First Prompt

The elementary school that I am a reading buddy at is located in a not so great area of Providence. On my way to the school I pass a minimum of four police officers within two miles of the school. The school itself is fairly new and everything is very modern. The classrooms are all in great condition and it is kept extremely clean and tidy. The building itself is very large and the surrounding school grounds are equipped with a playground and other outdoor amenities. The classroom is very colorful and the learning environment is very appropriate for an elementary school setting.

In the past it has always seemed that all of the schools in this area were very old and not taken care of very well. It was very much to my surprise to see a new school that looked amazing as I pulled up to it. I was very nervous on my first visit, but as I went the next two times it was a piece of cake. The children really look forward to me coming every week and they ask me to come more than once a week. I try to do this, but sometimes it is hard with my strenuous schedule.

The school itself is very spacious and there is much room within each classroom. This makes a learning environment in which everyone including the teacher can feel comfortable with the atmosphere. The school makes me feel warm and excited. Every time I walk through the doors, I feel good because I know that the kids are looking forward to me coming to tutor them and spend a few hours of their school day with them. The time that I spend in the classroom is not very long, but in that small time I know that I am making a huge difference in their lives.

The classroom in which I visit every week consists of children from almost every race and ethnic background. The majority of the students are either African American or Asian. The teacher runs the classroom in a way that seems very strict, but really she is just trying to get the children to behave and learn how to follow instructions. Each child listens almost perfectly and there have been very few instances where I have seen a child misbehaving. This was very shocking to me. Within this classroom the ideas of respect and instruction following are key. The teacher does not accept anything besides best behavior, but at the same time she creates an environment which is fun for all of the students. The kids know that if they behave, then the lesson will be fun and they will be rewarded in the end. Each child is very enthusiastic about learning and their passion to be at school is like nothing that I have seen before. The main theme that seems to be valued within the school is discipline. The school itself seems to be dedicated towards preparing their young students for the world and future learning. The reason for me having these feelings are because everywhere I turn, it seems that every student is behaving perfectly and if they are not then they are being reprimanded for their actions.