11.28.06
Posted in AV 2006-07 Domestic at 11:36 am by Ed Liva
“We’re not in the inner city, but this is definitely an inner city school.” This is how Mr. Paetow, an eighth grade teacher, described St. Margaret of Scotland School during my first full week as computer teacher. After nearly three months, I have come to realize the truth in what he said. Although Margaret’s is located 99 blocks south of downtown Chicago, the low income school suffers from many of the symptoms that plague inner city schools across our country. A lack of resources, unclean bathrooms, and overcrowded classrooms are just a few of the many problems facing my students each and every day. St. Margaret’s can seem unpromising at times, but I love teaching there.
As the computer teacher, I teach grades K-8. Each grade presents its unique problems, but with those problems, I also find opportunities for learning and growth. I have seen 5th graders struggle with basic multiplication problems on the popular game “ClueFinder”, and I have worked with 7th graders who read and write at a 2nd grade level as they attempt to type research papers. But for every bad experience I’ve had with a student (which can range from breaking up fights in the hallway to attempting to get students to admit they were looking at inappropriate websites), I have had an extremely fulfilling experience to balance things out. Whether it be the first grader Jalen whose face lights up every time “Mr. Computer Man” comes to pick him up on Thursday afternoons, or the kindergartener Dymond, who can’t wait to come to the computer lab to play Clifford, or the eighth grader Leo who comes into my lab after school to work on his eighth grade resume, a requirement for graduation, the kids at Margaret’s make me smile everyday.
Sure, I have my tough days at my volunteer site, as do my housemates, Andrew, Carrie, and Heather. Yet, despite our daily trials, we still find fulfillment in the jobs we work and in the community in which we live. When things look bleak, I remember third grader Chandler Claude, who, after my last class of a particularly bad week, looked up to me, shook my hand, and said, “Hey Mr. Liva, you have yourself a great weekend, okay?” I remember that experience because it’s the times like that one that make me feel most comfortable in my new job and get me excited to face the hardships of a new week. Kids like Chandler remind me everyday why I wanted to be an Augustinian Volunteer and challenge me to be the best computer teacher I can be at this inner city school.
Ed Liva
11/28/06
Chicago
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11.21.06
Posted in AV 2006-07 Domestic at 3:13 pm by mrazikc2
Although I am nearly 3,000 miles from any family or friends, I have to say I have yet to feel alone in the nearly three months since I have lived in San Diego. The only possible explanation for my unexpected comfort in spite of my foreign surroundings is the other incredible volunteers in my community, as well as the faculty and students at St. Augustine High School (SAINTS), where I work in Campus Ministry. From the minute I walked across the street from our house to the SAINTS campus (rough commute, I know), I was welcomed with care and energy. I was a little nervous at first about working at an all-boys high school, but I have found my anxiety to have been completely unfounded. It took a few weeks, but the boys have since warmed up to me, and I continue to be impressed by their respectfulness, willingness to help, and academic and athletic dedication as each week passes. Never before have I seen a community of 700 young men celebrate Mass with so much unity and devotion. It is nothing short of inspiring to watch them sing along to the music and join hands with one another during the Our Father. Each day before and after school and at the change of classes, an endless stream of students parades through the Campus Ministry Office to say hello, sign up for a retreat or service activity, or, most often, to grab some candy out of Ms. DePoy’s bottomless candy basket. They are always friendly and willing to help out - especially if it means free food or missing some class time!
Not only have I been impressed with the SAINTS boys’ daily school behavior, but they have pleasantly surprised me with their maturity and enthusiasm during after-school and off-campus activities. About a month after I arrived in San Diego, we had the Freshman Overnight Retreat on the SAINTS campus. Just try to imagine over 200 freshman boys at a sleepover. It sounds like a recipe for disaster, yet the weekend went by without a glitch. A little over two weeks later, we held our first Kairos retreat of the year with twenty-six seniors and six adult leaders. I only knew a few of the boys, yet they treated me as if they’d known me for years’ even if that means incessant teasing about my Pennsylvania roots. I acquired the nickname “Razz” and we bickered about everything from the merits of In-N-Out Burger to whether Scranton, PA exists outside of the TV show “The Office.”
