Prompt #1

As I entered Overpass Middle School I was very optimistic about my job as a VIPS tutor. I estimate that the school was built around the 1960's. It is fairly small and fits quite snug in between a couple of busy streets. Although the neighborhood is not the worst environment, there are still reasons to caution yourself. There are always a couple police officers who either sit outside or float around the inside of the school. As I entered the school it almost felt like I was walking into an underground building. There are not a lot of windows, especially on the first floor. It is extremely dark and feels somewhat imprisoning. The school, however, is in decent condition. There is not a lot of vandalism and it is kept pretty clean. As I entered the school for the first time it alarmed me when I discovered that visitors do not need to sign in or even check-in with the main office. This seems somewhat dangerous to not have guests be identified or at least acknowledged by the people in the main office.

Although I immediately found myself lost trying to find my classroom I could not wait to meet the students that I would be helping. As a music student I was lucky enough to be placed into a music classroom. The classroom is very well put together. It has a lot of posters, inspirational quotes and friendly rule reminders placed around the room. The music program was recently fortunate enough to receive several used instruments for the students to play on. Because most of the students cannot afford to buy or rent an instrument, this is an extremely helpful action. In this particular classroom the teacher seemed to have fairly good control over the students. They were being respectful and when things started to get out of hand the teacher was able to bring the kids back into a more focused level.

I only work with three students who I will continue to work with during my time at the school. I am going to be teaching them how to play the flute. As a very ecstatic flute player myself, I was really excited to be able to teach something that I believe in so much. I hope to give them something that they can really work towards and hopefully succeed. A musical instrument could be a perfect escape for them.

It is very apparent in that classroom that respect and opportunity are valued between the students and teacher. The teacher puts a lot of emphasis on their potential and abilities. Unfortunately, because of a lot of the students' lives at home, it is already established within themselves the mentality of "can't" or "I'm not good enough." The teacher tries to delete this thought from their minds. He wants to show them that they have opportunities as well as talents and abilities. Although the kids are not always on their best behavior, there is still a very positive attitude, which I believe gives the students something to look forward to.