180 degrees is referring the attitude change in my three boys today. It was a complete change from yesterday. As different as my skin is to theirs. It was as if three different boys came to school today, excited to learn. That is right! They were EXCITED to learn today. I could not believe it as I taught them. It really makes teaching so much more easy and fun when someone is actually paying attention, taking notes and saying OH MR. ISAAC! I GET IT NOW!!!! Ever turned on a light bulb? Yup, sorta like that.
As I get to school, every morning the routine is the same. "Good morning gentlemen. Get out your assignments for me to look at." Every other day they all sit there with a frown as no one had touched their homework. Being a student who never learned in the way most teachers teach, I understood that it is possible to teach children in ways that most teacher's don't try. You have to find out how the boys learn and how they are motivated to do things. While I am still working on this, I think I am finally reaching a point. These boys love hands-on learning. They have to have their hands in the lesson, whether it is them taking notes or actually at the board doing work. If they sit there listening, it goes right through their little heads. Today, I finally told them to get out some paper and take notes. I was expecting some major groans, but didn't receive any as the all got papers out without question and started copying what I wrote on the board. At the end, they were excited to get their homework and start doing it since they actually understood it today. This makes me very excited to go back to work and ask to get their homework, because I KNOW that it will be done. There is not question or doubt.
As I went to school today though, I had a little bit of questioning in my mind. I do not know why, because I trust the boys and kids in the school completely. However, yesterday at Coral Gables High School, which is I think the closest school to my house, two boys started quarreling when one decided to not just end the fight, but end the other boys life as he pulled out his knife and stabbed the boy in the chest, as he was watched by other children in the room. What makes a person do something to this extreme? Where can we have safe environments anymore? As you hear about the school shooting and murders in the huge cities, you think how awful it is, but then you go on with your day. But, when you live in that city, and spend your days in the schools with these children, your mind starts to wonder in some very weird ways. Trusting my boys fully, I know they left the school yesterday EXTREMELY mad at me as the feeling was mutual for all parties involved. This kept entering my mind as I entered the school today. I asked the boys for their bags, so I could check through them before class started. We have the authority to do this whenever we feel appropriate, therefore, I did it. However, I found something I never expected. Completed worksheets in every single bag I checked. I knew the day was going to be great as each boy followed up with a giant smile plastered on their face. They finally felt the feeling of completing something and making a teacher happy. Something I do not think these guys have experienced in about five years.
The day was finished up as I was in a meeting with many folks of the community. This meeting was something I did not think I would ever be a part of. As I work with Haitians, I start learning about their culture and appreciating it. Some local Haitians, including the principal and her husband, are trying to start a Med School in Haiti, yet, need supporters. At the end of October and beginning of November, a group is going to Haiti for the grand opening of this clinic. Somehow, I was designated to be on the group that goes and starts this clinic. Do I have any background for anything dealing with starting a Med School in Haiti? Well lets see: no Med School background, no Haitian background, no entrepreneurship background or anything else I could think of that would be good to have to attend this trip. However, I believe that I will be spending Halloween in Haiti this year, which, (God help me) could be the scariest haunted house I have ever been to. (I am not worried about that at all, just seemed kinda fitting)
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