The End's Not Near, It's Here

Today marks my final entry in my urban journey travelogue. Throughout this semester, I have gained a new appreciation for school. This class has definitely helped me realize I am where I belong, for now. With so many friends and family members dealing with harsh realities in their lives, I was able to appreciate the simplicity of school. We often put so much emphasis on our school lives, that we forget to take sometime for ourselves. While school is very important to me, I think it is equally as important to take time for personal desires.

Throughout my volunteer experience my eyes were opened to young kids from all walks of life. I was able to see how the library, which something the rest of us consider trivial,  is so important to their day to day lives. It is reassuring to know that it is not only an escape, but one where they are able to gain infinite knowledge. In terms of what I was talking about in the previous paragraph, I believe we all need to find our own escape, especially in urban learning. There are a lot of flawless in the systems; however, I think with the right teachers with positive attitude, anything is possible.

Cirriculum Action Project and Wrapping Up the Semester

As the end of the semester inches nearer and volunteer projects wrap up, I have turned my attention to my Curriculum Action Project. Over the weekend, I finished my research on my topic: the power of urban youth culture in the classroom. While I initially thought this would be a good choice, I have since found out there was more information than I could possibly imagine on the topic. There are so many different outlets for urban youth in our schools today. Our preconceived notion is that there is often not a lot we can do to change the influence these students are wrought with. In reality, the best thing to do is embrace it. Rap can easily be the voice of a civil rights movement in beyond.

In addition to my research for this class, I also began working on a final project for my fundamentals of graduate studies course. In doing so, I was able to see the connection in which these different courses often overlap. Realizing there was a connection in all my course kind of made the major come full circle. While each course has different material, our endgame is all the same. We want to make the classroom a better place, in which students feel safe and can strive beyond anything imaginable.

Learning From Our Youths?

We are often told to respect and learn from our elders. While I believe this statement to be true, I realized this week that we should extend the same resepect to those younger than us. I'm a part time babysitter and I've always found it interesting when kids 10-15 years younger than me say things, I wouldn't even fathom. The unaffected personalities of children can teach us a lot about ourselves. After my last voluteering experience at the Riverland Library I was left with much to reflect on.

The young kids I worked with changed my perspective. Most of the time I just thought most kids didn't have much to offer me; however, hearing things from their eyes moved me. These kids wanted to do well and succeed. They didn't have the means most of us can afford but they still had dreams. Having a sanctuary such as the library fed their motivation. I hope dearly that the library can afford to stay open because it really does make an impact in these kids lives. As for the future, I will definitely listen more attentively and realize that young and old, we all have something to offer to one another.

Is It Really April Already?

I can't believe how the time has flied. It is daunting to realize that finals and the end of the semester are right around the corner. It's been a completely new experience for me to be a graduate student. While I was wracked with nerves at the beginning of January, I feel like I am finally settling into the responsibilities ahead. I recently decided I want to complete the testing in order to become a teaching assistant. My volunteering experience in the last week has taught me to never forget where you come from. By seeing young kids in the position I was in 10 years ago has made me realize that life really is a journey.
In addition, it helped me understand an ideal my mom has been constantly reinforcing from a young: the importance of community. It is important to not only shop and eat in your area, to keep the community financially thriving, but also give your time to those who need it. The kids I helped pick out books all had an infectious personalities of innocence and hope. I hope that after this experience is over I am able to keep coming back to this library periodically. It really means something to me and I think it is a vital resource to the community. It gives kids the chance to broaden their horizons and educate themselves on any subjects that interest them.