Again and again, I have been amazed and floored by this SAINTS community. This past weekend, I took nine kids from SAINTS to El Hogar La Infantil Orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico. Not only did they spend five hours playing with the nearly fifty kids at the orphanage, but they then spent four hours in the car waiting at the border without complaining. Just today, we ended our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive with a grand total of 6,646 donated items after only a week of collection. Twenty kids alone brought in 2,632 of those items. Amazing.
As if the SAINTS community wasn’t wonderful enough, then there’s our San Diego volunteer community -me, Beth, Anthony, Keeley, Zack, and Caitlin. Our community life together, and especially our prayer time, has been so meaningful thusfar. During prayer, we have written letters to senators, played board games and get-to-know-you games, made a cake, written funny notes to each other, and learned about justice issues such as AIDS in Africa and the Night Commuters of Uganda. We have fasted together, given up TV for a day, and run in several 5K fundraisers. Our lives together haven’t been perfect, but I have been so impressed with the way we have communicated and reconciled the things that maybe weren’t working for us as a community. It’s incredible how quickly six complete strangers can come together and become such a strong support system for one another. We have laughed so much and shared so much together already in just three months. I’m so thankful to have each one of them in my life.
The boys at SAINTS always make fun of me for only making $25 per week. “So, Razz, what are you going to do with the big 25 bones this week?” The familiar question never fails. The thing is, I don’t really need much more than that to keep me happy and entertained here. I have my five other community members and I have SAINTS. They’ve become my home away from home and I couldn’t be more blessed.
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11.09.06
Posted in AV 2006-07 Domestic at 6:29 pm by Mary Ronan
I’m a big fan of Mister Rogers – always have been, always will be. When I was little, I loved watching his half-hour shows, singing along with his simple songs, and pretending I was in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. My favorite character on the show was the quiet, gentle Daniel Striped Tiger, who, though timid, always found the courage to do his best in every situation. During the past two months in my new position as a kindergarten aide and after-school program teacher at St. Nicholas of Tolentine School in South Philly, I’ve reflected on some of Mister Rogers’ philosophies about children. One of his quotes frequently comes to my mind:
â€Please think of the children first. If you ever have anything to do with their entertainment, their food, their toys, their custody, their day or night care, their health care, their education – listen to the children, learn about them, learn from them. Think of the children first.â€
Listen to the children. “Miss Mary, can you please tie my shoes.†“Miss Mary, can I tell you my secret?†“Miss Mary, I’m going to my friend’s house today!†Every morning when I step into the K2 classroom, I’m greeted by 23 bright-eyed and joyous little souls who have a million and one stories to share and all of which I really do enjoy hearing. I am often amazed by how perceptive, intuitive, and sensitive the children are to each other and to me. They speak with an honesty and a sincerity that moves me to try to do so in my own life.
Learn about them. Daaimah loves watermelon. Anny is a natural artist, specializing in cartoon pictures. Miguel is interested in animals and can describe quite accurately for you the habitat of a lion. The sixth grade class loves practical jokes while my after-school boys are masters of Connect Four (I’ve won maybe three games during the course of my time at St. Nick’s). Sometimes I forget how old the kids really are, be it 5 or 9 or 12, and that I am not a kid myself, as I slowly become more intertwined in their interests, their likes and dislikes, and what makes them tick.
Learn from them. In the past 8 weeks, I have learned about the value of patience, the benefits of determination, and the joy of childhood innocence. One day during a religion lesson, when their teacher asked them who teaches them about God’s love, some of them answered, “Miss Mary.†Even though this was probably due more to the fact that I was in the kindergarten classroom at the time, I was still so humbled to think that these beautiful children could possibly link me to such a wonderful mission – teaching God’s love to the world. If only I could explain to them how it is THEY that are teaching me the beauty of God’s loving presence in this world!
