Abby - Epworth - Blog 5

Fridays in the classroom consist of a period of hard work in the morning and fun in the afternoon, providing an incentive for good behavior all week. We had a lecture in the morning about several different life lessons. We discussed Langston Hughes’ poems about dreams, Everything I needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten and many other inspirational pieces. Everyone was open to sharing his or her dreams and passions that were becoming possible due to the services at Epworth. It was amazing knowing that these students could-and wanted to-catch up to their peers academically, socially and behaviorally. After an intense morning, we watched Gridiron Gang and said my goodbyes. One member of the class was also moving to a less restricted dorm, so we were able to celebrate her achievements for a positive end to the week. This week definitely went by quickly, and I wish I could spend one more week with my wonderful classroom. I definitely felt that one week was not enough to make the difference that I wanted to make, but I formed some great relationships with the individuals in my class as well as my fellow alternative breaks members. After leaving I felt guilty knowing how beneficial it was to have another person to assist in the classroom, but I know that the students are under fantastic guidance. That afternoon we hung out at open rec time, where students in Epworth Dormitories can play sports and socialize. It was a fun and relaxed ending to our time at Epworth.  I learned many lessons this week about how to become a more resilient and adapting individual. I learned how to teach on an individual basis and how to make someone feel empowered as opposed to dumb when they are far behind their peers. I learned how to be a mentor and a friend at the same time. I was able to prove many of my assumptions about my students wrong and experienced a different culture and many levels of privilege. There is no way to express the value this week had to me, and I will miss my wonderful students at Epworth.