading skills to me instead of playing with all the other kids. When she finished reading her eyes and smile was full of pride and it brought me to tears.

After the children had lunch we began teaching. Laura and I started off with the pronunciation of different letters in the alphabet. We tried many different methods of sounding out the word, having the students repeat and asking for different examples. Laura and I thought it would be a good idea to have different words each week that the teacher would work on with the students. We decided this week to focus on the "at family" (cat, mat, bat, sat, hat, rat). After the students had a brief break, it was time for math. In the morning we made bingo boards and flash cards, so the students could play addition bingo. I saw for the first time how challenging it was going to be in the little space we were in. However, I know we are both accepting this challenge with an open mind and heart and it is going to make us that much more determined to help in any way we can.

Although there were many differences from the first grade classrooms I have been in in New York, the children have so many similarities. Just like any classroom, there are students who are independent learners, instructional learners and remedial learners. I know that each student is different and we need to accommodate the needs of ALL the students, no matter what type of learner they are. I have confidence that the education we have all received, and the knowledge we have learned from our experiences, will help us throughout this journey. The day was long and tiring but I already can't wait to be back at the BNC tomorrow.