Guys!
We started our program! We started at Holy Cross/Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Back of the Yards!
This past Friday was our second day!
It's been 1.5 years in the making, but we finally did it. We crossed one line and now we're onto the next one.
I'll have pictures up once we get picture release forms from our children.
Day 1: 1 child: Maritza.
Day 2: 3 children: Maritza, Chantal, and Stephany
We've gathered invaluable data on our materials and classroom activities. We've learned the following:
1. When you only have one child, group activities go by too quickly.
2. Make sure it's not the first time a child has been left alone by his/her mother. You'll force one of your volunteers to spend time resolving the issue instead of teaching. Have the mother/parent stay for one or two sessions for a good thirty minutes.
3. Even if disruptions force you off kilter, stay focused. Remain composed and gain control. Breathe and just do.
4. Call parents a day before hand to remind them of a program available to their children, if they are not already enrolled. Calling them means you're serious.
5. Always collect phone numbers of parents. You'll need them.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Monday, January 6, 2014
Major Update: These Need to Become Regular
Everyone,
We have exciting news.
But first, let me explain the organization's 2 month silence.
Our group focused on, well, focus. We realized we had spread ourselves too thin, trying to do a million things at once: create a full-fledged organization with a website, members, panels--without first making sure we had a minimum viable product and a method to evaluate our product's success (or shortcomings).
So, we hunkered down and we started actually creating our in classroom materials and instruction materials.
You can check them out here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iMIN8gwdPI8v85XARzXcQVrg47gSl49dAYMF1JALAvE/edit?usp=sharing
The book we pull from is Ana Epstein's Language Literacy and Communication HighScope donated the book, and we scanned it for personal use within the organization only. Not to distribute. We also pull from massive help in developing instruction strategies from Catherine Corr and her masters' students in Early Childhood Education.
Without her support, we'd be nowhere.
By the end of January, we will have a full months' worth of lesson plans.
Also, looks like WE'VE FINALLY FOUND OUR LOCATION at a local perish in New City. My team and I meet with Sister Angie and her director of youth programs this Wednesday! CROSS OUR FINGERS.
So, we're still going strong after a restructuring and re-focusing.
No matter how bad things get, you gotta keep going--even if you slow down, even if you get tired, even if you stop for a few weeks. As long as you keep pushing your steps forward to get your rhythm back.
We have exciting news.
But first, let me explain the organization's 2 month silence.
Our group focused on, well, focus. We realized we had spread ourselves too thin, trying to do a million things at once: create a full-fledged organization with a website, members, panels--without first making sure we had a minimum viable product and a method to evaluate our product's success (or shortcomings).
So, we hunkered down and we started actually creating our in classroom materials and instruction materials.
You can check them out here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iMIN8gwdPI8v85XARzXcQVrg47gSl49dAYMF1JALAvE/edit?usp=sharing
The book we pull from is Ana Epstein's Language Literacy and Communication HighScope donated the book, and we scanned it for personal use within the organization only. Not to distribute. We also pull from massive help in developing instruction strategies from Catherine Corr and her masters' students in Early Childhood Education.
Without her support, we'd be nowhere.
By the end of January, we will have a full months' worth of lesson plans.
Also, looks like WE'VE FINALLY FOUND OUR LOCATION at a local perish in New City. My team and I meet with Sister Angie and her director of youth programs this Wednesday! CROSS OUR FINGERS.
So, we're still going strong after a restructuring and re-focusing.
No matter how bad things get, you gotta keep going--even if you slow down, even if you get tired, even if you stop for a few weeks. As long as you keep pushing your steps forward to get your rhythm back.
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