Make it, Take it

1. How did today differ from how I expected it to be?

2. What are the high points of the day?

3. What are the low points of the day?

4. What is one experience that caused me to grow today?

5. What am I excited about for tomorrow?

1. My expectations to day were for sure higher than my expectations for yesterday, but beyond that I didn't expect too much. One of my tasks today was to go to the area the students are--for lack of a better word--contained before school starts. I was a little nervous for that and it was pretty much a free-for-all, but it was really fun. Sessions were not bad because we just had to sit through one of them and then go back to our school for a faculty meeting. I was excited for the faculty meeting because I thought they would introduce City Year or talk about it (very narcissistic of me), which they didn't do very much of. The principal DID mention that we would be doing attendance phone calls, which was kind of cool.

2. The high point I will highlight was during the aforementioned before-school containment period. There were 4 basketballs dispersed in the gym, with 6 total basketball hoops available. The students, mostly boys, were instantly divided into teams and started playing the most rulesless game of basketball I've ever seen. There was no such thing as fouls, travels, double dribbles, or jump balls. They also played a way that Pat has informed me is called "Make it, Take it" which seemed completely unfair to me because the same team kept getting the ball back. Anyways, I jumped right into this game and asked a kid that I'd seen acting out in class the day before if I could be on his team. He looked ambivalent, but receptive, so I asked him who else was on our team (note: all of this is being done at highest possible voice level and while the game is continuing in between and around us. Not to mention the other game whose half court overlapped with ours). He said "him, him, him, him, and him" and pointed to four boys dressed in the exact same uniform he was also wearing. It helped a little. ANYWAYS, I got in the game, my new friend and team captain passed it to me, and I made a basket!!!!! That is officially more points than I scored my entire 7th grade season playing basketball, just a fun fact. I was rejoicing inside when a student on the opposing team said, "Ay, Miss, who said you could play?" I suppressed the urge to taunt "You mad, bro?" and instead pointed at my compatriot. We kept scoring and I even got another basket! It was fun, but I would like a little more structure, like maybe where slapping arms during shots is slightly less than encouraged, or basic lines on the court are treated like boundaries. Is that too much to ask? Probably.

Also a high point was that I brought a book to classes with me to model what silent reading should look like. At least that was the manifest function. I also am SO INTO the book I'm reading, which is the book we chose for our City Year San Antonio book club, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. It's a young adult novel and involved young love, but it is written in a totally awesome style and is super emotionally-real. I've already cried once a little bit, and it may or may not have been while I was modeling silent reading in class. Sorry not sorry. But I pretty much love silent reading time, and I am super excited that if I get placed in an ELA classroom (which is looking likely at this point) I'll get to read for at least 30 minutes total a day during class! This might be the best job ever.

3. Well, it rained today. Quite a lot, actually! And most of it happened in the 20 minutes in which I changed buses. And this bus stop is one of the ones that doesn't have a canopy or any other sort of rain protection because, hey! It's San Antonio and it barely ever rains. So I got a little damp before I got to school. When I did arrive, I was making small talk with students about, you know, the weather, and I said that it was a bummer that we all got wet standing outside. One student who was tying his shoes said, "But, hey, Miss, we appreciate getting rain here." I really appreciated that perspective and I totally checked any more complaints I had about getting wet in the rain.

4. Today I grew when I had to practice reciting our Team Mission Statement in front of a group of people. I had practiced it with smaller groups and in the car and with myself, so I felt pretty confident, but I totally choked when I went up there to rattle it off for practice. I did it again with no mistakes, but it was an eye opener. And I thought it was interesting. I've always been really confident in my ability to be comfortable in front of large crowds, but while that's true, I have NEVER had something that I've read or memorized verbatim and recited it in front of a big crowd. Which is a whole other ball game. I will be happy to tell you which I prefer: EXTEMPORANEOUS. With all that said, I am excited to represent my team tomorrow and I will make them proud! :)

5. I AM EXCITED FOR OPENING DAY CEREMONY!!!! Happy National Day of Service!!!!