Audrey on teaching.....and learning

Audrey with learners at Christel House School

I am going to warn you now, from here on out my blog posts will be focused on my constant need to talk about my students. If you know me I have always been passionate about children and their learning process, but if you know me even better you will realize that my love for my students does not stop outside of the classroom yet I actually talk about them on a daily basis in any context. I will show you pictures, videos and tell you multiple stories about them even if you don’t want to hear or see. As a fair warning if you’re not a fan of children, stop reading my posts because I will most likely bore you or annoy you.

This weeks post though is a bit different; I don’t have a cheerful story to tell you, rather a story that brought down my spirits for a while. Throughout my first week of my internship at Christel House I was welcomed with open arms by students and faculty. This welcoming allowed me to feel comfortable instantly, although I still didn’t know my exact role I knew that I could roam around and find a place to be busy, if that wasn’t teaching a class, it was helping in the library or even starting dance routines with different students.

This is where my story starts. As I was sitting with a few of my boy students discussing the song choice they wanted for their dance routines they are setting up to compete against the girls, a girl came up to my group and began trying to talk to the boys. I said hi in I believe a welcoming way, but as the boys stayed engage with the discussion of music and going through the music I have for them, the girl seemed to get annoyed that they were paying attention to me. As she walked away she stated blatantly, “She will never be your sista.”

I heard her yet I’m pretty sure none of the boys did. This was the first time I didn’t feel welcomed, but also a much needed reality check. As much as I needed to feel comfortable I also needed to remember that I was a new person and needed to earn these children’s trust.

~ In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn ~ Phil Collins