My first day of tutoring was nerve wracking. I was nervous to meet the kids. I was nervous to see what the atmosphere was like or if the teacher would be cooperative. My school is located in an urban area near main roads and main social gathering places. Its in a middle class social setting, however most of the kids are from the lower class. When I first arrived at my school i couldnt find the front door. After a good 10 minutes of looking for the front, i finally found the doors that i had to use to enter to start my VIPS experience. After i entered the school, i couldnt find the main office since the building is huge. I found the office and had one of the secretarys point out to me how i could find the music room in which i would be tutoring. The building has three floors and a basement which all include winding hallways which made finding my room almost impossible. The music room is almost shoved into a corner basement room but is a hidden treasure for a music major like myself. It seems like every space in the building is used, no spaces are wasted. The room is larger than most music rooms. There are over a dozen keyboards and other instruments organized around the room. The feel of the school, so far, seemed positive. I didnt feel anything negative in the school. The students as well as the teachers seemed respectful and willing to help. The teacher was glad to see me and thanked me for coming in and helping him out. The kids were kind of confused as to who i was was were interested to see why i was there. Soon after they grew to realize that i was there to help them.
As for the values in the school, walking around the halls it seemed like school spirit and furthering their education is valued. There were posters in the halls about getting into college or college fairs so that the students could see and have a future. There were also fliers and other things that had their mascot stated and announcements of schuool functions or atheletic events for the students to attend. In the classroom, music is obviously valued since its a music classroom. The teacher seems to care about helping his students pass his class. He has ways to remember certain things you need in music. He has rubrics posted on his walls so the kids can see just what needs to be done for a good grade. The teacher also walks around all class long, trying to help each student get better at what theyre learning, whether it be their instrument or another part of music. I have a feeling that my experience at this high school will be a good one.
(:
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I had the same reaction from my classroom teacher when I arrived as well! Although I was in an elementary school, she was still happy and almost seemed relieved to see that she had someone to help her with the students. As far as my building is concerned, it was HUGE. It was three floors and was originally built as a Middle School. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw that every single space was also being used. Overall my first day experiences went just like yours did. It's funny, I may be a minor in Musical Theatre now, but it seems that most people who travel from the Nazarian seem to have similar experiences.
ReplyDeleteWhen I went to my school I had a hard time trying to find the front door too! It's amazing how hard they make it to get into the buildings. The music room in my school was hidden too. I thought I was lost because there was NOTHING around me when I was trying to find the room but then I heard a trumpet so I knew I was going the right way. However, my school did not have the positive atmosphere or the support that your school seemed to exhibit. I think that things such as school spirit are very important. It helps get students involved and have pride in their school. The music room seems a lot like yours though. There is a very positive atmosphere in that room and the teacher is very willing to help the students succeed. I think this is something that is very common in a music classroom.
ReplyDeleteMy first day of VIPS tutoring, I got into a minor car collision and was late, then ended up not meeting any of the kids because there was an assembly in the gymnasium. Haha, but it seems like we all had different (if not nerve-wracking) first days. I know I was wicked nervous before I even left the house that morning, worried I looked too young and that my clothes weren't "proper" enough. I can't even remember most of that morning because I was so focused on just getting there and meeting the kids and trying my hardest to NOT SCREW UP.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if it'll be like that when I do my secondary tutoring. I don't think I'll be as nervous, but this time it won't be young children, so the playing field is completely different! Maybe I am nervous! But it seems we both had clean and learning-centered schools as our tutoring grounds, which is good.
Cristina,
ReplyDeleteIt seems like a lot of people had trouble finding the entrance to their building on the first day. I didn't have much trouble FINDING the doors (there is really only one way to enter the building) but of course, I still had trouble getting in. Over time I learned to get to tutoring 10 minutes early because the secretary that is supposed to let me in when I push the buzzer doesn't always pay attention very well. I found myself standing outside in the cold for what seemed like forever on several occasions. Ugh.
Also, I like that you titled this blog "Hidden Treasure". I may be biased because I have been involved with music for years, but I know that the band room holds countless memories for me over my high school career. Of course, this is not because of the room itself, but rather because of the atmosphere that my music director and peers created.
The same concept could be applied, perhaps, to a football field for an athlete or the stage for an actor/actress. While it is not directly classroom related, I feel as though these places supply students with a sense of belonging and maybe even a discovery of purpose. These feelings of comfort and community will only foster a greater willingness and ability for these students to participate and succeed academically. So, these places really are, in some ways, "hidden treasures".
I know you spend all your time there now, but once you graduate you will probably miss Nazarian eventually. Recognize this treasure while you have it.
PS: Good luck and thank you for entertaining me this semester :)