Week 1 @ Bragraw

One of my foundational beliefs when working with youth is the need “to meet youth on their level.”  Since enrolling in the UTR, “meeting a child on their level,” has taken on new meaning.  The UTR has afforded me many opportunities to interact with children in a variety of educational settings. However, one of the most interesting observational settings has been in my role as a volunteer at the Newark Public School Recreation Program.

The NPS recreation program is a free summer camp for students who attend a Newark Public School.  The children meet from 12:30 – 6:00 pm daily at a local school to participate in a multitude of activities.  The activities include board games, basketball, soccer, and weekly trips to such places as the local pool, basketball camp, golf and tennis lessons, the Camden Aquarium, the Prudential Center and/or a Newark Bears game to name a few.  All of the above mentioned activities are designed to provide children an outlet for play and an opportunity to enjoy recreational activities in a safe environment.

I am assigned to Bragraw Ave. School, a school that is located in a section of Newark that has faced and continues the face the challenges of high crime, high rates of poverty and urban decay.  However, in the midst of these challenges is a school that is dedicated to educating our children and defying the odds.

Many of the children who attend the program currently attend Bragraw or were once students.  The students range in age from 6 – 14.  Each day I attend the recreation program, I am amazed at the resiliency of children and their ability to laugh, smile and have fun with such simply games as name all the states that begin with the letter A, a small volleyball and make shift volleyball net, a basketball and hoop with no net and playing on a black top surface in 90 degree heat with no shade.  Our children are amazing and they are teaching me everyday how to be more patient and to observe that every moment is a teachable moment and a moment I can learn something new from them.

Perhaps one of the children I am learning the most from is a 6 year old male child name Farrell who has a speech impediment.  For reasons unknown to me, his speech is not fully developed so when he speaks he often sounds very squeaky.  I often have a difficult time understanding his requests, especially when he is excited.  Over the past week, I have gotten in the habit of asking Farrell to slow down, and to repeat his request.  Words that he stumbles with and/or mispronounces, we say them together.  I have found that the two of us working together helps him get his words out more clearly and me to understand his request.

Farrell is serving as one of my many inspirations from my summer experience at Bragraw.  Daily I am reminded to think about the words I use and the outcome I want from my students once I use these words.  Farrell is teaching me that to be an effective educator, I must do more than just meet a child on their level, I must be patient, deliberate, caring, and most importantly I must expect nothing less than excellence.