Spontaneous ungrounded excitement

          My jumpstart session started out by entering the room and realizing that one of my children was absent.  I turned this into a positive, realizing that it was an opportunity to capitalize on the one-on-one time my other partner child and I would now be allowed.  Moments into snack time (even before we start with name recognition and letter comprehension) my partner child’s mom walked in and I knew this was a sign that I would not have any time with my partner child because he would be leaving early. 

          I thought that this would be okay because I would have the chance to talk to my partner child’s parent while my partner child was putting on his jacket.  Usually I do not get this opportunity because I am in dramatic play and feel guilty if I abandon the children in dramatic play in order talk to this parent when she picks up her child.  As I made my move towards the cubbies (through the obstacle course of tiny children getting their snack and going the bathroom to wash their hands) my partner child’s parent did a perfect yin yang rotation dance towards the bathroom on the side of the room I was on.   She called my partner child over to go the bathroom and as I tried to back track to that side of the room, I could see my window of opportunity closing because the teacher of the classroom moved towards my partner child’s parent.  I was trying to send a telepathic message. “Wait. Please, this is my one chance,” but apparently we were on a different frequency because I was the only one that heard that message.  I understood that the teacher probably had just as much need, or more, to talk to the parent, but I still wanted my time so I moved to the cubbies in order to get in a couple of words before she left.

            After her child went the bathroom I brought over the jacket and back pack of my partner child (as extra insurance to make sure I could at least say hi and that way, if I was holding something, then hopefully no one would see empty hands and think that I wanted something to do). She thanked me for getting the coat and bag and then I asked her how her child did on his evaluation for “big kid school” as he called it.  The week before, I had been entering Project Hope as they were leaving and she had said that her child was going to be observed to see if he was ready for school.  As we began to talk, she lit up when I asked if he enjoyed it and if she had gotten the results yet.

          She was beaming when she said he was in level three; this is what sparked my spontaneous excitement.  A smile sprang on my face immediately, even thought I had no idea what level three meant.  Her joy was contagious and allowed me to smile, without worry of level three being not up to par or below expectations.  She told me that next time she picks up her child she will bring the evaluation sheet with her to show me the comments the evaluator made and I felt honored for her to have the trust in me to share this information.  So, although my spontaneous excitement was ungrounded, in that I did not know what level three was, I felt amazing after hearing the information and the negative feelings of not having a partner child for the day where eradicated by the news.

Ian Driscoll

Something I Will Carry With Me Forever

The Changes through this year

Through the weeks of the school year and the many sessions we have had, we made it through the first semester and survived winter season all to say that as Jumpstart is coming to an end it all went by like a blur. The children in our classroom are so excited during center and circle times it's unbelievable that they can have so much fun while learning. The other night our team had team bonding in the resource center and we each created something for our partner children. Welcome during session is advancing again as we are now introducing a writing utencil and paper (or dry erase marker and whiteboards) and most children have been ready for this next step for a while and it's evidently seen in the way they express their understanding for the sounds and letters in their name. The improvements are remarkable and hopefully will continue strong through the end of the year

Kyle

What an Improvement!

I have three partner children; however, since the sessions before Christmas, I have only had Marcus. The issue was not that my partner children were no longer involved in Jumpstart but that my children just get picked up earlier. I did not know what to do because I did not want to question parents and make them feel uncomfortable or make them feel like they needed to change their life schedule for Jumpstart. I stuck it out for the next several sessions, but I was still working with Marcus. One Friday session, I saw another one of my partner children. I was so happy to see her, but before “Welcome” time started, she was out the door. I spoke with her family member and told them I missed Liah in our Jumpstart sessions. I explained how well she had improved in learning the letter sounds and the corresponding letters. Liah and her guardian were so happy. Liah hugged me, giggled, and waved goodbye. I was almost satisfied but something else needed to be done.

 I decided to write a letter to the families of my partner children that I had consistently not seen since December. In my letter, I spoke highly of my children; I wrote about their accomplishments and I asked if they were reading their books I sent home to them from Christmas. On Wednesday I put my letters into their boxes and by Friday I had all my partner children attending again. My partner children worked so well together and we had an amazing session. All my children were so interested in the book that I noticed other children watching us in amazement. I guess my group distracted a lot of the other groups because they were just as excited as I was. When Liah left, I spoke with her mother and asked if she received the letter I left in Liah’s cubby.  Her mother responded and said that Liah made her read my letter over and over again. She told me Liah should know the letter word for word now. I was so happy that I was able to work with all three of my partner children again and that the parents were partners with me in ensuring I could help their children during our sessions from now on.

Tasheka Nelson

My Most Memorable Moment So Far This Year

As a second year corps member, I have personally seen countless achievements by the children in Jumpstart. So far this year, Jumpstart has given me many opportunities and millions of unforgettable memories. My most memorable moment so far this year would definitely be when one of my partner children’s moms emailed me. This email made my day! She told me how thankful she was for having me in her son’s life and how she has already seen an improvement with him. She was also ecstatic to say that her son always talks about families and that he never spoke about families before we worked together. Since I am able to email back and forth with his mother, I get to hear about all of the things I helped her son learn. This truly makes me feel amazing. I love working with children and watching them grow and learn. It is especially rewarding to get positive feedback on my work. It really proves to me that I am doing a great and meaningful service for these children. It makes me so blissful to know that I am touching the lives of these children through songs, reading, poems, and play, and that their parents recognize their child’s growth.

Lynndsay Holden

It was fate!!

There are times when the impulsive side of me completely takes over. The feelings in the pit of my stomach cannot be ignored or subdued and often times lead me in one direction. The first time I even heard the words Jumpstart at our first year seminar, my gut basically screamed at me. When the speakers spoke about how the corps members spend a significant amount of time helping the children who really need it, they might as well have been talking directly to me. Throughout my life, I have always jumped at the opportunity to help and this time was no different. It seemed as if Jumpstart chose me. The next day when my freshman class started picking classes, I signed up for Jumpstart with Hilary. If I could go back and change my decision, I wouldn’t. Seeing these children, who I have come to care so very much about, grow and learn every moment I’m with them makes me feel like I’ve made the right decision. Those children and their laughter and excitement are what get me out of bed every morning. I know that I’m helping, in some way, and I feel like I was meant to be here.  I’m not one to mess with fate.

Kris

An achievement of my partner child

At the beginning of the year, one of my partner children had a hard time paying attention during welcome and reading. She would get out of her seat at our assigned table and sit with other groups. During reading, she would look around the room at what other students were taking part in. I began to worry that she was never going to get a beneficial experience at welcome. I decided to give each of my children a sticker at the end of welcome and reading to reward them for their acceptable behavior. All three children responded to this system very well. The child that started off the year running around and not paying attention was now sitting in her seat and making comments about the books we were reading! One day, she even noticed that her name, and the child’s name next to hers, “both had two a's in them!” I was so proud and this semester she has really taken hold of paying attention and getting everything she can out of reading and welcome.

Kayla Sharpe