Even though I love the children and truly enjoy being in their presence each day, this year has had its own unique struggles and frustrations. I sometimes struggle to find a use for my gifts and talents at the school. I am working on creating a more comfortable and organized environment for my after school program despite limited resources. I am trying to adjust to a new city, new community, and new placement while missing my time as an AV in Lawrence last year. I am looking inward to answer questions in my heart about where I might find myself after this year. I know I am making mistakes, but I am learning from them. I have stumbled and fallen, but I have gotten back on my feet. I know that as I walk this journey, God walks beside me.
With all of my joys and all of my frustrations, when I am with the student’s at St. Nick’s I strive to live out Mister Roger’s words: “Think of the children first.†I know that it is the children who so frequently this year have provided me and modeled for me the love, the courage, and the confidence I need to continue my experience an Augustinian Volunteer and it is such a privilege and blessing to have them be a part of my life.
Peace and love, Mary
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11.05.06
Posted in AV 2006-07 Domestic at 4:37 pm by boneill
The intro to Jimmy Hendrix’s rendition of “All along the Watchtower” blares in my head, and I step out of the line and into the first square. As I strut into place, everything is in slow motion and I am pointing across the four square court directly at Jose. Our eyes are locked and I can sense his fear. I generally don’t single kids out, they’re all my enemies on the playground, but this is an exception. Ten minutes ago Jose made the grave mistake of eliminating me moments after I selflessly saved him. It’s time for redemption. I tell him he’s going down and he doesn’t crack a smile because he knows I’m dead serious. Jacob serves the ball and I rip into it with a hint of spin directly at Jose’s feet.
This is a slightly (very slightly) exaggerated snapshot from one of hundreds of four square sessions I’ve had these past two months with my students. Sometimes I feel guilty about calling this work because playing Billy Madison on the playground three times a day is so much fun. It feels like meditation. For an hour or two a day I have no worries as I laugh and play with the kids. Unlike many of us working in education, my regular school day is not very relenting. Although I will begin teaching individuals and small groups of remedial students in the near future, which should prove to be very difficult, I rarely have had to teach my own class thus far. Nonetheless, my placement is not without its own daunting aspects.
In addition to my responsibilities as a teacher’s aid and after school coordinator, I coach the seventh and eighth grade soccer team. Undoubtedly, this has been one of the most frustrating jobs I have ever had. During our last three games we have lost by a combined score of 22-0. There have been moments that I have nearly lost my mind as I convince myself that my players are purposely opposing my instruction to see me turn a darker shade of red, lose the remainder of my voice, or maybe develop an ulcer. But as I watch the opposing team’s soccer moms cheer for their kids and their diehard coaches scheme ways to score another nine goals, I remember why I am here. Not a single parent from Bellesini Academy has showed up for a game. Not even a home game (where, by the way, the field is not lined and must be scoured for broken bottles of Old E and Corona before every game/practice). Furthermore, a recreational soccer league does not exist in the entire city of Lawrence. These kids have never been exposed to a competitive team sport and lack parents who support them in positive, extracurricular activities. As cliche as it may sound, the purpose of my job is not to assemble a winning team, but to expose vulnerable kids to sportsmanship and guide them in an alternative to the streets. So as I watch my goalie throw the ball into the back of his defenders head, knocking him to the ground and giving the other team an open shot on net, I take comfort in knowing that these children are actively being saved.
While I have dedicated my blog entry to Bellesini Academy, it is, of course, only one aspect of my volunteer experience. The spiritual facet of my life is as intense and influential as it has ever been. I also belong to a community alongside three special people that I have had the unparalleled pleasure of getting to know. Opening more doors within each other is the most highly anticipated development to come this year. I am having an incredible volunteer experience and I look forward to reuniting with the greater community in January. During our retreat, I plan on imposing four square participation upon anyone who wants to remain my friend. On that note, I advise you to start training for the competition now, unless you want to end up like Jose.
Brian O’Neill
Lawrence
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